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.
I am looking to rent or buy or rent-to-buy a 2-bedroom single family house (no townhouse or multi-family homes) somewhere in a NJ town that *ideally* has all or some of the following:
* excellent schools
* general safety
* culturally diversity (really more the acceptance of diversity)
* walking town area (shops, restaurants, museums)
* parks, greenery
* lake front homes (not absolutely necessary, but its always been a dream of mine)
I am a single mother with a biracial daughter (european and african-american) who will be starting middle school soon. I currently live in Morris County and work in Essex County. I will soon be a school administrator, so I can work anywhere in NJ. I use to live in Montclair, which my daughter and I loved, but it is too expensive for me on a single income.
My daughter is a nature girl and loves to be outside playing and climbing trees and since I work in an urban setting, I want to come home to a quieter, less busy place. I would like something more suburban/country like where I am in Morris County now, except the problem is that the town I am in, the people are not diverse in their thinking and my daughter feels it, especially at school. I don't want her going to middle school and not see ANY faces that look like hers or be at a school that only teaches to the majority. I know the Morris County area very well as I grew up here and I know Essex well too. The towns I'd want to live in (Maplewood, South Orange, West Orange, Morristown, Parsippany) like Montclair, are what I want for their diversity, eclectic people and town centers, but I can't put all my money towards my home.
I don't know the other counties well, so I'm hoping I can get some input on where I could possibly find what I'm looking for. I'm willing to possibly go to upstate NY too, but not too far since most of my family is in North Jersey and NY and I don't want to be tooo far away from them, although I am willing to travel some.
I don't expect utopia or perfection. I am realistic. I just want a place that I can afford and where my daughter will be content. Any ideas??
I think your pick of S. Orange, Maplewood and Montclair are spot on except for maybe the "excellent" schools part but as you stated the the taxes put the area out of reach.
I happen to like Cranford in Union County. It has everything except the diversity part. However you may find a more accepting population there then in Morris County.
i was going to say montclair. i know you said it is too expensive, and i dont know what your price range is, but prices in montclair are have really gone done, and there are some CHEAP rentals in montclair if you are interested in rentals. 900$ a month rentals.
Westwood in Bergen County might work - we are friends with a biracial couple who live there and they have not had problems. Don't know about taxes though.
The towns I'd want to live in (Maplewood, South Orange, West Orange, Morristown, Parsippany) like Montclair, are what I want for their diversity, eclectic people and town centers, but I can't put all my money towards my home.
Prices are coming down. If you can afford to blow ~600k a house, now is the time to buy. The rest of us are better off waiting for the bubble to deflate.
Therefore, I would recommend renting for a while, re-evaluate the landscape after 6 months to a year. Prices are likely to drop 15-25%, bringing more places within reach.
You didn't post anything about your budget. How much were you planning to spend ?
I think your pick of S. Orange, Maplewood and Montclair are spot on except for maybe the "excellent" schools part but as you stated the the taxes put the area out of reach.
I happen to like Cranford in Union County. It has everything except the diversity part. However you may find a more accepting population there then in Morris County.
Dunno about Cranford. I have witnessed some pretty hairy stuff there.......
Thanks for the input! I'm looking to spend tops $1500 for rent. What kind of hairy things in Cranford? I would love to go back to Montclair. My daughter still has friends there and probably would adjust back well. Where are the $900 rentals??? Is thatfor 2 bedrooms??
Thanks for the input! I'm looking to spend tops $1500 for rent. What kind of hairy things in Cranford? I would love to go back to Montclair. My daughter still has friends there and probably would adjust back well. Where are the $900 rentals??? Is thatfor 2 bedrooms??
that is for a one bedroom but i KNOW they have 2 bedrooms available and i cant imagine they would be more than $1200.
if you check near the bay street train station on the maple ave and pine st side. both sides have tons of cheap rentals.
but remember you can *buy* something very nice for $1300 mortgage in a condo or single family just not in montclair. i saw two bedroom in jersey city condo that was on sale for $164,900 which would be about $750 a month before tax.
that is for a one bedroom but i KNOW they have 2 bedrooms available and i cant imagine they would be more than $1200.
if you check near the bay street train station on the maple ave and pine st side. both sides have tons of cheap rentals.
I'm just going to add that there's a reason why this part of town is cheaper and leave it at that. OP: walk the area of town and decide for yourself whether you're comfortable there.
Quote:
but remember you can *buy* something very nice for $1300 mortgage in a condo or single family just not in montclair. i saw two bedroom in jersey city condo that was on sale for $164,900 which would be about $750 a month before tax.
The address is undisclosed because it's in Greenville.
OP's first two criteria are excellent schools, and general safety. If OP asked for a dangerous neighborhood with lousy schools, you couldn't have done much better.
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.
