NFT: Relocating back East / Fair Lawn, NJ / Are we crazy?

where you live in the Midwest. Its a much easier decision if you are moving back close to family but I promise you will quickly recall the big differences when you move back.

And you'll never regret it.

As much as I hate the high cost of living and the congestion and all the rest of it, I’m always happy to get home. Still, it’s hard for me to imagine leaving and then coming back. The money just can’t be ignored. But if you can make the money work, then come on back.

since I've lived here the past 19 years.

I've grown up in and around Bergen county my entire life and Fair Lawn is a nice town. Taxes aren't horrible considering the area. The schools are all really good. There are several modes of transportation to get into the city (there are 2 train stops in town- Radburn and Broadway), several bus lines, etc.

I will say it is starting to get crowded, they are building new townhouses to go along with others that have been put up along 208 at the Promenade years ago. So there was an issue with figuring out the influx of students into the school system to deal with it and they've expanded the middle schools starting next year.

It is a diverse population, with a heavy Russian/Jewish community that is mostly along by the Radburn/Glen Rock area (don't be shocked to hear Russian spoken almost exclusively in some parts of town). But overall it is a melting pot.

You can read this article from the NYT about it, and it's true, it does smell like cookies, particularly in the cold weather from the Nabisco factory that is up on 208 near the border of Glen Rock and Hawthorne.

You can read up on the Radburn part of town, which was the first planned community. However, and I have many friends who live in Radburn, and they will admit that the Radburn part of town holds themselves in a bit of a higher esteem. Special people live in Radburn, just ask them and they will tell you ;) . They have their own parks, pool, etc that they pay into as part of the Radburn Association (which is sort of like an HOA).

There are some sections which border near Paterson which can get a little sketchy and another that is near an industrial area by Hawthorne, but overall, there is plenty of good housing all over, with the sides near Glen Rock and Paramus probably the most desirable.

Good luck!
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/26/realestate/fair-lawn-nj-an-unpretentious-place-that-smells-like-cookies.html - ( New Window )

Mind dropping me an email with your contact info?

Got a few more questions if that's cool. ImThatGuyBBI @ gmail

In comment 14816791 ImThatGuy said:

Quote:

Mind dropping me an email with your contact info? Got a few more questions if that's cool. ImThatGuyBBI @ gmail

Sure, I made it easy- mattinsgs@gmail.com

I go back a few time a year. You couldn't pay me enough to live in jersey.. I missed it too until I moved to Williamsburg where a lot of nj and ny people live, the restaurants are great, and there I'd a ton of stuff to do..

Life is slower for you now.. realize how much busier life will be for you and the family in NJ.

In comment 14816795 NJ_GIANTS said:

Quote:

I go back a few time a year. You couldn't pay me enough to live in jersey.. I missed it too until I moved to Williamsburg where a lot of nj and ny people live, the restaurants are great, and there I'd a ton of stuff to do.. Life is slower for you now.. realize how much busier life will be for you and the family in NJ.

Ehhh, I've lived in multiple neighborhoods in Jersey City while having family in Hoboken, but have also lived in Park Slope and Williamsburg. Other than the nightclubs and higher number of concert venues, I think I prefer it on in JC/Hoboken.

Don't get me wrong, I love BK (especially South Slope), and loved my time there. I just think the increased rent isn't worth it. Plus, being from NJ and going to Rutgers, I know significantly more people in these two towns.

I guess this is a long winded way of me saying that I find it to be pretty comparable.

With regards to not moving back to NJ though, if you're talking strictly suburbs, I 100% agree with you.

Hell, even when it comes to moving out of the NYC area, there's like a list of 5 different places I'd even consider (at least domestically).

and it seems like she's terrific at it.

having grown up in Hillsdale and living in Wyckoff for 28 years. Yes, taxes are high. Yes, it is congested. But the area has so many positives.

Mattinsgs gives great advice and has not missed anything. Fairlawn is a diverse town with great schools that is building multi unit housing quite rapidly. The town is an easy commute to NYC- I took NJ Transit to Manhattan for twenty years from Radburn Fairlawn. Close to Manhattan, Giant Stadium and all the shopping one could ever imagine.

Home is what you make it, but having family and friend in the vicinity makes it a lot easier. The reason why I never left.

Good luck!

parents age you'll be happy to be near them.

i would never move back to NJ (too crowded for me), but those two things made it much harder than if my wife and I had stayed in NJ.

High taxes
Lots of traffic
And a ton of idiots
It’s a really great place.
Actually I did the same thing years ago. No regrets.
Good luck.

In comment 14816787 Stan in LA said:

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And you'll never regret it.

This. And sounds like your heart and your wife's heart says go home. To me it's a no brainer. Be closer to family.

I love the Hudson valley but I can’t fathom moving back there full time
Most of the family there. Would mind being able to spend a couple months a yr there, spring and autumn
But that will be in ten yrs when I am retiring or close to it
Like west coast a lot. Won’t live in Bay Area after we hang it up though
Maybe AZ again or Henderson NV
I suppose if we had a great job offer would consider it though

but I left CT in 1995 and moved to DC/NoVA.

I wouldn't wait to get back to the northeast. Finally did for good around 1999. there are some areas I think I could live in outside the northeast, but definitely not DC/NoVA - that place is a hell hole.

I love Massachusetts and grew up hating it (as a CT resident it's a requirement).

I think eventually I'll settle where my kids do, but if it's up to me I doubt I'd leave the Northeast again.

So anyway, no I don't think you're crazy, but you know what you're getting into.

Cons of the Northeast:
congestion
traffic (this is location dependent, plenty of midwestern or other areas with bad traffic)
cold winters
snow

pros of the Northeast:
food
identity
family (for some people)
4 seasons
schools*
hospitals*

*these of course depend on the community

probably more, that's off the top of my head

In comment 14816795 NJ_GIANTS said:

Quote:

I go back a few time a year. You couldn't pay me enough to live in jersey.. I missed it too until I moved to Williamsburg where a lot of nj and ny people live, the restaurants are great, and there I'd a ton of stuff to do.. Life is slower for you now.. realize how much busier life will be for you and the family in NJ.

I am not far from you (Virginia Beach). We love it down here too. You touched on an important point, I think. Virginia has a *ton* of NY/NJ transplants. I meet people originally from NY all the time here (we even have a Giants sports bar). In contrast, the Midwest is a different animal. I lived in Ohio for 5 years and *everyone* was from Ohio. I could see maybe wanting to move back to NY if I had a permanent job in Ohio (and I didn't dislike Ohio at all). To the OP, do what feels right for you and your family! Only you can decide. I couldn't go back to the traffic and overall population density again. Having only a 15-20 minute commute each day is something I can never give up.

Grew up in Fair Lawn, moved to Mahwah for 9 years and reluctantly moved back 3 years ago. So glad my family talked me into it. We love being back. Community is great, schools are great. Housing market is crazy. We’re renting and have been trying to buy.

it was a good move for several reasons. There’s a lot to like. But I was born and raised in Bergen, and I miss many things about being there, especially friends and family. It will always be home to me.

My question is: Why Fair Lawn? Is affordability? Location? Family ties? I’ve never been a fan of Fair Lawn. Just don’t see the appeal, although I get that the location is good. It’s kind of a border town for Bergen, between some nicer towns and the not so nice area transitioning into Paterson. So, why Fair Lawn?

Mind dropping me an email? Have more questions if that's cool

ImThatGuyBBI @ gmail

You don’t get a second life.

I don’t think you will ever regret moving to the Midwest and giving it a try. But your heart is telling you to come back home. You will regret it if you don’t listen

Actually came close to buying there but it wasn’t the perfect Goldilocks house for us. Came close though, before finding a place in Oakland, about 10 or so miles up 208. FL is a good spot that whole 208 corridor it gets more rural and woodsy as you head north. I love it.

Especially if your wife wants it, happy wife happy life... you getting what you want is just gravy.

but the last thing you want is to look back with regrets. If you feel it's best for your family then you should probably return.

Have you asked your children how they feel? Of course ultimately it's you and your wife's decision, and the eight year old is probably the only one capable of truly grasping what it means, but if it were me I would still talk with them and take how it might affect them into consideration when forming that decision. The last thing you would want is to make the move and then years later regret doing so because of your children. That goes beyond the two of you missing NY/NJ IMO.

I wish you well, I'm sure the two of you will know what's the right direction for your family.

Fair Lawn has probably not improved since you left.

You also have a reason for leaving the Mid-west.
Perhaps there is a third place that suits your needs better than either Fair Lawn or the Mid-west.

I worked in Manhattan for four years and in Albany for the next 30. That was a good choice for ME. There are probably a million people for whom it would have been a bad choice.

You've got a really important decision to make. Good luck.

I grew up in New York but I have now spent more of my life out west than I did in New York. Most of my family is in New York including my nephews, niece, grand nephew, cousins and my parents who are still alive. I miss them and get homesick a lot but I realize I could never re-adjust to the New York lifestyle after being gone for so long. Thats despite the fact that California is having so many problems now and that New York is a lot more livable than it was when I left.

In your case you've only been gone for 7 years but you have to ask yourself why you left to begin with and how you would be able to adjust going back. With small children, the adjustment might be even harder for both yourself and them. Are there economic reasons for doing this or will you just be taking a hit ?

I go back once a year with the family and enjoy the hell out of it, but would never move my family back there. It's too easy and nice in Colorado for me to move. No one could say what's best for you but for me it's much easier to love it from and distance.

I grew up in Bergen County. There are thousands of places to live that are nicer, less expensive, schools just as good, less grit and traffic.

But if you have extended family in NJ, and cousins for the kids, you’re not at all crazy.

Big decisions, best to you.

.

I mean that - I don't miss the traffic, or the industry, or the boring landscape and crummy towns.

I miss the people. OK, and the sandwiches. It would take a lot to get me to move back there, but I would be good with Jersey despite her warts because the people are fucking awesome. Colorful, caring and fun.

There's a reason near every episode of 'Would You Do That?' is filmed there - you act like an asshole, someone will ABSOLUTELY call you out on it.