MONTCLAIR TRAIN STATION FULL

But we have so many writers, musicians, actors and Broadway people. I’m just so glad I live here,' she says. 'I grew up in Manhattan and I never imagined living in New Jersey. 'That’s what I loved so much about it as soon as I came here,' she says.

MONTCLAIR TRAIN STATION FULL

The commercial center is Maplewood Avenue, and no chain stores are allowed-nearby South Orange has them-and there are 'lots of cute, innovative shops and restaurants,' she says, like mom-and-pop bakery The Able Baker.Īnd Maplewood has a decidedly artsy vibe, says Owens, on full display at Maplewoodstock, an annual July event that features two days of live music and art at Memorial Park. Maplewood has a old-fashioned Norman Rockwell-style downtown 'village' says Owens, with mom-and-pop-shops and friendly neighbors. Prices are usually most competive in Maplewood, but each property is so different, it's hard to make blanket statements, say the brokers. In general, Montclair is the busiest of the three towns, Glen Ridge the most quaint (and least diverse). Generally, 'they're about 3 percent of the amount the house is valued at, so if an average home is $600,000 to $700,000, annual taxes can be $18,000 to $20,000,' she says. Home styles are Victorian, Craftsman, Colonials and Tudors,' says Owens.Īll three neighborhoods saw a surge in pricing this spring, she says (more on average prices below). Taxes are on the higher side across the board. Larger homes are six bedrooms with three-and-a-half baths. Starter homes on the smaller lots are three bedrooms with one-and-a-half baths.

'The lot sizes range from 1/10th of an acre to half an acre, coinciding with homes that are 2,000 sqaure feet to 4,500 square feet. There are some rentals to be found, especially in Montclair, but in general, 'this is an owner-occupied area,' says Amy Owens, a broker with Keller Williams who lives in Glen Ridge. The reason? While different in size, each of these areas has its own downtown and, many say, an artsy, bohemian vibe that those coming from NYC tend to appreciate. 'We have a lot of people coming from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Jersey City and Hoboken,' says Stacie Levy of Keller Williams who lives in Maplewood.

That's because these three spots, all accessible via New Jersey Transit trains, are eternally popular among NYC expats looking for more space and a little more greenspace for their green. If you live in New York City and are at a stage in your life when you're contemplating a move to the suburbs (or your friends have begun to leave the city en masse), you've probably heard of at least one of these towns in Essex County: Montclair, Maplewood, and Glen Ridge.

Montclair train station