NY/NJ: Would you come back? (Mendham, Far Hills: credit, neighborhood, to buy)

[DecayingAngel]

Originally Posted by roanoker 4

You guys will always be welcome here!

That's so good to know. Thank you, you have made me feel better. It is exciting, but also intimidating, to leave so much behind. My hubby said everyone was so nice to him during his time in Roanoke this past May.

Guess it's Southern Hospitality!

[mikenbacismama]

Lived in Queens, NY for 31 yrs, Vegas for 8 & Florida for 1. Now that we're older, wiser, and have received a huge kick in the A** due to our mistake of moving to FL, we'd be more than happy to move back to NY/NJ...even though it will probably require living in a decaying shoebox. IF we can sell our home and go back, the only thing I won't look forward to is the cold winter months!

But I will look forward to going to the Radio City Christmas Show, Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn, Dominick's in the Bronx, and other great places that can never be duplicated anywhere else.

[jzct68]

I left NJ 14 years ago and moved to FL. BIG mistake. Nothing down here unless you want to stare at palm trees all day. I'm not ready to waste away yet. Yep, the congestion and pace of NJ can be nuts, but at least there are signs of life up there!! I have a potential job opportunity that may get be back to Jersey, and if it works out, I'm willing to pay the taxes as crazy as that sounds. For everything there is a cost. There are reasons why there are states with low taxes.....nothing going on to pay for!!!

[grifter]

I left NJ and headed for the promised land of NC a year ago. Next week I am moving back and I cannot wait! I don't care if I have to live out of my car to do it. Sometimes you can't appreciate what you have until it is gone.

[DecayingAngel]

All good replies, but we are going broke here in NJ, and we're in the least expensive area of the state. And there are some areas in other states (as long as one doesn't stray too far from the NorthEast Corridor) that are starting to grow, and that means we can be a part of its growth. One has to research, research, research.

As stated, I don't want to go, but we will soon be priced out of most markets here, and my husband wants a permanent job instead of depending on contracts, with their low benefits as well. A permanent job in his field will NEVER provide other then paycheck to paycheck living, and I've had my share of that!

So I will make the most I can out of where we are going (Roanoke VA). Basically, I have to. I envy those of you who can actually choose where you want (or don't want) to go. Good luck to all, regardless!

[Ms.Charlotte]

Originally Posted by grifter

I left NJ and headed for the promised land of NC a year ago. Next week I am moving back and I cannot wait! I don't care if I have to live out of my car to do it. Sometimes you can't appreciate what you have until it is gone.

Grifter, I'm curious. What do you dislike about NC? What do you miss in NJ? And what were your reasons for moving?

(I'm originally from NJ, too)

[grifter]

Originally Posted by Ms.Charlotte

Grifter, I'm curious. What do you dislike about NC? What do you miss in NJ? And what were your reasons for moving?

(I'm originally from NJ, too)

I moved here for pretty much the same reasons as everyone else - its nice, safe, and affordable (I'm in Raleigh). In addition, I was bored with the status quo and felt a change was needed. The idea of being able to buy a brand new townhome twice as large as my condo in NJ was especially appealing.

After six months I knew that Raleigh was not the place for me. I personally feel that it lacks character (all the houses look the same), and I was bored. Its like living in Stepford here - everything is the same. Since I was here, I determined to stick it out, figuring that once I find a job and buy a home, I could begin to establish myself and things would look up.

Six months ago I started looking for a job, and that was a big disaster. Very few opportunities that match my background, and the positions that did come my way were at low salaries. The cost of living in Raleigh is better than NJ, but not so much that I could afford the paycuts I was offered!

In the meantime, I have been growing increasingly homesick. Last month I was in NJ for two weeks, and I so did not want to get in the car to come back to NC. I underestimated the degree to which I would miss my friends, hobbies, and activities.

I finally had to ask myself if it was really worth staying here, and the answer was a resounding NO! I don't care if I can only afford to live out of the back of my car - it will be worth it!

I should add that I was neither born nor raised in New Jersey. I moved there in '02. I just love NJ, and have decided that despite the high cost of living, it is where I want my home to be, so I will do what is necessary to make it work.

[j1n]

hey grifter,
did you visit raleigh before moving there...or did it just look good "on paper"? seems a lot of "northern" folks are becoming disenchanted with NC.
also, i presume you did not have a job secured there before moving? and do you have something lined up, work-wise, for your return to NJ?

[Summering]

My roots and my life was spent in NJ, but for me there is no going back.
Not to live ,anyway. I have come to love the amount of land you can own here( Pa) and the scenes around it. To be on two acres and have all the mountains to view in the distance. Land in NJ is at a premium, and things are
just too tight ,and crowded. I love open spaces now, the stillness in the night, the peacefulness of it all.
What is good about Pa. is that I still can go to all the NJ beaches that I love.
Its not all that far to meander over to NJ at all. Its not far from the DE. beaches also
I still get to go to NYC for the many Broadway shows, that I love.
Radio City, and the lighting of the NYC Christmas tree.
I would not want to pay those taxes. I would not want to be on some tiny lot. The traffic is not to my liking either. In all those lake communities I use to love........I see home after home on top of each other.
But I have fond memories of of days when the roads were still of dirt and not paved.Times spent at the lakes swimming , boating and skating. The kind of NJ I loved, is not there for me anymore for permanent living.
I can't leave the land and the peacefulness, nor the lower costs......I have here now.

[DecayingAngel]

After reading Summering's post, I agree and also will add that for anyone who wants any land at all--even 2 acres--better have a lot of money lined up here in NJ. You will be looking at over $300,000 no matter what type of house is on the land. Also the taxes. If you don't get the farmland assessment, which can take years, you're looking at anywhere from $8000 on up.

We just sold one of our vehicles, so we are left with our 2000 Suzuki with over 100,000 miles on it. They adjusted the car insurance and the premium for my little putt-putt is just under $1000. And that's with a clean record, no other drivers but myself and hubby, and we are older then our 30s, which seems to be some kind of cuttoff from having even higher rates.

So if you don't mind living without the peace and tranquility of your own little acreage, well then I guess NJ would still be an option. But we've been renting this house and barn on two acres and I would not trade the view of the stars at night for anything in the world. Being disabled, my social life is null and void anyway. We live 1/2 hour from Atlantic City and I haven't been there in 6 years. Maybe if I could get around better, matters might be different but in reality I need to get away from all the stress and rush of people and try to get my health on a better track.

So we each have different wants and needs. NJ can't be beat in so many ways, but unfortunately I can no longer take advantage of so much this state offers.

As they say, what's one man's meat is another man's poison. Hope those who want to return to NJ are successful and I wish them all the luck. As for me, it really is time to move on. Too many memories, a lot of them sad.