Best NJ towns with < 60 min commute into NYC including transfers (Clifton: insurance, houses)

[nyc2020]

Well, i had been planning for a move to another state but now am considering NJ. I am a native new yorker and am somewhat familiar with the NJ suburbs but would like some more ideas. what towns should i search for a home in? here are my requirements in order of priority:

- Good schools
- door to door commute of 60 minutes max to midtown manhattan on the train and/or bus or ferry (includes all transfers and subway ride if needed, and i prefer rail over bus)
- reasonable property taxes
- safe and away from flood zones
- somewhat contemporary homes having at least 2 full baths, 3 or 4 bedrooms, and some back yard space

The budget is around $600,000 but also depends on the prop taxes...could go a little higher, may have to go lower.

[daliowa]

Originally Posted by nyc2020

- reasonable property taxes
- safe and away from flood zones

We'd all like to find this place.

[slope95]

Originally Posted by nyc2020

Well, i had been planning for a move to another state but now am considering NJ. I am a native new yorker and am somewhat familiar with the NJ suburbs but would like some more ideas. what towns should i search for a home in? here are my requirements in order of priority:

- Good schools
- door to door commute of 60 minutes max to midtown manhattan on the train and/or bus or ferry (includes all transfers and subway ride if needed, and i prefer rail over bus)
- reasonable property taxes
- safe and away from flood zones
- somewhat contemporary homes having at least 2 full baths, 3 or 4 bedrooms, and some back yard space

The budget is around $600,000 but also depends on the prop taxes...could go a little higher, may have to go lower.

taxes are insane in some nyc suburbs. you could look in springfield township in union county, most of it is safe, and there is both a bus to the city and a jitney to the short hills train station. there are homes here in your range. you could look in madison, though it may be tough. montclair may be an option.

[Goldendoodle1969]

Madison? for a contemporary home with 3BR/2BA for $600K? I think not. Springfield could work, also Livingston( mostly split levels will be in your budget and it is a bus commute or drive to train station in neighboring South Orange). West Orange has contemporary homes in that price range but taxes a pretty high. I live in Wayne and my commute is about 1:10 minutes door to door, including driving to train station, parking, and getting to office(I work 3 blocks from penn station). Wayne has top notch schools and you'd be able to get a nice house for that budget(4BR/2.5 BA). Taxes are about average for northern nj.

[nyc2020]

Wayne looks pretty good. I'm looking at one of these home web sites and shows 400k home having $7-8k annual taxes. is this about right? what is the closest train station?

[Stechkin]

wayne floods

[Goldendoodle1969]

Taxes sound about right. At $500-$600K you will be looking at 13-17K in taxes

Wayne does have some areas that are prone to flooding. It's a big town 25 square miles, 50K plus residents, 2 high schools, etc. So you will have to make sure that the area you are looking in is not in a flood zone( it shouldn't be hard since something like 80% of the town is not in a flood zone).

Wayne has a train station but service is limited and it takes over an hour(66 minutes). I drive to Clifton and take the train from there.

[nyc2020]

What is your monthly commute cost including NJT, parking, other? Assuming no nyc subway since you're close to penn.

and how exactly do people deal with floods? this just means some of the roads close down right? and not houses getting basements flooded every time..

[Goldendoodle1969]

Originally Posted by nyc2020

What is your monthly commute cost including NJT, parking, other? Assuming no nyc subway since you're close to penn.

and how exactly do people deal with floods? this just means some of the roads close down right? and not houses getting basements flooded every time..

From Clifton the cost is $193 for a monthly train pass and about $50 in Gas/month for commuting. (If you use the Wayne station it is $273 for the monthly)

Flooding can close down roads. If you live in a flood zone it is definitely a possibility you will have water in your basement when it rains and or river/creek floodst(some houses get water in their basement every time it rains regardless of if they are in a flood zone) so you do have to do your homework whether your house is in a flood zone or not. Also if you are in a flood zone you will have to get flood insurance.

Since your budget is healthy there is little reason to worry about flood zones in Wayne, 99.9% of the houses in that budget will not be in a flood zone. Now if you had a budget of $300K-$400K, or less, I'd advise you to pay very close attention to the area you are in because it would be very possible you could be in a flood zone.

[EBWick]

Avoid flood prone areas & you'll be ok.

The burbs of Bergen, Morris & Union should do.