Cape Blue

http://newyork.craigslist.org/search...Ask=&bedrooms=

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sear...Ask=&bedrooms=

$1500 + dogs http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sear...addThree=wooof

Bob

I'm sure exactly where in the state you're heading...but that budget...a house with a garden has to be off the list...that wouldn't get you an apartment in most places that you'd want to consider living in, compounded by most of those nicer places not wanting dogs.

Most places won't include utilities, condo complexes might include the heat, that's a big one in the winter....and these things usually aren't negotiable, they either are included because they don't have individual heaters, or they do in which case they won't be included in the rent.

omnebonumabalto

Jason,
I don't know where in the UK you are but I'll try and compare it to London and see if that works. Imagine New York City as the centre of London and Acton as being Secacus. It is a gritty Industrial area with a lot of Industrial parks and warehouses and largely deserted at night.It is South and West of NYC about 15 miles which is nothing in time but about $2m in house prices.
The New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 95 are very close. These run North to South with 95 being the major highway along the Eastern seaboard of the US. The New Jersey Turnpike runs more inland and you would use this if you were going to live in Montclair as somebody suggested, or suburbia.
The budget you outlined to get what you want in a nice area, you haven't go a cat in hell's chance. You wouldn't get that in a London suburb so why would you get it here? If you take a compass and use it in a 30-45 mile radius from NYC that is commuting distance to New York same as it is in London and it is priced acccordingly. Start thinking $2000-$2500 range.
Again depending on what you want and you would have to give us some more clues?
As somebody pointed out don't even think about Public transport.If you worked in the City it would work as that is the way everything is geared but not suburb to suburb. All the roads in New Jersey are congested. Remember when you were in detention and they made you write things out a hundred times.Well write that last sentence out 100 times.There are one bridge and two tunnels to go into New York from New Jersey and all roads flow through and by those major arteries.Any little problem and you are stuck with no alternatives.People get in late and work late to avoid the traffic.
I have lived all around the States but when we moved to New Jersey we rented for six months as you can do, to get an idea of the place that everybody said was the place. We were glad we did because I didn't like it and then we moved. I would definitely recommend you do the same. You are going to be in for some big culture shock. You go to live in Georgia or Iowa then you're cute because you talk funny and say funny things. In New Jersey they ask you What the F--X did you say? There's no cute because you are one of a million different nationalities in the state of the United Nations. Personally I love New Jersey and consider it my spiritual home but you have to get in there and be aggressive.
Look at a major Realtor site like Weichert or go to http://www.njar.com/ this is the New Jersey Realtors Association.Here is a house that is west of where you will be and this is an area (west) where you should be looking http://www.rentals.com/New-Jersey/Mo...side/r1248164/
You should also look south of Secacus for more reasonable prices. Anything North is going to be older and more expensive. West and South is going to be more suburban , moderner and cheaper.
Hope this helps
Andrew

Jason1978

Hello,

well everyone WOW and thanks for all the advise given so far as you can imagine its difficult to find somewhere while living in the uk at the moment however i may have scored lucky i googled pet friendly places in nj, looking at a place in somerset for 1595 plus bills but will allow both dogs and its a house so bonus, still not confirmed yet so hopefully we shall see.......

Jerseygirl

Somerset Country to Secaucus is quite a commute...I-287/I-80/Rt 46/Rt 3...that's a busy route if you are travelling by road. Not sure how you would get there by train.

TBH I wouldn't rent unless I have viewed the property...especially if they allow pets. What may look or sound like a lovely condo/house on paper/internet...may be very different in real life. I would also want to see the neighbourhood I was moving into. We found that all the rentals we looked at were for a minimum of 12 months...that's a long time to live somewhere if the place sucks. We only found one rental that allowed dogs...there was no way I would have my dogs living in such a dump.

If you are not able to do a reccie before you move...an alternative is to stay somewhere like the Marriott Residence Inns...they allow dogs. The accommodation is normally a one or two bedroom suite and living room/kitchen. That way you could stay there while you look and secure more permanent accommodation.

Nutmegger

+1!

Phoodilicious

Absolutely agree, we were very disappointed when we went to view properties which sounded lovely and the photos online looked great. We also moved with pets and the house we went for eventually had had a dog in before who was obviously not housetrained at all! The carpets were heavily stained in various rooms and the house stank but it was overall a nice house, good location and neighbourhood and we had seen some bad ones even though our budget was considered to be reasonable high for the area, so we negotiated that the house be steam cleaned again and it still needed a further carpet clean after that. Because we stated we wanted that done before we moved in it became a factor of the lease and they did it and paid for it. Had we signed the agreement first then discovered those issues, they would not have been obligated to sort it out before we moved in and we would have had to deal with it and pay for it!

omnebonumabalto

As Jersey Girl said that is way too much of a commute .I would not do it and I used to live there.That would be like driving from the Elephant & Castle to Gerards Cross every night right through Central London.
You have Google get on it and start hitting traffic and transit and you will see the problems.All the flow is into the city in the morning and out at night so wherever you live in New Jersey except Directly N or S you will be part of that flow. Towards the city you have Hoboken etc and you are about 20 years too late for that it is already gentrified, with all the people from NYC living there.FT Lee up the street borders on the GW bridge with all the pollution and it really helps if you speak Japanese there. Plus it's all High rise living.Norht of there are some nice communities but not cheap.
You seem stuck on that $1500 mark and you are really going to get what you pay for.Something 'orrible.But it seems you have your mind made up so have a look around and when you want to talk come back and ask for advice. Meanwhile know that Kearny quite near to where you are going to work is a godsend to us.It's a Irish/Scottish area with Butchers/Bakers and Fish and Chip shops. It's heaven.

Jason1978

Hi everyone,


thanks for all your advise so far............... its proving very difficult at the moment to sort anything so looking to let a real-estate agent find suitable places within price range then take it from there, i do agree with the commute looks further than i first guess so looking more local from now on as well,


thanks again for advise

Jerseygirl

Please take the advice many of us have given you...don't let the realtor talk you into signing a lease before you see it. There are some really rough areas in NJ...quite often they are just around the corner from a decent area. Allow him to set up viewings for you when you arrive. In the meantime book into one of several hotel chains that allow dogs.

Redwing

Agree 100% with the others. Do not sign anything until you have seen it. My company moved me quite a bit over the years, and we always went on a house hunting trip before moving and picking something out. In fact, I turned down one move because we didn't like the place.

Elvira

If it were me, I wouldn't send for the dogs until I was well set up and sure about staying.

Nutmegger

+1! That makes a lot of sense.

Jerseygirl

That's the ideal scenario...as long as he has somewhere to leave the dogs in the UK.