Need info on Central New Jersey

[avandesande]

You pay a premium for realty and property taxes, but in some ways NJ is really cheap. There is no sales tax on clothes, gas is very inexpensive as well as food. The thing about car insurance is a bit of an exaggeration, I have lived in 4 different states and car insurance is maybe 10-20% more than anywhere else.
For durable goods you always get a discount from list, which you often get stuck paying elsewhere.

The train that runs from philly-newark-new brunswick-new york is very fast, I would definitly consider commuting somewhere in the corridor. I have a cousin living just north of Trenton, very charming area on the delaware with old slate-roof houses (affordable no less). You may want to consider renting and getting a lay of the land before you buy anything.

[bobfowler]

<snip>I've spent a lot of time in Jersey City but haven't really gone south of Newark.<snip>

Never been south of Newark? You've missed the best parts! (except for the northwest corner of the state, that's real pretty too).

[MattCarey]

Never been south of Newark? You've missed the best parts! (except for the northwest corner of the state, that's real pretty too).

Don't buy it Bob. I think that Jim is sending Alan out to keep a watch on all those lenses you have been purchasing.

Alan--sorry to hear about the layoff. I'll be thinking lots of good thoughts for you and your interview. I have only been to NJ a couple of times--an area not too far from Princeton. I was very pleasantly surprised since the image that is projected out here seems to be mostly Newark.

Keep in mind, too, to us out here in the west, east coast states are more like large counties. Except for living with my grandmother in Wyoming as an infant, I didn't leave the state of California until I was past 10 years old. This doesn't mean that I didn't travel thousands of miles!

Matt

[bobfowler]

Don't buy it Bob. I think that Jim is sending Alan out to keep a watch on all those lenses you have been purchasing.

Alan--sorry to hear about the layoff. I'll be thinking lots of good thoughts for you and your interview. I have only been to NJ a couple of times--an area not too far from Princeton. I was very pleasantly surprised since the image that is projected out here seems to be mostly Newark.

Keep in mind, too, to us out here in the west, east coast states are more like large counties. Except for living with my grandmother in Wyoming as an infant, I didn't leave the state of California until I was past 10 years old. This doesn't mean that I didn't travel thousands of miles!

Matt

Too late Matt, I Paypal'd Jim for the 12" Orbit this morning...

[MenacingTourist]

I really do appreciate everyone's opinions good and bad, especially the official welcome from Joey49 . IF (a decent sized IF) it happens this will be a big move for us. We're in a fairly stressful period and I hope something gets resolved soon. If I do end up moving I will look forward to meeting some of you east coast apuggers.

I'll know more after tomorrow, so keep you fingers crossed. Or not if you're Aggie!

Alan.

[Aggie]

I wish you the best Alan, it just means a plane flight.

[avandesande]

If you do go for an interview make sure you get some pizza. The stuff out here is hardly palatable.

[George Losse]

Alan,

Jersey has one big advantage for a graphic designer. It's in the shadow of NYC. There are many agencies in the North Jersey area and at least ten times as many just a short commute into NYC.

I've been working as a graphic designer/photographer/web designer in the southern part of the state, more of a suburb of Philadelphia, for the last 20+ years. Nice thing has been, as one door has closed others have opened in the area.

Like others have mentioned, don't think about living in New Brunswick. It's a great place to commute into. And there are much beter places to raise a family in NJ.

Best of luck with the interview,

[photobum]

If you have been to Jersey City and Newark I can tell you that it can only get better. As a lifelong Jerseyite it sure was fun reading this thread. Yes, there are some very nice places. The downside is the homicidal attitude you must maintain in order to commute. Other drivers, reading the Times, drinking a coffee, doing their hair and talking on the cell phone, all while driving 80 MPH on Route 80 during rush hour. That's if your lucky. You might be parked on the Parkway.

Those beaches another poster wrote about? Ask him about getting home after a day at the beach. Oh, and 4 G's a year in property tax is a steal.

[bobfowler]

If you have been to Jersey City and Newark I can tell you that it can only get better. As a lifelong Jerseyite it sure was fun reading this thread. Yes, there are some very nice places. The downside is the homicidal attitude you must maintain in order to commute. Other drivers, reading the Times, drinking a coffee, doing their hair and talking on the cell phone, all while driving 80 MPH on Route 80 during rush hour. That's if your lucky. You might be parked on the Parkway.

Those beaches another poster wrote about? Ask him about getting home after a day at the beach. Oh, and 4 G's a year in property tax is a steal.

It might be a steal in NJ, but compared to the rest of the country... My sister in Florida has a house a little bigger than mine on a quarter acre, her taxes are $800 per year!

Speaking of commuting... My wife has a 27 mile commute. We live about 4 miles from where she gets on the Garden State Parkway at exit 117. She gets off at exit 135 and has a short run to her job through Clark and Westfield. Those 27 miles take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours! My "easy" 13 mile commute takes about a half an hour (but that includes stopping for coffee and a buttered roll).

Oh yes... for those who don't live here... If you ever visit NJ, make sure you stop at a deli for a porkroll, egg, and cheese sandwich for breakfast! Your arteries will harden, but they are soooooo good!