nytraveler

Way too far - that is a 2 hour commute at best - and that's just to Penn Station. I don't see where the commuter is working - but it can easily be another 30 minutes to the office - for a commute of a minimum of 5 hours per day.

All you have to do it look up the schedule on the New Jersey Transit website.

Google directions shows that as a 1 hour drive to midtown Manhattan (but that would be true only at about 3 am). I commuted from uptown (right near the GWB to Parsippany and that took more than an hour - and that was a reverse commute so much faster.)

IMHO any place farther than Parsippany is way too far for a comfortable commute. I would look for places closer to the city than that - based on schools - and then worry later what size/type of house you can afford in those areas.

NJriverchick

dhera - You mentioned Flanders twice. Is there something specific about Flanders that appeals to you? If you tell us more maybe we can help you find it elsewhere.

HappyTrvlr

What is the location of the NY commuter's office in Manhattan?

RoamsAround

OP has been told several times that where her hubby will be working in Manhattan will have a big impact on his commute but she has declined to provide that much needed information.

I commuted (by car) into Manhattan from Northern NJ (Bergen County) every day for 21 years and can tell you it gets old very fast. Average door to door time each way was 90 minutes and sometimes approached 2 hours if traffic was heavy or there was an accident. For me, the train was not a viable option and the bus took at least 2 hours. For me, there was no good way to commute, only different ways.

The reality is, unless you live in one of the towns very close to the city the commute from NJ is going to be long and time consuming.

Driving allows you to go door to door. Trains can be quicker if you live/work a few blocks from the station(s) but most people have to "commute" on one or both ends of the train ride - adding to overall time. Using the bus is often the slowest way and will also entail a "commute" between home and bus stop and from the bus depot in NYC to the office.

nytraveler

But the OP will be working in Parsippany - so I guess they are thinking to be not far from there.

Howver I wold live CLOSER to the city - and let each person sommute in a differnt direction.

Otherwise - a total bear.

I did NYC to Parsippany reverse for about 1/5 years - and it's one of the major reasons I left that job - without havaing another - the commute was just hell.

persimmondeb

Flanders is really too far for a Manhattan commute for any but the very determined. That's why you're seeing such a good house/area/price ratio. If you both worked somewhere like Parsippany, it would make complete sense. Honestly, even most of Morris would be a little far for my taste. Upper Montclair, Nutley, or the Caldwells would make the most sense to me, since they are pleasant suburban areas roughly equidistant from each workplace. You could do Bergen, but that's less convenient for Parsippany and taxes are very high.

dhera

Thanks again for all your responses. every info helps.
My husband will be working two blocks from Pen station.
there was a question about why Flanders.
We found a new construction which apeals our taste and the neighborhood and the schools seems to fit our current lifestyle as well.But definelty without living in the area and actually having done the commute we may be not thinking everything through. we are in the research phase right now and are looking for as muc as input we can get. Right now my husband flys to NY everyweek and stays in a hotel downtown. looking to relocate after June (since oldest is finishing highschool here)
Thanks again for taking time to provide input !!

nytraveler

The trouble with new construction is that with all the added kids the school taxes are liable to go through the roof in the next few years. With a more established area you have a much better idea of what taxes will actually be going forward.

persimmondeb

The taxes may well go up, but frankly, they're still going to be lower in Flanders than in Bergen, Passaic, or Essex, and the OP'S budget will get her 4000 feet of snazzy new construction where someplace like Cresskill she could be looking at a 2500 square foot 50-year-old split. The killer is the commute. Flanders really isn't an NYC suburb. Frankly Parsippany barely is. Now people do it (people commute from Pennsylvania, frankly) because of the lower taxes/housing cost/increased space but it's not conducive to family life, especially if he has to go in every day. Someone who telecommuted and only had to go in once or twice a week might find it a lot more manageable. One good way to research is if the OP's husband could ask some of his colleague's where they live and what their commutes are like.

nytraveler

Well it's always the way.

Convenient, nice house and inexpensive. Pick 2 - if you're lucky. No way to get all 3.

Th eOP may find it necessary to spend a higher proportion of income on housing to get good schools and a reasonable commute without going for a tiny house. (Not that 2500 sq ft is tiny. But it's like in Texas where you get a McMansion for $300K.)

HappyTrvlr

When you get serious about an area, he must do a dry run commute during rush hour. The real estate agents will not give you the true picture. Also, check about where he will leave car to commute by train or bus. Some train lots are impossible to use, stickers only and those are often difficult to obtain as a new resident. He will also want what we called a "train car", nothing too nice, to park near the station. At least he is working on the west side near Penn Station. It could be lot worse commute than that.

pja1

Hi,

Just wanted to say I did a commute from Netcong to Bloomfield primarily on Rt. 80 for nearly 7 years, until 1.5 years ago. Brutal. The worst part of the commute was always between Netcong and Parsippany and vice versa. My total drive was 33 miles. Always 1 to 1.5 hours each way, in good conditions.

Personally, I'd avoid anything west of Parsippany/rt. 287.

pja1

Hi again,

I wanted to "second" the suggestions of Nutley, Caldwell and Upper Montclair and add the possibilities of Fairfield and Verona. Montville /Towaco is another option, though taxes are generally higher.

Parts of Bergen county to say Parsippany would be tough. Try driving rt. 4 or 17 during rush hours

aliced

Montclair, Caldwell, Verona are in Essex County- taxes higher than in Morris County which include Parsippany, Morristown, Morris Twp. & Morris Plains, Madison, Chatham. Definitely would buy in a town on the Midtown Direct train line into Penn. Forget Parsippany, crossroad of highways to corporate centers and lots of 40-yr-old garden apartments and strip malls. I live out in this area and have commuted into Manhattan (downtown, and unfortunately before the day of the fabulous Mid-town Direct). From Morristown, you're directly into Penn Station in 55 minutes. Do not consider towns west. From Flanders you hit traffic on Rt. 80 or 46 or 10 going east in the morning and west in the evening just getting to Parsippany. Bergen County has lovely towns, but it is simply not convenient to reach via train to/fro Manhattan. Do you want to stand out on Rt. 17 in 20 degrees to catch a bus into the City? And, the bus drops you off at 41st not 31st (site of Penn). Remember: Midtown Direct! Good luck.

persimmondeb

The Main/Bergen Line goes from places like Allendale, Ridgewood and Glen Rock, although you have to transfer at Secaucus Junction. The Pascack Valley Line, which actually belongs to Metro North, goes serves places like Westwood and Oradell. Even with the bus, there's usually some better option than standing out on 17. Bridge buses (over the GWB) can be substantially more efficient than ones that go directly to midtown BUT you have to take the A train downtown. It's fast (usually less than 15 minutes), but not everyone's a fan.

girlonthego

I grew up in Kinnelon, nice town with good schools, but was quite a commute back in the day. I commuted to downtown on the Boonton Line train, which now has a direct connection at Montclair state university to Penn station. That is a godsend for the northern NJ group. Mountain Lakes,as mentioned above has great schools, very close to parisppany and would be on the Boonton line, but a commute for DH.
You could also look at the towns on the Morristown line which probably has more trains than the Boonton Line. *they always used to, that may have changed. The towns, Madison, Chatham, are all nice and on the Morristown line. Netcong was the end of the Boonton line train and it is such a long commute. I lived in Kinnelon and commuted to downtown manhattan for 10 years. It was almost two hours one way. By the time you drive to the train, catch the train, to the Path, to the World trade center, then walk to work. 2 hours one way. Now, going to midtown will be different. I would try to get on the Morristown line train and take a direct to Penn station. This will still take over an hour from no matter where you live.

I wish you the best of luck in your search.

travelgirl2

The amount you have to spend on a home is far above the average price in Flanders, I believe. I am no expert, but I would think for your price point, you could find areas with better schools. Mendham, Chester, Peapack, Gladstone, Basking Ridge, would be more in your price range (and higher). Very nice towns, excellent schools and prices to match. People commute to NY from those areas, but the time is approaching 2 hours during rush hour.

Morristown is a nice town/city with good train service to NY. The train takes about an hour. It is not known for good schools, especially the high school, in my opinion. It has elements of a small city, with areas of higher crime and some small amounts of urban problems. I would not feel unsafe living there, just pointing out that it is more urban than suburban.

Moving east on the train line leads you to Convent Station, Madison, Chatham. All really nice suburban towns where I think the schools would be good. Prices are probably higher, reflecting nice areas and also proximity to the train line.

Summit is getting really close to NY on the train and I would imagine prices reflect that.

EmilyPost

did you look at Ramsey, NJ? Two trains into the city. Reasonable commute time for both of you.