Sticker Shocked by Westfield and Cranford! (Orange, Rahway: best towns, home, high schools)

[jenn76]

Originally Posted by kiki337

Thought I'd wade back into the fray. I've lived in Brooklyn, Marlboro, NJ (the exurbs w/ .75 acre lots) and am raising my kids in Cranford. Why? Because Cranford is a great, safe town and at 4 square miles my boys get on their bikes and go to school, practice, park, friends or downtown for a slice. I hated living in a huge township like Marlboro where my friends could be 8 miles away and the "downtown" was Route 9...we were always begging rides and there was no one on the street. Culture shock coming from Brooklyn where I never had to leave the block. So don't be so quick to denigrate the tighter living space.

Now I'm sure you will all have your own opinions...

I moved from Brooklyn to Old Bridge almost 2 years ago, for my kids to have better schools and a lawn. But I have the same feelings about it as you do about Marlboro. It's just so empty here... I'm becoming home sick for Brooklyn, but going back wouldn't solve the initial reasons why we left in the first place. I've been looking at Cranford as a sort of middle ground between city and suburbs. But I don't know, would it really be different from Old Bridge... How do you feel about it compared to Brooklyn and Marlboro?

[E-TOWN-R.I.P.]

Would it really be different from Old Bridge?

Uh, yes, Cranford is very much different than Old Bridge ... and very much better.

[SPNARD1]

You can seriously get a decent discount on a lot of these asking prices, especially with homes that need renovation.

It's amazing that someone selling a home that needs major renovations, IE: kitchen, bathrooms etc expects to get top dollar in this economy.

You have to look at comparables in the area and base your offer off of that.

Good luck

[craftsmama]

Originally Posted by E-TOWN-R.I.P.

They're expensive because they're great towns and many people want to live here. No offense, but if you're so turned off by your experience, then why don't you look somewhere else ...

And, BTW, Maplewood and South Orange can't hold a candle to Westfield and Cranford.

no, they're expensive because people will charge outlandish prices for tiny and/or crappy homes just because there are some other people who are gullible enough to pay it. it's all about greed and being able to say that you live in westfield. my husband grew up there and his parents still live there. it's lovely, of course. and it had better be. but it's not paradise. the price of real estate there is completely out of control and out of proportion to what you're getting.

[E-TOWN-R.I.P.]

Originally Posted by craftsmama

no, they're expensive because people will charge outlandish prices for tiny and/or crappy homes just because there are some other people who are gullible enough to pay it. it's all about greed and being able to say that you live in westfield. my husband grew up there and his parents still live there. it's lovely, of course. and it had better be. but it's not paradise. the price of real estate there is completely out of control and out of proportion to what you're getting.

And I'm sure it's better than where you live.

[kaday]

I loved my close by neighbors in Maplewood. We'd all sit in a central backyard with all of our baby monitors on summer nights and drink beer! It was great! Many a gallon of milk or box of pasta was tossed over the fence for a neighbor. I really miss those days! We even had a neighborhood "avert your eyes" window policy because we all were in our first homes and struggling to make ends meet. Curtains were out of the question cost wise for most of us. My old neighborhood is still the same way and they are all still as thick as thieves. I am sorry my kids didn't get to grow up there.

[Sergio M]

Originally Posted by craftsmama

no, they're expensive because people will charge outlandish prices for tiny and/or crappy homes just because there are some other people who are gullible enough to pay it. it's all about greed and being able to say that you live in westfield. my husband grew up there and his parents still live there. it's lovely, of course. and it had better be. but it's not paradise. the price of real estate there is completely out of control and out of proportion to what you're getting.

Did you know that these home need to appraise? Out of Control? NOT! Did you ever realize that your dollar is not worth much? Cranford is still a seller's market.

[craftsmama]

Originally Posted by E-TOWN-R.I.P.

And I'm sure it's better than where you live.

depends on how you define "better". if by better you mean pricier, snobbier and less ethnically and culturally diverse, then you win!

but after reading just a few of your posts, i'm betting my neighbors are friendlier than you are.

take care.

[craftsmama]

Originally Posted by Sergio M

Did you know that these home need to appraise? Out of Control? NOT! Did you ever realize that your dollar is not worth much? Cranford is still a seller's market.

its days of overvalued shacks are numbered, too, don't kid yourself.

[Sergio M]

Originally Posted by craftsmama

its days of overvalued shacks are numbered, too, don't kid yourself.

Did you mean overvalued dollar? You could thank your government for that.