Jersey City
I recall Adam Dahill always recommending Jersey City as an alternative to Brooklyn. What are the “better” neighborhoods in Jersey City?
I recall Adam Dahill always recommending Jersey City as an alternative to Brooklyn. What are the “better” neighborhoods in Jersey City?
One more thing. As far as rentals you get a lot for your money. We rent a 3-bed/2 bath condo on the garden and parlor floors of a 4 story brownstone. About 1400sf with a beautiful 900sf backyard (50/50 paved and grass). Stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors. Separate dining/living room. Eat-in kitchen. Our rent is $2400, and that’s pretty much what they go for.
Moved to downtown JC-Hamilton Park in 2008, after 15+ years in various brownstone neighborhoods. It’s very similar to Carroll Gardens in the late 90’s.
The Best part: It really feels like a small town, where everyone knows everyone and neighbors socialize with each other. Although we loved Brooklyn, that sense of community for me did not exist there.
The Worse: The in-between areas between these beautiful little “hoods” are really ugly. But that is slowly changing.
firstmedian- Property Taxes are not as high as some make them out to be.
There is No Mortgage Tax which in NYC can range from 1.8%-1.925% on the loan amount.
No Mansion Tax on properties over 1 million
No City income tax, and state income tax is also lower.
I looked at the numbers long and hard before I made my decision.
You should always check all your expenses, but property tax at the JC house I had and at my friends’ are both significantly lower than my place in Park Slope.
Be sure to check out property taxes before you commit…
I’ve lived in both Paulus Hook and Hamilton Park. Paulus Hook is extremely convenient in terms on getting to downtown Manhattan. Theres a great series of esplanades on the river and some nice little restaurants. It’s funkier and less wealthy feeling than Brooklyn Heights, through the percentage of new development may make it somewhat of a Battery Park City/Brooklyn Heights hybrid. The one thing it’s got going for it that brownstone brookly doesn’t have is huge marinas. In addition to PATH, there’s light rail access, though most everyone seems to have a car.
Hamilton Park is a cute neighborhood, especially around the park. it feels pretty safe in spite of what appears to be some sort of drug sales to passing cars on some corners by to old railroad tracks. There’s not much shopping within close walking distance, but there are some cute coffee shops and bar/restaurants. The biggest drawback that I found to the neighborhood was that you had to walk through the mall and parking garage to get to the train, not so bad if you take full advantage of sales at The Gap.
I have friends who are in the process of selling their awesome Greek Revival house on Grand St. for about $1 or $1.1M. It’s a FSBO. Needs some plaster work and a kitchen but has a great garden and exterior and some of the best proportioned rooms you’ll find. I’m not sure of the web link but if you’re interested, you could probably look under Grand St., Jersey City FSBO.
excuse spelling and grammar errors.
Basically anything downtown.
Paulus Hook, Most expensive and quietest, closest to the waterfront with being on the waterfront. Mid-rise buildings, old townhouses. Nice but a little too quit for me. Jersey City’s version of BK Heights. Historic neighborhood
Newport- High-rises on the waterfront, very similar to BPC and White Plains NY. Mall, big box chain stores, some mom and pops. Self-Contained Neighborhood.
Exchange Place- aka Wall Street west. Btwn Newport and Paulus Hook. Busy during the day, Dead at night. High-rises
Van Vorst Park- Brownstone Neighborhood, grove street PATH stop. Restaurants and Bars, mom and pops. Similar to Brooklyn Neighborhoods such as Prospect Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, North Slope. Nice Park with Dog Run and amazing flowers. Near the newly built Liberty Harbor neighborhood. South of Columbus Drive. Historic neighborhood
Hamilton Park- Brownstone Neighborhood, either Newport path or grove path. Very beautiful neighborhood and they just finished revamping Hamilton Park with is about the size of Washington Square Park with new dog runs, tennis courts, BBall Courts, HUGE children’s play area. HUGE!!!. Lot’s of families. Got a Park Slope Feel to it. Some new mid-rise buildings just completed that face the park. Just south of the Holland Tunnel entrance approach. Historic neighborhood
Harsimus Cover- Brownstone Neighborhood, grove street PATH stop. Less retail. Similar to Brooklyn Neighborhoods such as Prospect Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill. North of Columbus Drive. Historic neighborhood
Italian Village- some brownstones, some aluminum siding jobs, some new construction. Not historic neighborhood but close to grove Path. Similar feel to Williamsburg in terms of architecture.
Journal Square- On the other side of the turnpike. Journal Square PATH. Similar to downtown Brooklyn before they built the high-rises. On the verge of gentrifying. Has an Indian neighborhood similar to Jackson Heights. Most commercial, they plan on building high-rises but haven’t started. Little shady at times. Not in downtown JC. Cheaper housing than downtown.
There are other neighborhoods further in that I’m not 100% familiar about that are known to be very rough. I’m not going to comment on them as I’ve only driven through.