Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > New Jersey
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
 
Old 12-09-2006, 12:30 PM
 
2 posts, read 5,519 times
Reputation: 10

Advertisements

Alright folks, I realize there are a lot of areas in Jersey and New York for that matter that if you turn the corner you will be scared for your life. So this is why I need your help.

I'm moving in a month to NJ to go to AADA (an acting school) in Midtown, NYC. I lived in New York for 6 weeks this summer and...did fine on my own but being a girl by herself walking streets in brooklyn from kansas it was scary at times.

However, I'm wanting to live in NJ because I know as far as my dollar goes I will get a slightly bigger place in NJ. I've been looking in Jersey City but it just seems that its so hit or miss it's too hard to tell. I don't have a chance to go down and look before I move so this is the hardest part. I've been using Craigslist mostly for my searching for apartments. I don't mind commuting...but I would like the commute to be no longer than 40 minutes tops. With that said...could someone please give me a general..or specific if you have time idea of where I should live...cities, counties, whatever. that are SAFE. Also price wise, I'm looking for a 2br with a max of 2000 a month. Thanks so much..and I could REALLY use your help. i'm desperate here!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 12-09-2006, 07:25 PM
 
37 posts, read 261,552 times
Reputation: 42
If mass transit suits you well and Jersey City and Hoboken are to expensive then look in the Rutherford/ East Rutherford area. Low crime, decent nightlife and a train and bus station that boarder the two towns. 20 minutes to midtown. Hope this helps. Any questions feel free to message me.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-11-2006, 10:05 PM
ira
 
Location: Bergen County
657 posts, read 3,925,911 times
Reputation: 297
Quote:
Originally Posted by starvingactress View Post
Alright folks, I realize there are a lot of areas in Jersey and New York for that matter that if you turn the corner you will be scared for your life. So this is why I need your help.

I'm moving in a month to NJ to go to AADA (an acting school) in Midtown, NYC. I lived in New York for 6 weeks this summer and...did fine on my own but being a girl by herself walking streets in brooklyn from kansas it was scary at times.

However, I'm wanting to live in NJ because I know as far as my dollar goes I will get a slightly bigger place in NJ. I've been looking in Jersey City but it just seems that its so hit or miss it's too hard to tell. I don't have a chance to go down and look before I move so this is the hardest part. I've been using Craigslist mostly for my searching for apartments. I don't mind commuting...but I would like the commute to be no longer than 40 minutes tops. With that said...could someone please give me a general..or specific if you have time idea of where I should live...cities, counties, whatever. that are SAFE. Also price wise, I'm looking for a 2br with a max of 2000 a month. Thanks so much..and I could REALLY use your help. i'm desperate here!
What are looking for in terms of lifestyle? Fun palce full with single people? Family-oriented suburban area? Also, are you coming by yourself? Why do you need 2 Br?

$2,000 for a 2 Bedroom is a pretty decent budget, you should have plenty of options. Hoboken is great if you are young and single (or married w/out kids). You can find 2 Br for $2,000. If you don't mind having a roommate, you can get a very "upscale" 2 Br apartment for about $2,500 .

Also, when you say that you will get a bigger place in NJ, that's not necessarily true. It depends on where you are. Have you tried Queens? They have some pretty nice areas like Astoria and Forrest Hills where you can get 2 Br in your price range.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-12-2006, 01:38 AM
 
1,453 posts, read 4,924,603 times
Reputation: 336
Downtown Jersey City near Grove Street Path station would be your best bet if you rely on public transportation. On Craigslist you can find places within a few blocks of there. Hoboken is good but too pricey now. Those are the best for 24 hour a day transit. I am a woman and I lived a few blocks from Grove Street Path about 10 years ago. I was working nights- came home late every night and never had a problem. If you come home late and use the trains-it is always good to live close to the station. The Journal Square area of J.C. is dicey-not a good area for females but it is less expensive with bigger apartments. The only other area close to Manhattan I can think of is Jersey City Heights. It is just above Hoboken and is less expensive with big places. On the downside-it is not walkable to the Path station. I think you take a bus in or take a bus to the PATH. That area had a lot of older hispanic families. It did seem pretty safe. But if you are going to be in NYC for a year or less and rely soley on public transit- I would definitely say Grove Street area of J.C. is your best choice. The outer parts of Brooklyn and Queens might be o.k. also. Economical but the commute would take longer than Jersey City. Oh, I forgot- lots of NYU students were living near Grove Street when I was there. Also recent college grads and younger Yuppie types. Good luck.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-12-2006, 08:19 AM
 
202 posts, read 992,141 times
Reputation: 102
2 BRs for $2000? With that kind of budget, I think Hoboken might be your best bet, especially since you say you won't be able to see the apt before you move. It's not as hit or miss in Hoboken as it is in Jersey City. It might not get you the best, modern 2 BR there is, but will probably provide more value than a $2000 apt in Manhattan. $2000 will probably get you a nice 1 BR, though.

The majority of Hoboken will look safe to you -- especially within 10 blocks in any direction from the PATH station -- and you'll probably appreciate the nightlife there assuming you are young and single.

The PATH station is here, for reference: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=40+Hudson+Pl,+Hoboken,+NJ
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-12-2006, 08:42 AM
 
Location: NJ
2 posts, read 10,832 times
Reputation: 13
Most of Bergen County would be good..both for rents and commuting. Great train and bus commuter system throughout most of the county and it's not a long commute. Bergen county is a little more expensive than other areas, but you can get something decent in a good area for your budget. Fair Lawn is good..centrally located, close to everything, very safe town and easy commute to NYC.
Hope this helps.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-12-2006, 10:38 AM
 
3 posts, read 24,303 times
Reputation: 10
Lyndhurst is right next door to Rutherford and is nowhere near as expensive as Rutherford as far as taxes go, I had a house in Lyndhurst and it was VERY affordable, some of my friends still live there and there is the Kingsland train station that goes right into NYC, easy shopping and clubs in the town, Rutherford is really nice and my ex hubby lives there with our four kids, but, it's a "dry" town and you have to travel a little bit for a decent bar....Nutley is a good town to live in as well, good schools, and great restaurants...if you visit Nutley, go to Scuttlebutts Pub on Franklin and Center, great and inexpensive food, and a really cute bartender during the days! (my Ex...lol!)
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-12-2006, 11:03 AM
 
Location: In NJ, for better or worse...
170 posts, read 961,197 times
Reputation: 70
I think for $2000 you could find something nice in Hoboken. The town offers a lot for students - easy access to NYC, a thriving social scene, and is pretty safe. I lived in Hoboken for 7 years and loved every minute of it. The PATH train reaches downtown in about 15 minutes and midtown in about 22 minutes. It is pricey, but I think you could swing something in that range. I remember renting for about $700 a month in 1997 - times sure change quickly.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-20-2006, 06:53 PM
 
2 posts, read 5,519 times
Reputation: 10
thank you all SOOOO much for your input you have no idea how much it helps me. I'm really starting to get worried...I lived there this summer but I was never anywhere near NJ so I have no idea about areas there. I was hoping more along the Hoboken lines but as far as Craigslist goes I wasnt finding anything in my price range in hoboken that was a 2 bedroom.

does anyone know of any other sites that are good for this sort of thing since lately i havent been finding much on craigslist and the move is coming up fast?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 12-22-2006, 07:27 PM
 
1 posts, read 2,756 times
Reputation: 10
Default try harrison

harrison is very close to nyc, safe, and cheap. not as nice as hoboken by any stretch but it's worth a look.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:



Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > New Jersey

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:45 AM.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top