Att: jersey residents - Need a little advice

Arthur Dent · 05-07-2002, 01:23 PM

I'm seriously considering buying a house instead of renting and throwing money out the window. NY is just way to expensive. Can't find anything even half-way decent for under $350,000. So, I'm considering NJ. Looking at <a class="postlink" href="http://www.yhd.com">http://www.yhd.com</a>, there are a lot of houses for sale for under $250,000.

The problem is, I don't know anything about NJ. Which towns are good and which aren't? How easy is it to commute every day into Manhattan? Stuff like that.

Anybody else have this problem?

Feel free to discuss the troubles of buying a house in general, too. A little something for everyone.

NaughtyAngel · 05-07-2002, 01:25 PM

um why does your pic still say chih, moron fixed it didnt he?

Arthur Dent · 05-07-2002, 01:27 PM

Nope. Thinking of switching to one of the other two that were made for me. Just need to host them somewhere.

Skitchr4u · 05-07-2002, 01:27 PM

well dent it depends on how long you want to spend in the car...and how much you want to spend. if you want to spend 300K+, there is a lot availableto you...if you want to go less, the drive will be a bit longer.

how big a place do you want? do you plan on having kids in the future (school system to consider)? how long do you plan on staying? maybe a condo is an idea...

NaughtyAngel · 05-07-2002, 01:28 PM

dont move to trenton

JIMMYSNUKA · 05-07-2002, 01:29 PM

I just went through building a new house in jersey. there is a lot next to my house for sale...if you have kids ill tell you everything you need to know.

Spitfire · 05-07-2002, 01:31 PM

Depends on a lot of things...

how close to the city you want to be
what sort of town you want to live in (small, big, city-like, in the woods, etc.)
are schools important
what sort of property you want

narrow it down and I can probably help a bit

JIMMYSNUKA · 05-07-2002, 01:33 PM

if i were you i would definately look for something that is being sold...getting a house built is one major pain in the fucking ass.

hmmmm to bad nobody here works for a real estate company

Skitchr4u · 05-07-2002, 01:33 PM

are you saying i don't do my job snuka?

JIMMYSNUKA · 05-07-2002, 01:36 PM

Quote:are you saying i don't do my job snuka?

no not really..i meant to say someone here has to work for a real estate company not that nobody does.

but come to think of it....yeah i am :-p

Arthur Dent · 05-07-2002, 01:38 PM

I'm single, not even close to getting married, and no kids (that I know of ;-) ).

Just really hate the idea of renting. Why pay someone elses mortage and get nothing for it when I could get a small 1 bedroom house, earn equity, and then sell it later on when I do get married and want a bigger place?

I would NEVER drive to Manhattan every day. Definitely PATH train. My commute from Queens is 45min to an hour, so a 45 min PATH train and then a short subway hop would be fine.

Snuka, thought about the building idea. Heard it's actually cheaper and you get exactly what you want, but take months to go throught the whole design and build. Don't think that's the best way to go for me.

And for anyone looking at buying a first house, check out the Freddie Mac mortgage. What Sallie Mae is for student loans, Freddie Mac is for mortgages. Even have a no downpayment option.

To narrow it down a little more, if there was someplace like Hobokon, but just not as expensive, that would be perfect. Even the condos and co-ops in Hobokon are really expensive. Might as well live IN Manhattan at those prices.

Someplace with a big backyard, garage, and near to a lot of stuff to do and easy to get into the city on the weekend.

Edited By Arthur Dent on May 07 2002 at 09:43

JIMMYSNUKA · 05-07-2002, 01:41 PM

You do get a house to your exact specifications but its a pain...they tend to move at a liesurely pace. i was suppose to be moved in back in october......finally moved in february. but the prices in north jersey are amazing. very very cheap.

NaughtyAngel · 05-07-2002, 01:42 PM

theyre building 14 houses by where i live in north brunswick

Hey Ladi · 05-07-2002, 02:05 PM

The further West you go, the cheaper the town seem to be, North & West also. But you run out of public transportation options.

I was thinking of doing the same thing. I went to a few Condo Open Houses, to see what my price range looks like. But, I think if I was serious I'd actually have to sit down with a realtor & go thru everything. I'm not even sure what my official price range is.

Something new I learned: Co-op's are cheaper to purchase, but with a higher maintenance fee. You become a shareholder in the community (well that part I knew). But you have to be approved & they do a credit check & all this stuff. eek!

And Co-ops can become Condos, but I don't think it goes the other way. I'm still not sure what designates a Townhouse, haven't been to one of them.

Kid Afrika · 05-07-2002, 02:16 PM

Go south my good man, go south. Southern Middlesex county is relatively cheap in parts, and it's a good area. It's a bit further to manhattan, but I think it's worth it. One drawback, most of Souther Middlesex doesn't have easy access to trains. We take buses from park-n-rides.

Sluggo · 05-07-2002, 02:23 PM

There is a NJ Transit train station right by my place in NW Jersey.
The houses go from bungalows to mansions, Prices range accordingly.
You certainly don't wanna drive to the city from there.

And yes...Moron fixed your sig...go look in the sig pic thread...it's there...

Brokenjaw · 05-07-2002, 02:23 PM

Well, anything from Woodbridge north is going to kill you in taxes, and is expensive as hell . South Jersey, is also bad on the taxes, (Jackson around 8,500 a year) but is cheaper to buy. For the traveil into the city in around 1 hour, your only real options are, Woodbridge( Edison, Rahway area) and north of that. Anything south of there, you have to take 2 trains to get into the city, its a real pain in the ass. Good luck. :thumbs-up:

Arthur Dent · 05-07-2002, 02:26 PM

I've got a friend who's still looking for a house in Jersey cause he's getting married at the end of the year. Goes out house hunting with a list from the realestate agent a copy of the Path train map. Amazing how the cost of a house changes to its distance from an express or local stop.

Quote:Co-op's are cheaper to purchase, but with a higher maintenance fee. You become a shareholder in the community (well that part I knew). But you have to be approved & they do a credit check & all this stuff. eek!

Always thought that was a bit creapy myself. Not to mention all the rules, like no loud music after 10, that can get you voted out of the co-op. In other words, if you break the rules, they can force you to sell your co-op and move out. :tribe:

Middlesex, huh? Well, anything with sex in it has to be good, right? :-)

Just for the record, is north jersey the mailman's hat or the whole head? ;-)

DGW · 05-07-2002, 02:28 PM

As the one eyed wonder said the Union County area is a good choice. It just a 25 minute train ride from Rahway or Linden to NYC. Though those areas have gone down hill since I was a kid. Towns like Cranford, Clark and Garwood are a little pricey but the neighborhoods are great.

Hey Ladi · 05-07-2002, 02:32 PM

Quote:Just for the record, is north jersey the mailman's hat or the whole head?

Seems to depend on who you ask. I think Union Co would still be North, but it is kind of low, and then Hunterdon & Somerset are Central. :thumbs-up: Whatever.

I've always pictured the state like a person too. I live in the brain area.