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We are looking to relocate our family (2 grade school kids) to North Jersey and weighing out Summit + Westfield. Both seem like great town w/great schools, so probably hard to go wrong, but any differences or considerationg are appreciated (e.g. more independent stores in Summit downtown, more house in Westfield). My commute is to Nutley so the train line, while nice, isn't a decisive factor. Thank you!
In my opinion, Westfield is more family oriented and less stuffy. Both are great towns but I think you'll find less attitude in Westfield. Westfield has more chain stores like Gap and Victorias Secret but still maintains its quaint downtown. I have two very down to earth siblings that live in Westfield and are very happy.
Disclaimer!!! I did have a bad experience once in Summit so I may be a bit jaded. I was parking and a man (also parking) with a jaguar hit my car while I was trying to get my 1 year old out of her car seat. He was totally concerned with his car and not me (7 months pregnant) or my child as we had been knocked down by the bump of his car. He then turned around and blamed me for parking about three inches over the line to his spot when I had no other choice but to park that way as the car next to me was way into my spot. A local police officer in the area came over to help and was completely disgusted. At least the police officer was nice!
We are looking to relocate our family (2 grade school kids) to North Jersey and weighing out Summit + Westfield. Both seem like great town w/great schools, so probably hard to go wrong, but any differences or considerationg are appreciated (e.g. more independent stores in Summit downtown, more house in Westfield). My commute is to Nutley so the train line, while nice, isn't a decisive factor. Thank you!
Hi Harv,
Both are nice, but Summit is more expensive than Westfield. You will get more house for your money in Westfield. The median home price in Westfield over the past 4 months is about $680,000, while it is $835,000 in Summit during the same period.
Interestingly, Summit has been hammered harder by the financial crisis. The median home price was $1,130,000 last year (6 months ending 11/23/2007). Today that number is $860,000, representing a whopping 24% decrease.
Westfield dropped also, bot not as much: $685,000 from $750,000, about 9%.
As you look for a home, I would be prepared to make a very aggressive offer. I would ignore list prices completely and focus on very recent closings and homes under contract. Moderator cut: no soliciting
I went to high school in Summit, had many friends who lived there back then, and have had adult acquaintances choose it as a place to make home. It's pure Wall Street and extremely snooty. Those guys and gals might have been taken down a few pegs lately, but you couldn't pay me to live there.
you see and I like summit better. ITs funny how everyone is different. The houses are really nice, good sized lots and its to me nicer than Westfield. I would go with Summit any day of the week.
To illustrate how rampant the snobbery is in the general area of Summit, my high school friends from New Vernon and Green Village would refer to Summit as "Scummit!"
To illustrate how rampant the snobbery is in the general area of Summit, my high school friends from New Vernon and Green Village would refer to Summit as "Scummit!"
Wall Street Princesses.
I would not know about snobbery, I never lived there. But if you live there in the town, I guess you could have snobbery rights too???
my wife and i have been looking in westfield recently, but are thinking about expanding our search to summit as well. in general, it seems that there is more inventory in Summit in our price range (1.5m +-), but we are not as familiar with the town.
the problem for me with summit to this point, is that i just don't get the same family friendly down to earth vibe there when compared to westfield. this has even been mentioned in this thread i'm resurrecting.
if the OP is still around, i'd like to know where you wound up, and if you are happy with your choice.
any other opinions/info on summit would also be welcome.
summit hs is ranked slightly higher i think, but not enough to make any kind of difference to me. both school systems are very highly regarded.
finding a place with a strong sense of community is something that is very important to us, as well as connecting with like minded down to earth people. to this point, westield seems like it is that kind of place (more so then summit), but i'm basing this only on a "feeling", and not really any first hand experience.
i'd love to hear from anyone in Summit that may be able to dispel my impression of Summit as being a stuffy, less friendly town.
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