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have been looking (and looking!) and husband seems to think that millburn or short hills are nice, close to summit downtown area and short drive to westfields too... also close to his job.
any opinions on this area? pros/cons
we dont have any children yet so school isnt a major... for us the most important is a nice downtown (so we dont keep driving to the city for nice restaurants or shops (i am disliking new york city more and more even though i lived there all my life)
want a quieter, nicer quality of life, but im afraid i will be bored out of my mind (thats a major concern so things to do are important)
Millburn is a nice town. Not sure where you're coming from, but sure, no suburb will compare with life in NYC in terms of things to do. But as you said, Millburn and surrounding towns have their own little downtown areas with restaurants etc. The Millburn school district is excellent, which one day may be important to you. The biggest con is the high taxes -- taxes are high everywhere in NJ, but especially so in Millburn given the generally higher real estate values.
Also, if you're working in the city, don't fool yourself that it will be an easy commute, especially if you're working downtown. It can be a grind, day-in-day-out. I wouldn't live in the suburbs if it weren't for kids, so think carefully about whether you're really ready to trade your city lifestyle for the suburbs just yet. There's a time and place for everything.
well, long story short. i lived in manhattan all my life and we moved to europe (UK) 5 years ago and are contemplating going back to NY.
I totally understand that it wont be like NYC, but having been in london, where although is a big city, it can at time feel like a suburb, i am used to now having more space (which unless you are willing to fork over a fortune you wont get in NYC), im also not looking forward to the noise, the dirt and the quite frankly very unpleasant people. so its mee really pushing for something quieter and more spacious.
my husband;s job may be in newark, thats why this is more convenient that living in manhattan anyway, and as for me, i work from home, so anywhere will do, what i do want is not to be bored, but i was bored in NY anyway! LOL (when everyone works outside and you dont, it can be lonely) also i have a dog and a cat and finding good buildings that will take both has become a nightmare...
husband went to millburn and fell inlove..
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lusitan
Millburn is a nice town. Not sure where you're coming from, but sure, no suburb will compare with life in NYC in terms of things to do. But as you said, Millburn and surrounding towns have their own little downtown areas with restaurants etc. The Millburn school district is excellent, which one day may be important to you. The biggest con is the high taxes -- taxes are high everywhere in NJ, but especially so in Millburn given the generally higher real estate values.
Also, if you're working in the city, don't fool yourself that it will be an easy commute, especially if you're working downtown. It can be a grind, day-in-day-out. I wouldn't live in the suburbs if it weren't for kids, so think carefully about whether you're really ready to trade your city lifestyle for the suburbs just yet. There's a time and place for everything.
You should check out Montclair, if you're looking for something that is slightly more liberal and intellectual. Short Hills and Millburn are populated heavily by finance types, which is fine, but you should be aware of that.
thanks for the heads up but thats not a problem, my husband is also in finance and i know what to expect in that regard.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clevedark
You should check out Montclair, if you're looking for something that is slightly more liberal and intellectual. Short Hills and Millburn are populated heavily by finance types, which is fine, but you should be aware of that.
Where in London did you live? Must have been on the very outskirts if you felt it was like a suburb. Millburn is a great little area but it is very quiet compared to NYC or London. If you are planning on having kids someday it's a great place to be but not sure I would chose to live there without kids.
thanks for the advice. we are planning to have children fairly soon. i lived in primrose hill, you may not know it, but its a really nice area and not at all as busy as central london, it does have a small town feel even if it is in london. i have also lived in france and i am used to being in quier areas (even if for a short while)... i will try it for a year, see how it goes in nj
ps husband drove to montclair and said he hated it
thanks for the advice. we are planning to have children fairly soon. i lived in primrose hill, you may not know it, but its a really nice area and not at all as busy as central london, it does have a small town feel even if it is in london. i have also lived in france and i am used to being in quier areas (even if for a short while)... i will try it for a year, see how it goes in nj
ps husband drove to montclair and said he hated it
I'm curious as to what he hated about Montclair. Was he in the downtown area, or in a residential area? Also, I recommended specifically Upper Montclair, which has big, big, big beautiful houses, and is quite different from Montclair in appearance. Both Upper Montclair and Montclair share the downtown area, which is bustling and quaint, with lots of cafes, restaurants, and a few bars. So I'd just be interested to learn where he was, and what in particular he hated.
Millburn/short hills area is excellent. Overall, highly educated community. Very convenient to NYC, nice downtown, safe town. No bad areas. In terms of diversity, strong Jewish and Asian-American presence. And when you have children in he future, excellent school system. If you don't mind the high taxes, its a great area.
One comment I have on Montclair since I have two close family friends who have lived there for years- is they have experienced some issues with crime. Particularly, break-ins. The issue with Montclair from what I've heard & seen is that their are some bad spots within the town. While overall, its an upper middle class town, their are some lower income spots that have some issues.
the school system is also okay but not in the same level of a Millburn, a Livingston or a Glen Ridge.
I've heard that you find many high income Montclair residents send their kids to private schools.
Upper Montclair is excellent. If one can afford Upper Montclair, its a great town with lots of wealth.
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