New Jersey towns?

DH and I have starting looking at getting a house. LI is definatly too expensive. I just started looking into NJ, but I'm not too familiar with it. What are the good areas there? Also, does anyone know anything about Maplewood? TIA!

In November we moved out to NJ for my DHs job. It took a while (and it was prob due to the fact that it was winter) for us to really get aclimated here but we really like it.

I think where ever you are looking depends upon where you and your DH have jobs. Are you both working in the city? If so, I would look for things along the train line and not to far past Summit as the commute will become a hastle if it is more than 2 hours one way durning rush hour.

We live in Bedminster and it is really lovely here. A non rush hour commute it 45 minutes into the city by car, but a rush hour commute is about an hour and a half by car (same by bus or train).

I would try to determine what is really important to you

do you want to be close to your job
in a good school system
have a lot of land
big house/small house/townhome/condo
what can you realistically afford as a mortgage payment (what is your rent right now, and then remember to add taxes and insurance)
also budget in home repairs, association fees, etc.
the specifics of a place to live will depend upon what you want in a home, but if you can narrow down the above it would make it easier for you to determine what you want and where you want to live.

hi!
i live in NJ... we live in rockaway, more west out towards lake hopatcong, and PA...its a really great area, lots of great parks, hiking, mountains....but not sure how far west you want to be. theres also denville which is a nice area, great little downtown section and great schools
BUT, one of DHs friends lives in maplewood... its a nice area- lots of cute tree lined streets, and a nice downtown area.... as far as i can tell its really safe and nice, but its one of those where you go a few blocks in the wrong direction, and you hit a slightly less nice area. . theres also short hills which is a $$ area ( but great mall!!) and florham park which i hear is nice too.
i think pretty much most of the towns in north jersey are nice- because taxes up here are expensive- just stay away from irvington, union, dover, and obviously newark....
let me know if you have any other questions- dh and i both grew up here

You have FM - I live a mile from Maplewood. My town and Maplewood share a school district. It's a great town!

One thing I didn't mention in my FM, if you work in the city, Maplewood area is a great commute by train, just under 30 minutes to Penn Station.

We are looking in NJ as well. Just started looking this weekend.

We are looking in Summit, Short Hills, Springfield, Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains, Westfield and Chatham. Taxes are ridiculous everywhere in NJ!!!

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Posted by johnsae

We are looking in NJ as well. Just started looking this weekend.

We are looking in Summit, Short Hills, Springfield, Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains, Westfield and Chatham. Taxes are ridiculous everywhere in NJ!!!

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Especially in some of those towns you listed, Summitt, Short Hills... Essex County is known for high taxes. We looked in Short Hills, and although the houses were more $$ than what we started looking at, the taxes were less than they are in South Orange or Maplewood. We were dead set on living in Maplewood, but our RE agent talked us into looking at South Orange, where we ulitmately bought a house. If you're looking at these areas, try looking at Milburn too.

THanks for all the help! I saw an ad for the maplewood/south orange area in a brooklyn newspaper. We currently live in a condo in Brooklyn, so we definatly want a detached single family house, even if its small. I would rather be in a smaller house in a better neighborhood than a large house in a bad neighborhood...