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Hi, everyone, I am relocating from PA to NJ (my work is at Plainsboro). We are looking for houses around the area, out budget is $550k ($580k if it has to be). We have 2-years old baby so the school is definitely a priority.
We have looked at some houses in West Windsor, Montgomery, Hillsborough and Pennington. Within our budget, the houses in Pennington seem newer and in better condition. But we are not sure about the resale value down the road compared to say Montgomery. We don't buy the house as investment but we'd hope we can maintain the value as well. So our questions are:
1. Which town/area would you recommend? I am commuting to Plainsboro.
2. Which schools are better than others?
3. Do you think the houses in Montgomery and WW have better resale value than the ones in Pennington/Hopewell?
I would recommend Montgomery due to the school system. They have built a new high school not too long ago and even though they have let some teachers go over the past year, their educational standards are still high.
However, the price of a home there may top out at your highest figure. A couple of years ago, a 3200 sq. footer built during 1990's could have ran about $900,000. In this market there's no telling how much lower they are now. There are many homeowner associations (newer homes), condos and older farm homes so you would have a good variety to choose from.
If I won the lottery I'd relocate there in a blink as I have family there.
The areas are all different and you will have to decide where you will be most comfortable. The commute from Hillsborough, Montgomery and Pennington will be longer than your commute from West Windsor or Plainsboro.
But if you have found homes in Pennington that you like, the schools are good and the town is desirable.
In terms of long range value, I don't think you can go wrong with Montgomery, Pennington, West Windsor or Plainsboro.
I wouldn't worry about resale value in Hopewell Township/Pennington. The rural lanes in Hopewell are just beautiful and the Hopewell Valley School District is among the best in NJ. This is where you'll get the "best bang for your buck."
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