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I have scoured the forum looking for some answers, but nothing has specifically answered my particular need and I'm hoping you all can help. It's possible that I will be accepting a new job In Woodcliff Lake and I know very little about this area, or NJ as a whole. In fact, the only things I know have come from this forum or others like it. I will be taking a trip down there before I accept obviously, but it would help to get opinions on where I should look since my time will be limited.
TO be specific in what I am looking for, I am a 33 yr. old lesbian with a partner and a toddler, and although my job would be a good paying one, 90K or so, I still don't think Woodcliff Lake would be a reasonable place to rent (from what I have read in other posts). I like the somewhat rural aspects of Maine, although I need conveniences as well (I lived in the LA area of Southern California for 17 years). Safety/schools, an easy commute, affordable rent (I won't be buying until I can sell me home in Maine), and a welcoming gay community are important to my family.
I have scoured the forum looking for some answers, but nothing has specifically answered my particular need and I'm hoping you all can help. It's possible that I will be accepting a new job In Woodcliff Lake and I know very little about this area, or NJ as a whole. In fact, the only things I know have come from this forum or others like it. I will be taking a trip down there before I accept obviously, but it would help to get opinions on where I should look since my time will be limited.
TO be specific in what I am looking for, I am a 33 yr. old lesbian with a partner and a toddler, and although my job would be a good paying one, 90K or so, I still don't think Woodcliff Lake would be a reasonable place to rent (from what I have read in other posts). I like the somewhat rural aspects of Maine, although I need conveniences as well (I lived in the LA area of Southern California for 17 years). Safety/schools, an easy commute, affordable rent (I won't be buying until I can sell me home in Maine), and a welcoming gay community are important to my family.
A huge difference between Maine and NJ is anything you might need in NJ is within half an hour of where ever you live. Maine requires you move near what you want or you drive forever.
Northwest NJ is the backwoods compared to northeastern NJ. It is that dramatic. Northwest area around West Milford is NJ's snowbelt. Lot of glacial lakes and hiking opportunities. A huge strip of fedral land runs down along the Delaware river in addition to many public wildlife management areas and state parks peppered through the area.
You could live much further south, west or south west and make Woodcliff lake a reasonable commute. Unless you are big time citified, east of WCL will not be your cup of tea.
W Milford and west is where we keep all our black bears. You can literally run into a deer in pretty much any town in NJ.
Pompton lakes, Riverdale, Boonton, Bloomingdale, Butler, Greenpond, West Milford. Consider towns further south, central and west within striking distance of the garden state parkway or rt 287.
Kracer, your information is a HUGE help. Do you have a preference among of any of the towns you mentioned? You're right about having to drive forever to get to any conveniences here in Maine, which is why I live in a more metropolitan area (of course Metro Maine is NOTHING like Metro anyplace else!) LOL. I'm not a "country girl" by any means, but with a Toddler, I don't want to be in a concrete jungle either. Any opinions you may have on the specific towns you mentioned would be appreciated.
Suggest you drive around the areas mentioned and see what appeals to you. Rt 23 to county rds 511 and 513 would reveal a representation of the areas mentioned. 287 to 23 west to 511 s to Boonton back up to 23 w to 513 which runs back into 511. Go a bit further south on 23 to see what's up. Takes you thru W milford, Ringwood and into Bloomingdale and back to 23.
Consider the Fanwood, Westfield,north Plainfield area which is south and west but withing striking distance of the parkway and a trip north to WCL.
Those specific areas attract lot of young professionals and have benefited by the restoration of many of the victorian homes and neighborhoods.
For kicks do some driving into the hinterlands of the Patterson, Paramus, Ridgewood. The differences will be apparent.
Look to the numbered county roads for good pathways in and around the state.
Suggest you drive around the areas mentioned and see what appeals to you. Rt 23 to county rds 511 and 513 would reveal a representation of the areas mentioned. 287 to 23 west to 511 s to Boonton back up to 23 w to 513 which runs back into 511. Go a bit further south on 23 to see what's up. Takes you thru W milford, Ringwood and into Bloomingdale and back to 23.
Consider the Fanwood, Westfield,north Plainfield area which is south and west but withing striking distance of the parkway and a trip north to WCL.
Those specific areas attract lot of young professionals and have benefited by the restoration of many of the victorian homes and neighborhoods.
For kicks do some driving into the hinterlands of the Patterson, Paramus, Ridgewood. The differences will be apparent.
Look to the numbered county roads for good pathways in and around the state.
Traffic is impressive everywhere so be prepared.
Traffic in NJ is not bad at all when comparing it to a lot of other places.
I agree that Mahwah would be a great place to start by renting for a year. There are a lot of condos and townhouses that you can rent from private owners. Great schools if you decide to stay, pretty, hilly, lots of parks, convenient location.
Even from Mahwah to Woodcliff Lake, your commute is going to be about a half hour for the ten miles, so keep that in mind.
Not sure on the West Milford area, I would try renting for a year somewhere else closer and then use the year to research a move out that way if you think you're interested. I think Westfield is too far. Montclair might be an option though, nice town, downtown, liberal environment.
If you want to be really near Woodcliff Lake, you could also try Westwood. It has a cute little downtown that you might like and rentals.
I have scoured the forum looking for some answers, but nothing has specifically answered my particular need and I'm hoping you all can help. It's possible that I will be accepting a new job In Woodcliff Lake and I know very little about this area, or NJ as a whole. In fact, the only things I know have come from this forum or others like it. I will be taking a trip down there before I accept obviously, but it would help to get opinions on where I should look since my time will be limited.
TO be specific in what I am looking for, I am a 33 yr. old lesbian with a partner and a toddler, and although my job would be a good paying one, 90K or so, I still don't think Woodcliff Lake would be a reasonable place to rent (from what I have read in other posts). I like the somewhat rural aspects of Maine, although I need conveniences as well (I lived in the LA area of Southern California for 17 years). Safety/schools, an easy commute, affordable rent (I won't be buying until I can sell me home in Maine), and a welcoming gay community are important to my family.
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!
Is your partner going to be working? $90k won't go far in house hunting in Bergen county, especially with the costs of daycare in NJ. You may want to get a feel for how much house you'd be looking to buy after you sell your home in Maine, see what areas you can buy a home for that much, and consider renting there to get a better feel for the area. Maybe it's just my experience, but with everything being so close in NJ, you don't tend to leave your immediate area to get to know other areas, even 15 miles away, all that well. For much of Northern Bergen county or places up Route 23, a 4 bedroom 2 bathroom home that's 50 years old will run you around $300k with something like $8,000 in property taxes. West Milford is definitely more rural and cheaper so that may be a good place for you to look. Mahwah is even higher than what I quoted I believe.
My first question is: Why? I don't particularly care for the cold weather, but if I had the ability to move from where I am now in NJ to anywhere in Maine, I would do it in a heartbeat.
That said, you should look into Warren, Sussex, and Hunterdon counties if you want something that feels a bit more like what you're used to. Northern Passaic County is a bit more rural as well (I believe someone mentioned West Milford), though nothing like northern New England rural. The immediate NYC metropolitan area (Hudson, Bergen, Essex) is the absolute pits.
Your best bet would be to stay put, really
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ME vs NJ
