The company I work for may have an interesting opening in the Parsippany, NJ and I’m seriously considering it, but It’s a big decision because it involves relocating with the family from the UK.
So, is there anyone here familiar with that area? I want to find somewhere that’s not too far from the office, is not a slum and has good schools (14 and 10). I think that getting some idea about rent (say house with 3/4 rooms) in such an area is the first priority, but any other input regarding NJ, and moving to the US in general would be appreciated.
I just drove through there on the Interstate a couple weeks ago. It’s a busy area, but also very beautiful. I think you could easily live close to Parsippany but it will be a little pricey and moreso the closer you live to New York City. You’ll do a lot better financially living closer to the western part of the state or in PA which would be a drive of like an hour. It’s a very suburban area of NJ so the schools are likely all pretty decent.
It’s all rather spread out and green in that area of NJ. You’ll be able to get into NYC with a short drive or go to the beaches or mountains with a similarly short drive. I think it’s a nice area.
Also… renting a 3/4 room “house” would be unlikely. You’re probably looking at home ownership or renting an apartment/condominium.
Stayed at a hotel, once. That’s… not too helpful, but I recall it seeming like nice place.
Aside from the usual green card stuff you’ve probably already heard about, keep in mind the following hurdles when making your plans;
credit history: you’ll pretty much be starting from scratch for any US-based transactions.
bank account: you’ll want to open up a US bank account. This will require various forms of ID, and some banks may be easier to deal with as a foreign national than others.
drivers license: you’ll want to get a US license. Not only will this help with numerous ID scenarios (like the one above), it’s also going to help with car insurance and dealing with any police encounters.
Renting a house is certainly doable - though when you say 3/4 rooms… bedrooms? Because in the US you refer to a dwelling by number of bedrooms/baths (3 bedroom/2 bath).
If you want to get an idea of whats in the area and what things cost - look at the Multiple Listing Service - http://www.njmls.com/
I’m familiar with some areas about 30 minutes away (Scotch Plains), which are nice. I’m sure there are nice areas near Parsippany also. Generally speaking, expect to spend between 2 to 4 thousand a month on housing, depending on how big/nice you want to get.
I’ve lived in NJ about 10 years now, in Leonia, NJ. About 30 minutes drive east of Parsippany, towards NYC. I can’t help much w/ that town, as I may have never set foot in it, but it has a good reputation, and seems to have good schools.
I’d imagine rent on a 4 bedroom house is around $3000 USD/month. Check out Zillow.
I’ve got pals that grew up and still live in Troy, which is right there. Gorgeous area, especially if you’re right on the lake. So many hills and trees; even the busier areas can feel nice and isolated if you get the right lot placement (and are into that kind of thing). I grew up in Central Jersey, right on the coast. Very different.
I’m not a resident, but from the perspective of someone visiting or passing through I think New Jersey is one of the most underrated states in the Union. Not that anyone in this thread has suggested otherwise, but New Jersey is much nicer than its reputation suggests. (In the USA at least, New Jersey is among the states most frequently used as a punchline.) I can’t speak to Parsippany specifically, but most the areas just outside of Newark are pretty in terms of having things like greenspaces, which is rare in the DC-Boston megalopolis. Best of all, unlike most of the country, train travel is readily available making it easy to spend an evening in New York—last I was there, the Jersey trains had final departure from New York around midnight, though those were southbound trains rather than west.
I suggest picking a town that has a train stop into NYC so that you have an easy way into the city on the weekends. Sure beats driving in. You can check the rail system map here
Some of my friends live in Millburn, which is a pretty nice but not overly expensive town not too far from your work. Some of the towns a bit closer (Short Hills, etc) are nicer but more expensive. Oh and if you enjoy the outdoors living a bit more north near Mahwah or so might be an interesting choice so you can easily access the Upstate NY area.
Thanks for all the information. It a great start and there’s lot to look into. I’m having a call with my boss’s boss next week to talk about the new position and what they might be offering. If this goes ahead It’ll be our third relocation and I’m equally excited and scared.
I got to say I was surprised with the rent rates. I though London was the rough with £1400 for a 3 bedroom at outmost outskirts of greater London, but I guess its got nothing on NJ.
I’ve lived in 4 countries but originally from London but now live in Connecticut (the other side of New York from New Jersey). You won’t be able to buy anything at least for a couple of years due to no credit history so you will need to rent initially. There are a few pros and cons overall which I’m happy to discuss on PM.
Your UK driving license can be easily exchanged for a US one although you might need to take a multiple choice highway code test again. You will definitely need a car maybe two, it’s not like London where you can use public transport easily to get between places.
They should really be making you a good offer to relocate because there are many things that are a lot more expensive here, nothing is free. Again PM me and I can help you budget.
You can check out the greatschools website to give you an idea of the quality of the schools in the areas where you are looking to live.
I lived in NJ most of my life and worked for a period of time in parrsipany.
Generally speaking northern NJ is more expensive to live. Traffic in that area to get to work will be a challenge. I lived in the south and commuted. In the summer traffic will increase due to the Jersey Shore. If you can live close to your job you will have an easier time considering the car traffic.
Most people judge the state from their impressions of the north. A lot of oil tanks and industry. However it is th garden state for a reason and I think the further south you travel the nicer it is.
There is a lot to do and see between NJ and NY. The Jersey Shore in the summer. Museums in NYC etc.
