Advice on North Brunswick (New Brunswick, Livingston: townhouse, buy, cinema)
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So we have narrowed down our house search to Old Bridge, Monroe Township and South Brunswick. In any of these towns we can find the house we are looking for (budget of $500k built wiin the past 10 years or so). Schools are better in Monroe and SB, but commute could be slightly less if we live on the northern part of Old Bridge.
That's a nice budget! If you change your criteria to include houses built within 20 years (instead of 10), you will find a great selection in South & East Brunswick - both great towns.
That's a nice budget! If you change your criteria to include houses built within 20 years (instead of 10), you will find a great selection in South & East Brunswick - both great towns.
We are open to 20 years and looking in South Brunswick. We have looked in East Brunswick - the issue is that the taxes are higher, so the homes we like in our price range have higher taxes. We would need to lower the house cost to account for taxes. Then the issue becomes in that house cost range, we don't like alot of the houses we have seen.
We are open to 20 years and looking in South Brunswick. We have looked in East Brunswick - the issue is that the taxes are higher, so the homes we like in our price range have higher taxes. We would need to lower the house cost to account for taxes. Then the issue becomes in that house cost range, we don't like alot of the houses we have seen.
Thanks everyone for your feedback.
East Brunswick is more expensive and "upscale" than North or South Brunswick. If the fact that North Brunswick borders some of the sketchier parts of New Brunswick and Franklin bothers you, look at South Brunswick. You will certainly get more of a buffer from those elements. But like I said before, I live here and it really is not a bad town at all. Tyler77 points out some things I did not mention, but I think it is a bit of an exaggeration in a lot of ways. I cannot stand going to the Walmart here, although it is better now than it used to be (they redid a lot of it a year or so ago). Traffic on Rt 130 is not that bad. The thing is that it never used to get congested during the rush hours and now it does. Church & Dwight (Arm & Hammer) closed because they needed more space, as well as Coca Cola, and there are many Pathmarks that closed all at once. I am actually more surprised that they kept A&P open and closed the Pathmark. They are owned by the same company which has been suffering, so many A&Ps and Pathmarks all over have closed. In East Brunswick, they kept Pathmark open and closed A&P.
As for the schools, Parsons Elementary has been a formidable presence in this competitive area for years, but like Tony said, it can only improve given the recent elections and votes on school budget last year. It is in that neighborhood that borders New Brunswick, so that is the reason that of all the elementary schools, that would be the last one I would want my kids going to. I live closest to Livingston Park, which from what I have seen is one of the better ones.
As for the taxes, just like everywhere in NJ they are high, but continue to be below its neighbors. We also have garbage and leaf pickup covered in township services (most surrounding areas have to pay for pickup), roads are cleared very nicely in the winter as well, and the police presence seems to be very good as well.
I've lived in North Brunswick, and speaking from personal experience, I'd choose another town. North Brunswick used to be a bedroom community of middle and working class families, but now the more well off have moved on, and the town has seen a recent spike in illegals moving in. As a poster said before, stay away from streets that border Livingston Ave. if you choose to live here--Nassau, Haverford, Hedges, Remsen, Herrmann Road, etc. A lot of rentals on these streets that look unkept. When the projects in New Brunswick were demolished, a lot of those families were given vouchers that placed them in North Brunswick, and the trouble followed. Although Governor's Pointe development looks like nice condos, a lot of "white" kids that act "ghetto" are from there...they cause problems at the Regal Cinema next door to the development. The so-called train station on the former Johnson and Johnson site is all but a fantasy--it's been YEARS since anything was done to get the project off of the ground. A supposed new Sam's Club has been in the works for YEARS--still nothing. Forget about Society Hill or (The) Brunswick Manor--too many problems to list. NB is also home to one of the MOST ghetto Wal-Marts I have ever had the displeasure of shopping in--constantly a mess, the clientele are like savages...I know the high school had it's share of problems a few years back, leading to the exodus of some teaching staff. The additions built on to it make it look like a small college...The elementary schools are hit or miss--while some are nice, some look like they're populated by third world immigrants. A lot of industry has recently left--the former PathMark shopping center, save a Dunkin Donuts and a bank, are all that's left of that ghost town. Arm and Hammer and Coca Cola bottling have left recently, leaving vacant eyesores. If you choose to live on the Route 130 side, the commute is frustrating during a.m. and p.m. rush hour. A lot of commuters live in Renaissance development, and a new development is being built nearby. And it will get worse. Property taxes are very high (what else is new??)
LOL see perfect example, of what I was talking about. Spike in illegals? Are you checking everyones immigration status on the street? "White kids that act "ghetto"? Thats nice, wHat's that even mean? ELementary schools populated by 3rd world immigrants"
Looks like Tyler wants to live in an all white suburban utopia. Better head to East Brunswick for that.
I have lived in North Brunswick since 1993 and have seen a big change in the kast 8 or 9 years. There is in basic terms a large commuter segment population boom partly due to the construction of new town houses/ apartments (Route 130 behind Shoprite- huge complex), although I have no problems with that. Since I am 25 years of age, I have went through elementary, middle, and high school here and can tell you that the schools have really gone done hill. Linwood has failed state inspection once or twice over the past few years and the High school has seen many teachers and administrators come and go over the years. When I was in the North Brunswick HS from 2000-2004 we had 3 different principles and two different VP and had teachers that were retiring being replaced with inexperienced new hires. Also the student mentality has changes as well so the teachers have to really enforce what they are doing. All in all it is a okay town which has its flaws.
White kikds that act ghetto: go on Youtube, and look up a video of Enimen and Vanilla Ice. That should answer your question.
Illegals: they don't know a word of English, have three kids with number 4 on the way, ans sponge off of government asisstance with the tax dollars I pay into it. If you would like to see a larger congregation of illegals, go down French Street, across from Walgreens, and you'll see day laborers milling about looking for work. If you think they're NOT illegals, you sure are dumb.
Ask the other posters why they WOULDN'T send their kids to certain grammar schols in this town, and then send your kids there. After all, you MUST prove them wrong.
White kikds that act ghetto: go on Youtube, and look up a video of Enimen and Vanilla Ice. That should answer your question.
Ok, I gotcha now. Basically any white kid that is into the hip hop culture is a bad kid. Maybe you mean ANY kid thats into the hip hop culture is a bad kid. All misfits, miscreants and losers destined to be nobodies. I understand now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyler77
: Illegals they don't know a word of English, have three kids with number 4 on the way, ans sponge off of government asisstance with the tax dollars I pay into it. If you would like to see a larger congregation of illegals, go down French Street, across from Walgreens, and you'll see day laborers milling about looking for work. If you think they're NOT illegals, you sure are dumb.
LOL, you do realize that Walgreens is in NEW BRUNSWICK. Pretty much downtown New Brunswick at that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyler77
Ask the other posters why they WOULDN'T send their kids to certain grammar schols in this town, and then send your kids there. After all, you MUST prove them wrong.
Listen, I am not saying that North Brunswick is Mayberry. Its obviously not. And you know what, *I* wouldnt send my kids to a school in that part of town. However, I am not an elitist douche that thinks he's better than everyone else. Its cool bro, your not a fan of brown people. They are all leaches on welfare that should be castoff to an island far away from the sleepy white bedroom community you were raised in. Its a good thing you werent around when all the immigrants came over from ellis island (or were you?) who knows, you could be my neighbor for all i know, i hope not.
Get off your high horse and stop with the massive generalizations. You'll sleep better at night.
LOL see perfect example, of what I was talking about. Spike in illegals? Are you checking everyones immigration status on the street? "White kids that act "ghetto"? Thats nice, wHat's that even mean? ELementary schools populated by 3rd world immigrants"
Looks like Tyler wants to live in an all white suburban utopia. Better head to East Brunswick for that.
No such thing as utopia, not in this state at least.
I would not even consider East Brunswick "all white", large portion of Indians and Orientals there as well.
As for "white kids that act ghetto," my definition of that would be "white trash", or spoiled brats whose parents pretend to be so wealthy but really just live on credit and sue others to maintain their plastic lifestyle. My first ever teaching job was in a district that had such as the vast majority of the student body and I used to say the kids in New Brunswick were better behaved. Nothing like that around here, and certainly not in Governor's Pointe.
Anyhow, North Brunswick is worlds apart from New Brunswick. Every town has "flaws".
@Lauren, I know this is old post but we are currently in the same situation as you. Have been looking for fairly new homes in North Bruns, Old bridge, Piscataway, Monroe, Somerset as you. Do you mind telling if you finally purchased any home and where?
My sister and her husband lived in North Brunswick for nine years and raised their daughter there. Moved a couple of years after she graduated from high school. I don't know what section it would be called, but the street was Omaha Road and it was mostly 60s - 70s bi-level type of homes. Good sized yard, and on the way to her house I passed farm fields--within a mile. It didn't look very ghetto to me.
Her daughter did fine at the high school. Went on to college. I would agree that it's a nicer town than what I've seen of Old Bridge.
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