Anonymous wrote:We are thinking of a similar move, but I would work from home and my husband would likely work in the NJ suburbs. We are contemplating a move to be closer to family in NJ. We currently live in DC and pay for private school ($60K a year) so I thought we would come out ahead financially if we moved to NJ. HHI is 315K. Any thoughts on my situation?

Where is the family in NJ located? That makes a huge difference.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Native Manhattanite here: if he likes grilling and lawns so much, rent a beach house in the summer and he can come there on weekends. Buy a three-bedroom on the Upper East Side (in District 2). Good schools, lower taxes, lower commuter costs, and much, much, much shorter commute. We lived in the suburbs (Long Island) when we first moved to NYC in my childhood and were so much happier after moving to a much smaller apartment in Manhattan.

This this this this this

I vote for this too. Big apartment in the Upper East or West Side and country house in the Hudson Valley.

Another thing nobody has mentioned so far is that CT is experiencing some sort of fiscal crisis right now and apparently property taxes are expected to rise substantially if they haven’t already. I don’t know the details but just wanted to flag it as a consideration.

Their budget is $1.5 million (though I think that's a little low, based on the projected salary). But even if that bumps up a million, it ain't enough for a big apartment on the upper east side and a country house.

Sheesh. Allow me to clarify. RENT an apartment somewhere uptown. Buy a beautiful weekend home somewhere 2hr outside of the city for <500k (I have just done this, so before people jump all over me please know that there are many lovely options in this price range).

We are thinking of a similar move, but I would work from home and my husband would likely work in the NJ suburbs. We are contemplating a move to be closer to family in NJ. We currently live in DC and pay for private school ($60K a year) so I thought we would come out ahead financially if we moved to NJ. HHI is 315K. Any thoughts on my situation?

My DH grew up in Larchmont, walking distance to the train. Seemed like an ideal place to me. The commute in by train is pretty easy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Native Manhattanite here: if he likes grilling and lawns so much, rent a beach house in the summer and he can come there on weekends. Buy a three-bedroom on the Upper East Side (in District 2). Good schools, lower taxes, lower commuter costs, and much, much, much shorter commute. We lived in the suburbs (Long Island) when we first moved to NYC in my childhood and were so much happier after moving to a much smaller apartment in Manhattan.

This this this this this

I vote for this too. Big apartment in the Upper East or West Side and country house in the Hudson Valley.

Another thing nobody has mentioned so far is that CT is experiencing some sort of fiscal crisis right now and apparently property taxes are expected to rise substantially if they haven’t already. I don’t know the details but just wanted to flag it as a consideration.

Their budget is $1.5 million (though I think that's a little low, based on the projected salary). But even if that bumps up a million, it ain't enough for a big apartment on the upper east side and a country house.

Anonymous wrote:All a recipe for an affair. He’ll be a city bachelor. On his salary you can afford Brooklyn. Don’t compromise on this.

People don’t move to Short Hills because they can’t afford Brooklyn.

Much higher taxes generally, massive commute....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Native Manhattanite here: if he likes grilling and lawns so much, rent a beach house in the summer and he can come there on weekends. Buy a three-bedroom on the Upper East Side (in District 2). Good schools, lower taxes, lower commuter costs, and much, much, much shorter commute. We lived in the suburbs (Long Island) when we first moved to NYC in my childhood and were so much happier after moving to a much smaller apartment in Manhattan.

This this this this this

I vote for this too. Big apartment in the Upper East or West Side and country house in the Hudson Valley.

Another thing nobody has mentioned so far is that CT is experiencing some sort of fiscal crisis right now and apparently property taxes are expected to rise substantially if they haven’t already. I don’t know the details but just wanted to flag it as a consideration.

She won't afford a "big" apartment where you are suggesting and a country house, LOL. Big apartments start at 3m in Manhattan. If she doesn't have significant assets already and this will be the first year they earn high 6 figures it will be tough for her to afford anything other than renting a 3 bedr in a good school district with around 1500 sq.ft at the best and that starts at 7K/month. Renting is much cheaper in NYC than buying. Given her housing budget of 1.5m, she should rent if living in Manhattan unless he is happy to squeeze into a 2 bedr.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Native Manhattanite here: if he likes grilling and lawns so much, rent a beach house in the summer and he can come there on weekends. Buy a three-bedroom on the Upper East Side (in District 2). Good schools, lower taxes, lower commuter costs, and much, much, much shorter commute. We lived in the suburbs (Long Island) when we first moved to NYC in my childhood and were so much happier after moving to a much smaller apartment in Manhattan.

This this this this this

I vote for this too. Big apartment in the Upper East or West Side and country house in the Hudson Valley.

Another thing nobody has mentioned so far is that CT is experiencing some sort of fiscal crisis right now and apparently property taxes are expected to rise substantially if they haven’t already. I don’t know the details but just wanted to flag it as a consideration.

I think there is some serious risk to buying property in the NY suburbs right now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Native Manhattanite here: if he likes grilling and lawns so much, rent a beach house in the summer and he can come there on weekends. Buy a three-bedroom on the Upper East Side (in District 2). Good schools, lower taxes, lower commuter costs, and much, much, much shorter commute. We lived in the suburbs (Long Island) when we first moved to NYC in my childhood and were so much happier after moving to a much smaller apartment in Manhattan.

This this this this this

I vote for this too. Big apartment in the Upper East or West Side and country house in the Hudson Valley.

Another thing nobody has mentioned so far is that CT is experiencing some sort of fiscal crisis right now and apparently property taxes are expected to rise substantially if they haven’t already. I don’t know the details but just wanted to flag it as a consideration.

All a recipe for an affair. He’ll be a city bachelor. On his salary you can afford Brooklyn. Don’t compromise on this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your husband wants to see his family he needs to live in the city. End of story.

That's the dumbest thing I've heard this year and it's December 19th.

How is it dumb? Young kids sleep around 10-12 hours. Mine sleep 7-7 and 8-7. If my husband arrived home at 8 and left at 7 he would seriously only see them on the weekends.

You obviously don’t have kids.

Anonymous wrote:Native Manhattanite here: if he likes grilling and lawns so much, rent a beach house in the summer and he can come there on weekends. Buy a three-bedroom on the Upper East Side (in District 2). Good schools, lower taxes, lower commuter costs, and much, much, much shorter commute. We lived in the suburbs (Long Island) when we first moved to NYC in my childhood and were so much happier after moving to a much smaller apartment in Manhattan.

This this this this this

Native Manhattanite here: if he likes grilling and lawns so much, rent a beach house in the summer and he can come there on weekends. Buy a three-bedroom on the Upper East Side (in District 2). Good schools, lower taxes, lower commuter costs, and much, much, much shorter commute. We lived in the suburbs (Long Island) when we first moved to NYC in my childhood and were so much happier after moving to a much smaller apartment in Manhattan.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was just in Montclair, NJ and it's a super cute town! Not what I expected at all. I have no idea about logistics of commuting from there though.

taxes are crazy. Do not underestimate that when you are thinking of where to move. You can also look at Westfield, which has great schools but horrible taxes. I'd look at Mountainside. It is next to Westfield so you can commute on the train or take a bus to Port Authority. Schools are good, taxes are lower.

I just moved here from Westfield and it’s really not commutable anymore. We’re talking 2 hours each way on the bus to Port Authority on a good day. And NJTransit is not giving the orange train line towns a direct ride anytime soon, so I would recommend the green line towns over Westfield/Mountainside/Scotch Plains, etc. I lived in Summit for a bit before we bought in Westfield and the commute was more like an hour and fifteen door to door to the Murray Hill section of Manhattan.

PS the DC commutes are amazing!!!