orange & east orange (Union City, Union: crime, buying a home, buying)

[Blueyez84]

Hi everyone. I am a white girl who is married (my husband's Dominican) & we are thinking about buy a house in either orange or east orange. The houses there are beautiful & we are looking to get one cheap & fix it up. I have lived in places like irvington, passaic, and currently union city, where I am one of the few white girl's there. I know orange and east orange are predominatly african american, which doesn't bother me one bit. So by me saying that, will they be bothered by me? I hope not because I'm very nice & people usually like me.

[D3000]

I don't know? lol

What I've learned is if you act like you’re scared, people will treat you as an outsider and a punk just for the hell of it.

This pretty girl Italian girl I knew who went to Seton Hall would frequently drive around in East Orange in her convertible BMW with the top down and would stop at this one seedy corner store for gum and phone cards. She was so well known that the shadiest of characters and young teens would say "what's up" to her and talk with her because they saw her around so much. It shocked the hell out of me. I’m no punk and even if I owned a convertible I sure as hell wouldn’t ride around with my top down in East Orange or leave it down when I went into a store. lol

Nobody ever bothered her or her car. I don't know why, maybe it's because she was nice to them or she was pretty or because she honestly didn't care and did what she wanted to do and walked through the town like she owned the place, that girl had balls.

I told her they probably think your some drug dealers girlfriend or undercover cop so they leave you alone. She yelled at me for my simple minded comment. lol

Either way good luck.

[DeusExMachina78]

Don't worry, you won't have any problems in East Orange or Orange because of your race. Now, are you sure you want to move to East Orange or Orange. I can give you more advice on East Orange because I grew up there and left a few years ago. The homes in East Orange are beautiful. Remember, that in the 1950's East Orange was voted cleanest city in America three years in a row. In "I Love Lucy," she even made a joke about getting lost and ended up in East Orange to shop at some of it's upscale stores. So, the town has history and some very nice homes. But that was then and this is now. Where are you looking to buy your home at in East Orange? Are you and your husband planning on having any kids? The East Orange school system is not that great to say the least. The elementary schools aren't bad. Heart Middle (John L. Costley Middle School, Sojourner Truth Middle School
, Patrick F. Healy Middle School) is not that great though. Cicely Tyson School of the Performing Arts(another middle school) is good. The campus high school looks nice, but they always have problem. They combined Clifford Scott high school and East Orange high into that one school, and it's just too many kids. As far as homes go. The property taxes in East Orange are through the rough. And as a side treat, you are also not allowed to park overnight on the street. So, even if you own a home, if you don't have a driveway, you will have to find a place to park your car or get a ticket every night. The city does have parking permits now, but it's only in select parts of the city. Crime is worse in some parts than others. I grew up on Prospect Street and my family and I never had a problem or did my friends. Other parts of town are a little more iffy. Not trying to turn you away, but I'm just letting you know.

[cyntmac]

If you have already lived in the area- you obviously know the answer to your own question. How comfortable you would be is based on several factors individual to you.
If you have not lived in a like area and you are just playing with the forum "blueyes" -go back to the Pennsylvania boards and have your fun there.
I'm sure your niceness pays off big dividends.

[STrapani1105]

since you're a white girl... I'm sure the locals will like you a lot.

but in all truth, you're most likely better off where you are now in Union City. you can buy an old house and fix it up in any town, including much safer towns than East Orange and Orange. Orange would be the better of the two.

[Blueyez84]

Me & my husband don't plan on having kids so schools don't really matter to us. We just want to buy a home where we can have a little yard for our 2 dogs and a garage so my husband can work on his car here and there. I'm going to drive around and look at houses in that area some more, maybe this weekend, and in surrounding towns as well. I don't want to rush into anything because buying a home is a big step.

[zas]

What street are you looking at in EO?

[Blueyez84]

We saw ones on Woodland ave, New st, Elmwood ave, Grove st, N Maple ave, Brookwood st.

[todd72173]

Not many whites there. I would pick another place if you feel uncomfortable. Much better choices. Homes are cheap because lots of crime there.

[cyntmac]

If you really felt uncomfortable your "husband" wouldn't have you looking there in the first place.