City with easy commute to NYC?:NY, CT, NJ

[brookdaleresident]

I lived in Rutherford for several years and loved it. Quick ride into the city. I also lived in Montclair. Walked to shops, restaurants, theater, museums, schools, etc...Really didn't need a car. There's a new luxury condo going into the center of town. Montclair has a lot to offer, but it can be pricey.

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by patromero

Hi all!
My husband and I live on the Upper West Side in a beautiful rental 1 bedroom but we have a baby on the way and it is not reasonable to spend our savings on rent in a place that is going to get small soon, specially if I stop working after the baby comes. We also have an adorable doggie.

We are desperately looking to buy a nice, affordable (350K tops) 2 bedroom within easy commutable distance to NYC (we are looking at condos/townhomes.) My husband works in Times Square.

We want a good school district with a lot of mommies with strollers and places to walk our dog.

Any ideas?

Everyone knows i love Rahway
I would look in the Milton lake , Inman Hgts or Hospital sections
There are nice homes available in your range
Some people will tell you the schools are in need of improvement and they are right, they do need and are improving. The downtown area is in the middle of a major redevelopement with a hotel and condo's and townhouses going up (this link has most of what is going on but not all)

Changes to Cheer About. Really. - New York Times

[bbayse]

I am a NJ licensed broker with RE/MAX and have experience with several communities within easy commuting distance of NYC. South Orange is one of my favorites because it is full of young families that use both the good schools and the convenient public transportation in the area. The commute is about 35 minutes by train and it includes mid-town direct trains (so that you never have to switch trains... saving lots of time). The downtown area of S. Orange is (1) very attractive with great shopping and dining, (2) safe, (3) has good schools, and (4) is strategically situated to get you on main interstate arteries as well as public transportation. I think it is a great alternative to living in the city.

If you are interested, there is a large 2 BR/2 Bath Condo within four blocks of the train for $274,900. Your monthly mortgage payment, including condo fee, would be about $2000 per month, before tax benefits. The area if extremely "child friendly" with all of the servicies that most parents need to raise a growing family.

Hope this helps,
Ben

[shawn0000]

lyn_T,

your rant was great. I truly enjoyed it. So, how are you coping with the move?

I'm actually moving to Cranford.. I grew up in NJ, but have lived in NY for the past 3 years. You made wonderful points - and made me sad to leave NYC. Ug, I love the 15 minute commute to work on my bike..

Let's all pray the Raritan Valley lines goes direct into Penn soon...

[john_starks]

somewhere in hudson county or bergen counties in nj. prices are steep though.