How do! Brit in Hamilton Park, via LA first.

There are places with back yards more than good enough for 2 dogs but depending on their sociability, there are lots of dog parks and dog runs plus a lot of places are very dog friendly making urban or waterside walking an ease.

Your budget will probably be good with a work move. I'd highly recommend Hamilton Park or DTJC below Columbus. Either location, you're close to the PATH stations.

Hoboken is ok but floods a lot and is full of college kids. Easy to get to though for excellent shopping and restaurants. Out in the 'burbs is ok but you will need a car. We hardly use ours. Compromise is hire at weekends when needed from Avis or Hertz.

DM if you want to know more!

Hamilton park area is very dog friendly. Unfortunately, nowhere in the states is as dog friendly as the UK (wife is English). You won’t be able to have your dog off leash without getting some rather stern looks and/or comments. Most restaurants have outdoor seating (although the winter curbs this) where you can bring your dogs, but they will not be allowed in restaurants/pubs.

Jersey city is extremely dog friendly. Outdoors at most restaurants allow dogs. Breweries let dogs inside. Coffee shops and non food / drink shops generally allow dogs

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not sure about other neighborhoods but Paulus Hook/The Waterfront/Downtown JC practically everyone has dogs. must be on a leash unless in a designated area (such as a park that allows off leash). restaurants outdoor areas are commonly dog friendly

Depends on your income and home budget, whether or not you have kids/need good public schools, etc.

You said you are craving something a little “different”. If you can afford it, Montclair has the most “urban” amenities of any suburb in the area, and has trains that run into Hoboken. Montclair is pricey though. Adjacent Bloomfield can give you access to Montclair’s amenities for a cheaper price.

South Orange is another good choice for an urban/suburban mix. While its downtown isn’t quite as vibrant as Montclair’s, it has a lot going for it, and has really good train service. West Orange is between South Orange and Montclair and is a bit cheaper than both.

You might be able to find a nice house in a yard for a reasonable price in Bayonne too, which is the city just to the south of Jersey City. It’s on the light rail, which will give you a quick, easy, and inexpensive commute to downtown JC. This is probably the best option if you want a yard but see yourself doing most of your socializing in JC and Hoboken.

Do not even think about journal square. You've got a well paying job and want to experience city life. You'll fit right in downtown Jersey City or Hoboken. As someone mentioned before, there are many UK expats here. Everything you mentioned is available, including parks, restaurants, beer, and you have quick access to NYC. Virtually every family, if they don't have kids, they have dogs here.

I did the same move as you a few years ago. I assume your job is in manhattan? Edit: you said jc sorry

I find JC a great compromise between nyc while still having the option to head out from the city fairly easily.

One perk of New Jersey over New York is that you can swapa UK Driving Licence for a NJ one without having to do a road test. This is much quicker and easier. Also council tax here (property tax) is much more expensive (2% of the value per year) and is included in rent.

If you choose to live in New York City you'll pay an additional "city tax" which will increase how much you pay income tax. Worth bearing in mind.

Thanks if I was to consider suburbs, which areas are worth a look?

If you really want a backyard, DT JC isn't a good place to look. If you WFH half the week and the office is JPM or Citi for example in Newport, you're pretty close to Hoboken train station and would probably be better to commute from the suburbs. https://content.njtransit.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/maps/NJTRailSystemMap-Aug2022.pdf

If the dogs need a lot of space, look at communipaw and light rail into downtown JC (assuming that’s where the office is). Liberty state park is a true gem (and under utilized)! Get a car.

Other than that, I’ve moved cross country three times (I know that that’s different than abroad), but corporate owned apartment buildings were a godsend because 1) you can rent sight unseen and 2) they have dedicated staff to deal with the admin details. There are plenty of new buildings in downtown to choose from. Many parks to walk to although I have never seen so many lawless pet owners that don’t pick up after their dog. It’s so out of hand. Good luck!

LUXURY HOUSING

Downtown (for example near Hamilton Park if you're lucky to find something not outrageous) or Hoboken. Parks are sparse, so with 2 dogs it might be nice to be near one. Otherwise roads are generally not very pedestrian friendly. It's really worth finding something near public transit too. Traffic can be bad and drivers worse, so personally it would be a double dose of stress for me to commute by car instead of by the train twice a day. Depends on you. If you're looking for something nice but more affordable, you can also look at Journal Square. Not that much stuff to do after work yet, but it's a very easy commute to downtown JC, World Trade Center and all the way up to 33rd Street if you find a place near the Journal Square Path Station.

Hi, thanks for your reply. With dogs we need outside space, but coming from a rather dull seaside town in UK , want to experience something different. On radar is Jersey City, Hoboken, suburbs too not against provided the transport links are there

That's pretty vague, depends on what your lifestyle is. Mahattan if you want the true NY lifestyle. Hoboken skews younger and more bars etc. Lots of expats in downtown JC. You can commute from the suburbs easily too. I did the same 12 years ago, DM if you have any questions.

I can add that we like walking, good beer, indie type culture, US sports, things to do after busy days at work

Budget is good thanks to a decent work package

do u have a lot of money

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Unfortunately not, those are too small to be economical for us. But I will tell you it's totally worth it to get a converter kit and get 2.5 lb CO2 tanks from us. That's what I did, and it saves a ton of money, but you need a bit of space for the tank. Sodastream canisters are a huge ripoff, and it's how they make all their money.

I’ve never even heard of this?? Where do you get the pass? How much is it? Would be helpful if I need to leave my car there overnight!

Not doing nearly enough. They still act like cars bring money. They don’t. They kill and they are an annoyance. Reduce their power. Bring peace and safety. Make them a single lane slow process that is heavily monitored. Everybody will be happy.

Not true.

I have had one friend mowed down dead on Kennedy Blvd, a county road. A friend's sister was killed on Kennedy by a speeder. Another 3 friends were hit while biking, and lived. Another friend was hit on her bike, which put her on a walker and then hit again (both on Summit Ave a city street), by a hit and run. This is not every one I know about. The County has NOT done a good job of engineering for safety. This does not cover people I did not know when I saw them hit by cars. It's traumatic to see this kind of thing. You cannot get it out of your mind.

This is true. I don't understand it..