Kabes

Hi, we are moving to new jersey in the summer and I wondered if anyone could recommend nice places to live for families in the hackettstown area.
We would like to be in a town that has a few shops on the high street rather than just malls and near countryside and with good elementary school and community feel. Bit vague I know...
Thanks
...Just realised where I want to live - its that town where they filmed Ground hog day. So - not so vague now, just unrealistic...

Bob

Welcome to BE and good luck with the move!

Perhaps search out posts by Englishmum, as she has posted a lot of info in the past about various towns in NJ area that are good for families etc.

city-data.com is another site that might be useful as a starting point too.

discoviking

You mention the words "schools" and "family", I take that to mean that you are not retired. If that is the case, commuting to work will also be a consideration - and commuting by car in New Jersey can be a royal pain, especially if you are going to commute to New York City, Jersey City, Hoboken etc..

If so, you should take a look at the NJ Transit and PATH websites, find out where the rail and bus lines are in the area you want to move to, and take that into consideration when picking the towns you are interested in researching further.

Kabes

Thanks Discoviking and Bob, I will take a look at those suggested sites and threads, that is really helpful. My husband will be working in Hackettstown. I'm not sure what I will be doing - work visas is the next thing I'm going to be looking into ...
Cheers

denzil75

We (along with most other expats) are living in Morris County, good schools, nice towns etc but would be a bit too far for your husband to commute. I have American friends that have moved from our town out to Long Valley and absolutely love it. Not sure what it has in the way of a High Street but it is fairly close to Chester that you can stroll round and there are also some decent clothes shops etc nearby. You'll get more house for your money out in Warren/Washington Township too than Morris County as we are on the commuter belt for NYC. Do you have school age kids? If so, then definitely try and start off life in Jersey in a town that you would like to stay long term in as the schools here are done by catchment areas, the town you live in will dictate the school you go to unless you go private.

I'm sorry I can't be much more help as I don't have too much experience of that area. Good luck with the move, just in time for the nice Jersey summer weather!!!!

discoviking

Whoa. How can you be looking into towns to move to if you have not sorted out visas yet? What is hubby's visa situation, or is he a USC?

Xebedee

You do know its where NY sends all their trash, right?

Kabes

Oops, I did try to reply to these a while ago but something went wrong... Thanks so much for the info Denzil75 I will look into the areas you suggest. Discoviking, the husband is on assignment from the UK, but its my work visa I need to look into. Xebedee - lol.........

Rusty Chainsaw

Is he going to work for Mars?

Hackettstown itself is quite nice, it has a high street, lots of shops and there are some nice housing developments within walking distance. It even used to have a kebab shop, but it closed down.

It's also a bit of a rarity... the further out you get from the city the less "town-like" the towns are - no high streets, nothing in walking distance, etc. However, if you did want to live a bit closer to the city, commuting to Hackettstown would be going against the traffic on Rt. 80 so it'd be reasonably quick.

I'll warn you off living in Morris County though. The cost of living in Morris County is horrendous. Property taxes are extortionately high (like, over $20k a year in some areas for a normal-sized house), and some of it can be quite, well, snooty. The aforementioned Long Valley and Chester are very like that - all McMansions, Volvo SUVs and white Republicans (although, if you want to avoid people like that, just stay out of Mendham - that's the worst. ). Look in the surrounding areas instead.

Kabes

Hi Rustychainsaw,
How did you guess!?
Thanks, it looks like we are coming for a look see in mid April now so will bear that in mind.
Forgot to reply to an earlier question, yes our kids are 3 and 4 so schools are going to come into it too.
Thanks again everyone it looks like its going to be an interesting house hunt!
Kabes.

Kabes

Hi all, just to update - we went over and liked Gladstone Peapack and Basking Ridge. Let me know if you know anyone who is looking to rent out their property around there from August time! Thanks again for the advice...

Jerseygirl

A little different from Hackettstown. I live nearby but I don't know of any rentals.

oxonlad

Long Beach Island! Or, if you're a mainland type of person - Manahawkin :-)

Jerseygirl

They are no where near where the OP said she is looking.

Rusty Chainsaw

Well, for what it's worth, we're heading back to the UK in June, so we'll be renting out our house in East Stroudsburg - about half an hour from Hackettstown along Rt. 80... closer than Basking Ridge or Gladstone.