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Old 06-27-2006, 01:18 AM
 
5 posts, read 54,154 times
Reputation: 16

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My family and I are going to be moving to the NY Metro area and we are considering multiple options as to where to live (In NY and NJ). My wife will be working in Manhattan (E. 77th and Lexington), and I'm in sales covering all of NY Metro.

Our requirements are:
1. No more than a 1 hour commute for my wife
2. Great schools with a high school student enrollment not to exceed 1200
3. A nice town
4. Somewhere where $500,000 can purchase a nice house

We have looked at Bergen County (Glen Rock, Tenafly, Waldwick).

What we would like are some options outside of Bergen County. We also looked at Morris County, but the commute tends to get longer as you get West of Madison (which seems to be expensive for Morris County).

Any help is greatly appreciated!!! Thanks.

Dave
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Old 06-27-2006, 08:47 AM
ira
 
Location: Bergen County
657 posts, read 3,920,051 times
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When you talk about an hour commute, will she be driving or taking public transportation?

Upper East Side is a pain in the neck to get to, driving or otherwise. If you drive from NJ, you'll be entering the city from the west side and crossing town to the east side is nearly impossible during morning rush hour.

If you take a bus or a train from NJ, that will also bring you to the west side of the city. So, she will have to take a train (or two) to get to the west side.

So, once you get to Manhattan, add another 30-35 min to get to 77th and Lexington.

Also, $500,00 will not buy you a nice house within an hour of Manhattan. Unless you're talking about "questionable" areas, where you'd probably not want to be for safety reasons.

As a general rule, the further you are from Manhattan, the more reasonbale the prices are.

Good Luck.
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Old 06-27-2006, 08:58 AM
ira
 
Location: Bergen County
657 posts, read 3,920,051 times
Reputation: 297
The short answer is you cannot buy a nice house in a nice neighbourhood within one hour commute to Manhattan for $500,000. (I think the last, kind of, affodrable area around NYC is Staten Island and even there $500K is a stretch)

Also, keep in mind that upper east side in the city is a pain in the neck to get to, driving or otherwise, especially from NJ. Since, Jersey is west of NY, any way you enter the city, you enter it from the west side. If you drive, it will take forever to cross town during morning rush hour. If you take a train or a bus to Manhattan, that will also bring you to the west side of town. So, you'll have to take a train (or two) to get to 77th and LExington.

So, once you get to the city, add another 30-35 min to get to the upper east side on the train and 40-45 min, if you drive.

Good Luck.
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Old 06-27-2006, 11:28 AM
ira
 
Location: Bergen County
657 posts, read 3,920,051 times
Reputation: 297
Sorry, I typed it twice. I didn't think my first message went through.
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Old 06-27-2006, 12:48 PM
 
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If you can pay for private school, then you might want to look at the Hoboken/Jersey City area. I think you can still buy a condo in that range. There are some good private schools in Jersey City (St. Peter's if you have a boy is supposed to be great). Also because the commute is easy you could send your kid to private school in NYC. If you need to go the public school route then avoid Hudson County. Check out the New Jersey department of education's school report cards, too. I'm finding them very helpful.

Busses to Port Authority stop in Hoboken, and probably JC as well. The PATH trains run from both. And the tunnels into the city are there too if you want to drive.
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Old 06-27-2006, 09:05 PM
 
1,330 posts, read 5,077,667 times
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Orange County, NY. If you must live within an hour of NYC, then that is the best place to live. Metro North train, there is the bus, and then easy access to the NYS thruway. My dad commutes to NYC every day, he has done this for the last 25 years from that area.

I was raised in Walden NY, NYC commuters haven. Unfortunately I have had to move due to the serious influx of people such as yourself who find 400k for a home no big deal. Great shopping, plenty of stuff to do, and still has a hint of the old town quaintness I remember from the 80's.

Stay away from Washingtonville, Newburgh, Wappingers falls, Poughkeepsee, and Middletown

Look at Montgomery/Walden/Maybrook - beautiful, beautiful area with the best schools in the area IMO(graduating class has about 400 kids) Goshen is considered a nice area, somewhat elitist. Cornwall is lovely. Monroe is nice, great transportation to the city, however markedly more expensive than the other places I have mentioned. Wallkill is nice, as is western Marlborough I am sure you will be able to find a lovely home for under 500K! Jump now while the housing market is at a lull. Everyone is moving there since 9/11. It is much better than northern Jersey IMO.

PM me if you want more info.

P.S. - Bergen county? Bah humbug. My grandfather and my father's family live there. Good luck finding a house for under 500K that is not is a ghetto. I hate that area. Bad driving, rude people, bad schools compared to NY. My cousin ( a clean cut, well behaved guy) was nearly stabbed to death in bergenfield while out in a public park with his girlfriend! Yuck!
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Old 06-28-2006, 12:24 PM
ira
 
Location: Bergen County
657 posts, read 3,920,051 times
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Winnie,

How can you say that Bergen County schools are worst than NY? There are different areas, of course. Some are better, some are worst. But Bergen County is famous for having some of the best schools in the Northeast (hence the ridiculosly high prices). Northern Highland HS in Allendale is consistently rated #1 in the state. Ridgewood HS is another one that's always in the top 10.
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Old 06-28-2006, 03:57 PM
 
1,330 posts, read 5,077,667 times
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My cousins and aunts went to school in Bergenfield/Lodi/Paramus area, my dad's family has lived in that area since 1960's.

There is no magic report or status lauding Bergen county for its schools that is going to change my mind. A lot of gangs, a lot of drugs. I have seen how that area has changed from when I started going there in the 80's and I cannot in good faith recommend that someone move there when the areas I mentioned in NY are also about within an hour away from NYC - without HALF the problems Bergen has. I am sorry if your opinion differs, but mine is quite strong in regards to that area.

The school district I went to had very good academics, our students were invited to BC, West Point, Yale, Harvard - I was considered a middle of the road student there with a 92 average. There is also the NYS regents program, which many people like. There are also tremendous private schools in the area, and a Montessori school right there in New Windsor with an excellent reputation. Plenty of good colleges, lots of AP courses offered in schools.

Orange county also has great access to NYC. This is per my father who has worked in every single boro of NYC over 25+ years commuting. They have the train, the bus and the Thruway, and a few back ways you can do if you know the area. It might be pushing the hour commute a little, but IMO it is very much worth it. The housing is reasonable for someone working in NYC, and if he can afford a 500K house - well then he is a perfect canidate to live in that area, as I am sure he will find one that is quite nice. I cannot afford it there anymore - which is why we moved out.

All my older cousins with school age kids are trying to get out of Bergen county. Many people just don't like the quality of life there anymore. All there is is traffic, houses on top of another it has lost a lot of its appeal. I haven't been to every corner of Bergen county, but I have been around quite a bit of it.
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Old 06-28-2006, 09:08 PM
ira
 
Location: Bergen County
657 posts, read 3,920,051 times
Reputation: 297
Look, I don't want to offend you, but Bergenfield/Lodi/Paramus are not the best areas in terms of schools. The schools there are not bad, they are just not as good as say, Ridgewood or even Glen Rock. As far as crime/gangs/drugs...in Hackensack maybe. In places like Alpine and Saddle River crime rate is close to zero - not even car theft, which is pretty common in even some of the nicest areas (that info comes from NJ State reports, not from me). The median house price there is about $900K. But you definitely get what you pay.

I am not familiar with Orange County, so I am not arguing about that. But I do know Bergen County and I can't agree with you. While your family lives there, they may not be in the best area. There are some very upscale communities that have everything (top schools, no crime, etc) except affordable housing.
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Old 06-28-2006, 09:47 PM
 
1,330 posts, read 5,077,667 times
Reputation: 505
Quote:
Originally Posted by ira
Look, I don't want to offend you, but Bergenfield/Lodi/Paramus are not the best areas in terms of schools. The schools there are not bad, they are just not as good as say, Ridgewood or even Glen Rock. As far as crime/gangs/drugs...in Hackensack maybe. In places like Alpine and Saddle River crime rate is close to zero - not even car theft, which is pretty common in even some of the nicest areas (that info comes from NJ State reports, not from me). The median house price there is about $900K. But you definitely get what you pay.
No offense taken!

But Bergenfield/Lodi/Paramus are most likely the only areas in Bergen County that this poster can hope to afford for under 500K (that I am aware of at least). And even that is a stretch. I can assure you there is a bad element in Bergenfield also the area is not improving over the years I have been around there. Bergen county in general has put a bad taste in my mouth. I know there are probably a couple very good areas, but my family lives in an AVERAGE area, and the price of homes there is still astronomical.

I know Saddle River vaguely - I know it is a very affluent area, my neighbor is a doctor down there. But it is not within reach for like 90% of the people who live in this tri state area. If you are not familiar with Orange, perhaps you should take a drive out there sometime. It is a pretty area with wineries, stables, farmer's markets and lots of open spaces. If you are into choppers, then the OCC is there in Montgomery/rock tavern (their shop is just down the road from my parents house). There is a lot of stuff to do in the neighboring areas, and overall the quality of life is quite good.

It is a lot more quiet than Bergen and though the schools are not free from problems, people can still afford to live there. Again - not me, and I did leave because I did not want my kids going to a school even as big as my old district- which just graduated I think around 400.

But apparently a lot of people out there can swing a 500K mortgage there and that will buy you a nice home (probably new/newer built) - nicer that you can get for the same $$ in NJ. You can get some decent property with that home too - which might be harder to do in northern NJ.

And a comment to the OP, if you do go the NY route, do research on commuting times - some towns have great "commutability", others are not so good. You have to decide how much time you are willing to drive to get the kind of house you dream of. There is a LOT up there in NY in your reach, and I will tell you they are NICE houses. Best of luck in your decision!
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