@jerseymom. Without a doubt. I had a friend in Hoboken who had his taxes go up 40% not so long ago. That's insane.

Consider 07305 (greenville section). To date, it is a mostly "undeveloped" nongentrified section but the entire west side/440/NJC Univ area is poised for massive redevelopment over the next 5 years. Our home is absolutely gorgeus with alot of historic points. I commuted the 99s right on the corner of JFK for 10 years and Always got a seat and was approx. 40-50 minutes to Port authority. The neighborhood west of JFK quiet (by city standards) and single family. Restaurant/retail limited still but easy access to 440 and/or bayonne Stop & Shop plaza (which is a great store). Our house for sale at $350k for 3 BR, 2 Bath and private backyard a great deal considering the future development of the area. Our block is Woodlawn av and we listed with Prudential Realty. It's a great location to have space and comfort away from the "hubbub" but close enough to enjoy downtown JC activities and NYC events.

07304:
179 Pine Street is for sale. 50 ft. lot with a free-standing two family house you could get in the low 3's. maybe $320K. You could rent out one unit or just use it as a one family.
Dead end street so its very quiet. 3 blocks from LSP light rail.

Something to keep in mind is that a revaluation is supposed to happen soon in the city - where tax rates on homes will be readjusted. Might want to check in to that a little more with your Realtor before you decide to purchase. I think there was a thread here on that topic as well.

I live in the 07306 area of the Heights and I walk to the PATH. It's about a 10 minute walk and that's with the snow. Without the snow I can do it in about 7 minutes.

Like someone else said, each street has a different vibe. I like our street, I hate our post guy but everyone else is great. =)

If you are looking for an area that is close to the Path and safe take a look at The Hilltop Neighborhood.. You can find one and two family homes in that neighborhood at reasonable prices.. The areas website is http://www.hilltopneighborhood.com/

Very helpful input everyone. Much appreciated.

I would also add that you can't generalize about a zip code here, as the vibe varies with each block. We live close to Lincoln Park, and my wife takes the 99s bus in to Midtown each day. The express bus along JFK is great, but it will obviously take longer than from the heights. Her ride is 30-45 minutes, depending on traffic.

If you look in 07304, I would say to stay east of West Side, west of Bergen and north of Communipaw. St. Aloyisus is a popular Catholic school right off the park, but I'm not from this area nor do I have kids yet, so I can't really provide any feedback there.

Best bet is to look in both zip codes and see what the neighborhoods seem like to you. As long as you're within a block of JFK, you'll have good commuting options.

another thing to consider is what area of NYC you're commuting to. if your wife works around midtown or above, it's actually much easier to take a bus into the city from the heights. there is regular bus service on JFK blvd into new york city; in the mornings the buses (a combination of chartered vans and NJ transit buses) run every 5-10 mins, and drop you off at the port authority bus terminal in about 20-25 mins total (depending on traffic).

st ann's on JFK blvd (near congress st) and st nicholas (on central ave and ferry street) are two good private school options for K-8.

also consider the 07307 area code. it's literally across the street from 07306 in the heights. there are a lot of two family houses in that price range, and you can rent out one of the floors for extra income. if you prefer a 1 family, you could probably find something similar and a bit cheaper as well.

Since 07306 is Journal Square that means you can walk to the PATH. If you're in the Heights you have to take a bus or cab to the PATH-this is why when we were looking we settled on 07306.
Since I commute daily to the city I saw adding the extra bus step to the commute as a major hassle.
I'm sure you can find something in your price range and as we approach Spring even more should come up. Good luck!

07306 is the Journal Sq/Heights area.... There is Hudson Catholic HS... Marist has a pick up on Kennedy Blvd. If you want to go to the city, the Path isn?t far, and you have plenty of jitney buses running..

Crime has been a uptick in this area just like everywhere else..

My wife, son and I currently rent in Paulus Hook and are paying 2500 a month.

We want to buy in an area that we can afford and are looking in the 300k range for a 2-3 bed 2 bath and I've seen a few places in the 07306 and 07304 areas. I know very little about these areas and obviously know I will have to really check it out.

My wife works in Manhattan and I telecommute so we need something close to public transportation. Also, we want to keep our son in Catholic school (he is currently at OLC and would want something similar).

We don't want to live in a rough area. If anyone has any insight into the different zips it would greatly be appreciated.

Thanks