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Hi, my wife and I currently live in Brooklyn and are ready to move out of NYC and the Suburbs of Philly attract us for jobs in Philly and Delaware. Have also seen the schools are good as we have a 3.5-year-old daughter. In addition, my family lives in Monroe Township and Fanwood.
When are you moving?Looking at May-July 2019 (currently in a 2-year lease and it ends July 2019)
Where are you coming from? Brooklyn, NY
Why are you moving? Quieter life and cost of living + plus for what we pay in rent we can have a mortgage or even pay less than now.
Where will you be working? We are both currently working in Brooklyn and would get new jobs. My wife is a teacher and I am the Director of an After-School Program.
Have you been here yet? Yes, went to Swedesboro and then drove to Mullica Hill today.
Will you buy or rent? Buy
If buying, are you looking for a house or a condo? How much can you spend? Either house or condo but would prefer a condo and want to keep it preferably no more than $300K.
Are you married or single? Do you have children? Yes, married with a 3.5-year-old.
Do you prefer public or private schools? Public
Do you have pets? No but would like a dog
Do you want or need a yard? Yes, we would like a yard.
Are you keeping a car? Yes, and we will need to get the 2nd one once we move.
Do you prefer bustling activity or calm and quiet? Calm & Quiet
What do you want to be closest to?
WorkWe would like to be close to work. No more than 35-40 min away.
Basic services (supermarket, drugstore, etc.) Supermarkets, Target, Costco, CVS, Walgreens, etc.
Nightlife No need for nightlife.
Train or subway stations Really no preference. I know PATCO goes into Philly if needed.
Do you want to live with people of a similar age, race, religion or sexual preference or do you prefer a diverse neighborhood? We are Jewish but very reformed and don't have a preference for who our neighbors are the religion they practice. Don't have a preference for diversity. It's always a good thing though
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After driving through Swedesboro and Mullica Hill are there any other areas that would be a good fit for what my family is looking for?
You definitely are going to get more for your money in Swedesboro and S. NJ in general over Southeast PA. 300k just does not go as far in Southeast Pennsylvania these days although certain Condos are certainly available.
Swedesboro is a mangeable commute to Center City, but overall it is a rather large region (2nd largest city on East Coast and 3rd largest Metro on East Coast). Meaning to be frank I would focus on finding a job first and then looking at an acceptable place to commute from. For example if you found a really great opportunity in a place like King of Prussia, PA and had to commute to Swdesboro you would hate your life. (literally).
Clearly there are job opportunities in S. NJ and I am sure your preference would be to work there if you lived there, but just to make you aware that I would focus on job opportunities first before I set my sights on specific places.
I am not sure how reciprocity works with teaching from NY to NJ and NY to PA. I know NJ pays teachers well, as do the Southeast PA school districts, but I know at least in PA it is very hard to get a teaching job, as they pay well and have excellent benefits. (I am pretty sure it is similar in NJ).
Thanks for the info. 100% we would be securing a job prior to moving. When doing my job search I’ll focus my search as if I lived in the Swedesboro area. Ideally, my wife and I would want to live and work in NJ but if an opportunity came along in Philadelphia or Wilmington we would go for it then adjust where we would live.
I saw a number of jobs in Camden when briefly looking and that seemed like a doable commute.
Besides Swedesboro and Mullica Hill, I saw Mantua looked like a good place. My wife saw Wenonah and Mickleton had homes in our price range with good schools. Any input on those?
Our plan is to take another trip next month to see more of the areas.
A C-D member (he no longer posts in this forum) chose Logan Township for the lower taxes--for NJ. I remember that he has/had two children when he moved there. He and his wife bought a townhouse and lived near an elementary school. He was happy with his choice. That sounds worth looking into.
I know homes are more affordable in places like Swedesboro. To be honest though I am not an expert on South Jersey school districts, minus a few in Camden County. I know taxes are going to be 4k/5k higher on average per year living in NJ overall within your price point than PA. Although this obviously depends.
Also I believe Camden County is going to have the highest percentage of a jewish population in S. NJ as well. You can buy more new construction in Gloucester County, Camden though you are more approximate to Philadelphia and PATCO for accessibility. Haddonfield is the stand out here, with Collingswood being more affordable, although Collingswood school district does not rank as high.
Again I am not sure how reciprocity works for NJ. Southeast PA has very desirable school districts with a lower tax rate than NJ within the greater Philadelphia region. Just something to be mindful of. But overall I am more familiar with Camden and Burlington Counties and Southeast Pennsylvania than Gloucester County.
You can't figure them out by county. Every little town and township has a different tax rate.
The taxes in New Jersey aren't necessarily going to be thousands of dollars higher. It depends upon how much house you buy and where.
My son works in Berlin, NJ. He lives a couple of towns over, and rent is killing him. He's hoping to buy, but everything in his (pathetic) price range has fatal flaws. He started looking in Pine Hill. There are some beautiful houses which he could afford, but the tax rate is high and the school(s) aren't good. There aren't many businesses in town (the folks who lighten your tax load) and their only supermarket recently closed.
He accuses me of pi@@ing on his parade. Nope, but buying a house built in 1930 with a well and septic system which has changed hands 3 times in the last 5 years sounds stupid to me. "This one has a double lot!" Yeah, OK. I guess you want to pay higher taxes.
You can't figure them out by county. Every little town and township has a different tax rate.
The taxes in New Jersey aren't necessarily going to be thousands of dollars higher. It depends upon how much house you buy and where.
My son works in Berlin, NJ. He lives a couple of towns over, and rent is killing him. He's hoping to buy, but everything in his (pathetic) price range has fatal flaws. He started looking in Pine Hill. There are some beautiful houses which he could afford, but the tax rate is high and the school(s) aren't good. There aren't many businesses in town (the folks who lighten your tax load) and their only supermarket recently closed.
He accuses me of pi@@ing on his parade. Nope, but buying a house built in 1930 with a well and septic system which has changed hands 3 times in the last 5 years sounds stupid to me. "This one has a double lot!" Yeah, OK. I guess you want to pay higher taxes.
Overall NJ has the highest property tax rate in the USA. I have done my due research and 300k in many (not ALL) but many S. NJ townships will get you a tax rate that is about 4k a year more on 300k than Southeast PA. Yes I know how property taxes work with millage rates. And yes property values overall are more expensive in PA. But also NJ has a rather tepid real estate market right now with not a great deal of investment/raising values and alot of that is attributed to to tax rates within the region. I have nothing wrong with someone who needs to locate in NJ. Its not a bad place. Just pointing out factual difference. I know people in Burlington County who pay 12,000 a year in property taxes on an assessment of 325k. The town is nothing fancy and the school district is 100% mediocre. To me that is NUTS. A better district and town in SEPA will get you a tax assessment of about 6k a year or so. About half.
Again S. NJ is a fine place. I just think when it comes to being aware of the difference it should be noted.
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Originally Posted by rowhomecity
Overall NJ has the highest property tax rate in the USA. I have done my due research and 300k in many (not ALL) but many S. NJ townships will get you a tax rate that is about 4k a year more on 300k than Southeast PA. Yes I know how property taxes work with millage rates. And yes property values overall are more expensive in PA. But also NJ has a rather tepid real estate market right now with not a great deal of investment/raising values and alot of that is attributed to to tax rates within the region. I have nothing wrong with someone who needs to locate in NJ. Its not a bad place. Just pointing out factual difference. I know people in Burlington County who pay 12,000 a year in property taxes on an assessment of 325k. The town is nothing fancy and the school district is 100% mediocre. To me that is NUTS. A better district and town in SEPA will get you a tax assessment of about 6k a year or so. About half.
Again S. NJ is a fine place. I just think when it comes to being aware of the difference it should be noted.
I've tried to explain this to you. You fail to understand that it varies from person to person. There's a reason that people move from Pennsylvania to South Jersey. Sometimes they get more house for the money in South Jersey. Add to that that if they are working in Philadelphia they can deduct the city wage tax from their liability to NJ, for some people it's a no-brainer.
I've tried to explain this to you. You fail to understand that it varies from person to person. There's a reason that people move from Pennsylvania to South Jersey. Sometimes they get more house for the money in South Jersey. Add to that that if they are working in Philadelphia they can deduct the city wage tax from their liability to NJ, for some people it's a no-brainer.
It takes a while to figure it out. At least for me.
I've tried to explain this to you. You fail to understand that it varies from person to person. There's a reason that people move from Pennsylvania to South Jersey. Sometimes they get more house for the money in South Jersey. Add to that that if they are working in Philadelphia they can deduct the city wage tax from their liability to NJ, for some people it's a no-brainer.
I am very aware with how property taxes work, it is all dependent on a millage rate, and that differs upon township/municipality. Pennsylvania and New Jersey actually do this quite similarly.
In my last post I simply make transplants aware that they pay higher property taxes per $$. I never said they get more for their money in SEPA. I actually said SEPA you will pay a premium (well because it is nicer. duh).
With that, I am not trying to start a turf war. It is called awareness. I have meet MANY transplants who moved right into the City of Philadelphia and know nothing about suburban Pennsylvania nor New Jersey.
Bridge access makes certain parts of S. NJ desirable and that is why many transplants to Center City drive me crazy because they think S. NJ is the center of the region, when from every single measure of data, that is false.
With that. I simply pointed out. Find your job. Then pick your locale. I even suggested Camden County over Gloucester. AND I accurately stated taxes will be higher.
Yes you can summize things and make estimates, it is how we predict things. NJ has a higher tax rate Southbound. Get over it. And NJ also has higher income tax.
Also. Southbound I am a big proponent for the Jersey Shore FYI. And be aware Southbound I do not dislike S. Jersey suburbs I just find them generic overall It is part of Greater Philadelphia which is wonderful. I will always notate to transplants the tax difference, and to be honest in many instances you are not really getting anything for it.
SEPA you have the 3rd largest commuter rail system in the USA:SEPTA one of the highest concentrations of prolific school districts of any metro and walkable towns in the entire USA. This is why new friends to our region sometimes I will wave a friendly flag to say. Check us out Again Southbound not to be rude but you live in NC so clearly NJ did not win you over either
I am sorry Southbound but you do not even live in NJ anymore. Have you checked the tax rates??? I have personal friends who live in Haddonfield and pay 32k a year and a friend who lives in Cinnaminson on a 300k property and pays 12k a year. My Haddonfield friend already moved to PA. And the Cinnaminson friend is moving soon. Until you pay 12k a year to own 300,000 of property in Cinnaminson. I think you should advise transplants as well. To BE WARNED.
Also the property tax rates keep increasing EVERY YEAR. Like I said you live in the safe haven of NC so I think you hardly are aware of NJ property taxes and to be frank should sit this one out
I realize I am posting in the NJ board and I already advised the individual to investigate Camden over Gloucester County for a multitude of reasons. Anywho. cheers
Last edited by rowhomecity; 01-19-2018 at 03:27 AM..
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Nope, but buying a house built in 1930 with a well and septic system which has changed hands 3 times in the last 5 years sounds stupid to me. "This one has a double lot!" Yeah, OK. I guess you want to pay higher taxes.
It is part of Greater Philadelphia which is wonderful. I will always notate to transplants the tax difference, and to be honest in many instances you are not really getting anything for it.
