东行记 （三）…新泽西看房子

公司为了把员工从千里之外搬过去，可谓费尽了心思。尤其在这样一个低迷的经济危机的时期，仍能如此周全，令人心里温暖。

除了饮食起居一应顾到，我们抵达的第二天，公司请了 Relocation 专职人员在早餐时开讲座，让我们熟悉当地的环境，接着把我们员工和家属一并带到公司总部参观，那顿午饭虽是在员工餐厅边的小宴会厅吃自助餐，味道可说是我吃过的众多员工餐厅最好的。吃完饭，员工得以面会即将共事的同事和上司，家属和孩子们得以喝咖啡聊天上网。

我赶紧抓紧时间给我们“中国人在硅谷”写作圈的轻舟写了一个伊妹儿。本来想到东部，可以和东部的几位圈友见见面，到了才知离人家还远得很呢，我们时间又紧，加上没有车（一切均公司安排接送），最后谁也没见成，假公济私没成功。

家属们吃好喝好聊好，员工们也上司下属统统见过，大旅游车载着我们在方圆三十英里左右的范围内一个小城一个小城的转悠，东部的小城镇与西部的不大一样，那里水份多，到处都是绿得让人心醉的绿草地，又正值深秋，红红黄黄的枫叶把一个小城镇装点的色彩灿烂、诗意盎然。民宅更是与加州的风格截然不同，一个个正正规规的殖民地风格的房屋，就像《小鬼当家》电影里面的那样，还有那种带着很重欧式风情的 Tutor 有尖顶的房屋，我非常喜欢。

记得有个中形的城镇叫 Montclair, 我很钟情，一条长长的街道，形形色色的店铺，旁边一个个小街巷，树枝般的延伸着，街边的咖啡店一张张座椅等着人入座，悠闲的行人牵着狗儿漫不经心的边走边看，画廊和艺术品店琳琅满目，空气中飘着意大利食物的香味。有一条街，我看得好眼熟，好像去过似的，便问导游，导游说那是类似纽约苏荷区的风格，所以我会有似曾相识的感觉。那个小城有铁路通往曼哈顿，只需三十五分钟就可以从这个宁静的花园之地进入国际大都市纽约，怪不得很多人住在新泽西的郊外，乘公共交通车去纽约上班。

隔天的一早，每对夫妻都配给一个房产经纪，我们与一位中年的黑头发的女人凯瑟琳相遇。凯瑟琳是个有着丰富经验的百万经纪，刚见面的时候，她让人的感觉并不容易接近，几栋房子看下来，到了午饭时间，她介绍我们到她住的小城里的一家意大利餐馆就餐，那家的味道真是不错，看我们吃的赞不绝口，一顿饭吃完，她和我们接近很多。

总的来说，东部的房子相对加州的房子，又大又便宜，虽说新泽西的房子在整个东部亦算是价格不低的了。最让我们 impress 的 是每间房子不仅面积大，而且还几乎都有一个巨大的地下室。大多数我们看的房子人家都把地下室装修好了，有的成了游戏室，有的成了家庭电影院，还有的成了健身房。另外一个让我们 impress 的特点是很多房子的后院非常得大，有的后面直通树林，完全看不到左右隔壁的邻居。

不过，东部的房子也有让我们“跌碎眼镜”的地方：首先，大多数人家的风格似乎还是加州二十年前的样子：花花绿绿的墙纸，看得人眼花缭乱；很多人家喜欢把墙涂成鲜艳的红色，厨房和卫生间的式样都跟不上时代的步伐。还有大多数人家的后院都没有栏杆，让我们看惯了加州一家家木栏杆篱笆墙的觉得有点羡慕这样的自然景观，又有点不习惯如此这样的没有隐私。令人影响最深刻的是新泽西州相对加州高很多的地产税，加州湾区的地产税是房价的 1.125%, 新州没有固定的百分比率，每栋房子的地产税都不一样，有的八九十万的房子，地产税可高达两万块一年。让我们感到有点不可思议！

看看新泽西今天的房地产吧：

我们从五十万美金的价格开始看起，下面这栋五十九万的独立屋，上下两层，还加上地下室，三室两卫，小巧温馨。只是，若把我们从加州搬过来，这样的房子似乎没有什么吸引力。

五十九万的房子

这栋六十多万的四室两卫的 split level 的房子，门前的枫树金黄诗意，屋顶有阁楼，屋下有地下室，只是厨房老式，卫生间也需要重新做过，家庭间的格局也是稀奇古怪，如果，我从太平洋岸搬来大西洋岸，就为了把这个“螃蟹（ crappy ） ” 屋改装成理想屋，好像也太多工作了。

六十四万的房子和经纪

接着看七十多万的独立屋，这间房子原是一个医生拥有，主房四室三卫，右面有一个独门独户的两房一卫的单位，医生用来做私人诊室。我喜欢那个独立的空间，想像着在那个与家连接却又完全独立的空间里写写画画，倒不失一个很好的小天地。只是，我真地会有时间那么悠闲地呆在家里呆想写字吗？我怀疑。听我这么说的人也哈哈大笑，说我不出三天肯定会嫌这个房子又大又冷，医生的诊所里留下的阴冷肯定让我坐立不安。得，接着看。

七十三万的房子

总算看到一栋 两个人都比较满意的房子。门前的小径铺满彩色的落叶，前院的绿草坪上两个红枫树像两个巨大的红伞把秋天的美丽尽情地撑起，那尖顶的 Tutor 式风格满足我对 style 和独特的苛刻要求。四室三卫，还有阳光房和游泳池，厨房还算现代化，卫生间里的狮爪欧式浴缸是我的最爱。经纪却告诉我们，这栋房子已在市场上快一年了，从开始的一百二十万跌到今天的九十万，仍然无人问津。看来东部的房产也跌了不少，这样的市场，我们冲进去，是不是自投罗网？！

九十万的Tutor

百万大宅

门前枫叶

后院树林

巨大的地下室

待续

东行记 （四） ….危机中的思索

[BeautyinAutumn]

回复weandwe的评论:Thank you so much for all the information and it is very helpful! Please keep in touch. You sounds like an expert in that area. I may have more questions to ask you .

[weandwe]

回复BeautyinAutumn的评论:

You can ask relocation staff to take your family to see more towns in Morris county next time. I don't think you should only focus in Essex county.

When I moved to NJ from NY, the relocation also took me to see the houses in Essex county. But after I drove around myself, I was so shocked to see the neighbor towns of Livingston and Millburn were in such terrible shapes and I don't want to live in a town which can be invaded later when I have to sell my house. And I don't want to pay the taxes most of which went to support those towns. That is why I choose to move to Montville which is surrounded by all the upper middle-class towns.

It take same time driving to Livingston or Millburn as to some towns in Morris County. My company's CEO lives in Morristown. Many middle level directors live in Montville, Baskingridge, and Bernardsville.

I don't suggest Bergen county at all. $900,000 in Bergen can only buy a small old house. $700,000 -$800,000 in Morris can buy a very good house in an upper middleclass community.

[weandwe]

回复BeautyinAutumn的评论:
Regarding to the house prices in NJ:

From 1994-2000, the house prices in North Jersey basically were not changed much as those years were just after the ned of one bubble. From 2001 to 2007, there were a big jump. Summer of 2006 to spring of 2007 are the peak time.
Most houses in North Jersey have fallen to 2003 or 2004's price level at fall of 2008. Taken several same year and similar style houses I persoanlly knew in Montville as examples, $490,000(not upgraded) in 2001, $650,000(not upgraded) in 2003, $810,000(not upgraded) in 2006, $700,000 (totally upgraded) in 2008. I don't think the price will fall below 2001's level. So if you are buying now or next year, it is a good time.

[weandwe]

回复BeautyinAutumn的评论:
North Caldwell and Exssex Fell are both very nice towns in Exssex county. Caldwell and West Caldwell are also very nice. West Caldwell's highschool is very good. I like West Caldwell better. Fairfield is a all-white town, but many houses in Fairfield are in the flood zone.

Personally I like Morris county better than Essex county. Essex county has too many poor and unsafe towns and tax are way too high. In Morris county, you can use all the local libraries. But in Essex county, you only can use your own town's library. Most higher level managers live in Morris county.

All the towns after passing Willowbrook Mall along Rt 46 are very nice. On the north side, Fairfield is an all-white town. On the north side, West Caldwell is very good. Next is Montville which was in the top 20 towns in Money magazine 2006. The next town Parsippany, which was also in the top 20 in 2007's Money magazine, is the second largest town in NJ. Parsippany's school is not as good as that of Montville. Parsippany has a large Chinese Church with more than 1000 people worshiping every weekend. Parsippany also has a very good public golf court.The next town Mountainlake is an old-money town, with every houses over million dollars and 80% male residents are CEOs.

You can check school report, tax, recent houses price trend and many other NJ local information at:

http://www.nj.com/news/bythenumbers/


You can check the current available houses in NJ MLS website and realtor.com websites.
http://new.gsmls.com/publicsite/

You can check the tax information and sold price information(change to the county and town you want and enter street name, you will see all the houses on the street with tax and sold price information) :
http://tax1.co.monmouth.nj.us/cgi-bin/prc6.cgi?&ms_user=monm&passwd=data&srch_type=0&adv=1&out_type=2&district=1421

[BeautyinAutumn]

回复weandwe的评论:Thank you very much for the information.During our last trip to NJ, The Realtor showed us houses in 4 towns in Essex county including Livingston, Millburn,North Calldwell and Essex Fells. Of the four, we liked North Calldwell and Essex Fells better, which have much larger lots and houses. The streets are lined with lots of trees and gave us a feel of up-scale neighborhoods. But Livingston and Millburn's schools are better. What do you think of these 2 towns?

[weandwe]

Livingston and Millburn are the two best towns in Essex county, but they wanted to get out this county a few years ago because there are so many poor and unsafe towns, such as Newark, Orange, East Orange, South Orange and Irvington, in this county to push the taxes so high. Livingston is very nice, but the houses are very small and old.

Montclair is close to Nutley, but only upper Montclair is decent. If you go to Montcliar's high school, you will see too many black kids hanging around. I don't suggest Montclair.

I suggest Montville in Morris County. It is about 25 min drive from Montville to Nutley by Rt 46 and RT 3. There is a train station to NYC. You also can drive 10 min to park at Rt23 or Willowbrookmall to take non-stop express bus (only 35 to 40 min) to NYC. The school system is one of the best in NJ. You can buy a 3000 sqft central hall colonial( 0.5 AC land, built around 1970-1980, with all hardwood floor, and full-finished basement) with $700,000-$750,000 in today's market, which fell to 2003 's price level. The tax is around $11,000-$13,000 with such houses.

I lived there for 10 years before I moved to East Brunswick.

17 Brittany Rd was just listed and asked for $745,000.

http://newmls.gsmls.com:80/public/show_public_report_rpt.do?report=clientfull&Id=38479090_13255

9 Merlin Pl is just under contract and alowed to $709,000 before under contract.

http://newmls.gsmls.com/public/show_public_report_rpt.do?report=clientfull&Id=37835082_13255

[muckelchen]

回复风行水上的评论:
我觉得虎妞的意思是说房子贵不值那个价钱和旧金山比。我也觉得是，看看德国的房子就知道了。

[风行水上]

东部房子便宜？你得看哪儿了，新泽西这样的大村是稍便宜点，你看看波士顿的房子，还前后大院，没那大院也得几百万。

[虎妞娃娃]

这种房子还叫贵呀。。。无语。。。从旧金山湾区过去的话，50万的房子比这里的百万都要好耶。。。那个院子（直掉口水），那个地下室。。。装修也是。。。厨房厕所在湾区不叫装修好不好，那叫做小改装。。。

[muckelchen]

怎么房子还是很贵啊

[留意]

实实在在的好文章。

[nywalker]

你看的地方不太适合年轻华人居住，如果上班在曼哈顿的话，看看Edgewater, Englewood Cliffs 或 Fort Lee, 这三个Town 很好。第一个view 很好，后两个地区好，到哪里都很近，小孩上学的话，后两个学区好。不过价钱都在80万以上。

[BeautyinAutumn]

回复nicehigh81的评论:悲观了一点儿了。Cheer up!

[nicehigh81]

Another woman's sickness, but thanks for sharing. Wish you never hate ploughing the snow and sweeping the leaf; most important, save your lifes on the car driving and Chinese food shopping.

Good luck.

[BeautyinAutumn]

回复毛虫儿的评论:你说得很有道理。家的意义就是全家人在一起，无论怎样。记得陪女儿小的时候看一个动画片《lilo and Stitch》里说的：Family means nobody's left behind. 我们也在思考这个问题。谢谢你的提醒。

[毛虫儿]

两人一定要一起，地方不是太重要，分开了就不象一个家了，男人就管不住了。 我喜欢加州的四季阳光，喜欢华人多的地方，老公喜欢四季分明的地方，但最终他还是听取我的意见。无论如何留在离旧金山不远的地方。香港是我们的梦想的生活和工作之地，这样我们可以常回中国，又感觉到一种中西合璧的生活方式。

[BeautyinAutumn]

回复太阳屋的评论:搬不搬去，至今没定，下面还有一集，写的就是我们的犹豫。

[太阳屋]

住过NJ。如果是MILBURN 附近，shorthill是最好的town，但那里不会有百万以下的房子。Livingston和 morristown 附近都很漂亮。价格也不低。其实现在的房情，真要去，也许先租不是个坏主意， 当然你们有你们的Relocation Package。
NY的夜景漂亮至极。

[beautyinautumn]

回复mizi的评论:大多是Essex County的房子，一来LG的公司在那里，二来NJ排名第一的学校也在那里。(Milburm High School)

肯定有点以偏概全。如果真的决定去新州，一定去找你多了解情况。

[mizi]

海云，看来你看的是新州北部BERGEN等郡的房子，那是新州开发最早的区域，人口密度极高。从你的照片来看，除了最后的那栋，其余都是至少三、四十年的房子，那栋Tudor可能都上百年了。如果你能看一些房龄年轻些的，绝对会是不同的感觉，至少不会有那些花花绿绿的墙纸：）如果你有机会去PRINCETON，MORRISTOWN，COLTS NECK这些镇，你一定会很喜欢。但话说回来，在新州学区好、距离纽约一个小时车程以内的房子，3000尺以上（不包括地下室），房龄年轻些且保养得好的，房价至少近百万或过百万，地税也至少在一万八以上。如果你再来新州，我可以给你当“导游”，但我可不是房地产经纪哟。