Moving sooner than expected, please advise on Westfield, Chatham, Summit, Millburn, New Providence (Newark: rentals)

[minymom]

Hello all - my husband and I find ourselves at present looking to move out of our rental in Summit sooner than expected. The answers to my PP regarding our home search were very helpful, and I am hoping that I can find some more guidance here. The towns we've looked at thoroughly are Westfield, Millburn, Chatham, and Summit. We're looking for a long term rental single family home around $2600/mo with the potential to purchase a future home in the $500k range in the same town.

The towns all have excellent schools, walkable downtowns, farmer's markets, family activities, low crime rates, trains to the PATH (DH drives to Harrison now, and takes the PATH to WTC, thanks to your suggesions!) DH has a 1 hr door to door commute to WTC and we'd like to keep it under 70 min.
But we are having trouble finding an updated rental home that fits our budget. Are there other towns that we should consider? Can someone tell us more about New Providence? Madison? We initially had looked at Glen Ridge, but took it off our list as the taxes were astronomical and we were priced out overall.

Now while we like these towns we've noticed that Westfield, Chatham and New Providence has more of a laid back feel (less nannies and more stay at home parents about during the day, less makeup, casual dress...) which we like especially that I am a sahm myself. In the five months we've been in Summit, I have yet to make any friends here, most of our new friends are in Westfield, Madison, Chatham, Berkely Heights, etc.. To sum up my rambling what towns or other towns offer excellent school cirriculums, farmers markets, great libraries (Chatham's is great, Summit a bit too small for us), a family - friendly atmosphere (not just the polite smiles), low crime rates, walkable downtowns, trains to the PATH stations, and an easy drivable commute to WTC?

[Mundol]

I'm in Long Valley. (Morris County) It is very country like with great schools. 1/2 hr to Morristown. 10 minutes to Rt. 78. 40 minute to Newark airport.

[joe moving]

How many bedrooms?

[clevedark]

Alot of times people are wary of investing friendship time with people who live in rentals because there's always the chance that you'll be moving. Similarly when you announce you're moving any friends you may have might drop you immediately because, what's the point of hanging around with you when you're not going to be there.

You'll be much more established, socially, if you buy the house.

I'm not saying I approve, I'm just passing along information I've gleaned as a stay at home mother in the suburbs going on 12 years now.....

[tahiti]

Originally Posted by Mundol

I'm in Long Valley. (Morris County) It is very country like with great schools. 1/2 hr to Morristown. 10 minutes to Rt. 78. 40 minute to Newark airport.

LV is very large....those numbers are accurate if you live near the Tewksbury border (getting to airport and 78). If you live near Chester 1/2 to M'town is accurate. If you live on the mountain you must add time.

[minymom]

Originally Posted by clevedark

Alot of times people are wary of investing friendship time with people who live in rentals because there's always the chance that you'll be moving. Similarly when you announce you're moving any friends you may have might drop you immediately because, what's the point of hanging around with you when you're not going to be there.

You'll be much more established, socially, if you buy the house.

I'm not saying I approve, I'm just passing along information I've gleaned as a stay at home mother in the suburbs going on 12 years now.....

Thanks for pointing that out. Having lived in the burbs for all my life and 9 years married, it never occurred to me about the "wariness" factor. I don't take it personally, but I can understand where it might come from as a SAHM, myself.

That being said, we find ourselves now having to find a rental home over the next couple weeks. I think the NP and Chatham commute to WTC for DH, maybe just a little too long for him and we are focusing more on Summit and Westfield. Is Westfield a shorter commute? And I hear and read opionions here and at church that Westfield residents are more laid back (overall) than in Summit. Does that have any truth in it?

[NJamboy]

all high-crime areas with horrible school systems.

[tiggywink]

I'm a SAHM in Westfield, and I absolutely love it, for the reasons you stated...easy to make friends, lots of things to do with the kids, and super laid back. Sorry I can't help with any other places other than Fanwood and Cranford which are similar to Westfield and on the same train line. Feel free to PM me with any additional questions about life here. Oh, also I know a few people who are renting in Westfield for the time being (and hoping to buy in town when the economy settles down) and they love it too.