West Orange - The Good The Bad and Ugly (Jersey City: real estate, 2014)
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.
Good evening, so I have my heart set on a few homes in West Orange and look forward to moving my family. So all I am asking for is your thoughts on pretty much anything and everything. I will be commuting to manhattan for work and both work in midtown. So anything related to commute.
Food, nightlight, Schools, Daycare, Crazy Gangs, urban legends. I want to know everything lol
Midtown commute can be done via 77 bus from Codey Arena, or 66 bus in some parts of town, or shuttle from some parts of town to South Orange station. Shuttle routes and schedules are on the town website. I don't know if Arena parking is currently available; that's run by the county. Parking at the nearby train stations has years-long waiting lists. From a few parts of town Highland and Mountain stations are walkable; there are few direct trains from these stations however.
Best food I've found is in other towns (especially Montclair), unfortunately. Bond's has a decent burger. There's good ice cream at Mark and Julies. Don't know much about night life, I'm boring. All I know is P.Diddy once got in a bit of trouble for getting a police escort from the 4sixty6 club, but I don't think that's even open any more (I think they only do private events now). Also there's another place on Eagle Rock but I know nothing about it.
Argyle Marketplace on Northfield Ave is a good lunch spot. They make a really good burger.
The Pour House is a dive that gives free pizza.
The AMC Theatre is a dine-in theatre that also serves alcohol, if that's your thing.
Turtle Back Zoo is a nice place to take the kids on the weekends. I think they had some sort of Beer Fest not too long ago, so they do some stuff for adults as well.
That might be the extent of my personal West Orange knowledge. I'm sure a lot of people commute to the city from West Orange, but you should test it out to see if it's for you. Taking a shuttle to a train/bus to then possibly take another train once in the city may be one too many rides for some people.
I have been living in West Orange for 10 years. From a real estate perspective, West Orange has been very hot over the past year or two. Compared to neighboring towns like Montclair and South Orange, West Orange is more of a bedroom community. You're not going to find much of a "scene" here. There are a few popular bars and restaurants dispersed throughout the town, but again, there is no walkable nightlife like you might find in neighboring towns.
I don't commute to NYC, but these are the options I'm aware of from talking to friends and neighbors:
- there is a jitney that serves certain parts of town that will take you to the Orange or South Orange train stations
- you can drive to the train stations in Montclair or Orange - get there very early and park in a daily parking spot (there is a long waiting list for monthly permits)
- drive to Harrison and take the Path into the city
- there is bus service into the city that runs along Eagle Rock Ave. on the north side of town, and another bus that departs from Codey arena on the south side of town
The schools are decent. My kids are in elementary school here and love it. We have neighbors with kids in the high school and they are doing very well. The town is very diverse in all regards, and tends to lean quite liberal.
My experience as a South Orange resident is that West Orange residents will often go to neighboring towns for stuff. And largely dependent on what other town their are near (South Orange, Montclair or Livingston being probably the biggest draws). Towns in NJ tend to be small, so going a town or two over is usually still staying 'in your area'.
My experience as a South Orange resident is that West Orange residents will often go to neighboring towns for stuff. And largely dependent on what other town their are near (South Orange, Montclair or Livingston being probably the biggest draws). Towns in NJ tend to be small, so going a town or two over is usually still staying 'in your area'.
South Orange for the train, Maplewood, Montclair and Millburn for food, Livingston for doctors, and East Hanover for the big box stores (except Home Depot for which Vauxhall is the best one).
But everyone comes to West Orange for the big Shop-Rite. It may not be the best grocery store in the world, but it's the best reasonably-priced one in the area.
South Orange for the train, Maplewood, Montclair and Millburn for food, Livingston for doctors, and East Hanover for the big box stores (except Home Depot for which Vauxhall is the best one).
But everyone comes to West Orange for the big Shop-Rite. It may not be the best grocery store in the world, but it's the best reasonably-priced one in the area.
When I was a kid, that Shop-Rite was the movie theater.
We dont drive to that Shop-Right from Livingston. The one in Livingston is pretty big, and convenient. Though the parking lot sucks.
My experience as a South Orange resident is that West Orange residents will often go to neighboring towns for stuff. And largely dependent on what other town their are near (South Orange, Montclair or Livingston being probably the biggest draws). Towns in NJ tend to be small, so going a town or two over is usually still staying 'in your area'.
Thank you, this is the whole point. I am a Queens, NY native and would still live here but I dont want to raise my daughter in this neighborhood and the cost of living here is ridiculous. I travel often to Long Island but Nassau county is an over taxed dump. Not saying NJ is a red state libertarian paradise but at least I know if I am spending my money and taxes the schools are great and the property is big.
Whats the difference between West and South Orange?
Thank you, this is the whole point. I am a Queens, NY native and would still live here but I dont want to raise my daughter in this neighborhood and the cost of living here is ridiculous. I travel often to Long Island but Nassau county is an over taxed dump. Not saying NJ is a red state libertarian paradise but at least I know if I am spending my money and taxes the schools are great and the property is big.
Whats the difference between West and South Orange?
South Orange is a little 'hotter' of a town. Shares a school district with Maplewood and those two towns are joined at the hip and make up the same community. (South Orange at one point consisted of what is now South Orange and Maplewood). SO/Ma is popular for people moving from NYC/Hoboken/Jersey City who want to live in a progressive and diverse town with a good commute (NJTransit realities notwithstanding).
For the most part the 'same' house in South Orange will probably be a little more expensive than one in West Orange. It also might have a smaller lot depending on what parts of West Orange and South Orange you're talking about. It's a tad denser of a suburb. Some see West Orange as a more affordable alternative.
When I said it was a hotter town it means crazy things happen, like this house down the street from me being listed at $750K
It was partially rebuilt and apparently is being billed as a smart home, but that price seems very aspriational. That said, most of the other things nearby that seemed to be priced crazily ended up going for more than I could imagine. I'd still be very surprised if it goes for that, but who knows...
Taxes are crazy in both. Apparently West Orange has a higher tax percentage, but since the property is cheaper it doesn't seem as bad.
Apart from that, it's a nice place. I'm not sure I could have afforded to move here if I was looking now as opposed to when we were in 2014 (and people that were here in 2010 said the same thing about the prices in 2014).
South Orange is a little 'hotter' of a town. Shares a school district with Maplewood and those two towns are joined at the hip and make up the same community. (South Orange at one point consisted of what is now South Orange and Maplewood). SO/Ma is popular for people moving from NYC/Hoboken/Jersey City who want to live in a progressive and diverse town with a good commute (NJTransit realities notwithstanding).
For the most part the 'same' house in South Orange will probably be a little more expensive than one in West Orange. It also might have a smaller lot depending on what parts of West Orange and South Orange you're talking about. It's a tad denser of a suburb. Some see West Orange as a more affordable alternative.
When I said it was a hotter town it means crazy things happen, like this house down the street from me being listed at $750K
It was partially rebuilt and apparently is being billed as a smart home, but that price seems very aspriational. That said, most of the other things nearby that seemed to be priced crazily ended up going for more than I could imagine. I'd still be very surprised if it goes for that, but who knows...
Taxes are crazy in both. Apparently West Orange has a higher tax percentage, but since the property is cheaper it doesn't seem as bad.
Apart from that, it's a nice place. I'm not sure I could have afforded to move here if I was looking now as opposed to when we were in 2014 (and people that were here in 2010 said the same thing about the prices in 2014).
Yeah that's what I feel also, Plus a lot of houses are going cheap and are being renovated and approaching 400-500k. At least they are nice, In Queens, their is a dump of a house every block going for 700k and people are buying them. I don't how or why!
As for Taxes, its a wash being a New Yorker. It is a fact of life living in the north east. I want cheaper taxes just as much as the other guy but short of revolution it wont happen. I just hope that the taxes are worth it for my daughter who will be going to school their and growing up.
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.
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.
