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Hi,
We are looking to move to the suburbs and would appreciate help from the nice folks on this forum to select a town. Our criteria are:
- good public schools (greatschools rating >=8)
- townhouse/condo community (need a family friendly environment; will be nice to have a pool, fitness center etc but not a must)
- train ride to midtown 60 minutes or less (so that door to door will be < 90 mins)
- commute to Whippany less than 20 minutes (by car)
Thanks in advance,
Where are you coming from?
Why are you moving?
Where will you be working ? If NYC, what part of NYC?
Will you buy or rent?
What is your budget ?
What kind of place are you looking for ?
Will anyone (spouse, children, pets) be moving with you ?
Do you need/want good public schools?
Briefly describe the kind of neighborhood you'd like to live in
(examples: families with young children, young, mature, artsy, diverse, safe, close-knit, block parties, etc)
List three things that are important to you in order of importance.(examples: nightlife, outdoor activities, rural/urban, safety, downtown area, charming, new construction, proximity to XYZ, family oriented, easy parking, short commute, etc)
Coops1981,
Coming from Jersey City
Looking to buy (will consider renting as well)
Budget 600k
Need good schools (have kids), diverse, family oriented, safe neighborhood
Coops1981,
Coming from Jersey City
Looking to buy (will consider renting as well)
Budget 600k
Need good schools (have kids), diverse, family oriented, safe neighborhood
Your best bet is to look cast a wide net over several towns, as many of the towns fitting your criteria do not have a large inventory of townhomes. Summit has the great schools and fits your commute criteria, it's just that there are almost no townhomes, it's mostly SFH and some rental apts in downtown. I know of only one TH community with 3 bds and it is ~800K, so I do not think Summit is feasible for you. Instead, I'd look at Madison and Florham Park. Although Florham Park does not have it's own train station there is one in next door Convent Station. Madison has a couple of townhome and condo communities with 3bd units that fit the bill (and your budget)and the midtown direct train gets you to NY Penn in 55 min (well that is what the NJ transit schedule says, in my personal experience, it is usually between 55 min and 61 min) Convent Station is the next stop west, so it takes ~2 min longer than Madison. The schools in Madison are top tier, and it's a wonderful place to raise a family. Great walkable downtown area with plenty of shops and restaurants. There is lots of information on this forum regarding Madison, it's worth checking those threads out. The schools in Florham Park are very good and there are a number of townhome/condo communities with 3br units that are near the train station in Convent Station. There are also a a few townhomes/condos in Convent Station as well, and the schools are very good, though not top tier like Madison. There are also quite a few TH/Condo's with 3+ bd units in Morristown which you should consider as well. Many are walkable to the train Station in Morristown, which is a 58 to 62 min ride to NY Penn on a midtown direct line according to NJ transit schedules (My personal experience is that the actual commute time is slightly longer by a couple of minutes, more in the 60 to 65 min range) The Morristown schools are also quite good, ranked #75 (out of 325) in the state by NJ monthly. Morristown is also a wonderful place to raise a family. All of the towns I mentioned fit all of your stated parameters. (3+ bed TH/Condo, great schools, <90 min door to door commute)
Although the housing market is very tight, Madison is an amazing community. Top schools, excellent commute to nyc, restaurants and a great little town. We started looking in Westfield but then fell in love with Madison and we're lucky to find a great home. Good luck!
Although the housing market is very tight, Madison is an amazing community. Top schools, excellent commute to nyc, restaurants and a great little town. We started looking in Westfield but then fell in love with Madison and we're lucky to find a great home. Good luck!
I'm partial to Westfield but Domdor is right - Madison is also very charming. WF is more of a single family house type of town but there are some townhomes, just not the type you're looking for (a complex w/ a pool and fitness center). Just join the town pool for summer and there are plenty of gyms around. Talk to a local realtor.
Coops1981,
Coming from Jersey City
Looking to buy (will consider renting as well)
Budget 600k
Need good schools (have kids), diverse, family oriented, safe neighborhood
Chatham has a great school system, train station (55 min into Penn Station) , and an exceptionally safe and caring community. Located between Summit and Madison, the area is full of things to do and a rich colonial history. I would highly recommend any family looking to make the move to the NYC suburb / North Jersey area to consider Chatham.
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