NY/NJ: Would you come back? (Newark: new home, employment, buy)

[66nexus]

Originally Posted by Diane Giam

None of those people live in Manalapan and some of those boats are owned by out of state'ers. I don't want a boat. It's a lot of work because I grew up on the water(5 towns LI-Lawrence) and we always had one.
But does NJ itself have Museums? not really

Of course NJ has museums, contrary to popular belief, the Newark Museum actually has a nice collection. LSC is a pretty good science museum. I won't speak for Camden city proper but the waterfront with the USS New Jersey is nice. Don't forget Thomas Edison's lab in West Orange
-Living in NJ means you pretty much have access to a lot NY has to offer (and vice versa)
-Metropolitan museum and Guggenheim are just too close to be ignored. NJ is location
-NJ and NY compliment each other. Nashville may be great but I truly don't think it can stand up to that on its own.
-Additionally, I'm sure it is safe to say that museum quantities aren't the difference between a great state and a bad one

[NJTina]

[quote=mikenbacismama;1247838]I don't get it. Everyone in NJ has their reason for staying or leaving...it's all a matter of personal choice. But why do those who leave find it necessary to continually slam it?
I do not currently live in NJ, but GASP!, am considering moving there. QUOTE]

If you do move here I think you will be very happy. It's a lovely state with a lot to offer. Not perfect by a long-shot but pretty darned amazing.

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by mikenbacismama

I don't get it. Everyone in NJ has their reason for staying or leaving...it's all a matter of personal choice. But why do those who leave find it necessary to continually slam it? After all, they lived in NJ at one point too...why did they stay for any length of time if it was SOOOO bad?

i seriously don't get it either. i've also noticed those who do come here to slam the state post with such outrageous exaggerations, broad brushed statements and outright LIES it really does a disservice to those who are looking for unbiased advice about relocating here. gotta love the anonymity of the internet.

it would NEVER occur to me to go to other state boards and put down where these people live. there are lots of places i'd never move to, but i'm not dumb enough to think the entire state (whatever state that may be) is a cesspool. what purpose does it serve? the only time i've posted on another state board is to look for advice on a trip i was taking.

my only guess is slamming is a way to justify the move. after all, you can't feel better about yourself without making the other guy feel bad.

[wangfeifei]

Originally Posted by Rapture

I just moved to SC and if the taxes were lower in NJ I would have stayed but only if I could live in Monmouth County. It's not just about the taxes it's also the corruption.

wow, corruption everywhere. you can not escape from that.

[Obrero]

Originally Posted by mikenbacismama

I don't get it. Everyone in NJ has their reason for staying or leaving...it's all a matter of personal choice. But why do those who leave find it necessary to continually slam it? After all, they lived in NJ at one point too...why did they stay for any length of time if it was SOOOO bad?

No reason to keep coming back and complaining about the old.

We have been wondering the same thing for a while now. It never ends, it's always the same old thing. NJ is the worst place in the entire universe and Nashville is the best because you can get an all brick house for $20. Yawn.

Where are you thinking of living in NJ? Post if you need any advice, we would be more than happy to offer some. NJ can be a fab place to live, really nothing compares to it.

Best of luck.

[mikenbacismama]

Thanks, UK. IF we are able to sell our home here in Florida, I've been looking at Brick. Never been there, but the home prices/taxes seem more affordable than other parts of NJ, and I think it will be sort of like "coming home" for me...I grew up in Ozone Park, NY.

I'd assume the schools are decent there? (my son is entering 2nd grade in 10 days and, even though everyone says the education system in FL stinks, I really haven't had any complaints for the year he's been in this school).

It is going to be tough getting used to a less rural area with increased traffic, but I realize that's just a small price to pay if we come back up north.

Thanks for any advice you may have.

[Obrero]

Originally Posted by mikenbacismama

Thanks, UK. IF we are able to sell our home here in Florida, I've been looking at Brick. Never been there, but the home prices/taxes seem more affordable than other parts of NJ, and I think it will be sort of like "coming home" for me...I grew up in Ozone Park, NY.

I'd assume the schools are decent there? (my son is entering 2nd grade in 10 days and, even though everyone says the education system in FL stinks, I really haven't had any complaints for the year he's been in this school).

It is going to be tough getting used to a less rural area with increased traffic, but I realize that's just a small price to pay if we come back up north.

Thanks for any advice you may have.

Well, this is going to be my least helpful post ever! I have never been to Brick and can offer no advice at all! I'm sure someone else can chime in, especially if you start a new topic. Best of luck.

[j1n]

Originally Posted by mikenbacismama

I don't get it. Everyone in NJ has their reason for staying or leaving...it's all a matter of personal choice. But why do those who leave find it necessary to continually slam it? After all, they lived in NJ at one point too...why did they stay for any length of time if it was SOOOO bad?

I do not currently live in NJ, but GASP!, am considering moving there. No place is perfect. Everyone, everywhere, is going to have something to gripe about. And if anyone says that's not true, then they're lying! But once you've left, just enjoy the "greener pastures" if that's indeed what you've found. No reason to keep coming back and complaining about the old.

hey mikenbacismama...
you're right to an extent. If folks are leaving NJ and then coming here to this forum to slam it from their new, greener pastures...I could see how some people might find that off-putting.
Personally, I think NJ is great. I've been here almost my whole life, and I love it here. But there's stuff going on here that's making it tough to survive. And I think a lot of folks are going through that...seeing very little return on what you have to output in order to live here. I think if you really scour these NJ threads, you will see a lot more frustration and "...love it, but I gotta leave..." than you will actually see NJ-bashing. In all fairness, though, many very valid points have been made about NJ...very crowded, very expensive, very high taxes, lots of traffic, etc, etc. I don't think anyone would really dispute that about NJ, whether you are it's biggest supporter or not.

[mikenbacismama]

J1N, you certainly bring up valid points about the frustration NJ residents have been facing. Having previously lived in NY for 32 of my 40 years, I understand the reality of having to leave the place where you've been raised due to inaffordability.

My husband and I left NY 8 yrs. ago for Vegas because we didn't want to have to exist just to pay for a roof over our head. Vegas was actually a good move, but we ultimately felt it wasn't the best place to raise our child. We have since moved to Florida, a move that probably wasn't the wisest choice we could have made. The wages are low (we knew this...they were low in Vegas when we went there too), but it's VERY difficult to establish a business here - which is tough since my husband has been self-employed for the last 20 yrs. Nothing here is cheaper (food, taxes, insurance, services) as compared to the poor wages. Therefore, people have less disposable income.

From what I gather, NJ politicians are considered corrupt. Believe me, I think the county commissioners in Vegas & Florida are just as bad. It seems that local governments just got fatter and fatter over the past few years, while the average AMERICAN citizen is sinking fast. And the federal govt is no better - both parties have been slowly handing our country over to illegal immigrants over the past decades (that's a thread in itself). I remember when my mom told me I should learn Spanish when I was a kid and said it would probably be a necessity one day...I thought she was crazy...but boy, did she accurately predict the future!

[mikenbacismama]

Side note before I get attacked for my comments on immigration...

Why is it that most companies that look for bilingual staff typically require Spanish-speaking...why not Chinese or even Italian? I've seen first-hand a Chinese woman very rigidly teaching her young daughter the English language, even though Chinese is what is spoken in the home. I'm all for people retaining the culture of their birthplace in their hearts & homes, but everyone who comes here should also try to assimilate with the American culture.