Looking for rental ideas, towns, etc (Bayonne, Union: real estate, rentals, houses)

[diogenesNY]

Hmmm...okay...

I am in the beginning stages of researching a place to rent maybe by the end of the summer (and town to rent in) as I relocate back to the north east.

Although a New Yorker by birth, I have spent significant chunks of my life in New Jersey.... particularly as a kid in Ridgewood and 3 years of high school locked away in Blair Academy in Blairstown (shudder!).

I have already composed somewhat of a short list of towns I am exploring based on (amongst other things) online research, discussions with colleagues, exploration of available rental properties via realtor.com and other sites (even though I am sure that there are much better ways to see whats out there. As I winnow down my lists I suspect that I will be emailing individual real estate firms that handle rentals, but that comes a bit later).



Anyway, after about eight years in Durham, NC work in NYC is calling me back up to the north east. At this point I am looking for something that would be primarily a transitional rental for a year or so. I have lots of stuff and need some elbow room,so with that in mind, I am looking to maximize my square footage available per dollar spent. Ideally a 2/3 bedroom house (single family is best, but would consider a two family). Some reasonable proximity to the city, will be commuting a few days a week. Maybe sometime driving, train etc would be a big plus. I suspect that most towns with PATH stops spike the price up way high tho....... all of these things are factors.

I am a 41 year old single male professional and sometime artist with lots of stuff and various space consuming interests and hobbies, so things like schools are irrelevant..... space to do my thing is the top priority with access to the city being somewhat important. Stuff like a 'pretty setting' is largely unimportant. Funky/ratty neighborhoods, older towns and neighborhoods, and older houses are also probably a plus as far as what I am looking for. Definitely want a house.

Yard is nice but not too important.... Off street parking is pretty important... Garage would be a big plus... Basement/storage additional work space is a BIG plus..... again, square footage is the prime value here. I will eventually be looking to buy someplace, but not necessarily where I rent, and this is depending on how things go businesswise in the next year or three.

Am willing to spend somewhat for this, and I am developing a cost window based on the above and what I have seen on realtor.com per month.

This all said, I have begun to compose a short list of towns with rental property that may be 'in the window', but I am sure that I am going based on somewhat skewed data and am looking for ideas, comments, other places/ways to research, etc. I figure that as I narrow my list I will be talking to individual real estate agents and doing a few 'on the ground' scouting trips of towns, neighborhoods and houses later this summer.

So far the 'short list' includes, but is not limited to:
Carteret
Rahway
Bloomfield
Union Township
have been punching in many other names .... looking for ideas/suggestions

I am looking for any feedback/suggestions/ideas/etc? Has Rutherford gotten expensive? I dont know much about it now, but years ago my grandparents had an apt there, and the commute to NYC was very easy. I suspect it is priced out of my window right now, for what I want.

Any ideas, etc much appreciated.

[wileynj]

Blairstown is nice : ))))) Was Blair really that bad? How about Hackettstown? The bus takes 1 hr. 40 mins. to get into NYC - there's a train station but I hear that commute is horrible! Actually, what about Monclair. Being 41 and single, there is a bit of a nightlife for you in Montclair. Or Morristown? Check out gsmls.com as they include home rentals.

[diogenesNY]

Originally Posted by wileynj

Blairstown is nice : ))))) Was Blair really that bad? How about Hackettstown? The bus takes 1 hr. 40 mins. to get into NYC - there's a train station but I hear that commute is horrible! Actually, what about Monclair. Being 41 and single, there is a bit of a nightlife for you in Montclair. Or Morristown? Check out gsmls.com as they include home rentals.

Thanks....

Checking Montclair and Morristown....

gsmls.com is a good lead too..... seems to have some good info.

Still looking for any feedback.... btw, forgot to mention that my rental window was something in the way of $1200-1600/month... could go higher for the 'right' place.... i.e. has things that i need/want especially, or would cut other costs (like transportation).

Also didnt mention... looking at Bayonne.... any thoughts on that... have gotten mixed feedback. I like the proximity/urbanity.

As for Blairstown and Blair Academy: Blairstown is a very pretty, rural spot in NW Jersey and I would imagine that it would be a great place to look for a more or less rural home with proximity to urban centers. In fact, it probobly really hits the sweet spot for a nice green out of the way setting with reasonable price and still accessable to the urban landscape. However, it is still a bit out of the way for me, and I am looking for something more urban and near NYC.... Warren county is very pretty country tho: I've hiked part of the Appalaichain Trail there and it is really stunning.... canoe'd part of the Delaware River thereabouts too. Top drawer for that kind of thing.

I went to Blair Academy in the mid-80s and thought it was a real hellhole, personally. Then again, I wasnt too happy to be kenneled at boarding school in any case. Has a pretty campus, but (then at least) a bunch of pretty disgruntled students. They had a rep for two things: Turning out Olympic quality wrestlers (of which I was not one) and also being a 'Second Chance school'. I guess I fell mostly into that catagory. I was a bit of an anti-establishment type. They were very big on keeping you busy with organized if pointless activity and strong survelance.... not the happiest student body, and I was very glad to get out of there (and yes, I _did_ graduate ) They seemed very keen to squelch most forms of individuality and personal expression as a premptive disciplinary and management methodology, so one had to be a bit creative in forming ones own tyle of rebellion that they couldn't easily crush. I found mine in overdressing (khaki's and tweed sportcoats durring the day), smoking very potent cigars (this was in the 80's and was the last gasp, so to speak, for tollerating smoking at all), drinking excessive quantities of coffee, and posting quotes by H.L. Mencken on the school bulliten board. Ah youth...

diogenesNY

[wileynj]

Originally Posted by diogenesNY

Thanks....

Checking Montclair and Morristown....

gsmls.com is a good lead too..... seems to have some good info.

Still looking for any feedback.... btw, forgot to mention that my rental window was something in the way of $1200-1600/month... could go higher for the 'right' place.... i.e. has things that i need/want especially, or would cut other costs (like transportation).

Also didnt mention... looking at Bayonne.... any thoughts on that... have gotten mixed feedback. I like the proximity/urbanity.

As for Blairstown and Blair Academy: Blairstown is a very pretty, rural spot in NW Jersey and I would imagine that it would be a great place to look for a more or less rural home with proximity to urban centers. In fact, it probobly really hits the sweet spot for a nice green out of the way setting with reasonable price and still accessable to the urban landscape. However, it is still a bit out of the way for me, and I am looking for something more urban and near NYC.... Warren county is very pretty country tho: I've hiked part of the Appalaichain Trail there and it is really stunning.... canoe'd part of the Delaware River thereabouts too. Top drawer for that kind of thing.

I went to Blair Academy in the mid-80s and thought it was a real hellhole, personally. Then again, I wasnt too happy to be kenneled at boarding school in any case. Has a pretty campus, but (then at least) a bunch of pretty disgruntled students. They had a rep for two things: Turning out Olympic quality wrestlers (of which I was not one) and also being a 'Second Chance school'. I guess I fell mostly into that catagory. I was a bit of an anti-establishment type. They were very big on keeping you busy with organized if pointless activity and strong survelance.... not the happiest student body, and I was very glad to get out of there (and yes, I _did_ graduate ) They seemed very keen to squelch most forms of individuality and personal expression as a premptive disciplinary and management methodology, so one had to be a bit creative in forming ones own tyle of rebellion that they couldn't easily crush. I found mine in overdressing (khaki's and tweed sportcoats durring the day), smoking very potent cigars (this was in the 80's and was the last gasp, so to speak, for tollerating smoking at all), drinking excessive quantities of coffee, and posting quotes by H.L. Mencken on the school bulliten board. Ah youth...

diogenesNY

That doesn't sound so bad : ) I actually live within 10 mins. of Blair... I golf there on occassion : ). When was the last time you were out this way? It's changed quite a bit! Bayonne is good choice..I'm just no so sure you'll get the room you are looking for in that price range. I hear JC is up and coming...has some good areas. Of the one's you originally mention, Bloomfield may be a good spot.

[diogenesNY]

Originally Posted by wileynj

That doesn't sound so bad : ) I actually live within 10 mins. of Blair... I golf there on occassion : ). When was the last time you were out this way? It's changed quite a bit! Bayonne is good choice..I'm just no so sure you'll get the room you are looking for in that price range. I hear JC is up and coming...has some good areas. Of the one's you originally mention, Bloomfield may be a good spot.

Havent been out there in about 10 years. Very nice golf course at Blair. One spring I was on the JV golf team. The 7th tee is high on a hill overlooking a long straight fairway right next to the football field. Some of us would try to intentionally slice the ball into the mass of practicing football players. (Rotten kids! )

gsmls.com is proving a good resource. Bloomfield is looking especially good, noting particularly the rail link. Gonna keep looking... as always, any feedback is welcome... Planning on making some 'on the ground' scouting trips of towns and homes in june and july.

diogenesNY

[wileynj]

Originally Posted by diogenesNY

Havent been out there in about 10 years. Very nice golf course at Blair. One spring I was on the JV golf team. The 7th tee is high on a hill overlooking a long straight fairway right next to the football field. Some of us would try to intentionally slice the ball into the mass of practicing football players. (Rotten kids! )

gsmls.com is proving a good resource. Bloomfield is looking especially good, noting particularly the rail link. Gonna keep looking... as always, any feedback is welcome... Planning on making some 'on the ground' scouting trips of towns and homes in june and july.

diogenesNY

Thats as bad as us as kids...we use to drive balls onto Rt. 46 in Budd Lake at the Village Green Apts. : ) I'm surprised we didn't end up as classmates over at Blair : ) I wish you luck in your search...you have chosen some great areas... I'm sure you'll find what you are looking for and if not, I'm sure there's room at the Blair Inn : )