Cranford NJ (Linden, Orange, Hillside: houses, neighborhoods, schools)

[Lynn1122]

Hello,
We are looking to move to Cranford NJ. Just wondering if there are any parts of town (other than a flood zone, we aren't even looking at a house if it's in a flood zone) that we should avoid for any reasons. Like is there a "bad" part of town that we should know about? I notice that the house values are much lower on the south side off Waalnut and the area by the Hillside school. Why?
Also, I notice the hillside school has a lower rating on Great Schools than all the other schools in Cranford. I've always heard that all the schools were excellent, but we are concerned with hillside and the areas around it.
Can someone provide some insight to all of this? Or are we just over-analyzing?

Thanks for any info!!

[KoalaNJ]

Originally Posted by Lynn1122

Hello,
We are looking to move to Cranford NJ. Just wondering if there are any parts of town (other than a flood zone, we aren't even looking at a house if it's in a flood zone) that we should avoid for any reasons. Like is there a "bad" part of town that we should know about? I notice that the house values are much lower on the south side off Waalnut and the area by the Hillside school. Why?
Also, I notice the hillside school has a lower rating on Great Schools than all the other schools in Cranford. I've always heard that all the schools were excellent, but we are concerned with hillside and the areas around it.
Can someone provide some insight to all of this? Or are we just over-analyzing?

Thanks for any info!!

There are areas near Walnut that are in the flood zone, see this evacuation map, http://www.cranford.com/uploads/poli...uation_Map.pdf That would certainly explain the price differential.

KoalaNJ

[JerseyGirl415]

Originally Posted by Lynn1122

Hello,
We are looking to move to Cranford NJ. Just wondering if there are any parts of town (other than a flood zone, we aren't even looking at a house if it's in a flood zone) that we should avoid for any reasons. Like is there a "bad" part of town that we should know about? I notice that the house values are much lower on the south side off Waalnut and the area by the Hillside school. Why?
Also, I notice the hillside school has a lower rating on Great Schools than all the other schools in Cranford. I've always heard that all the schools were excellent, but we are concerned with hillside and the areas around it.
Can someone provide some insight to all of this? Or are we just over-analyzing?

Thanks for any info!!

Hillside is the school that takes the special education kids, which lowers its ranking. IMHO it's better than Orange Avenue. There's a reason the special ed kids to go Hillside...
And the principal at Hillside is a great guy. Don't be concerned with Hilllside or the areas around it. It's wonderful. The neighborhood right behind the school has the river and a path leading to Mohawk Park and pond with a walking path that connects all the way around the Indian Village neighborhood across the river back to the Hillside neighborhood. It's a great place for walking/being outside/taking the kids.

The southern side of town is newer with fewer grand old houses, one reason why it's cheaper. Those beautiful old Victorians lining many northern side streets just don't exist in the same numbers on the southern side. The northern side also has smaller, cheaper homes and the southern side has more expensive ones. It just depends on where you're looking. There is no "bad" part of Cranford but IMO the neighborhoods closest to the parkway (136 and 137) and bordering Garwood or Linden/Roselle are a bit more "run down" in look.

[jaymoney]

Flood zones are pretty much the only problem with the town, so avoid those and you'll be just fine.

The South Side has always been the more "industrial" side of things, while the North Side built up those levely Victorians a hundred and fifty years ago. But that leaves the South Side with newer homes and greater commercial opportunities to be near Southside Roast or have a home near the river that's up on a hill.

It's a fantastic town, we love living there and the schools have been amazing. I'd say you're over analyzing it, as we looked for the catch for the longest time before moving there and the answer is that it's pretty much just the flooding, which is rarer than everyone says. Once you're out of the flood zone you're pretty much set.