Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Since she won't use a realtor, how are you hunting? Have you tried Craigslist? I just did a search for a 3 BR, 2 BA apt in the northern NJ part of Craigslist. (You could also do the same in the NYC - Jersey suburbs section.) I turned up a place in Cranford that seems to meet all her criteria on her budget or very close. Also a place in Wallington that has everything but the washer dryer hookup. Both are good towns, esp Cranford. Wallington is next door to me (I am in Rutherford) but more working class. It has a big Polish population.
What came to my mind is that I used to have a cleaning lady, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador. She had two young sons and although she had less than a HS education herself, she was smart and ambitious, both for herself and her kids. She somehow managed to move to the wealthy town of Closter so her kids could go to its excellent schools. She told me there was a rich part of town and a poor part. She lived in the poor part, but by golly she got there and got her kids the education she wanted for them.
The moral I draw from that story is, where there's a will there's a way. Go through the towns od Bergen County, check the commutes, and consider anything that meets almost all her criteria. She may have to use a laundromat but she will find her unicorn if someone puts in the work. It's really nice of you to narrow it down for her. It 's a lot of work.
^^^^That's just it. After doing the searches for her, I asked her what was more important to her --- an apartment with 1 1/2 bathrooms or a w/d in unit. She said that the w/d was more important.
I thought about Craigslist but wondered how do you avoid walking into a scam? Also, don't those listings require using a realtor?
I did search through Bergen County. The best thing I saw was an apartment with more square footage and 1 1/2 baths. However, she will have to use the laundry facility that's in the apartment complex. She's either going to have to compromise when it comes to the w/d or accept a longer commute.
Thank you for taking a look at Craigslist, as I said I'm leery of them because people do get scammed. So, any advice on how to spot something that's legit?
Loads of small landlords advertise on Craigslist. The only annoying thing I know is that you are supposed to be able to filter out the realtors (eg if you dont want to pay those fees) but they fake it and squeeze through the filters.
I just used Craigslist today to find someone to shovel my snow. Worked like a charm. It's used VERY commonly to advertise full time jobs too, at least in the nonprofit world.
Just ask questions and use some caution, like dont follow an unsavory person down a dark hall, and you should be fine. That's my view, anyway.
ETA: If you want to be really cautious, you can look up the names of property owners in public records to make sure the landlord is really the landlord. See link below. You dont need to fill out every field. Just put the county, district (town) and location (street address). https://wwwnet1.state.nj.us/Treasury...istsearch.aspx
An update ---After much searching, I did locate something that was in her price range and had all she wanted in it. That said, it was in Branchburg. Moving there would give her quite the commute. NJ Transit trains go there on the Raritan Valley line. I know that there are people who do the commute. Once I recall seeing a "My First Place" where a couple bought a house in Manville and commuted to Manhattan. They went out there because it was where they could afford to buy a house.
So...she has a decision to make --- get everything she wants in a place but have a long commute. Or get a place like one I saw in a town near where she currently lives that has 1 1/2 bathrooms, more square footage than she has now but no in unit w/d.
One of the reasons I've posted this update because I think it will be useful for anyone asking a similar question.
That is a rough commute. If she goes that route, make sure she carefully studies the train schedule. I believe the stop in Branchburg has very limited service. She needs to be sure the timing of the train corresponds with her work schedule.
^^^^That's just it. After doing the searches for her, I asked her what was more important to her --- an apartment with 1 1/2 bathrooms or a w/d in unit. She said that the w/d was more important.
I thought about Craigslist but wondered how do you avoid walking into a scam? Also, don't those listings require using a realtor?
I did search through Bergen County. The best thing I saw was an apartment with more square footage and 1 1/2 baths. However, she will have to use the laundry facility that's in the apartment complex. She's either going to have to compromise when it comes to the w/d or accept a longer commute.
Thank you for taking a look at Craigslist, as I said I'm leery of them because people do get scammed. So, any advice on how to spot something that's legit?
That is really tough, i live in the town where you found the apartment with everything that met your daughter's criteria. It IS really far for a commute, day in and day out. We have our own train station that is from Raritan valley line, but with limited service. Most people who commute to NYC from here (my neighbor worked on wall street for many years) usually do a combo (taking the train in from Somerville with transfer in Penn Newark) and working from home 2-3 days a week. I used to commute up to Morristown from my town, and its easily 45-80 mins one way. so no way would i do the commute to the city with young kids at home as well.
look closer;raise the housing budget, give up the w/d in unit (just look for it in the apartment or building) and your daughter will have more options to work with.
An alternative is for your daughter to take the reins and post her own ad on Craigslist with her criteria and price range. Private home owners may respond, and she has a better shot at an in-unit w/d in a two-family than a garden apartment complex, and less of a chance of cockroaches.
I did that when I first moved to Monmouth County and needed a rental while I looked for a condo. I had four cats. I wasn't about to waste my time asking a thousand landlords if I could keep four cats in their 2 BR near a train line in my price range on a month-to-month lease, so I wrote my own ad. Got three responses. Took one and lived there for nine months. Landlord had four cats, too.
Be precise about your requirements, and see what responses you might get.
^^^^That's just it. After doing the searches for her, I asked her what was more important to her --- an apartment with 1 1/2 bathrooms or a w/d in unit. She said that the w/d was more important.
I thought about Craigslist but wondered how do you avoid walking into a scam? Also, don't those listings require using a realtor?
I did search through Bergen County. The best thing I saw was an apartment with more square footage and 1 1/2 baths. However, she will have to use the laundry facility that's in the apartment complex. She's either going to have to compromise when it comes to the w/d or accept a longer commute.
Thank you for taking a look at Craigslist, as I said I'm leery of them because people do get scammed. So, any advice on how to spot something that's legit?
I've never been scammed on Craiglist. When you go to sign the lease, make sure you get a copy of the landlord's driver license. I write down his license under his signature on the lease and offer to do the same for my license in case he rents and runs. I know some people are going to chime in with identity theft claims, but come on, how is this different from the landlord stealing your mail... he's already running your credit check if he's a smart guy.
Use common sense, don't rent apartments that are way below market range and sight unseen.
An alternative is for your daughter to take the reins and post her own ad on Craigslist with her criteria and price range. Private home owners may respond, and she has a better shot at an in-unit w/d in a two-family than a garden apartment complex, and less of a chance of cockroaches.
I did that when I first moved to Monmouth County and needed a rental while I looked for a condo. I had four cats. I wasn't about to waste my time asking a thousand landlords if I could keep four cats in their 2 BR near a train line in my price range on a month-to-month lease, so I wrote my own ad. Got three responses. Took one and lived there for nine months. Landlord had four cats, too.
Be precise about your requirements, and see what responses you might get.
Thank you all! I will definitely pass along all these great suggestions!
However...I do have another question re: Craigslist. Maybe MQ can answer this since she had success with it.
If my daughter were to put an ad on Craigslist, how much info should she put in it (besides the obvious like number of occupants and her requirements)? What else should she add?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
