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My fiance was just accepted into a ph.d program at rutgers and I'm trying to gather more information to see if living there will be feasible for us. He was offered a fellowship but we don't know how much yet and it likely won't be much.
Are there any suburbs nearby that you can get a two bedroom in for around 1300 that isn't total garbage?
We do have a lab so we have to find somewhere pet friendly. Also, we want somewhere where we don't have tons of noise from undergrads and where there's lots of other families. I am due in september and would like to be able to take the baby and dog on walks without worrying about safety, etc.
Also, what would be a reasonable amount to rent a 2 or 3 bedroom townhome or single house for in whatever suburbs?
You should be able to find a 2BR apartment for around $1300-1500 in a very decent community in Somerset/Franklin township, Piscataway, Edison and North Brunswick - all within 15-20 minutes from Rutgers in New Brunswick.
2-3BR townhouse, just guessing, should be in $1800-2000 range.
Sounds like Highland Park would fit your needs perfectly - a very safe community, quiet, great public schools, close knit, everything is walkable (whether it be HP's "main street" - Raritan Ave, or downtown New Brunswick), multiple parks, and the town is literally surrounded by Rutgers campuses. A total package that Somerset, Edison, P-way, nor North Brunswick can offer.
Cedar Arms is the complex that I live in, but Oxford Realty Group also owns a few other complexes both on the same street and elsewhere in town.
Location: Splitting time between Dayton, NJ and Needmore, PA
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I'll second HPNJRUfan's comments. A number of PhD candidates live in the town. Cedar Arms is in walking or biking distance of the campus if you would prefer to minimize car usage. The bus system for Rutgers is the second largest in the State of New Jersey and connects student, faculty, and staff throughout the campus.
HPNJRUfan, is there still a bus that stops along Cedar Lane? I saw one today, but since the University is on break, I don't know if that is a standard stop.
HPNJRUfan, is there still a bus that stops along Cedar Lane? I saw one today, but since the University is on break, I don't know if that is a standard stop.
Sadly there is not, and has not been since the end of the 2010-2011 school year. The "L" made things so much more convenient then they already are, with 2 stops on Cedar Lane and a stop at Harrison Ave "in" town. The discontinuation of the L route was done under the guise of it being the "slowest and most underutilized" and making better use of resources elsewhere - but without going on a long winded rant, in my opinion this was an extremely short sighted and poor move by Jack Molenaar (the RU Director of Transportation).
Also, Cedar Lane is certainly walkable and bikeable to campus (I do it more days then not) - but of course that depends on your age and health. Just for a reference point, it takes about 15 minutes to walk from Cedar Lane to the New Brunswick Train Station, and about 30-40 minutes to walk from Cedar Lane through Johnson Park to Rutgers Stadium. If the OP chooses to move to the area, Cedar Lane is certainly very nice but is kind of "out there" as opposed to living "in" town, where you would be in more convenient walking distance to the post office, grocery store, etc.
I'm sorry if I didn't explain some thoughts fully in this post, but I'm a bit pressed for time at the moment. If I can provide anymore information on Highland Park in the future, I'd be more then happy to do so. As I've said, Highland Park is about as convenient as it gets...
PS - RUNYYfan, you wouldn't happen to be MKollar from ScarletNation would you?
Crosspoint Condo off route 18 are decent. Only 1 bathroom though but in that range. No community as you are along route 18. Highland Park has more that main street feel and is across the river and a little further away Metuchen.
Highland Park is full of professors and grad students and has great schools and a walkable main street. If you live on the west side of town you can walk into NB.
Piscataway doesn't have great schools if you're thinking that far ahead, but you may be able to get a place in Society Hill for that range right next to Busch campus. There are a handful of undergrads there though.
Highland Park is full of professors and grad students and has great schools and a walkable main street. If you live on the west side of town you can walk into NB.
Piscataway doesn't have great schools if you're thinking that far ahead, but you may be able to get a place in Society Hill for that range right next to Busch campus. There are a handful of undergrads there though.
That side of Piscataway is fine for elementary school aged children. I do not think there are too many rentals there aside from Rivercrest up River Rd.
I also think your best choice would be Highland Park. As other have already mentioned, it is a very nice, family oriented town, safe, good schools, walkable, convenient to most all Rutgers campuses-yet you won't have to deal with the hassles living next to undergrads. There are some nice neighborhood parks for the kids too. It is also an easy walk to the NB train station, should you want to go into NYC.
KoalaNJ
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