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03-12-2009, 03:46 PM
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2009
3 posts, read 1,606 times
Reputation: 10
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Moving to NYC/NJ - advice please?
Hi everyone
My wife and I are planning to move to the area from the UK and would really appreciate some advice/suggestions on where to live. A bit of background:
- we both have job offers, her in the Mahwah area and myself on Wall St, hence somewhere along one of the train lines seemed like an obvious place to start.
- I'd like to keep my (train/subway/other mass transit) commute to <1hr, and her (driving) commute to 30-40 minutes, in traffic.
- Our rental budget can stretch to 4500-5000 USD per month
- we're interested in houses or apartments with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms - if apartments, then with underground parking
- Safety for the two of us is paramount to me - would rather pay more for a smaller place in a safe and nice area, than a larger place in an area full of gangs
- we're childless and in mid-30s so keen to find a place that has a vibrant bar/restaurant scene, but is also quiet enough for a good night's sleep...I'm too old to be living bang in the centre of a city!
- we're a mixed race couple - my wife is english, and I'm of Indian extraction, though brought up in england - and so would prefer an area that is inclusive and welcoming of diversity.
Hopefully that's enough information for people - please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks in advance!
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03-12-2009, 04:18 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Aug 2007
11 posts, read 6,125 times
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Hi, I have lived in NJ my entire life. I would say you want to focus on Monmouth County, which is where I live. Many stops along the train and about 45 mins for her. Oceanport, Little Silver, West Long Branch would all be great options for you. They are more expensive, but they are all safe towns.
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03-12-2009, 05:46 PM
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Junior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2009
3 posts, read 1,606 times
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thx for the response...however while those areas look very nice, I'm not sure about the distances...Mahwah in bergen county is 72 miles away from Oceanport according to google maps, which suggests it will take more than 45 minutes by car! What's the train commute like into Manhattan from those areas?
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03-12-2009, 06:10 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Jersey City, NJ
1,834 posts, read 591,638 times
Reputation: 297
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stargazer100
thx for the response...however while those areas look very nice, I'm not sure about the distances...Mahwah in bergen county is 72 miles away from Oceanport according to google maps, which suggests it will take more than 45 minutes by car! What's the train commute like into Manhattan from those areas?
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I think these sound like pretty tough criteria. Check the train schedules on njtransit.com. Keep in mind that a 1hr train commute is not even close to 1 1hr end to end commute. You need the njtransit train trip to be 35 minutes or shorter to get anywhere close to 1hr. If you're going to Wall St, your best bet might be a train to Hoboken, then take the PATH from Hoboken.
Some of the njtransit schedules (the PDF ones, not the trip planners) have schedules that include transfer to the Hoboken PATH train.
You should look for a place that's on the train line, not too far from the city. |
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03-12-2009, 06:40 PM
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L.U.S.T. Girl
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Stewartsville, NJ
7,581 posts, read 4,801,126 times
Reputation: 893
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stargazer100
Hi everyone
My wife and I are planning to move to the area from the UK and would really appreciate some advice/suggestions on where to live. A bit of background:
- we both have job offers, her in the Mahwah area and myself on Wall St, hence somewhere along one of the train lines seemed like an obvious place to start.
- I'd like to keep my (train/subway/other mass transit) commute to <1hr, and her (driving) commute to 30-40 minutes, in traffic.
- Our rental budget can stretch to 4500-5000 USD per month
- we're interested in houses or apartments with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms - if apartments, then with underground parking
- Safety for the two of us is paramount to me - would rather pay more for a smaller place in a safe and nice area, than a larger place in an area full of gangs
- we're childless and in mid-30s so keen to find a place that has a vibrant bar/restaurant scene, but is also quiet enough for a good night's sleep...I'm too old to be living bang in the centre of a city!
- we're a mixed race couple - my wife is english, and I'm of Indian extraction, though brought up in england - and so would prefer an area that is inclusive and welcoming of diversity.
Hopefully that's enough information for people - please let me know if you have any suggestions. Thanks in advance!
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Wayne might be a good choice. Close to Mahwah and travelling against traffic plus they just put in a train station. Nice area and I'm sure you'll find alot of brits in that area as well  . Pompton Plains is also very nice...you may be able to find a nice townhouse rental in Butler as well. Oh, and no worries...there's a "chippy" on Rt. 23
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03-12-2009, 07:58 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2007
1,804 posts, read 1,439,548 times
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Your best best is probably Ridgewood. Easy drive for her and about an hour train ride, maybe less (changing in Hoboken to the Path) for you. Great little town with all that you asked for (places to eat, bars etc.) It's much more "grown-up" than say Hoboken but still lively. Some say it's snobby but I haven't found it so...especially if you don't have kids competing with their kids. You could also check out Montclair - 25 mile or so drive for her and an hour bus ride for you. Again it's a very vibrant area. Lastly Hoboken is a possibility (packed with bars etc) although I find it too "college kid puking on the pavement" for me but some people love it. Hoboken would be an amazing commute for you and about a 30 mile drive for her... it would be a reverse commute but still quite painful.
I wouldn't think twice about people in NJ being judgmental. They are some of the most accepting people ever and won't bat an eye at a mixed race couple. When are you making the move?
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03-12-2009, 09:37 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Jersey City, NJ
1,834 posts, read 591,638 times
Reputation: 297
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wileynj
Wayne might be a good choice. Close to Mahwah and travelling against traffic plus they just put in a train station.
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His commute is going to be quite a bit longer than 1hr.
Ridgewood at least would put him not too far outside an hour. |
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03-12-2009, 09:51 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: n.j.
1,239 posts, read 666,913 times
Reputation: 238
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With that budget I'd probably rent some apartment in essex county then after a year when u know the area buy a house.
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03-13-2009, 07:44 AM
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L.U.S.T. Girl
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Stewartsville, NJ
7,581 posts, read 4,801,126 times
Reputation: 893
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elflord1973
His commute is going to be quite a bit longer than 1hr.
Ridgewood at least would put him not too far outside an hour.
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Depends on what time he boards...
Origin
Departure
Transfer
Departure
Destination
Arrival
Total Travel
Time05:39 AM - BNTN05:55 AM - BNTNM
Montclair State University06:48 AM69 minutes06:19 AM - BNTN06:46 AM - BNTNM
Montclair State University07:47 AM88 minutes07:13 AM - BNTN07:52 AM - MNE
Newark Broad Street08:18 AM65 minutes07:42 AM - BNTN08:04 AM - BNTNM
Montclair State University08:58 AM76 minutes08:08 AM - BNTN08:48 AM - MNE
Newark Broad Street09:08 AM60 minutes09:10 AM - BNTN10:08 AM - MNE
Newark Broad Street10:30 AM80 minutes11:26 AM - BNTN11:48 AM - BNTNM
Montclair State University12:43 PM77 minutes02:38 PM - BNTN02:52 PM - BNTNM
Montclair State University03:50 PM72 minutes |
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03-13-2009, 07:55 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Mar 2007
1,804 posts, read 1,439,548 times
Reputation: 623
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Quote:
Originally Posted by elflord1973
His commute is going to be quite a bit longer than 1hr.
Ridgewood at least would put him not too far outside an hour.
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Taking the train from Ridgewood to Hoboken takes 38 mins. The path from Hoboken to Wall St is 10 mins. |
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