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Re: New York Times: Jersey City apartments in his price range seemed too far from the PATH stations.
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Quote:
So he's paying $1K maintenance and about $1.5K mortgage to live in the Bronx. $2.5K gets you a pretty nice rental apartment in downtown JC (after absolutely no work to find something better, which can be had) with a much shorter commute to Wall Street and a safer environment. I question whether paying so much more to own in NYC makes any sense. He paid $265K for 3 bedrooms, 1500 square feet. You can't find that anywhere in JC near the PATH - not even five or six years ago! And no way does a $2,500/month rental in downtown JC get you anywhere near that amount of space. Once you factor in the income tax deduction for mortgage interest and property tax (which you don't get with a rental), it's probably closer to $2,000/month. Hey, if he's cool with the neighborhood and the commute - I say good for him!
Posted on: 2008/8/18 12:01
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Re: New York Times: Jersey City apartments in his price range seemed too far from the PATH stations.
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Only $960 in maintenance? That's why I didn't buy in New York. That's a co-op, so the $960 maintenance includes the property tax. You're comparing apples to oranges. If I add my JC condo's monthly property tax and maintenance together, it works out to something fairly close, probably around $800-850. If anything, property taxes for NYC co-ops tend to be much lower than comparabe condo units in Jersey. The upshot is the lion's share of my monthly property tax + maintenance outlay goes to an inept and corrupt city/county government - no amenities like a doorman or on-site super. Also, most co-op buildings in NYC have the heat and hot water included in the maintenance as well. In any event it is nice to see that some 20-somethings out there are open minded enough to consider different areas rather than the typical must-be-in-Manhattan-at-any-cost attitude you typically see. Sounds like the guy got a really good deal.
Posted on: 2008/8/17 16:57
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Re: An Open Letter to You, My PATH Nemesis
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The London Underground is even more crowded than the PATH or subway - it's the claustrophobe's worst nightmare. On the oldest lines, the height of the cars are so low that people taller than, say, 5'8" have to stoop to get in the doors. I agree the stations are far cleaner and they circulate the foot traffic in the stations better, but I don't think the trains themselves are any more pleasant to ride. Paris, on the other hand, is a much better system overall - except when the occasional dog poops in a car and the owner pretends not to notice (yes, I've seen that happen, but that's best saved for the thread called "Une Lettre Publique ? Vous, Ma N?m?sis dans le M?tro" on parislist.com, where a search under "merde" will yield at least 20 threads - one for each arrondissement).
Posted on: 2008/8/15 12:19
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Re: An Open Letter to You, My PATH Nemesis
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True, but the DC Metro system is far more complex than the Path system and they are able to run their trains effectively with only one employee on each train. I'm not saying it would be an overnight transformation on the Path system, but it would certainly be possible if planned right The DC Metro system was built in the 1970s. The PATH and NYC subways are a century old. It's probably much easier building a modern system from scratch than trying to retrofit an ancient system. I suspect the cost would be insurmountable - and the process impractical (how many stations/lines would be shut down and for how long to upgrade the sytem to something like DC's?).
Posted on: 2008/8/14 22:26
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Re: Maintenance Fee for a brownstone appt - how much is appropriate?
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chanj: I also forgot to mention that I noticed you said that everyone in your building just moved in 1 1/2 years ago. Was this a gut-rehab condo conversion? Chances are that the developer probably cut all sorts of corners to keep costs down - doing just enough to pass inspection and give the place cosmetic appeal. I wouldn't be surprised if in the next year or two, you guys will discover that the building needs all sorts of costly infrastructure repairs, like a new roof or new furnace. You may be faced with another maintenance hike or special assessments. I'm just warning you so you can brace yourself (I'd rather be wrong on this and have you pleasantly surprised). Living in a "historic" building has long since lost its charm for me.
Posted on: 2008/8/13 21:47
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Re: Maintenance Fee for a brownstone appt - how much is appropriate?
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If that includes heat, that doesn't sound too bad actually. There is no right level of maintenance - a lot depends on how much of a cushion of reserves the condo owners/association wish to keep. I always thought the monthly maintenance in my building was set ridiculously low. The result is we have special assessments nearly every year to the tune of thousands of dollars for repairs. To me it's six vs one half dozen. Either way, the money comes out of my pocket. I've just learned to keep a large amount of cash on hand for the stupid special assessments. Also bear in mind that maintenance comparisons between Jersey City and NYC aren't quite fair. NYC apartments are mostly co-ops, which include property taxes in the maintenance because the buildling is taxed as a whole rather than the individual units. Jersey City condo units are taxed individually, so if you want to compare with NYC maintenance, you need to add the monthly property tax to the stated maintenance for the unit.
Posted on: 2008/8/13 21:02
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Window replacement
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I'm looking for recommendations for a contractor who can replace the three front windows in my condo unit. As the building is a brownstone in the VVP Historic District, I need someone who's familiar with the Historic Preservation requirements and can navigate the paperwork involved. And yes, I know it's going to be expensive.
Posted on: 2008/8/1 12:36
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Re: Morton Williams Grocery
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Those inner city kids working the cash registers haven't had much exposure to fresh fruit or vegetables. Reminds me of the time I was stuck in Shop Rite Sunday Hell. I was in line behind these guys who had bought a bunch of produce. The guys would say, "that's spinach," and then the cashier would take forever looking up the key code.
"That's Boston lettuce. Long Pause. "Those are beets." Extremely long pause. "Try looking under B." I really wanted to bang my head against the magazine rack at that point.
Posted on: 2008/7/25 21:08
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Re: An Open Letter to You, My PATH Nemesis
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Quote:
to the guy who just had to sit with his knees three feet apart on the 33rd St train in the middle of rush hour this morning, I've got news: Whenever that happens to me, I just turn to the guy and say: "Are you about to give birth? Do you need help?"
Posted on: 2008/7/25 21:03
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Re: Healy Timeline
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Quote:
I saw Healy recently and he is in a sad state. He is getting gin blossoms/sprouts on his nose and face. A man his age and in his medical condition drinking so much is ridiculous. Wasn't his father killed in a bar fight? Does he not realize how alcohol will continue to destroy his life? Time for him to grow up and move on. "Tired and Old"? You said it. "Next" mayor please. Hmmmm...This does bring up intriguing possibilities. Rather than try to vote him outta office, which would be a herculean task against the machine, we just let nature take its course. Who is next in line for mayoral succession? Of course, I can see this city going from bad to worse when it comes to mayors. Anyway, I agree the original post is a tired and old issue.
Posted on: 2008/7/22 20:00
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Re: JC Post Office - Be Very Afraid
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Funny this topic should resurface. I'm in the midst of tracking a package I ordered from Eddie Bauer back on July 11. They are the worst online retailer in terms of what they charge for shipping and the time it takes to get here. They use USPS, and if you want UPS instead, they insist you pay more. Anyway, in tracking the package, the thing has sat at the post office in Edison, NJ for a week. This morning, it's at the post office in Stony Brook, NY. Anyone know why on earth the USPS would send a package destined for JC from central NJ all the way out to effing Long Island??? For some odd reason, my Amazon packages using the free shipping deal, which also uses USPS, never seem to have any problems - but all the others do. Can anyone shed any light on this??
Posted on: 2008/7/22 13:40
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Re: Buyer Beware 2600 Kennedy Blvd.
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Bottom line, Shelley, how much do you estimate you're overpaying each month in maintenance? I'm just curious if it's an amount substantial enough to go through the hassle of a lawsuit and everything else you've been through. Of course, I realize the pecentages also affect how much you pay for special assessments on capital improvement projects. Judging by your previous posts on another thread on this matter and the length of your posts, this has clearly been eating at you for sometime, so I think your decision to sell and simply walk away is a wise one. Master deeds are almost always impossible to amend once they've been recorded, and two attorneys have told me that judges are loath to overturn them.
I'm also wondering if your "disclosure" about the purportedly incorrect master deed was necessary - i.e., did your attorney recommend such a move? While I applaud your conscience and scruples on disclosure, it might unnecessarily hinder your ability to sell the place or get the best possible price, which you deserve after all this grief. If the master deed has held up under legal challenge so far, and there is no serious movement afoot to amend it, then for all intents and purposes it is a legally binding master deed and therefore "correct" as far as the law is concerned. Unfortunately, as I learned the hard way myself, a master deed can be both unfair and legal at the same time. As the seller, your only obligation would be to disclose the actual amount of the montly maintenance (irrespective of what the other units pay) and the amount of annual property taxes. The condo association board is obligated during the contract period to disclose to the buyer any current and planned special assessmentss and pending litigation, among other issues. As for your advice to would-be condo buyers, I would say don't even trust an attorney to go through a master deed or bylaws with a fine-tooth comb, people should do it themselves. Mine never caught important details - this was at the height of the housing boom and he was proably doing several closings a day. Still, I learned an important and costly lesson: check everything myself!
Posted on: 2008/7/20 18:48
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Re: ox restaurant
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Went last night for the first time. Crowded for the middle of the week and a tad noisy, but that can't be helped when a restaurant is that full. At first, I thought it was chintzy that they put down popcorn insead of bread, but was pleasantly suprised to discover the popcorn had been popped in truffle oil - very decadent! Had the grilled octopus as a starter and was delighted with it, and my friend had the pork spare ribs - so tender the meat just slid right off the bones. I didn't think the appetizer portions were small at all. Mine was just right and friend was so full from the pork spare ribs, she couldn't finish the main dish. That prompted a visit from the hostess, who was concerned that something might be wrong with the food. That wasn't the case at all (excellent, attentive service). I only wish they had some more lighter fare for main dishes as it's the height of summer. I ordered the tagliatelle with basil pesto by default because it seemed like the lightest dish. No complaints with the quality, but it was something I could've made myself. In hindsight I should've just ordered a second appetizer rather than something off the main course menu.
Posted on: 2008/7/17 12:25
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Re: Taqueria
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I've never had any problems with the staff, though I can see sometimes how they might rub customers the wrong way. For me it's pretty straightforward: I give them money, they give me food. I'm not looking to be best buds or coddled, but they're usually pretty friendly with me. My only complaint recently is that they can get so packed on weekend evenings that the food takes awhile to arrive and the counter area is chaotic. I'm not an expert on Mexican food, so I can't really comment on how "authentic" they are. But imho, they are the best tacos in the 'hood.
If anyone ever goes to Red Bank, I highly recommend a joint called Juanitos on Monmouth Street, near the intersection of West. There's a restaurant and bodega, both named Juanito's, at that intersection. The restaurant is OK (strictly for the gringos). I highly recommend the bodega (across Monmouth St. from the restaurant), where there's a takeout counter at the back. Amazing food and incredibly cheap, too. If you don't speak Spanish, ordering can be a struggle, but hey, that's part of the experience/adventure.
Posted on: 2008/7/7 20:24
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Re: Where are all the BJ shopping carts coming from?
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It seems to me that if they were half as diligent about stopping people from wheeling carts off the premises as they are busting mall shoppers who use the parking lot, we'd see a lot fewer carts downtown. To be fair, I saw a red cart with garbage in it on Barrow between Columbus and Newark (across the street from Brick Haus). Turned out it was a Target cart. Anyway, the shopping cart problem seems to be reaching epidemic proportions.
Posted on: 2008/7/1 21:21
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Re: I Saw Someone Riding A Bicycle On the Pulaski Skyway This Morning
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Quote:
Riding from JC to the GWB is not far..10 miles or less one way depending on where in JC you start. I'm definitely impressed by anyone riding in that direction. It's not so much the 10 miles, but isn't there an almighty, gut-busting uphill between Edgewater and the GWB? I used to do that ride when I lived in Manhattan. Ride up Riverside Drive, then over the GWB. Once over the bridge, I'd either hang a right and head up 9W towards Nyack, or left and down River Road towards Hoboken/JC. I remember the awesome downhill on River Road, where you could easily hit 45 mph. Nowadays, that would be insane with all the traffic on River Road - actually all the Gold Coast overdevelopment has taken out much of the joy in riding a bike on this side of the Hudson.
Posted on: 2008/6/28 23:53
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Re: Where are all the BJ shopping carts coming from?
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 Corner of Barrow & Wayne at 11 a.m. this morning. Best of all, a dog has already "marked" it!
Posted on: 2008/6/27 19:39
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Re: Where are all the BJ shopping carts coming from?
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Quote:
saw a 50 Columbus doorman last week, trying to look as cool as possible, strolling down Warren St. pushing a cart back to the BJs lot. I'm sure that was never in his job description! And for all that hassle, how much d'you wanna bet the residents there are probably lousy tippers come Christmas!
Posted on: 2008/6/27 15:36
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Re: Where are all the BJ shopping carts coming from?
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Quote:
Is this a cultural thing? Is it acceptable and normal to do this in other countries? Are we just so tightly wound and ethnocentric that we are missing a larger cultural behavior? The people I have actually seen pushing carts down the street recently have been well-heeled Asians. I can say for a fact that this is NOT done where they come from - certainly not in uptight Japan or in Singapore or Taiwan. Nor have I seen it in other parts of Asia. I've lived in western Europe, too, and I've never ever witnessed people wheeling shopping carts off the premises. My only guess as to why people here do this is that they can - they see other people doing it, and figure it's OK. They're aided and abetted by a don't-give-a-shit retail establishment and apartment building management.
Posted on: 2008/6/26 21:47
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Re: Where are all the BJ shopping carts coming from?
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OMG - that Grove Pointe hallway photo is both funny and sad at the same time!! Is it for real? Seriously, though, if I lived there or at 50 Columbus, I'd be raising a big stink with building management. For the rents they're charging, they should be busting residents for wheeling and abadoning shopping carts there. Aren't these doorman/concierge buildings? You'd think they would've stopped people from wheeling the cart in. Also, if the building has security cameras, they ought to be able to track down the guilty party, warn them, fine them, whatever. You don't see this crap at NYC apartment buildings - low or high rent. I showed one friend, who lives in Manhattan, this thread. He was highly amused that so many people do this. "I'd be embarrassed and afraid people might think I was homeless," he said. No such shame in JC, it seems!
Posted on: 2008/6/26 21:07
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Re: Morton Williams Grocery
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Quote:
If you love wegmans soooooooo much, than by all means go to yr nearest location and shop till you drop. Whoa! Chill, dude!! I'm just saying I like Wegman's and was asking Bill a question - no need to read any slight or insult into your beloved Morton Williams. I haven't even been there yet, but will probably drop in sometime in the next week or two. Am sure it'll be loads better than ShopRite...So untwist your knickers and quit snarling.
Posted on: 2008/6/25 17:57
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Re: Purportedly Incorrect Condo Building Master Deed - The Hague Building
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Quote:
I just moved into a condo in the heights and just found out that everyone, regardless of the size of their unit, pays the same common charge. When I asked if this was a mistake and could it be changed they said "no, it is not a mistake and can't be changed. That was the way the association was set up originally". It is not quite the same as your situation, but it is helpful to know something might be able to be done.... If this is the way it's spelled out in the master deed, then everyone has to abide by it as it's a binding legal document. Now, presumably, if you're paying equal amounts of maintenance, then you should have equal voting rights in the association. It's a small comfort, but at least that means the big unit owners can't just steamroll their way through major decisions. I went through a similar experience. Of course, you can amend a master deed, but most of them are set up to require three-quarters approval from the unit owners - a threshhold that's damn near impossible to achieve in most buildings. Usually, you'll find that just enough people benefit from the status quo to block any amendments. Often, your only recourse is to sue, but when you add up what it costs to retain an attorney - not to mention the grief and stress of going through a lawsuit - plus no guarantee that you'll win, a lot people decide to just suck it up and live with it. You need to carefully weigh the money you save in maintenance over the long run versus the cost of suing - and how long you would need to live there to recoup the legal costs. In our particular case, we decided the only winners in a lawsuit would be the lawyers themselves. As much as we hated the situation, we decided to chalk it up as experience. I now know in the future, if I ever buy another condo again, to ask for and thoroughly read the master deed and association by-laws BEFORE the closing, and to never ever leave it to my attorney to catch details like that.
Posted on: 2008/6/25 12:18
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Re: Morton Williams Grocery
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So, Bill, what are the chances that Wegman's will ever set up shop around here?? Or is that one of those fantasies that has about as much chance of happening as JC someday electing an honest and efficient city government? There's a Wegman's out near my parents' on Rt. 9 in Freehold or Manalapan (hard to tell in that part of Jersey where one town begins and another ends), and I just LOVE visiting that store everytime I'm out there. The place just totally rocks, and imho, beats Whole Foods any day of the week. We'd joke about the "Weekend at Weggies" whenever I visit my parents.
Posted on: 2008/6/25 11:57
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Re: All is not well for young Indian professionals - overheard conversations on the bus from Jersey
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Heights, you speak as if immigrants only take and have nothing to offer, nothing in the way of needed skills or talent. What if Einstein had never emigrated to the U.S.? What of all the brilliant minds and artists who have come here? The diversity is what makes this country so unique and amazing, despite all its faults. Yes, it would be great if a lot of basket-case countries fixed their problems so that their citizens didn't feel compelled to flee (they, too, suffer from a labor and brain drain - the Philippines, for example, suffer from a shortage of qualified nurses). Do you think people find it easy to uproot themselves from family and all that is familiar and come here because there's some great "giveaway" in the U.S.? They do so out of economic necessity (or desperation), because they can do some job Americans can't or won't do, whether it's laying bricks, caring for our sick or programming code. Do you think technological innovation and cutting-edge research at this country's universities is being done only by those born in this country? It's because the best minds in the world still want to come here that the U.S. still manages to stay ahead.
You speak as if your origins are firmly rooted here. Are you a Native American? Yes, the economy is bad and jobs are being lost, but it would be wrong to blame a particular group of people. Hitler tried that in the 30s. Lou Dobbs is trying it now. Wedge politics is always popular because it puts a face to your misfortunes and doesn't require you to think.
Posted on: 2008/6/24 12:15
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Re: New York Times: Staying in the Comfort Zone -"...amazed at how close Jersey City is to Manhattan
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Gawker pretty much hit the nail on the head a couple months ago on the NY Times real estate columns. Let's face it, they seem to profile only annoying twits looking for a place to live!
http://gawker.com/tag/urban-anthropol ... or-the-dumbest-of-reasons'
Posted on: 2008/6/23 18:16
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Re: New York Times: Staying in the Comfort Zone -"...amazed at how close Jersey City is to Manhattan
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Quote:
BTW, I'm wicked high maintenance and probably your worst nightmare on paper, but if you met me in person you might actually like me, even though apparently we have a completely different value system So long as you don't kvetch about my hanging my laundry out back to dry (and thereby lowering the neighborhood's property values), I think we'll get along grandly!
Posted on: 2008/6/23 14:15
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Re: New York Times: Staying in the Comfort Zone -"...amazed at how close Jersey City is to Manhattan
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Quote:
Why bother hating on people who are different from you? What do you care? They live in a building that you will never live in, plus they hang out in the city half the week, apparently. So what damage do they do to your life here? I don't get it. Would you want to be surrounded by people exactly like you for the rest of your life? Why? Because it's human nature, and it's OK to indulge in a little schadenfreude every now and then. I remember shuddering when I read that article in the paper Sunday morning and thinking, "Thank God these people aren't my neighbors." Not because they're yuppies, but because they seem more than a little high-maintenance. And the whole "comfort zone" thing? Read into that all sorts of subtext. So what if some of us read this piece and feel a tad superior to these people??? Yes, some people do feel a bit better reading that piece and thinking: "I may not be as rich as these people and may never be able to afford a home like that, but at least I'm not so wrapped up in myself I'm so out of touch, especially in these tough times." And no, I wouldn't want to be surrounded by people exactly like me for the rest of my life, but I generally would like to be around people who share the same values, and sorry, I just don't see it in these people. So stop beating up on posters just because they don't necessarily want to all hold hands and sing Kumbaya. JCList would be very boring, indeed, if everyone did.
Posted on: 2008/6/23 12:08
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Re: Where are all the BJ shopping carts coming from?
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Last week, as I was walking home from BB&B, I saw this chi-chi young Japanese couple wheel a blue ShopRite cart down Marin. She was decked out in high heels, minskirt and the latest LVMH bag and yakking on her cell phone while she pushed the cart at a snail's pace. They must've managed to find a cart without the wheel-lock feature. From the looks of it, they were probably headed for either 50 Columbus or Grove Pointe. I was tempted to say to them that they, or their building's valet, should return the cart to the store - but I'm such a wuss sometimes!
Posted on: 2008/6/22 17:02
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Re: Sprinkler Req'd by JC for Brownstone Renovation
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Quote:
I love how everyone has a number in their head and feels that, that is more than enough for an entire new sprinkler system in an old house that was built way before a sprinkler system was ever thought of.... True enough! It's never as simple as it seems. I know of one instance where the owner discovered that in older buildings, the water pressure often isn't sufficient for a sprinkler system, necessitating the purchase of a special pump that cost well into the five figures. Needless to say, I've been turned off to major renovation for life. I've decided that if I want drastic modernization or improvement, it's far easier to sell what I have and move to a new home.
Posted on: 2008/6/20 18:32
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Re: Sprinkler Req'd by JC for Brownstone Renovation
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Quote:
This has been a very long renovation process and I feel like I am at my wits end. I love JC, neighborhood, and neighbors, but I don't know if I can fight this system longer. HELP Please!!! Here's a question for you: how about just learning to live with what you've got? If you haven't begun demolition yet, it may be the only sane option. That, or selling the place. I've learned to embrace the concept of "good enough" when it comes to my home, especially after witnessing what people in JC go through for major renovations. You could literally end up in bankruptcy over the red tape, delays and cost overruns (a brownstone in my neighborhood has changed hands at least three times in five years because each successive owner has gotten in over their heads with ambitious gut rehab plans). The contractors in this area are, for the most part, just godawful. They're not great elsewhere, but my parents, who live in the suburbs, don't seem to suffer the abusive and price-gouging tactics of contractors here. If you really want to plow ahead with this, you may need to find a local contractor/architect who will secure all the necessary permits - someone who knows the right people at office of the contstruction offical (and has probably greased the right palms) - as part of the deal. This may limit your options, but will save you much grief.
Posted on: 2008/6/20 12:22
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