Moving to Fort Lee, NJ area(not Ann Arbor)

Old Mar 11th, 2004, 09:21 AM
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Moving to Fort Lee, NJ area(not Ann Arbor)

I thought our family would be moving to Ann Arbor but now my husband has decided to take a job in Fort Lee, NJ. I am interested in communities that are commutable to Fort Lee and that have good public schools. I love old homes and charming downtown areas. Any ideas? I don't know if we should be in New York or New Jersey. Thanks so much for any advice. Threehearts
-We live in a turn of the century house in Chevy Chase, MD now and would hope to pay around 800K and no more for the new house. Thanks.
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Old Mar 11th, 2004, 09:31 AM
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There are many communities in NJ that are commutable to Ft. Lee as it is close to a few major roadways. But, the downside is that traffic might be bad as Ft. Lee is the NJ entryway to the George Washington Bridge.

There are many good communities that might fit your need and price range. Saddle River in Bergen county, comes to mind.

In terms of schools, old homes, and quality of life, towns likes Chatham, Summit and Short Hills come to mind. I'm familiar with all these towns and downside is that the commute to Ft. Lee won't be great.

My suggestion is you find a realtor in Bergen County and work with them. In terms of commute, that'll be you best bet.

BTW, I'm not sure I'd suggest the NY option because of the fact that you'll be hit for tax in two states.
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Old Mar 11th, 2004, 09:43 AM
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If the job is in New Jersey it doesn't make a lot of sense to live in New York unless you want to live in the City. Jersey has several nice neighborhoods with good schools and attractive homes in your price range that would be just as close or closer than anywhere in New York.

The city would be an entirely different experience - but can be very difficult for a family with kids - the sticker shock on a pleasant apartment plus private school tuitions can really add up.
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Old Mar 11th, 2004, 09:46 AM
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Look at Ridgewood, not a bad commute, nice town and good schools. Chatam, Summit et al are possible but a further drive. I don't think you want to live in NYC or NY State, as taking the GW bridge or the Verazzano each day is not a fun way to commute.
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Old Mar 11th, 2004, 09:47 AM
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Gosh, that was awfully quick. Thanks so much. It's really tough when I thought the move was elsewhere and now I have to get organized quickly. I appreciate the tips.
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Old Mar 11th, 2004, 10:10 AM
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If you're thinking about finding a place to perhaps rent for a bit until you find a home you really like, you might consider Hoboken. It's about 25 minutes from Ft. Lee and has growing community of NYC professionals with young children.

There are plenty of nice places to eat and a great main avenue, Washington Street. It's also very close to NYC by either car, boat, or train.

In terms of getting acclimated to the area and exploring NY, it would make a great starting point.

As I said, if you're looking for something before buying, this might not be a bad choice. The complex where we live, The Shipyard, has a pool, a full, gym, a children's playroom, on-site daycare, indoor parking, a game room, and several stores within a few feet. The ferry to NY is part of the complex. (As is a marina.) A majority of the apartments have stunning views of NY. (We watch the NYC Fourth of July fireworks from our balcony).

If you wanted to take a few months and look around, the management company would probably swing a month-to-month rental.
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Old Mar 11th, 2004, 10:21 AM
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Fort Lee is a very nice town to live in, with a good public school system, very nice restaurants and lovely older homes in your price range. It's a 15 minute drive into New York City; or 5 minutes to cross the Hudson on the ferry. There are brand new homes being built right on the water, as well as a supply of resales.

Englewood Cliffs (very good schools) or Edgewater are two other options, although I don't know about the schools in Edgewater.

Good luck.
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Old Mar 11th, 2004, 10:47 AM
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Nicest towns(IMHO) nearest to Ft Lee would be Englewood or Tenafly, Creskill or Alpine. Also very expensive so $800K might get you a small home but with tons of charm. Englewood has a prestigious private school, Tenafly has one of the best public schools in the state. You don't really want to live IN Ft Lee or South. Edgewater is growing too fast and is very un-charming.
Chatham, Summit and Short Hills are wonderful, beautiful suburban towns, but might be a touch too far for commuting. One of the treats about being in the Ft Lee area is the proximity to NYC-20-30 minutes from downtown.
Have a good move!
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Old Mar 11th, 2004, 10:56 AM
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Threehearts, I used to live in Fort Lee, New Jersey and there are six schools divided throughout. There is one middle school and one high school. The high school underwent a major renovation many years ago. Your address will dictate which elementary school your children will attend if they are in that age group. Fort Lee has a very nice summer rec program for elementary school age children at a very reasonable rate. There are many high rises and living near the bridge is probably equal to smoking several packs of cigarettes a day because of the exhaust from the cars. There certainly aren't any areas to avoid but you would be surrounded by high rises and strip malls. The main streets are heavily traveled such as Lemoine Avenue and Bergen Boulevard. The Coytesville section which borders Englewood Cliffs has some nice homes but they are newer. Englewood Cliffs is a nice upscale area but once you get closer to the Englewood and Teaneck borders it changes. Englewood Cliffs Northcliff Public School is for grades K-2 and the upper school on Charlotte Place is for 3-8. Once your children reach high school age it may become a problem because the majority of EC parents don't want their children to attend Dwight Morrow Public High School because the town of Englewood shares it with EC residents. This has been a hotly debated issue in the past. Many wind up at Dwight Englewood which is a very nice and pricey private school. As a matter of fact Brooke Shields lived in EC and attended Dwight Englewood. My children attended Catholic school in Fort Lee. My daughter went on to a private college prep girls high school in Demarest and my son attended a Catholic boys high school in the city. Ridgewood has some lovely older homes and a nice Main Street with shops and restaurants. I recommend the pancake restaurant. Anyway, Ridgewood has an excellent school system and a good commute to the city. Driving from Ridgewood to Fort Lee requires travel on Route 17 to Route 4, which is heavily traveled. Great area for shopping too, but the traffic by Garden State Plaza can be crazy on a Saturday. No shopping on Sunday in Bergen County so locals can have the area to themselves for one day. Demarest is another town with good schools and a nice summer rec program. A lot of the homes are newer, but there are some older ones. Lovely little duck pond in the center of town. Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, and Ramsey on the Darlington side have some lovely and charming older homes and very good public schools.
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Old Mar 11th, 2004, 01:29 PM
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What great information! Thanks, everyone. I'm going to print these tips out and look them over while I'm burning dinner.

Ryan- Can you give me a price range for your complex? My husband will need appx. 4-6 months of corporate housing and your place sounds lovely. Thanks so much. Threehearts
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