Jerseygirl

You wish to spend your vacation in NJ? I lived there for almost 20 years...but I would not wish to spend my holidays there. Plus it is an expensive state to own property...especially if it is located in a good area.

Edit: I’m taking this thread off topic. Posts about housing/location should be made in the US forum...not the Immigration forum. Apologies.

Nutmegger

Or alternatively, the company will refuse to continue to insure the house unless the coverage is changed to the more expensive empty-house policy.

Pulaski

I have posted frequently on the cost of owning property in the US - repairs and maintenance, are surprisingly high and the property taxes in states like NJ, which are very substantial. Buy a "nice home in a nice area" in NJ and property taxes will start at $2,000 a month, but could easily be two or three times as much!

What Americans think of as "nice" furniture (often considered to be old fashioned by BE members), befitting a nice home, is also expensive - it would be quite easy to blow through $100k on high end furniture and furnishings - $5k for a dining table $5k for a sofa and chairs, $5k for a king bed, curtains @ $1k / large window, etc.

The usual recommendation in the US is to expect to "invest" around 2% per annum in a home to keep it in good condition, so that would mean another $1,000/mth for a $600,000 home.

On going mowing and yard maintenance would be additional, but I would expect to budget $100/ week for that for a nice home in a high cost location like NJ.

You will also have limited insurance options as, just like the UK, if a house is vacant for more than 30 days, the coverage drops to basic fire coverage only.

Jerseygirl

There is no doubt that the western part of NJ has some very nice towns and villages. If I were buying a holiday home it wouldn’t be in NJ. Property in a good, safe area is very expensive...so is property taxes. The winters are usually brutal. Several times we have had severe weather in late October/November...resulting in widespread property damage.

Buying a car...you cannot get NJ insurance without a NJ Driver’s licence...you cannot drive the vehicle from the dealership without the dealer checking with your insurance company. Since 9/11 you must meet several criteria to obtain a NJ DL...including proof that you have a visa. A visitor is not on the list of criteria for obtaining a NJ DL. Of course renting a car is an option short term.

Skala123

Just add that I have leased a car and got insurance without a NJ driving licence. We will get them but at the moment we don’t have them and it wasn’t an issue for us. Having said that I know people who have been told by dealerships that they must have a NJ DL

Rete

Perhaps but that is not true. My daughter was able to purchase a brand new car from a dealer in Freehold, NJ with her New York State License and her GEICO insurance coverage. Drove it off the lot with temp plates, registered it within the temp time period (believe it was 30 days from purchase) in NYS, paid NYS tax on the vehicle at the NYS DVM (didn't pay tax in NJ), and she was fine.

Many people in NJ go across the border to Reedman's in PA to purchase their cars with their NJ licenses. The only prerequisite is to have a valid driver's license.

Jerseygirl

Maybe it’s different if it is out of state people. We must have had at least a dozen cars in NJ and every car dealer said the same. We did by a car in NYC...the dealship obtained NJ plates for us...he said it was his responsibility to do so.

Rete

I agree the prerequisite should be that you have a US license, not necessarily the state license in which the dealer participates.