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.
Hi. We will likely be moving to NJ (from the Bay Area) during the fall. One of us wil be taking a finance job in Wall St, the other one will be a faculty member at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. We are trying to find a nice area where to move into that offers each of us reasonable commutes (by train to NYC, and either by train or by car to Rutgers). We're hoping for a train commute to NYC that's under 50min, and for a train or car commute to Rutgers New Brunswick that is also under 50min by train or car.
What do we value in a town? Proximity to good restaurants, good shops (we're hoping we'll be reasonably close to a Trader Joe's), access to tennis courts, etc. We do not have kids, and do not plan on having kids in the short run. We know very little about life in the East Coast in general, or in NJ/NYC in particular.
We will be renting at first (maybe for a year or two), and then buying. We'd be comfortable with a rent in the 2k to 3k neighborhood (ideally for a 2bed 2 bath place), but we'd be willing to pay somewhat more if absolutely necessary.
One of us wil be taking a finance job in Wall St, the other one will be a faculty member at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
I'd assume the Wall St spouse is working longer hours, or at least that the faculty member spouse's hours are more flexible? If that is the case, I'd stay closer to Wall St to compensate for the longer hours or at least knowing the Rutgers prof can probably avoid rush hour most weekdays.
If that's the case, I'd look at places near the Newport, Exchange Place and Hoboken PATH stations - those are all quick and direct lines to World Trade Center and the financial district. If the proverbial Wall St job is actually in midtown, you can live in Newport or Hoboken and take the PATH train to 33rd st.
Your commute from most "nice suburban" towns to Wall Street will not be 50 minutes; it will be 75 minutes each way. The commute from NJ suburbs to Wall Stree stinks from the 'burbs.
I'd consider Hoboken. That will give you a roughly 30-40 minute commute by train to Wall Street, and maybe a bit more by car to New Brunswick during rush hour, but about the same if you're not tied to rush hour for the commute to Rutgers (which is quite possibly the case).
Anywhere along the NJTransit North East Corridor line (Edison - Rahway) or Raritan Valley line (Somerville - Cranford) would be ideal IMO. Drive to Rutgers train to NYC.
Anywhere along the NJTransit North East Corridor line (Edison - Rahway) or Raritan Valley line (Somerville - Cranford) would be ideal IMO. Drive to Rutgers train to NYC.
However, this would mean getting into NYC at Penn Station. From there it's another subway ride down to the Financial District. It also means having to coordinate with the spouses/partners to be dropped off at the suburban NJT station each morning and each evening, or having a second car as a station car.
The benefit of living near the PATH is that it's a direct line to WTC and FiDi. And pretty much all of Newport and Exchange Place condos are w/in walking distance of the PATH, as is a large part of Hoboken. NJT commute times for the trains themselves are very good, but door-to-door it will be much longer to FiDi.
There's also little upside for this particular couple to go further out. Adding 10-15 mins to the Rutgers driving commute (to live closer to NYC) isn't a big deal. Adding an extra subway connection to one's commute is definitely more exhausting and aggravating.
We will be renting at first (maybe for a year or two), and then buying. We'd be comfortable with a rent in the 2k to 3k neighborhood (ideally for a 2bed 2 bath place), but we'd be willing to pay somewhat more if absolutely necessary.
with a budget of 2-3k you have a lot of options. if you want to live in-between both your jobs, try springfield / summit / short hills. they are great towns with commute time within 45 mins from Wall St as well as within 1 hour from Rutgers. alternately, as someone suggested if you want to live closer to NYC, Newport or Exchange Place (both in Jersey City) are great options. your drive to Rutgers may stretch to about 1:15 hours during peak hours but it is within 20 mins from Wall St.
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.
