Moving from Maryland: Apartment hunting and super frustrated (Clifton, Wayne: real estate, apartments)

[busyb02]

Hello all,

I just got a job offer in Clifton, NJ and I'll be starting July 9th. I'll be making around $29/hr ($60K). I've been doing my own searching on apartment sites, and Craig's List; and I've been lurking here searching for the low down on the different areas surrounding Clifton. I must say apartment hunting in North Jersey seems like minesweeping... Good and bad areas are so randomly situated that it makes it far more difficult to narrow down where I should be focusing.

To top it off, I want to keep my rent under $1200 as I really dont agree with renting, but I'm not ready to buy. For $1200 I've seen anything from a 4 br house to a 480sqft studio apt. (clearly that house is too good to be true). I just need a 1 bedroom under $1200... I've checked Clifton, Wood Ridge, Lyndhurst, Rutherford, Little Ferry (which I actually like but am now fearing due to what I've heard here about flooding), Nutley, Wayne, Fair Lawn, etc.

I'm not posting to complain, but JEEZ this is frustrating. Either it's an old tiny apartment that costs way more than it's worth, or Its listed with a broker that charges for a 90 day membership to even get the address of the place. Is this how it usually works up there? Any suggestions for other places to search? I'm about 15 minutes from just biting the bullet and renting a way overpriced ($1550+ for 1br) Avalon apartment just to get this over with.

Sorry if that's ranty, but any help/suggestions/comments/whatever are appreciated..

[Hillsided2012]

Originally Posted by busyb02

I'm not posting to complain, but JEEZ this is frustrating.

Welcome to NJ... This will often be the norm when it comes to doing things you used to find relatively easy in other areas.

Originally Posted by busyb02

Either it's an old tiny apartment that costs way more than it's worth, or Its listed with a broker that charges for a 90 day membership to even get the address of the place. Is this how it usually works up there?

1. Everything in the area costs way more than it's worth, you just have to find something you can accept and deal with. Same true with buying... actually probably moreso.

2. Those brokers flood craigslist, etc... and some might even be helpful (though you should look or ask for reviews first), but it should be possible to find something without going that route if you don't want to. There are enough real estate agents and owners also posting on there. Those agents may charge you a fee (another NJ thing you also may not be used to) of a month's rent when you sign, but sometimes the owner will pay the fee instead of you.

3. You should visit. Sometimes posted pictures are not accurate, and other times a quality place will be listed with no pics and you'd never know it. Nice, eh?

4. On the other hand, with your location and budget- you should also be able to find various sizes of 1BR apartments in managed "garden" complexes or other buildings in the $1100-$1300 range. Some of them have web sites or listings on larger apartment rental sites and you won't be dealing with any agents or fees, so this can be a smooth way to go if you can find one that's been kept up well. Have a look at towns to the west and SW of Clifton in addition to the ones you mentioned. Naturally, pay even more and get more.

[ocnjgirl]

I'm not in north Jersey, but I found my apartment through a real estate agent. Some people with houses or apartments to rent don't want to be bothered with screening etc, especially if they've moved. So if you google some local real estate offices, most will have online listings and there may be more rentals there than on Craigslist. Have you looked in online versions of the local papers? Down here the free local papers have a good amount of apartment ads. Many people and especially older people (including me, lol) would not advertise on Craigslist, so make sure you are using all available sources.

I would also suggest it might be worth the expense of coming down for a few days and driving around the area to get a better feel for where you want to be. Several years ago, I went to Houston for 6 months. I did extensive research on the different areas of the city, but it still didn't give me a really accurate picture like being there did. I picked a totally different area in person than the one I had decided on before I arrived, and I would have been heartbroken to have discovered it after signing a lease somewhere else.

[Sergio M]

For what it's worth, check out the realtor sites and see what is available. Or, have an agent send you the listings that fit your criteria. Then, you can narrow down the ones you'd like to see.