We love showcasing what makes our towns in North Central New Jersey so special, and we love helping people move here! Frequently, we’ll have people reach out to us because they’re currently living in Hoboken or Jersey City and they’re ready to move to the suburbs. Many people who are moving to the New Jersey suburbs are doing so because they are either ready to start a family or their kids are getting ready to start school. And, in COVID times, many people are looking for more space and a yard.

If you’re moving from Hoboken or Jersey City to the New Jersey suburbs, figuring out which town to buy a home in can be a challenge. Here are a few things you need to know as you plan your big move:

1. Since many people move to one of our towns when their family grows, schools are often the #1 consideration.

How do you find the right town and neighborhood in New Jersey to move to when schools matter? This is a tricky question, and there is no simple answer.

In our blog post “How to Find the Best School District in New Jersey,” we dive into why school rating websites (like GreatSchools and Niche) fail to paint an accurate picture of a school or school district. We also offer advice on what you should look for in a New Jersey town when schools matter—click here to read it all.

2. Consider what your commute will look like.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, commuting to New York City was a very big deal for people buying a home in the New Jersey suburbs. Right now, it’s hard to say how many jobs will return to the office and how many positions have shifted to being permanently remote (or a mix of both).

If you anticipate needing to head into the office frequently, you’ll want to consider how close you are to the highway (if you drive), how close you are to train stations, etc. How much time are you ok with spending in the car, or on the bus or train? The towns that we most frequently work in are very conveniently located near many highways (rt 22, rt 287, and rt 78) that can lead people to Princeton, north to Morristown, west to Pennsylvania, East to Jersey City, Newark, Manhattan, NYC, and South to the Jersey Shore.

Commuting is such a big deal that we have an entire blog post on the topic: “8 Tips for Choosing the Best New Jersey Town for an Easy Commute to NYC.”

3. Evaluate your lifestyle and what’s important to you.

This will be different for everyone. If you are dedicated to going to the gym, whether or not a town has a gym you like could be a big factor in deciding where to live, for example. You might also consider what types of activities are available for kids (do you want to live near sport amenities? Parks? Dance classes? Etc.), and what type of shopping or restaurants are nearby. Spend some time evaluating the places you frequent right now, and what kind of access you want to conveniences in your new town.

4. If you want to buy a home in the New Jersey suburbs, it’s best to reach out to a real estate professional 6-12 months in advance.

Finding the right town, neighborhood, and home for you can take awhile. And if you already own a home that you have to sell before you buy, you’ll also want ample time to make this transition.

The easiest scenario we see is when our prospective buyers are renting and don’t need to worry about selling. It might even be the case that you might sell your home, rent a house for a while in the town you eventually want to buy in, then buy a home after you’ve had time to get to know the area a bit. (If you’re a first-time home buyer, click here for our home buying tips!)

We love it when our clients become as educated about our towns and home values as we are. We find that this helps our clients really know when they’ve found just the right home for them!

5. Right now, our North Central New Jersey real estate market is experiencing historically low inventory.

It is a hot seller’s market right now; many people are just too afraid to move since finding another home can be a big challenge. We’re finding that many of our home buyer clients from New York City, Hoboken, Jersey City, and Brooklyn don’t have a whole lot of housing to choose from, and there is a lot of competition for homes that are available. However, if you see a house that’s been on the market for 3-4 weeks, there could be an opportunity for you here to pay a bit less than the list price. (This will of course be different depending on timing, town, price, etc. and your local real estate expert will be able to advise you on the best move to make!)

Would you like to learn more about buying a home in the New Jersey suburbs? Our team of local real estate experts is ready to help. You can learn more about buying a home here and reach out to us here!