There is an app for Zillow -- and here is each area to look over: (just click the links to see)

Downtown JC:
http://www.zillow.com/homes/07302_rb/

Journal Square:
http://www.zillow.com/homes/jersey-city-journal-square_rb/

The Heights:
http://www.zillow.com/homes/jersey-city-heights_rb/

Bergen Lafayette:
http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/ ... Lafayette-Jersey-City-NJ/

West Side:
http://www.zillow.com/homes/jersey-city-west-side_rb/

Greenville:
http://www.zillow.com/homes/jersey-city-greenville_rb/

Also see:
http://www.njmls.com

...and there are many sources (even apps) for bank owned properties....

http://www.auction.com/New-Jersey/Hud ... estate-home-auctions.html

Looking for a fixer upper single family? How about this place near the Journal Square PATH station for only $100,000?

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/61- ... y-NJ-07306/38915349_zpid/

Take a look at multi-families near the Liberty State Park light rail when you visit Saturday. Some single family's are going for $99K here. The walk to Grove St. PATH is 25 minutes. But the light rail runs frequently and will take you to a bunch of PATH stations like Newport and Exchange Place, as well as Hoboken rail and ferry terminal.

miles

From your description, it sounds like you're looking for something in Journal Square. The heights you would need a car or take the light rail/path or bus/path into the city. I dont think there are many single family homes downtown and if so, they would be pricey. You would need a car in greensville and would be far from the path.

The path in JS is in a great area for commuters but the surrounding area gets a little shady esp at night but nothing like Bed Stuy. Anything outside of these areas you would be too far from public transportation.

Being a person of Brooklyn decent I suggest restricting yourself to 07302. With that being said, visit www.zillow.com and search by zip code and the amount of families that would suit you? The recent sale data on the site is the gem on the site and should give you an idea on how much you are willing to spend. As you know you will need at least 20 percent down as well as closing fees. The big trick is finding a reliable tenant or tenants depending on the amount of families the building is. Good luck.

Welcome to JCList - it really is a great forum for guidance on all thing Jersey City.

Planning for the long term, if you want to bring children into your home equation, think about exploring the schools in the neighborhood where you plan to settle. Not everyone can 1)get a space in the area private schools or 2) afford the astronomical private school tuition that is found in JC or 3) win the coveted spaces in our improving charter schools. I've never been a fan of the JC public school system in the neighborhoods I've lived in (JSquare and the Heights).

When my husband and I purchased our first home in the Heights ten years ago, the school issue seemed so far off, we really didn't think about it. In hindsight, I really wished I had given it first priority as we would have made drastically different decisions.

Also, there are some great former threads about being a landlord here. If it's your first time as a landlord, you are well advised to also browse through and view what awaits you. I was a landlord, too, in the Heights, when we had a two-family. It's a great way to offset the mortgage, but it does come with its challenges. Think about the area and the type of renters you will encounter that are unique to that neighborhood.

I would strongly encourage you to rent for six months to a year and get aquainted with the area before you make the big purchase. Good luck and let us know how your search goes!

I think Journal Square is your best bet. We bought a single family home here about 4 years ago after living in Brooklyn for 10 years. Being walking distance to the PATH was crucial and Grove was not an option budget wise so JSQ was a perfect fit...plus you actually get a seat on the PATH! There are tons of multifamily properties around here as well, and (fingers crossed) it's up and coming. I have seen some beautiful old homes further south and in the heights but we just couldn't deal with not being on the PATH line.
In terms of safety there is some sketchyness but we have a great block where everyone looks out for each other-I think it's important to talk to neighbors beforehand if at all possible. I feel safe walking home at night but I always stay aware of people around me, which you have to be in any city.
RE: everyday amenities: one of the best bagel places in town is right around the corner (Wonder bagels); cheap vegetable stand on Kennedy; pharmacies galore; the diner; the post office, and a short drive to major shopping-Home Depot/Lowe's, multiple grocery stores, Homegoods, Target, Best buy, etc.

Hope this helps...and good luck!

commute may be a bit longer, but come to The Heights! We have exactly what you're looking for!

Wow, thank you all so much. I have a lot to look in to. Greenville sounds exciting as do many of the areas. Astor Place and Summit also sound very interesting. But, so does Journal Square.

I think the first thing we have to do is get ourselves familiar with the area. Saturday morning, we are taking the train from our house to Downtown Jersey City.

We are taking a map and spending the entire day.

We love old architecture like we have here in Bed Stuy.

Thank you again so much for your help and I will keep you all informed, I appreciate it.

Daniel

I am a gay white male and I just purchased in Greenville. Its mostly an African American area, Its an easy commute to the city via lightrail. Keep in mind there is no nightlife here, but for night life I got to NYC or Hoboken. Greenville is not for everyone, but it has been attracting more gays and artist not many families, I guess its due to the school system here but pretty much all of JC schools sucks.

Quote:

Dude, when was the last time you were in BedStuy? I do a ton of business over there and every house that is being sold is getting gobbled up by dual income creative types pulling in 100k+ incomes. I'm serious it's totally different than it was 5 years ago. It's not all fine and dandy but I think it's safer than greenville. Also houses there are now going for close to 1 Million for a full 4 story 20ft wide house either near the Utica Ave stop or near the Clinton Hill border. 650k for ones that need work that are still full sized.

OP- Look downtown in JC, there are some deals out there in the western area of Hamilton Park, Harsimus Cove and the Italian Village section. The RE taxes are much higher than Brooklyn but you won't pay the NYC income tax either.

Journal Square isn't cheap enough for what you get amenities wise in my opinion but the OP may like it. Bergen Hill the section north of Communipaw has some nice houses but still a little far from the PATH if you need to be tied to transit to NYC that's convenient.

Well Bedstuy has a crack house on every other corner, Greenville is huge so I don't understand when people say stay away from it, There is Country Village, Port Liberty, Society Hill, Danforth has some beautiful homes, all of these sections are Greenville, they all share the same zip code. If this guy is brave enough to live in Bedstuy(which I would not) he should not be afraid of Greenville or BL unless he's afraid of a large population of blacks, which I assume he is not since he lived n Bedstuy. Like I said many times b4 this place "Jclist" is pro downtown so you tend not to get honest reviews when it comes to other parts of JC.

You might like the area between Journal Square and Downtown. It seems to fit your profile a bit. The area along Magnolia and Chestnut has some interesting properties and there's some evidence that things are about to change for the better.

Also, there's an area around Astor Place and Summit Ave which has the most beautiful brownstones. I wish I had the guts to live there.

Quote:

Yes, I've been to all 3. I wouldn't recommend any of those areas to my enemies, let alone a stranger. Bedstuy, however, is undergoing some gentrification.

Just scroll through NJ.com and look for the murders and arrests, you'll have a good idea of how family friendly Greenville and BL....

Well the further north and west you go in Jersey City the better it gets. However the south east side of the Heights is getting close to gentrifing and nearer to the PATH. JSQ is also good for older apartment buildings and it is nearest to the PATH. There is a N.J. Light Rail elevator to their train station on the north east end of the Heights. Below is a link to a realty company I've dealt with and reccomend as well.
http://www.century21plaza.com/c21aboutus.html

Quote:

Well he said cusp of gentrification and a PATH stop, so I'm basing it on that.

LOL have any of you people ever been to BedStuy? Greenville and BL are gems compared to Bedstuy.

I second Journal Square. If you don't mind bus transportation, look into the Jersey City heights section. Those two are the bed stuy areas of jersey city.

The area around Hamilton park is also very nice but is about a 12-15 minute walk to the PATH (I wouldn't consider that area rough though).

Stay away from Greenville and Bergen/Lafayette sections of Jersey City - not at all family friendly.

I do not think Greenville should be excluded, downtown was a shit hole only 10 yrs ago, and now its over developed. If he lived in Bed-Stuy He would be able to handle Greenville, Bedstuy in my opinion is 10x worst than Greenville.

Hi I just went through this, I was living in Dixon mills as a renter and did not want to buy there, I am not a fan of condos. When I was finally ready to buy did not know where or how to start, I would recommend a great Realtor who has lived in JC for 30 years she can find you something for sure. It took her 8 months to find me my place but she knows all the good spots, bad spots etc. You did not mention your budget, but I would give her a call and she can show you some good stuff.
Noemi Escobar
Sales Associate
Jersey City Office
15 Nardone Pl
Jersey City, NJ 07306
Office: (201) 963-1400
Direct: (201) 418-7511
Cell: (201) 965-7794
Fax: (862) 345-1664I was very picky so it took me a while. You did mention you wanted to be near the path but have you also considered using the lightrail?

I think Journal Square is the only PATH stop in Jersey City that fits your description. There are lots of multi-family houses in the vicinity. My only advice is be careful when you say you don't mind if it's rough, because rough by Jersey City standards can be pretty darn rough (stay away from anything considered Greenville). I think the southern end of the Heights neighborhood might be your best option, you'd probably be looking at a 10 minute walk to the PATH from that area.

Hello,

I have been following this site for some time and really appreciate everyone's great advice. So, here is my question.

My wife and I will be moving into Jersey City from Brooklyn.. We moved to Bed Stuy a couple of years ago and were very happy there.

Recently, my wife and I got new jobs in Jersey and so, we are off.

Jersey City seems like the best place for us, our family living in Manhattan and me still having to work around the World Trade Center every now and then.

So, what we are looking for is, a multi family property where we can live in an apartment and rent out a few other units.

We need to live along the Path so there is a quick commute via train to Manhattan. We want to live in an area that is on the cusp of gentrification. Meaning, we don't mind if the place is rough as long as it's in walking distance to places that we may enjoy.

Looking for the Bedstuy/Clinton HIll of Jersey City. Transportation is a must.

Thank you for your time.