Towns to live in in Union or Middlesex?

carolbee

If you don't mind, can you let me know what you don't like about SP?  Just trying to get as much info as I can - thanks!

Denise91980

It is right next to Plainfield and while the schools aren't horrible, they aren't the greatest either.

nmeirose

well, at the end of this month we close on our new home in Westfield (yay!)  I have a 6 yr old daughter so schools were my #1 priority.  Following that, we like a town w a nice downtown, and Westfield fits that bill.  We were looking in cranford and westfield.

Our budget was about the same as yours- we ended up getting a total fixer upper huge victorian though for high 300s and are planning to put that excess money we had planned to spend on a smaller, 'close to perfect' home and really make this one our own.  So you might want to think about that- if you buy something for less, you could have excess that you would have spent on the home available to fix it up.

That being said, there was (at the time we looked, about 2 mo ago) quite a bit of inventory in cranford/ westfield in that price range.  The one thing about these towns though is that even though in NJ as a whole it is a buyers market, these houses in those two towns move QUICK.  Our place was on the market only 3 days when we made the offer.  The schools are so good and the downtowns so awesome you don't typically see the long listing tims that you do in other areas of NJ.  So I would check out the towns- I guarantee if you go into those downtowns you will fall in love- and then get a good realtor- if you like it there, they should be able to find you somethign in that price range, definately.  Just be ready to make a move if you see something you like!

Good luck, and who knows, maybe we will end up neighbors!

renatari

It all depends on what area of Rahway you look in... We live in Rahway but if you cross the street you are in Clark. Our taxes are a little higher than the "other side" of Rahway. I like that we're so close to the Parkway, Turnpike, and 1&9 since I'm a consultant and travel all over NJ. Sometimes I need to take the train into the city for work & I'm there by 45 minutes. I've never felt unsafe (I ride my bike to the library alone, walk the dog at night, go out for drinks with friends in the downtown area), I've never heard of any issues in the area and the school near by doesn't have a bad report card (I taught in Newark, so I know how bad it can be, lol but even in Newark, you can find Blue Ribbon Schools). If you're worried more about the school system, I suggest you take a look at this website:
http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc10/index.html

Good luck! FI & I looked at over 80 houses and the day we had an appt to see ours, I had told him that if we didn't find anything, we were moving to Texas! lol It can get frustrating but there are some gems out there!

cindyn9178

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_towns-live-union-middlesex?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:2c284af7-6676-438d-8e96-313b82c2f7adPost:6dba5a53-e7d1-49af-9d64-2df89fb097a3">Re: Towns to live in in Union or Middlesex?</a>:
[QUOTE]It is right next to Plainfield and while the schools aren't horrible, they aren't the greatest either.
Posted by Denise91980[/QUOTE]
Um, Scotch Plains is right next to Plainfield also, and it is a nice place to live. And South Plainfield is also right by Scotch Plains. Almost every town is near another "bad" one. I think it is a little silly to avoid looking at South Plainfield because of that.

Denise91980

Scotch Plains also has some descent surrounding towns. South Plainfield also has Edison and Piscataway surrounding it which aren't the greatest. I didn't say South Plainfield was horrible, but it definitely isn't the greatest. Unfortunately I deal with all the school districts in Middlesex County. South Plainfield again is not the worst, but definitely isn't the greatest either.

Ky925

I think some may be confusing South Plainfield with North Plainfield and Plainfield.

Reilly626

Plainfield has a beautiful section called Sleepy Hollow, its terrible to blanket statement towns saying they are awful. The ex-governor of NJ lives there and his house is amazing! Rahway has a great down-town area, very artsy. Again, terrible to knock a town out. Many people choose to live in such towns because the taxes are much lower than a Westfield and send their kids to private school. GL on your search. BTW- even Westfield has a "bad section" Cacciola Place section!

cindyn9178

I also don't think anything is wrong with Piscataway. My aunt and uncle have lived there for over 20 years. They live in a really nice neighborhood. I would love to live where they do! It is a pretty big town as well, and I'm sure there are multiple nice areas.

Denise91980

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_towns-live-union-middlesex?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:2c284af7-6676-438d-8e96-313b82c2f7adPost:c9a19e83-3e46-4404-8dfc-b06fa75d95f5">Re: Towns to live in in Union or Middlesex?</a>:
[QUOTE]Plainfield has a beautiful section called Sleepy Hollow, its terrible to blanket statement towns saying they are awful. The ex-governor of NJ lives there and his house is amazing! Rahway has a great down-town area, very artsy. Again, terrible to knock a town out. Many people choose to live in such towns because the taxes are much lower than a Westfield and send their kids to private school. GL on your search. BTW- even Westfield has a "bad section" Cacciola Place section!
Posted by Reilly626[/QUOTE]

<div>She asked for opinions and people gave them. Newark has a nice section as well, but I wouldn't want to live there. When giving an opinion I am thinking in terms of where I would or would not want to raise a family. A particular area may be OK, but I would rather be somewhere with a better school district. I personally work with every district in Middlesex County and see that some schools really don't care about the kids that attend their schools. I would rather send my child to a school where he/she isn't just a number to them. Also, not everyone can afford to send their child to a private school. I would rather spend an extra 2,000 in taxes and have a good school district than live in an area that may not be the greatest and spend up to 10K to send my child to a private school. </div>

nmeirose

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_towns-live-union-middlesex?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:2c284af7-6676-438d-8e96-313b82c2f7adPost:2269effb-8fbb-484d-9c97-919da03ffbe6">Re: Towns to live in in Union or Middlesex?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Towns to live in in Union or Middlesex? :  I would rather spend an extra 2,000 in taxes and have a good school district than live in an area that may not be the greatest and spend up to 10K to send my child to a private school. 
Posted by Denise91980[/QUOTE]

As someone who has been there done that, ITA.  I just moved from a bad school district and had to send my dd to private school for first grade.  I sent her to a reasonable private school, and it was $10,000- most others were at least $15,000.  So the taxes are a bit higher in some towns with good school districts- but not that much higher!

Before you have a school-age child, you don't realize how important a good school district is- I know I didn't, since I ended up in a bad one!  OP, if you are already considering school districts and you don't even have a child, I can guarantee you that once you have one you are going to care 10 times as much. 

There is also ALOT to be said for your child having their school friends in the neighborhood.  Arranging playdates with dd's school mates now is tougher bc they live all over the place.  Next year, I look forward to her running over to her friends houses to hang out, like I did as a kid- and her school mates will live close by.  It's so important to a child to be able to hang w their friends.  (Sorry if we are getting on a tangent about public v private school!)

I am not bashing any other towns at all, because I don't know them, but I am totally in love with Westfield and found many homes in the OPs price range, so I wanted to share my opinion.   I encourage the OP to check it out.  IMO, (and I am totally biased I admit), you can't find better in Union cty!  (well, unless its cranford  :P  )  This is totally my "about to close on my new house" opinion, so no offence is meant!

cooper8759

I lived in Springfield and loved it.

carolbee

Hi - thanks so much everyone.   So we are going to check out some South Plainfield homes tomorrow.  We don't want to get an older outdated home and that's all we can seem ot afford in Clark, Cranford, Scotch Plains, etc.  I know a couple of you ladies are familiar with the schools there.  Any thoughts on Franklin Elem?  I know kennedy is very good but don't know about this one and the websites tend to give conflicting info.....