Advice on North Brunswick (Newark, New Brunswick: rentals, condos, crime)

[lauren810g]

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.

Now my husband wants to look into North Brunswick but I'm not sure. There are houses in our price range I am interested in. However I am not sure about the town.

1) Schools seem not to have a great reputation. Are they similar to Old Bridge or not as good?
2) I know they are building a transportation center and could have a train in 5 or 6 years. Could this help with home values?
3) is there more crime here due to it's closeness to some od the not so great areas of New Brunswick?

Thx!

[HubCityMadMan]

Originally Posted by lauren810g

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.

Now my husband wants to look into North Brunswick but I'm not sure. There are houses in our price range I am interested in. However I am not sure about the town.

1) Schools seem not to have a great reputation. Are they similar to Old Bridge or not as good?
2) I know they are building a transportation center and could have a train in 5 or 6 years. Could this help with home values?
3) is there more crime here due to it's closeness to some od the not so great areas of New Brunswick?

Thx!

I believe the schools are ranked better than Old Bridge. I have always known them to have a good reputation. I do not know about when the transportation center will be finished, but that whole thing is up in the air. I think it would help increase the values.

I live here and there is no crime to speak of. Along Livingston Ave right on the New Brunswick border, it looks a bit crappy, but it is a very small section of town. Nassau St at Livingston Ave is pretty much the last place in town I would want my house to be. Beyond this old neighborhood, the town is clean and well-kept. I would draw the line at Hermann Rd, although there are nice houses north of there. The bordering section of New Brunswick is not terrible either.

I know you asked about Old Bridge and personally, I feel this is hands down a more desirable town to live in. Old Bridge certainly has more disparity. Most of these towns have one or two sections that are "less desirable", it does not mean the entire town is bad because of it. I would consider it roughly equivalent to South Brunswick if that gives you an idea.

[lauren810g]

Thanks - we are looking at Mae Brook Estates at Farrington Lake - this area is south of Rte 1 so it looks like it's in a good part of town based off your post. Thanks!

[HubCityMadMan]

Originally Posted by lauren810g

Thanks - we are looking at Mae Brook Estates at Farrington Lake - this area is south of Rte 1 so it looks like it's in a good part of town based off your post. Thanks!

Yeah that I believe is off Rt 130, which is generally considered the most "upscale" section of town. I do not know of the exact development you are looking. Is it those new houses they are building off Church Ln? I know anything in North Brunswick associated with Farrington Lake is considered "ritzy" for lack of a better term.

[lauren810g]

Originally Posted by HubCityMadMan

Yeah that I believe is off Rt 130, which is generally considered the most "upscale" section of town. I do not know of the exact development you are looking. Is it those new houses they are building off Church Ln? I know anything in North Brunswick associated with Farrington Lake is considered "ritzy" for lack of a better term.

Yup, those are them - off of Church Lane...

[TonyStarksNJ]

I live in North Brunswick (recently closed on a house). Me and my wife were considering South Bruns, Hamilton, Lawrenceville, Princeton Junction, Franklin Park, and even Highland Park. We chose North Brunswick based on a combination of location, schools, proximity to NJ Transit, and value. We are off the 130 corridor as well. I can be at Jersey Ave in less than 10 min, 59 min ride into midtown. The proximity to Rt 1, Rt 18, and the NJTP, is really great. You have the shops at north brunswick right there, farmers markets and nursuries off of 130 towards monroe, We're at the shore in less than a half hour, we're in newark in about a half hour, and we're in princeton in about a half hour.

The school ranking nazi's on this site would lead you to believe that North Brunswick is East Side High. Cmon, is there really a difference between the 57th ranked school and the 96th ranked school? The schools are fine. You have a HUGE indian population, who all work IT in NYC, that are starting families, the schools will only improve.

It is true, you get some lower income folks that leak over from New Brunswick on that side of town, but just because your brown, doesn't mean your a bad person. Take the time to review the data on njreportcard, north bruns ranks fine.

Have you checked out Twin Brook Estates off of 130 closer to rt 1? I would think those would be better bet due to proximity to the highways (as long as you dont buy a unit that backs to 130.

The one downside, 130 backs up alot during the evening rush. Also, I work in transit field, they havent even done a feasability/environmental study on the North Bruns station. No chance its done this decade. So don't count on that happening anytime soon. However, they are in the process of doing studies on expansion/modifications of Jersey Ave.

[teachbeach]

I'd rate North Brunswick over Old Bridge as far as schools go..

[HubCityMadMan]

Originally Posted by TonyStarksNJ

I live in North Brunswick (recently closed on a house). Me and my wife were considering South Bruns, Hamilton, Lawrenceville, Princeton Junction, Franklin Park, and even Highland Park. We chose North Brunswick based on a combination of location, schools, proximity to NJ Transit, and value. We are off the 130 corridor as well. I can be at Jersey Ave in less than 10 min, 59 min ride into midtown. The proximity to Rt 1, Rt 18, and the NJTP, is really great. You have the shops at north brunswick right there, farmers markets and nursuries off of 130 towards monroe, We're at the shore in less than a half hour, we're in newark in about a half hour, and we're in princeton in about a half hour.

What shore town do you go to that is 1/2 hour away? Just curious. It is at least an hour to Seaside from here.

Princeton I would say is only about 20-25 minutes away depending on what time of day. The city limits of Newark I would say yeah proabaly 1/2 hour.

[TonyStarksNJ]

Originally Posted by HubCityMadMan

What shore town do you go to that is 1/2 hour away? Just curious. It is at least an hour to Seaside from here.

Princeton I would say is only about 20-25 minutes away depending on what time of day. The city limits of Newark I would say yeah proabaly 1/2 hour.

LOL, yeah i was being a bit liberal on the shore times. We have friends from down the shore we meet up with in Hazlet, Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury regularly. When we go to the beach, we usually go to Bradley. All those places cn be done in half hour (give or take 10 min with no traffic).

Your right, you want to go to Seaside, LBI, Point etc, its closer to an hour.

[Tyler77]

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??)