Choosing Where You Want to Be in Essex County  

Looking for a starter home in Essex County? While prices escalated for over a decade, in 2007 they began to stagnate, then decline. Returning to a vigorous real estate market will take time; years, perhaps. But people still buy and sell and need advice RIGHT NOW on how to do it effectively. It's the job of a real estate professional to advise sellers as honestly as possible about market realities.  

As always, location plays a huge role in home pricing. Lower-priced homes are often farther from easy NYC transportation, located on busier streets, and in neighborhoods with less impressive school performance than others. However, for first-time buyers, it's not always about schools or commute. It's about affordability and finding a nesting place. My award-winning team and I understand this completely. Our ability to match you up to the right town, neighborhood, school system, housing style, and commute (among other essentials) is unparalleled. To help you decide where you want to be, here are some local towns worth checking out if you're thinking about home ownership for the first time, many of them offering genuine "walkability" to local shops: 

Belleville - Home to many smaller starter colonials, capes, and multi-family properties, with pricing starting around $200,000 - many of them offered in today's market as "short sales" and bank=owned foreclosures. While Belleville's Schools are not on the level of some of the other towns I discuss, the town's proximity to the City is a distinct plus. Essex Park, a large, attractive Centex-built condo development (prices ranging from the low $300's to mid-$400's) has brought a certain cache to busy Franklin Ave., near Belleville's main business district. Belleville has a wide selection of garden apartment-style condos that are a great option for newcomers on a tight budget. There's no City-bound direct train in Bellville, only buses and a subway line to downtown Newark. 

Bloomfield - Undoubtedly Essex County, NJ's best kept secret, Bloomfield is poised for rebirth when its downtown Midtown Direct train station and surrounding shops are eventually revitalized. Located just east of Montclair, Bloomfield offers a huge inventory of smaller colonials and capes in the Broughton, Watsessing, Franklin and St. Val's sections. (Bus service to NYC from these areas.) Larger Victorians and multi-family homes in the downtown historic section and village green adjacent to Bloomfield College and the Watsessing Park area, walking distance from New York direct trains, are also value-priced, starting in the low $300s. Bloomfield's appealing Oakview and Brookdale neighborhoods are now quite expensive, with the average home selling for $350,000 - $450,000, but with some cute smaller homes now bargain priced in the low $300s. These areas also have among the highest-performing primary schools in the county. Bloomfield High School, recently expanded, still struggles for excellence. Like Montclair, Glen Ridge, Maplewood, South Orange and Millburn/Short Hills, Bloomfield's Midtown Direct train puts it in a superb position to lead the future real estate market, according to Geoff Otteau, NJ's housing statistics guru: “A good place to buy a home is where the demand will be greatest in the future and where the demand will be greatest in the future are urban markets and inner-ring suburbs, townships on rail lines that connect to where the jobs are.” 

Cedar Grove - This small, leafy town with well-regarded schools and the lowest taxes in the county -- located just west of Montclair -- boasts a small inventory of smaller colonials, splits and capes priced under $500,000. (Bus service to NYC.) Cedar Grove also has neighborhoods of luxury homes, such as Park Ridge Estates. 

The Caldwells - While North Caldwell is known for its higher prices and bigger homes, both Caldwell and West Caldwell have very sweet, older homes as well as split levels, starting around in the $400s. Caldwell's town center is one of the most charming and lively and superb mall shopping is 5 minutes away. North Caldwell, tucked way and private, is of special interest to those who yearn for big yards and square footage. Many of the homes, built after 1960, are sprawling! The Caldwells have bus service to NYC and many shopping possibilities along Bloomfield Ave. Caldwell, NJ is home to Caldwell College and Mt. Saint Dominic's Academy, a private Catholic school for girls. James Caldwell HS serving W. Caldwell was ranked 43rd in the state in 2006 while West Essex Regional, serving N. Caldwell, ranked 34th. 

Glen Ridge -- Housing inventory at any given time is just a blip in this exceedingly charming town, but occasional listings priced between $400,000 and $500,000 do emerge, usually in the South end of the town. Many have attracted bidding wars, even in this difficult market. You can walk to either the Glen Ridge or Bloomfield center train stations for a 35-min NYC Direct commute or a bit longer if you take one of the town's jitneys to the train. Bus transportation is also available, both to Newark and NYC. The town's schools are remarkable. In the New Jersey Monthly rankings, little Glen Ridge is ranked 4th in 2019 out of all NJ districts. Wow! 

Livingston -- More sprawling and surburban in feel than classic villages like Montclair, Maplewood, South Orange and Millburn, Livingston also has a larger inventory of post-WW2 Mid-Century Modern and contemporary homes, some on very large land parcels -- and has a 'top 20' school district. S. Livingston Ave. is a thriving town center, with the arrival of a huge new upscale condo development, The Carillon, along with a cluster of toney shops and new single-family homes, the town can be said to be among Essex County's priciest. This development, on the corner of S. Livingston and Mt. Pleasant Aves., brings a new town feel to Livingston. The town is also home to the Livingston Mall -- and the large Regency Club condo development across the street -- and two excellent private schools -- Newark Academy, with its impressive International Baccalaureate Program; and the Joseph Kushner Academy, a Jewish day school. Some small ranches, bungalows and capes are now available in Livingston starting in the $300s. Residents often drive to neighboring West Orange's Park & Ride bus service on Northfield Ave. to the City, or to nearby Harrison, NJ to catch PATH trains that run every frequently, day and night, in and out of NYC. 

Maplewood - A trendy popular living destination, with an appealing village feel, Maplewood was recently cited by New York Magazine as a great place to live. It has New York Direct train service and an utterly charming town center. Starter homes, mostly small colonials, begin around $425,000 in the Hilton, Boyden and Clinton neighborhoods. Maplewood has always been called "the little Montclair," but as the housing boom persisted, this attractive town became "hot" in its own right. While prices have declined here as elsewhere, more than ever Maplewood is a great starter home destination, especially the Tuscan Section, with its excellent primary school and nearness to Maplewood Village. Columbia HS, serving Maplewood and sister-town S. Orange, ranks among the 'top 100' high schools statewide in 2010, according to New Jersey Monthly magazine. 

Millburn/Short Hills -- With superior schools (ranked #1 2010 by NJ Monthly), elegant neighborhoods, a nationally-known theater, and twin business districts, Millburn/Short Hills is one of Essex County's jewels -- with home prices that reflective of that. With many homes selling for well over $1M, this is a special destination with a housing inventory that hasn't suffered as dearly as neighboring towns in this economic downturn. Downton Millburn's quaint shops and Short Hills winding country roads make are quite special, to be sure. Even now, there are very few homes under a half-million. Train stations in Millburn and Short Hills for NYC Direct commuters. 

Montclair - With a finite inventory of smaller homes in both the North and South ends, it's still not that easy to find a starter home under $400,000 in this sought-after regional hub -- one of the tri-state area's true "Edge Cities." Montclair's distictive Freedom of Choice/magnet school program means that no matter where in the municipality you live, your children have the opportunity to attend (one of) the schools of their choice. The diverse district ranks in NJ Monthly's 'top 100' public school districts. The town's six train stations are all Midtown Direct into Penn Station, NYC, which continues drives buyer interest, along with the town's exquisite "walkability" factor.  

Nutley - Inventory throughout this picturesque town with many quaint shopsin an old-fashioned village atmosphere, includes some smaller capes and colonials within affordable reach -- the high $200s and up. (Bus service to NYC only or catch the train at neighboring Clifton's Delawanna Station on the Bergen Line.)  

Orange - In scenic Seven Oaks section, located adjacent to South Orange's beautiful Montrose historic section, are many value-priced, larger, older homes, some requiring renovation, now at bargain prices, starting in the $200s. It's a short walk to Orange's Highland station or to South Orange's Mountain Station for the PATH to NYC. The Township of Orang's newly proclaimed "arts district" near the Highland Station is incorporating some abandoned local factories in a plan to attract artists. 

South Orange -- Maplewood's sister city and one with higher home prices, a new arts center/cinema complex, gourmet downtown market, and high-end rental and condo communities adjacent to the Midtown Direct station. Cameron Field, a lovely mid-town park with adjacent lake and community center, is just north of town-center. South Orange has several gorgeous neighborhoods with homes starting at around $350,000, including Wyoming, Newstead (on the mountain), and the beautiful Montrose Section, with vintage homes and mansions. Maplewood and South Orange share a school district, ranked in the 'top 100' statewide in 2010. 

Verona - Located just West of Montclair, this pretty town with a appealing community center, well-regarded schools and a thriving town center along bustling Bloomfield Ave., has smaller colonials, capes and splits starting in the mid-$300s, as well as great deals in the Clairidge I and II high-rise condo buildings along bustling Pompton Ave. (Bus service only to NYC.) 

West Orange - If you are a first-time buyer on a budget, West Orange will be one of your first stops! In this sprawling community of 44,000, located between Montclair and South Orange, there's a tremendous inventory of starter homes starting in the mid-$200's in the Upper/Lower Lourdes, Mt. Pleasant and Pleasantdale sections -- all accessible to the City by bus. There's no direct train in West Orange, but there is town jitney service from the Gregory and St. Cloud neighborhood operate during commuting hours to South Orange and Orange NYC direct trains. The town also has a large inventory of high-end homes and has seen more new construction than any other Essex County town in the last decade -- with luxury townhomes in the Bel Air and Vizcaya condo communities the latest example. The Gregory Section is especially popular with New Yorkers looking for vintage homes and good commuting options. West Orange is home to two fine private schools -- Seton Hall Prep; and Solomon Schechter, which has both its primary and high school campuses in the town. While the West Orange school district no longer ranks in the NJ Monthly top 100 in the state, it is known for its rich selection of AP courses and in 2008 received Newsweek Magazine's designation as one of the top high schools in the country. 

Forest Hill, Newark -- The historic North Newark neighborhood, located near the Bloomfield and Belleville borders and about 10 minutes from Montclair and Glen Ridge, offers some of the best remaining value-priced homes in Essex County. You'll find great, big, elegant five and six bedroom brick homes, not all of them updated. Forest Hills is located adjacent to Branch Brook Park and the subway to Newark's Penn Station, which is less than 10 minutes away. From there, jump on New York Direct trains to the City. 

Looking for gay-friendly towns? Check out New York Magazine's online feature,  New York Metro, for Gay Life Now: including Montclair, NJ A cultural Oasis; and Maplewood... Where to Live Now, A snapshot ...An overview of gay-friendly communities just outside of the City is available here.