Happy Ontario Canadian family, husband offerred job in NJ, but were hestiant to accept. Wonder about life in NJ and USA (Orange: transplants, real estate)
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Salut from Ontario Canada. I am a homemaker, wife of a 4-yr old daughter and husband who travels frequently to Mahwah NJ to assist a Corp. as a S.A. He has been asked a lot lately if he would consider a permanent job with this company he has been helping lately. We are all Canadian citizens and are in our early 40's. I have and have had a lot of medical issues, which I have addressed well here in Canada. We also live in an area of Ontario, adjacent to the Great Lakes and the state of Michigan. The cost of living in our community is one of the best kept secrects here in Ontario, as we own a waterfront summer home on Lake St Clair( a "protected" small lake between Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Erie). We also reside in a new residential area, where a single family home, 2 yrs old, 3000 sq feet, 2-3 car garage, full lot for a 20ft by 40 ft inground pool would fit well , generally, a community which I am very content with , especially when the general cost of this community is about 400-600 hundred thou per home,(USD), and about two thou. yr property taxes. Now, I guess this issue is, our school system etc is much different than how things are in some of the US schools. My husband tells me that apparently, what zip code one resides in and therefore the taxes one pays at the local level literally can determine the "quality" of the schools and in a more pronounced way, the ,for lack of a better adjective,"class of society" one is a part of. This in effect can have influence on the risk of crime potential, road,sewer etc quality and generally, the community of citizens who reside near you. He has informed me that there are indeed some lovely, quaint communities he has viewed in the area where his work assisgnment is, however, he stated that home taxes could be about 13,000 yr, especially since we would desire a family community of similar lifestyle we enjoy currently. I have indeed taken into account the issues re our tax system overall here in my province and country and the currency difference. Any comments or ideas, suggestions ? I would greatly appreciate your knowledge! Merci, from a Northern Neighbour!
you will love health care system if you live in Canada. I think you should come down and stay for a week. Look at all the differences, and see if its hackable. I mean I actually think you may just like it. Your in a nice little england type city, I have a feeling it may be a good match for you!!! I have a feeling you will live really good here, I think its a great idea !!
What a huge decision for you! It sounds like you have a great deal going for you in Canada. A lovely summer home, a big house (with, what we would consider, very low taxes), and acceptable medical attention.
What kind of Visa would you be travelling on? What would you and your childs' legal status be in the US.? Would your husbands' company provide you with the medical coverage that you need?
I must say, I have no idea about the Mahwah area (I'm sure someone here will fill you in) but the school districts here are different than in Canada and the zip code can make quite a difference.
It's such a personal decision, like stevemorse said...come on down and see what you think!!
We made the move many years ago and have never regretted it!!
you will not get what you have in Canada here for that price, honestly. NJ school taxes are very high and always rising. Cost of living here is not low. Northern NJ is more expensive than Southern. It sounds like you have a great lifestyle where you are--it would be a shame to give all that up unless the job is absolutley tremendous. Your husband is right about the differences in school districts-they vary widely from town to town. NJ can be a good place to live if you have plenty of $. People are fleeing this state in droves, many going south to escape the taxes, congestion and high cost of living. I like Nj, but that's the truth about it here. Hope this is helpful. If I were you, I'd stay put.
you will not get what you have in Canada here for that price, honestly. NJ school taxes are very high and always rising. Cost of living here is not low. Northern NJ is more expensive than Southern. It sounds like you have a great lifestyle where you are--it would be a shame to give all that up unless the job is absolutley tremendous. Your husband is right about the differences in school districts-they vary widely from town to town. NJ can be a good place to live if you have plenty of $. People are fleeing this state in droves, many going south to escape the taxes, congestion and high cost of living. I like Nj, but that's the truth about it here. Hope this is helpful. If I were you, I'd stay put.
Well I disagree. NJ is a very nice place, and the Mahwah area you mentioned is very nice.
Mahwah is right on the NY/NJ border. If you are worried about cost of living, you could easily buy a house in Orange County and not have a long commute. Check out a place like Greenwood lake or Warwick in NY or something like that. Greenwood lake is real nice and you can get a nice house for $300,000. And a really nice place for $500,000.
I'm from Ontario originally. Have lived in area for 10+ years. Not a big issue being Canadian down here. There's down of transplants and the tri-state area is culturally very similar to southern Ontario. Sounds like you don't want to move but I wouldn't worry about the health system down here, as long as your husband's company offers decent health insurance. Healthcare and schools in New Jersey are some of the best in the country; even though property taxes are crazy, your overall tax burden will likely be less than what you pay in Ontario--given Canada's overall taxation rate (e.g., GST). Weather is better too. But I'd visit and try and spend time here before making the move. It is a shock to the system for sure but you get adjusted quickly.
stevemorse are you joking about the health care ????
canadagirl if you have health issues and they are well taken care of in canada, you should be very concerned about how they are going to be handled in the US, or at least how much $$ you are going to have to shell out of your pocket to have them taken care of. nothing is free here, insurance will be provided by your husbands employer but then you will have to fight with insurance companies about what is covered and what is not and become very familiar with the term "pre-existing condition."
property taxes: 13,000 maybe not, unless you live in one of the very very nice towns and the house is cloesr to 750k+, but for a 400k house: $6000, 600k house: maybe $9000. And that is not going to be a 2 year old house, it's going to be 30-60 years old and not 3000 sq ft either.
i don't know what the difference in income is of course, but i would not make the move, but i guess the grass is always greener on the other side.
stevemorse are you joking about the health care ????
canadagirl if you have health issues and they are well taken care of in canada, you should be very concerned about how they are going to be handled in the US, or at least how much $$ you are going to have to shell out of your pocket to have them taken care of. nothing is free here, insurance will be provided by your husbands employer but then you will have to fight with insurance companies about what is covered and what is not and become very familiar with the term "pre-existing condition."
property taxes: 13,000 maybe not, unless you live in one of the very very nice towns and the house is cloesr to 750k+, but for a 400k house: $6000, 600k house: maybe $9000. And that is not going to be a 2 year old house, it's going to be 30-60 years old and not 3000 sq ft either.
i don't know what the difference in income is of course, but i would not make the move, but i guess the grass is always greener on the other side.
I beg to differ about your property tax assement. In Manalapan I paid $7200 for a house I sold for $464,000. Its now $12,000 and its only been 2 years since I sold it. The house was built in 1980, so far from new.
Here in Nashville I pay $3500 for taxes, in a house twice the size, but paid only $430,000 for it.
I'm also concerned about Pre-existing conditions on the health issue. Insurance may not pick up these issues. I would not move unless I knew for sure that insurance would pay it. I have seen people turned down.
I beg to differ about your property tax assement. In Manalapan I paid $7200 for a house I sold for $464,000. Its now $12,000 and its only been 2 years since I sold it. The house was built in 1980, so far from new.
Diane G
and i beg to differ. op needs to look at tax rates per town. my house is much newer, worth more than what you sold in manalapan (and probably bigger), and i don't pay anywhere near $12K.
i suspect tax wise OP will be better off here than in Canada.
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