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Where are you coming from? Astoria, NY
Why are you moving? Just had a baby, with more in the future. Looking at starting our family.
Where will you be working? If NYC, what part of NYC? In general, midtown.
Will you buy or rent? Rent initially to test the waters, but with the intention to buy after a year.
What is your budget? ~500-600k.
What kind of place are you looking for? At least 3+ bedroom.
Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you? Wife and newborn.
Do you need/want good public schools? Yes.
Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in:
Families with children, diverse, liberal, safe, good air quality, good schools, with a decent commute (maximum 90 minutes door-to-door). Walkable community with many small restaurants and shops would be a plus, as we've gotten accustomed to that in NYC. Big box stores are boring. The two most important on the list are commute and schools though.
And on the school front, we don't need it to be 10/10 on the rating system, since we understand parenting plays a big part, but that the school system is good enough that our kids will have as good a chance as anyone else to get into the best universities.
I think Summit is a wonderful option. Great downtown with restaurants and small shops and an easy commute into NY Penn (around 45 minutes by train) plus great schools. There are 3 bedroom homes in your price range, but, in general, they are smaller and/or need some work. Madison, Chatham Twp. and New Providence are all in the same boat, as well.
Maplewood may also be a great option for you. You get a little more house for your money, it's about 35-40 minutes by train to NY and it's got a great downtown. The downside is that the taxes are really high.
Just wondering, are you willing to drive a bit (say, 5-10 minutes) to get to a charming downtown area?
Looking around Long Hill Twp. may also be a good option. It's got it's own train station (a little over an hour into the city), and something of a downtown. It's also about a ten-minute drive to towns like Bernardsville or New Providence which have slightly bigger downtowns and about 15 minutes to downtown Summit. Plus, you tend to get a little more house for your money there while the taxes are still (decently) reasonable.
How about Manalapan, NJ. Good schools, nice air, decent diversity, and great neighborhoods with a direct bus to midtown Manhattan. Also has lots to do for children and adults alike.
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