Move to Lake Community in Denville, NJ? (Jersey City, Kearny: appointed, for sale)

[taratara271]

I'm new to this site. HI!

I currently live in Jersey City and work in Secaucus NJ. I live in an apartment and about to buy my first home.

A friend's husband suggested I look in the Denville area. He lived there over five years ago.

I searched online and found several homes for sale. They range in price between $259,000 - 350,000. Not really wanting to pay more than $295. They're located either in town or Rock Ridge, or Cedar Lake, Rainbow Lake or Indian Lake. The pictures of the houses look nice but I know pictures can be deceiving so I may take a day off this week and arrange with a realtor to check them out. Two houses are listed as lake front properties (Indian Lake and Rainbow Lake).

Can anyone offer advice about the different lakes? What about living in town? Are there any negative points to the area?

Thanks!








A friend is trying to sell me her home in Kearny. It's not bad and have

[desertsun41]

I only know Indian Lake. My brother has a lake front on Indian Lake and has lived there for maybe 15 years now. He wont move.

Indian Lake is a little bit like Hopatcong as far as the skinny windy roads with no curbs or no sidewalks. Almost the entire perimiter of the lake were all once summer homes, many bungalos, for the wealthy who lived in NY and vacationed in NJ, this is also simular to Hopcatong. Today they are all year round bedroom communities. Most commute to Morristown or Parsippany. Many are victims of ATT and Lucent boondoggles but easily found new jobs and careers.

Denville has a great downtown with some great stores. The schools seem to be good as well. My brothers kids are involved in so many things so I have to assume your kids will never be bored.

Good luck......

[taratara271]

desertsun41,

I'm single in my late 40's with no kids so schools are really not that important. Unless of course I move to the area and then resell later down the road. Good schools are always a good selling point.

Thanks!

[cheaperthandirt]

Some things to point out if you’re considering moving to a “Lake Community” in NJ. Frequently, the housing around the lake area has been subdivided over the years, or is so old, so you have these tiny little lots jammed together. Skinny streets and no sidewalks, as has been mentioned. Make sure whatever house you look at has a decent sized driveway so you can maneuver when it snows. Also, since these communities are so densely packed, you have a problem with eutrophication.This is the process by which the lakes become packed with nutrients from lawns (read – fertilizer runoff) that they become swamps. Since a lot of these communities are older, they may have / had a “Community Organization” where by you are forced to join if you want to use the lake. These organizations will have dues that are used to maintain the Lake. There are things like dams, bridges, sewer drains, standpipes, and dredging and weed harvesting, that YOU may be responsible to pay maintenance fees for. Check into this. In the old days there were state programs and EPA grants that paid for these things, but in the last 5-8 years or so, that funding has dried up. The states Largest lake, Lake Hopatcong, has a recurring weed problem that is usually addressed by some state funded lake management group that is always running out of money. So some knuckleheads proposed a way to raise more cash was to institute fees for using a boat on the lake. This is the kind of thing that awaits most New Jerseyans due to the states mismanagement of funds and horrible budget management. Their mis-management will cost YOU more money to fix.

So anyway, this is just some food for thought if you’re thinking about moving to a lake community in NJ.

[taratara271]

I did not know that. It was very helpful.

Thanks!

[DeFinisGroup]

Our CFO lives in Rock Ridge Denville and I have looked at 3 or 4 homes there. People are very friendly..I missed a house there 6 months ago went for 329 or 349,000. I cant remember the name of the street. Brand new inside fence around whole property had to drive up a hill and around a bend. If I remember correctly a red house long and narrow deck off living room. All refurished rooms. I could kick myself for not acting quick enough. The schools are great and they have a great club house which everyone pretty much joined. They have picnics. They just had a winterfest party. THey have a bar inside which you can walk to and walk back home. Kids go skating on Cooks Pond. I have walked around and been up there many times. Taxes are better than where I live now and the neighbors are friendly and you get to meet them when you go to the club house..Kids all hang out together. I am looking at a house on Florence and Whaleback Waddy. You should go up there and drive around. 46West to a Right on Diamond Spring Road then a left on Intercoastal Road..I think that is the name. Its Inter something. Take that down the road and around..Map quest the other two streets. It is beautiful there. You wont be disappointed. They walkto town from that area. Good Luck..I looked in Indian Lake and I didn;t get a feel for it..ALso Rainbow Lake to Lake Like. You'll see. Rock Ridge is nice.

[tpajewski]

Denville is a very nice area. It does have a small downtown area and easy to get to things like tranis and bus stops to either get into the city or wherever else you may want to travel to. When looking at these lake communities make sure that you check into if there is an application fee and or an annual fee to be a member some are not required and some are. White Meadow Lake in Rockaway also has some nice areas around it. You can ask your realtor to look in there for you as well

[tallguylehigh]

I live in Lake Arrowhead in Denville and I must say that a lake community is for a very certain customer. They aren't for everyone, but they do have a lot to offer

+Winding roads and no sidewalks- very true. But before this is filed as a detriment, take comfort is that given the close proximity, walking on the roads is commonplace, and given that the roads are often narrow and winding, hardly anyone goes the posted 25 mph. In my neighborhood, anything over 15 feels like I'm going too fast.

+Very unique architecture- for better or for worse, a lot of these lake communities are made up of older houses, and being such, you have architecture from all eras and it is really a place to get a unique home. No stumbling in the wrong driveway at night because all the houses look the same.

+Great sense of community- this lifestyle is where you see your neighbors. Because of the lake there is a central spot where people converge to socialize. Your neighbors arent just the 6 houses around you, but the 500 homes in the community. Most, if not all lakes provide recreation whether it be volleyball, golf, horseshoes, fishing, etc and its a great place to meet great people.

+Denville is a great little town. For its size, it has TONS of restaurants and some nice shops too. Also, you have Boonton which is 5 minutes away and is also a nice area. Lots of parks and you have the big box stores (Home Depot, Best Buy, etc) two exits west at Rockaway Townsquare. The train station runs on the weekend and serves 2 lines, which is a bonus.

+I would also consider White Meadow Lake as someone already mentioned. Not as close to downtown Denville as the others, but it is a very nice, LARGE lake with the same features listed above.



I know I wrote a lot, but there is a lot to say. If you have any additional questions about Denville or lake communities there, let me know and I would be happy to help.

Also, one thing to be careful of in Denville is if you are looking in town, check for flood zones. They are down there in pockets.

Good luck.

[stevemorse]

I think its a great idea too. I live in a lake community not in denville but close and looked in Arrowhead, my favorite. I found Cedar to be a bit funny. SOme houses were just great and others looked like a hill billy or big drinker lives there with his mother. I would definately look into Arrowhead, houses are fantastic!! Great location, nice nice nice. Overall I do like Denville's Lake communities alot. The thing with Cedar is you have to make sure your in the more desirable area. There are some great views in Cedar too. I found just some parts a little run down and some parts fantastic so get in the right part if choosing Cedar. You will know what I mean when you visit.

[tallguylehigh]

Originally Posted by stevemorse

I think its a great idea too. I live in a lake community not in denville but close and looked in Arrowhead, my favorite. I found Cedar to be a bit funny. SOme houses were just great and others looked like a hill billy or big drinker lives there with his mother. I would definately look into Arrowhead, houses are fantastic!! Great location, nice nice nice. Overall I do like Denville's Lake communities alot. The thing with Cedar is you have to make sure your in the more desirable area. There are some great views in Cedar too. I found just some parts a little run down and some parts fantastic so get in the right part if choosing Cedar. You will know what I mean when you visit.

Great point. Lake communities tend to be a little hit or miss when it comes to the level that people take care of their homes. You will have a closter of immaculate log cabins on one street, and on the other a handful of homes that need some work. So drive around the area as a whole, but certainly look at the houses around you.