Lenovo wrote:
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jo3_13 wrote:
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I looked into Heights, but don't see much that fits our needs for rent. DJTC parking is hard on the street - there is no denying this.

I don't think Jersey City is the place for you. Try Westfield or Cranford, NJ. They are nice/safe towns. You can rent a place relatively inexpensively and they both have a walkable "downtown" area. It's roughly halfway between NYC and New Brunswick and is on the NJ Transit Raritan Valley line.

I am not sure where you are moving from... but based on your unique criteria it doesn't sound like you will be happy with Jersey City. Granted its not for everyone... but I LOVE it!!!

Thanks for your brilliant advice. I wasn't sure that I had to get your approval before moving anywhere.

moobycow wrote:
Take a look at the relative number of bullseyes ...

http://spotcrime.com/#40.709052%2C%20-74.07864

I know most of that is gang violence, and not likely to impact someone outside of the gang culture, but still ... it's a lot of gunfire

moobycow wrote:
We're all out of neighborhoods and none fit your criteria.

getz011 wrote:
http://spotcrime.com/#40.740907%2C%20-73.98150 - though I'm sure you felt safe in Gramercy.

Susan_N wrote:
Hi Lenovo,

You wondered why jcmiles brought up Lafayette, but in your original thread you asked: "Are there any other neighborhoods we should be considering?" I live in Lafayette, and actually thought about responding to your original post, but I was lazy and did not. When jcmiles wrote the first post about Lafayette, I agreed, but was still lazy. But given your questioning as to why anyone would mention a neighborhood other than PL or SL, I thought I would point out that you seemed to have asked for this kind of information.

So, I will now answer your question about whether there are other neighborhoods to consider, knowing full well from your earlier responses that you are not likely to be interested in Lafayette. But maybe someone else will. It's too bad because I actually think that this neighborhood fits all of your criteria.

My husband and I have lived here for almost five years after years in Manhattan and a stint in downtown JC. We have two cars. He commutes to Manhattan (by bus and PATH) and I commute to Jersey suburbia (by car; super easy access to 78/Turnpike extension). There's tons of street parking and we were able to buy a three-story row house (three bedrooms, three full baths) with mortgage and taxes together that are well below your limit. I frequently walk or jog by myself and have never once felt unsafe or had a problem. I find this to be a tight-knit community. I know all of my neighbors, and everyone keeps an eye out for everyone else. I've become friends with a number of neighbors, more than I did in Manhattan or downtown JC. The connections among neighbors may be why we have had fairly minimal crime in my immediate part of the neighborhood. Nobody I know has been directly affected by crime in the years I've lived here.

In any case, I suspect you will now attack me as well, so please let me apologize in advance for bothering you. I hope, though, that this information will be useful to others who are reading this thread. I know that Lafayette is not for everyone, but many of us truly love it. In case you think that I'm all about Lafayette because I bought here, I want to mention that my husband and I rented for a year before buying; when we bought, we already knew we loved the neighborhood.

Best of luck in your search,
Susan

Lenovo wrote:
Solid advice. Thanks.

Yet, you felt the need to throw in a plug for BL because.......Can't really figure out why as it serves no purpose to my original inquiry.

Lenovo wrote:
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jcmiles wrote:
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Lenovo wrote:
"Urban Pioneer mindset" - haha you should coin the term and maybe it will make everyone on here feel like real champs.

Lenovo = pompous ignoramus

Ahh name calling! That's about all we were missing in this thread. Glad to see that JC hasn't lost its edge or its great citizens since I last lived there.

Btw, do you know the definition of ignoramus? I asked specifically about a "safe" neighborhood and/or a comparison between PL and SH. Yet, you felt the need to throw in a plug for BL because.......Can't really figure out why as it serves no purpose to my original inquiry. Perhaps you live there, or perhaps you are delusional or ignorant or a combination in believing that it is safe, but, suffice to say, you are the "ignoramus" for bringing it up.

http://spotcrime.com/#40.711252%2C%20-74.07376

jcmiles wrote:
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Lenovo wrote:
"Urban Pioneer mindset" - haha you should coin the term and maybe it will make everyone on here feel like real champs.

Lenovo = pompous ignoramus

Lenovo wrote:
"Urban Pioneer mindset" - haha you should coin the term and maybe it will make everyone on here feel like real champs.

FKSJC wrote:
Lenovo- reading through posts it seems IMO that you are rather judgemental! Very entertaining :)

Know this is going to start a huge "thing", but BL is many things but safe is not one of them. Yes by definitiion all generalizations are false, and IMO you have to be of the urban pioneer mindset to thrive there. It sounds like you and your cars (note plural) are not that (urban pioneers that is). Not a bad thing- just a statement of perceived fact. BL is great, but at least IMO not there "yet".

Both PL and SH- beautiful yes. Isolated- yes too!

jo3_13 wrote:
Quote:

I looked into Heights, but don't see much that fits our needs for rent. DJTC parking is hard on the street - there is no denying this.

I don't think Jersey City is the place for you. Try Westfield or Cranford, NJ. They are nice/safe towns. You can rent a place relatively inexpensively and they both have a walkable "downtown" area. It's roughly halfway between NYC and New Brunswick and is on the NJ Transit Raritan Valley line.

I am not sure where you are moving from... but based on your unique criteria it doesn't sound like you will be happy with Jersey City. Granted its not for everyone... but I LOVE it!!!

Lenovo wrote:
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user1111 wrote:
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Lenovo wrote:
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user1111 wrote:
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pacoYtaco wrote:
If you look at Bayonne and even in Greenville you can find places with driveways.

Agreed, and many of those places are minutes from the rail.

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Jersey City wise the area around the border of Bayonne and JC isn't so bad. And lots of folks keep saying good things about the Heights.

+1 I also like the area near the Liberty State Park rail off Communipaw but just be careful to choose something high around there, the area is known for flooding.

I live 5 min away from PL and yes it is secluded but I am guessing folks who live there they want that secluded vibe. I prefer neighborhoods than a gated community after living in DM for many years.

So if I had to choose between SH or PL I would choose PL which has a few more amenities than SH. PL has a cafe, gym, & its own ferry service.

SH which is also a gated community, sits in the middle of RT 440 which is noisy and sometimes smelly from all the traffic. There is also no way to get out of SH without a car.

The plus side to living in SH you are across the road from wonder bagels and Vinny's Piza which are quite good. PL and SH are two popular condo complexes within Greenville but neither of them add anything to the surrounding areas they are located. Good Luck!

Thanks for the input. PL is a bit more expensive though and you only get one parking spot.

Which exact area are you talking about off Communipaw?

The neighborhood is called Bergen Lafayette the light rail stop is Liberty State Park, to rent a home would cost you about 2k a month and most have garages or parking spots and everything else on your wishlist. IMO I think its safe enough.

Also I think if you hit all the lightrail stops after Jersey ave going towards 8th street or Westside you will find homes for rent with garages.
The best advise I can give you is for you and your partner to explore each stop and get a feel for the area. If you don't like it you keep searching, but do not take most of these people seriously here, so many of them have never been outside of their neighborhoods.

Believe it or not most of Jersey City is getting better and if you are not a drug dealer or drug buyer your chances of getting involve in a crime are slim to none. .

Solid advice. Thanks.

We were considering gated places bc of safety - I grew up in JC in the mid 90s and I know first hand what JC is all about. I agree the city is turning around for the better but there are still some very sketchy hoods around.

If you don't mind me asking, where do you live? You posted that you live walking distance to PL. How is that area around where you live?

I looked into Heights, but don't see much that fits our needs for rent. DJTC parking is hard on the street - there is no denying this.

user1111 wrote:
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Lenovo wrote:
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user1111 wrote:
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pacoYtaco wrote:
If you look at Bayonne and even in Greenville you can find places with driveways.

Agreed, and many of those places are minutes from the rail.

Quote:

Jersey City wise the area around the border of Bayonne and JC isn't so bad. And lots of folks keep saying good things about the Heights.

+1 I also like the area near the Liberty State Park rail off Communipaw but just be careful to choose something high around there, the area is known for flooding.

I live 5 min away from PL and yes it is secluded but I am guessing folks who live there they want that secluded vibe. I prefer neighborhoods than a gated community after living in DM for many years.

So if I had to choose between SH or PL I would choose PL which has a few more amenities than SH. PL has a cafe, gym, & its own ferry service.

SH which is also a gated community, sits in the middle of RT 440 which is noisy and sometimes smelly from all the traffic. There is also no way to get out of SH without a car.

The plus side to living in SH you are across the road from wonder bagels and Vinny's Piza which are quite good. PL and SH are two popular condo complexes within Greenville but neither of them add anything to the surrounding areas they are located. Good Luck!

Thanks for the input. PL is a bit more expensive though and you only get one parking spot.

Which exact area are you talking about off Communipaw?

The neighborhood is called Bergen Lafayette the light rail stop is Liberty State Park, to rent a home would cost you about 2k a month and most have garages or parking spots and everything else on your wishlist. IMO I think its safe enough.

Also I think if you hit all the lightrail stops after Jersey ave going towards 8th street or Westside you will find homes for rent with garages.
The best advise I can give you is for you and your partner to explore each stop and get a feel for the area. If you don't like it you keep searching, but do not take most of these people seriously here, so many of them have never been outside of their neighborhoods.

Believe it or not most of Jersey City is getting better and if you are not a drug dealer or drug buyer your chances of getting involve in a crime are slim to none. .

tommyc_37 wrote:
Two people without kids living in Jersey City with two cars is a bit too much. Why even live in JC? The advantage of JC is walkability and public transportation. Why not live in the suburbs if you both prefer to zip around in cars? Especially if you are looking at gated communities like Society Hill. What is the advantage of living in an urban area?

Also, why drive to Gramercy Park in Manhattan? If you live near a Path station, the 14th Street and 23rd Street stations offer really good accesibility to that neighborhood.

Also, if you live near a Path station, the commute by rail to New Brunswick is about 45 minutes, which is the same as the commute by car, or even faster if you account for bad traffic every now and then (which you will encounter). This is, of course, assuming you work in downtown New Brunswick near the train station.

jcmiles wrote:
With two cars I would look at opportunities to rent or buy in Bergen/Lafayette. You can find quite a few properties with their own driveways, or at least easy, free street parking right in front of your dwelling.

Lenovo wrote:
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user1111 wrote:
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pacoYtaco wrote:
If you look at Bayonne and even in Greenville you can find places with driveways.

Agreed, and many of those places are minutes from the rail.

Quote:

Jersey City wise the area around the border of Bayonne and JC isn't so bad. And lots of folks keep saying good things about the Heights.

+1 I also like the area near the Liberty State Park rail off Communipaw but just be careful to choose something high around there, the area is known for flooding.

I live 5 min away from PL and yes it is secluded but I am guessing folks who live there they want that secluded vibe. I prefer neighborhoods than a gated community after living in DM for many years.

So if I had to choose between SH or PL I would choose PL which has a few more amenities than SH. PL has a cafe, gym, & its own ferry service.

SH which is also a gated community, sits in the middle of RT 440 which is noisy and sometimes smelly from all the traffic. There is also no way to get out of SH without a car.

The plus side to living in SH you are across the road from wonder bagels and Vinny's Piza which are quite good. PL and SH are two popular condo complexes within Greenville but neither of them add anything to the surrounding areas they are located. Good Luck!

Thanks for the input. PL is a bit more expensive though and you only get one parking spot.

Which exact area are you talking about off Communipaw?

PathH8Tr wrote:
Parking isn't necessarily a problem if you have one car. Also, in DTJC. There are parking garages in that area too. (Do a search on this site, you'll find threads about it). I recommend doing a search on this site anyways to get more opinions on areas. People have already been more specific about Greenville, Journal Square etc. PL is like a retirement community. It has no city flavor. We always tease it's for retirees with boats and people from the 'burbs too scared to come any further. You'd be isolated there, unless that's what you want.

There are possibilities in DTJC. I've had friends find amazing things for less than you imagine. Outdoor space and all. This is the time right now. If I had to move to Jersey City with what I know now about all the areas my first choice would be DTJC near Grove Street PATH. My friends who couldn't afford it there chose Journal Square, then the Heights.

AngelSauce wrote:
Have you considered Journal Square?

Atsushi wrote:
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Lenovo wrote:
We are a young couple looking for a safe neighborhood to live in JC. One of us will be commuting into NYC driving daily to east side around Gramercy, while the other will drive south towards New Brunswick.

You guys must have a reason that one of you want to commute to NYC by car, but for the life of me, I can't guess what it might be!

A smart thing to do would be to get rid of one car because driving to New Brunswick does make sense.

As a matter of fact, my wife and I have only one car. I drive to Somerset and she takes PATH and MTA.

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Currently, we are looking at places in Society Hill and Port Liberte. Budget is no more than 2500, but would really prefer something closer to 2K, for a 2bed 2bath with parking spots. No kids and one small dog.

$2000 sounds like enough budget for a nice 1 bed room apartment. Again, you must have a good reason for looking for 2 bed 2 bath, but I can't figure out what that might be.

And if you have only one car, and if you use it to commute, having a parking spot is NOT necessary in JCDT. I live in Van Vorst Park neighborhood, and when I come home around 6PM, there are plenty of spots available (the longest I ever spent looking for a spot is 3 minutes). The only minor inconvenience is when you take a day off for whatever the reason. Then you need to know where you park because of street cleaning. But you can either move your car, or better, plan ahead when you come home. When I know I'm not going to work the next day, I park where I won't have to move it next day.

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We looked at a couple of places in PL and they are all 2.5K or more with only one parking spot. Overall, the place seems safe, but secluded. We have not had a chance to venture into Society Hill yet, but have read mixed reviews about the place. It seems the commute to Holland Tunnel will be quicker with PL, but not sure about paying the premium to live there as opposed to SH.

If you are a young couple with no kids, I just don't see why you want to live in a gated community. Again, you must have your reasons...

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Can you guys provide some insight about either place or which one would be better overall choice? DTJC is out because it is too expensive and parking will be almost impossible to find there. Also, can anyone recommend a good Realtor to use? Are there any other neighborhoods we should be considering? Any other comments/insights and jokes are also welcome

Have you heard of "down-sizing?" If you change your ideas about certain things, like why do we need a 2 bedroom apartment? or why do we need 2 cars? You can enjoy your life in a different but better way.

Well, it's just my opinion.

moobycow wrote:
I'm going to guess someone who wanted a 'safe' neighborhood isn't going to like Greenville too much (outside of the gated communities).

Bayonne is a good choice as is the Heights. You probably can't afford DTJC with your wish list, but you could get lucky.

The one suggestion is you could give up one car and that gives might give you a wider range of places. It's relatively simply to find a place with one spot, but pretty hard to find a space with two.

user1111 wrote:
Quote:

pacoYtaco wrote:
If you look at Bayonne and even in Greenville you can find places with driveways.

Agreed, and many of those places are minutes from the rail.

Quote:

Jersey City wise the area around the border of Bayonne and JC isn't so bad. And lots of folks keep saying good things about the Heights.

+1 I also like the area near the Liberty State Park rail off Communipaw but just be careful to choose something high around there, the area is known for flooding.

I live 5 min away from PL and yes it is secluded but I am guessing folks who live there they want that secluded vibe. I prefer neighborhoods than a gated community after living in DM for many years.

So if I had to choose between SH or PL I would choose PL which has a few more amenities than SH. PL has a cafe, gym, & its own ferry service.

SH which is also a gated community, sits in the middle of RT 440 which is noisy and sometimes smelly from all the traffic. There is also no way to get out of SH without a car.

The plus side to living in SH you are across the road from wonder bagels and Vinny's Piza which are quite good. PL and SH are two popular condo complexes within Greenville but neither of them add anything to the surrounding areas they are located. Good Luck!