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Bklyn, you are the best - thank you. I plan to take the boys apple picking next weekdend and was thinking of going in NJ just to get an idea of neigborhoods around there. Thanks again!
Bklyn, you are the best - thank you. I plan to take the boys apple picking next weekdend and was thinking of going in NJ just to get an idea of neigborhoods around there. Thanks again!
One more thing - it's common both in NJ and LI to live in a good neighborhood, but be surrounded by less good, and then crime-ridden areas. Seeing you are from the city - you will be able to discern when the neighborhood is changing by the upkeep of homes. Also, if you go online, to NJ.com - Star-Ledger, there is a place on the site that shows what the school performances have been like - elementary and up through hs.
All of those towns previously listed are basically - middle class/upper class - there may be pockets of wealth, but they typically are not as ostentacious as might be found in Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Glen Ridge, Montclair. Bloomfield has gotten good write-ups as well in certain sections of the town - but your boys are getting older and the reviews of the middle school/high school are not that great.
if looking at a map of NYC, make a semi circle starting from midtown out, up as far as teaneck, over to hackensack, down to montclair, further down to cranford and then back over to staten island. that's your target area for a not so horrendous commute.
here's what you need to know:
essex county - VERY high taxes, with the exception of cedar grove, but that may be too far for you.
personally, i think cranford is an excellent choice..their schools i believe are ranked in the top 10% of the state, and it's more affordable than neighboring westfield. the commute *may* take longer than an hour, i'll leave that up to someone else to verify.
if looking at a map of NYC, make a semi circle starting from midtown out, up as far as teaneck, over to hackensack, down to montclair, further down to cranford and then back over to staten island. that's your target area for a not so horrendous commute.
here's what you need to know:
essex county - VERY high taxes, with the exception of cedar grove, but that may be too far for you.
personally, i think cranford is an excellent choice..their schools i believe are ranked in the top 10% of the state, and it's more affordable than neighboring westfield. the commute *may* take longer than an hour, i'll leave that up to someone else to verify.
Concur - it's definitely more affordable than westfield. Located off the GSP - exits in the 130's. Also, has a cute town center, and chamber of commerce is trying to spiffy up the appearance. There is a train in town that goes to Newark Penn - not sure if direct to Midtown, but there may be a wait for parking space. Also home to Union Cty Community College.
And essex does have very high taxes!!
Another source of information online is to type in the town names and look at town website - though the towns will only emphasize the good - so take it with a grain of salt.
You guys are great thank you - now my next question. How are the neighbors? I am very personable and outgoing. I would want to make friends for both my boys and myself. Is that easy or hard. Not that it matters, but I'm puertorican and Brazilian/German (look like and italian)and my husband is argentian (looks like a puertorican-LOL). Will this be an issue in any of the town's mentioned? I love my culture but am very respectful of differences as well. That is why I like the mixed bag - I really would never want my husband to feel like he is not welcome in a home he worked so hard for. Please give me your honest thoughts on this.
Helsea just a question, you started another thread asking about Long Island.......is NY still an iption or you definitley want NJ? I agree w/Tahiti Cranford would be a nice choice.
I honestly was considering both, but the more news I get re LI, the more I am leaning toward NJ. Commute seems a lot shorter and my boys are most important to me. I like being home with them!
thank you for th GSMLS site - very helpful - can you tell me what does it mean if the total assesment is less than the price of the house? Excuse my ignorance, I would be a first time home buyer. I have no idea what these things mean.
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