An hour (and a bit) from NYC, with a train to NYC? (Windsor: apartment complexes)

[sholden]

Not sure where to post this, the NYC forum is probably not right since I'm not looking there, then again NJ/NY/CT are all acceptable so the other option is half a dozen posts elsewhere...

Anyway I'm looking for somewhere nearish (1 1/2 hours max, less is better) NYC with the requirement that it is has a convenient train station with a line to NYC. Note, I'm not commuting I will just need to get to and from NYC on the weekend (the ex will be there, and the child needs to see them), so there's no need for "the commute will kill you" answers

I've lived in midtown Manhattan for 2 1/2 years (previously overseas), but I know next to nothing about the surrounds...

Important criteria are:
* Good elementary school
* A 2 bedroom (apartment, house, condo - don't care) rent for under $2000 ($1500 would be really nice...)
* Safe, family friendly area.
* The train line I already mentioned twice

West Windsor/Plainsboro NJ looks reasonable, somewhere in Westchester seems reasonable too. But as I said I really have no idea what the region is like outside of manhattan...

Small town, small city, farm in the middle of nowhere (let me mention the train again), basically anything is fine.

[holden125]

Where in NYC do you need to get on the weekends? The issue is whether it's more easily accessible from Grand Central or Penn Station. The trains from Westchester and CT go to Grand Central, trains from Long Island and NJ go to Penn Station.

There are plenty of good school districts within an hour of Grand Central in Westchester and you may be able to get a 2BR for under 2000, but NJ would probably offer a better bet on that front.

My sister lives in Plainsboro and has a 4 year old who hasn't started school yet, but they're happy with the area. The Princeton Junction train is under a mile from her place. There are still some woodsy pockets there, with suburban houses and a growing number of garden apartment complexes and office parks. Route 1 has every type of shopping imaginable and you're 10 minutes from Princeton, which is a beautiful and charming town.

Other areas with train access and well-regarded schools are Bridgewater (which is near Raritan, Somerville, Finderne and Bridgewater train stations), north Edison (near Metro Park), Westfield, Cranford, Millburn, Summit. You'd probably get more home for your money in the Plainsboro area or Bridgewater. Trains on the Northeast Corridor line don't require a transfer to get to NYC so that might be the best bet. As far as schools along that line, check out down by Plainsboro or by Metro Park in North Edison or Colonia.

[apvbguy]

Originally Posted by sholden

Not sure where to post this, the NYC forum is probably not right since I'm not looking there, then again NJ/NY/CT are all acceptable so the other option is half a dozen posts elsewhere...

Anyway I'm looking for somewhere nearish (1 1/2 hours max, less is better) NYC with the requirement that it is has a convenient train station with a line to NYC. Note, I'm not commuting I will just need to get to and from NYC on the weekend (the ex will be there, and the child needs to see them), so there's no need for "the commute will kill you" answers

I've lived in midtown Manhattan for 2 1/2 years (previously overseas), but I know next to nothing about the surrounds...

Important criteria are:
* Good elementary school
* A 2 bedroom (apartment, house, condo - don't care) rent for under $2000 ($1500 would be really nice...)
* Safe, family friendly area.
* The train line I already mentioned twice

West Windsor/Plainsboro NJ looks reasonable, somewhere in Westchester seems reasonable too. But as I said I really have no idea what the region is like outside of manhattan...

Small town, small city, farm in the middle of nowhere (let me mention the train again), basically anything is fine.

middletown NJ would fit you like a glove, but it is very suburban and would be a very big change from NYC living

[sholden]

Originally Posted by holden125

Where in NYC do you need to get on the weekends? The issue is whether it's more easily accessible from Grand Central or Penn Station. The trains from Westchester and CT go to Grand Central, trains from Long Island and NJ go to Penn Station.

I don't know yet, but it doesn't matter anyway - I'm making the bigger trip, the ex will be able to make it to whichever train station I happen to arrive at.

[holden125]

Originally Posted by sholden

I don't know yet, but it doesn't matter anyway - I'm making the bigger trip, the ex will be able to make it to whichever train station I happen to arrive at.

gotcha...

I was going to say that Jersey is generally cheaper, but the real rule is that generally speaking things get cheaper as you get farther. North of NYC, in Westchester and beyond, the closer-in areas are pretty dense but then it gets very rural for reasons of topography and zoning. LI remains dense, with some exceptions, far out from the city. The same with NJ. Plainsboro is about the same distance from NYC as Katonah, but Plainsboro has a lot of apartments, offices, and stores. Katonah, and really anywhere in northern Westchester, doesn't. It's much more rural and tony. If you're going an hour out, that is the difference between Westchester and central NJ.

[iselin]

hi i am looking for a small townhouse consists of 2bedroom,1.5 bath around 250-300K$ in new jersey.my husband has to commute to nyc for his job.i am looking for a area which has good schools and low crime rate and smwt interesting place to live.....would anyone please suggest some areas?

[mc33433]

Originally Posted by iselin

hi i am looking for a small townhouse consists of 2bedroom,1.5 bath around 250-300K$ in new jersey.my husband has to commute to nyc for his job.i am looking for a area which has good schools and low crime rate and smwt interesting place to live.....would anyone please suggest some areas?

Post in NJ forum instead of resurrecting a post from 2008.....