best new jersey towns

I have in now way really targeted Jersey for a relocation, but after years of researching, coastal NJ actually hits the top of my list in most categories. I run restaurants, so being close to a place like AC (one of the top spots nationwide for high end management gigs in hotels and casinos), a pretty solid year round economy. Proximity to Phili and NYC. Much more reasonable real estate (compared to OC MD, which I dont understand)...

So anyway, the places, geographically speaking with regards to surf and proximity to the ocean, Margate and Ventnor pop up on my radar all the time. The problem is, I have never been there and I only go off of tons of online research. Crime, Real estate, School, population density, blah blah... And on paper, both places look good.

I am just a little worried about how close they actually are to places like AC etc. I hear that AC is really not the place to "live" with family and stuff. A lot of rif raf and what not... So I am wondering how far things like that spill over in surrounding neighborhoods...

Its good to hear someone who lives there and likes it, because I havent heard of anyone on here who actually LIVES there...

And to me, I have gone out of my way to stay within walking distance to the beach for a decade now, so although the more likely scenerio is to be a mile or so from the shore, places like Ventnor and Margate enable you to purchase decent real estate, 6-10 blocks off shore. And to me, that whats up. fu** parking. I am about walking down there, so there are all kinds of nooks and crannies along the Jersey shore that would allow that.

Not to mention the fact that all of our family lives in the Bmore Metro area, and The Jersey Shore is actually a shorter drive than OC MD. About 2 hours even rather than 2.5.

 

I'm not sure how accurate that is.
Being around AC seems to be the shortest time to BMore, which is about the same as OC,MD. Everything else is going to take longer.

Maybe it depends on what part of BMore you're looking at...idk

 

Yeah, I am just meaning twechnically. On a map, AC is a few miles closer, but it is a faster commute because you are on 95 the whole way up into PA... The 97 to the bay bridge, to the slow as$ 50 riddled with state troopers just takes me a bit longer. From Baltimore, I usually end up getting to the inlet in about 2:45 minutes without bridge traffic etc....

They are both very close in comparison, I just mean flying up the 95 going 80 mph will get you there a bit quicker in my opinion. Again, I dont do the Jersey trip a lot, I am just going off mapquest and a few drives up through Phili back in the day.

But on the other hand, I am sure you can hit Philly Traffic on your way through and could get help up just as bad as a slow route 50. who knows...

Its like splitting hairs. Its just funny how techniaclly, the beach in jersey is a LITTLE bit closer...

Baltimore and AC/OC Jersey are like on the exact same lattitude. OC MD is to the south east, where if you draw a straight line west to east, they are on the same line.

 

ventnor, and margate are really nice towns actually. i get a decent amount of business there. was considering moving there a couple of years ago to ventnor, but rented a place in cape may instead. i have some clientel there though, and had cousins who used to live in ventnor when i was growing up. my grandmother even lived there for a short time before retiring to florida. a lot of the houses are old, and very urban like. reminds me a lot of towns up where i am from like north bergen, and even the oranges. though unlike the oranges the area isn't very sketchy. according to citydata.com the crime rates in ventnor, and margate are even lower than cape may. not bad considering ventnor borders ac. so a lot of old school urban like houses, but they are very reasonably priced for a shore town probably the best bargain out there, and the town is very clean, and crime is minimal. whereas in ac crime runs rampant. property taxes probably aren't too high there either. so yeah ventnor isn't a bad place. same with margate. cheaper than avalon, stone harbor, and even sea isle. brigantine is nice too, but not quite as cheap, but still reasonable. every town on absecon island is nice minus atlantic city. longport is nice too at the south end of absecon island, but it's a little more upscale. ventnor is a good bet though. it's got an urban like atmosphere, but at the same time it's a safe place, and really not so urban.

 

thats spring lake heights i am guessing right? i have seen places in spring lake boro for damn near $20000 a year in property tax. it's BIG money houses. a lot of old victorians. i always saw spring lake as like the cape may of monmouth county, but just without the night life, and lack of businesses on the main oceanfront drag[ocean ave] it's a lot quieter on summer nights as well. i used to walk either manasquan beach walk or spring lakes boardwalk nightly. belmar as well. i loved spring lake because of the length of the boardwalk, and peaceful feelings. i also love looking up the coast, and all the lights. especially in manasquan it's beautiful. being able to see almost every light post on a clear night from manasquan to sea girt to spring lake, belmar, bradley, avon, ocean grove and all the way up to asbury park.

 

If I were you I would also say Wall township. I live in wall right on the border of sea girt and Manasquan i can ride my bike to the beach in 5 mins and take a 5 min drive inland to Allenwood and Allaire state park area. 2 problems though property taxes out the ass and cops are assholes so watch out for that but overall its a good town. i can take an under 20 min drive to surf anywhere from Long Branch to bayhead your possibliites are endless its a great are to live in i love it here

 

monmouth

i live in fair haven in monmouth county and it was just in the ny times for being, well... awesome. but expensive as hell. hence why i enjoy everyday til college. 6 days left...

 

Sick. Thanks for the info. I gathered the same kind of charming thoughts about the place as I was looking at houses and everything. It looked like a really cool place, with great geography for surf. And a walk to the sand, which is huge. So, again, thanks for the info. I will be going to my bachelor party next week in AC, so I plan on driving up and down the coast a bit. We are golfing at the links at Brigantine, so we will be up there to see that area. I know brigantine is nice, cause on the maps, its a lot of green and like no real estate for sale under a million. So, I assume that is really nice. Thanks again.

 

Margate and Ventnor have low crime rates cause all the AC cops live there. Plus I dont think the Jitney bus stays in AC.

Actually ventor has really nice surf.

Taxes are high up that way as well . I pay 1600 a year for a 2 bedroom rancher on a 100x120 lot. They are running lines for City water now and soon we are getting Gas lines installed in most fo the town now so you can choose what type of heating options you want come winter time

 

Anywhere they film Jersey Shore is good...

....read above.

 

Before I spent much time here, I wondered about the negative effects of the proximity of Atlantic City, too, and I have to say that I just don't see any problems from it. The crime in AC is concentrated around the poverty and the boardwalk. The ocean front neighborhoods at the South Western edge of AC are actually fairly decent (and it's the only place where you could think of getting a beach block house for under $1million). There are some spots in Ventnor Heights that are kind of sketchy, but just in a run-down sort of way.

Longport, on the other hand, is a whole different story. I live on the last street in Margate. You can just feel the money when you walk around the corner into Longport. The grass really is greener. Longport is kinda stunning visually, too. The view over Longport from the Ocean City bridge always knocks me out.

Having AC nearby is kinda cool. I'm not a huge gambler, but every once in a while, we'll ride our bikes up to AC on a weekend morning with friends and grab some breakfast and play a few hands of blackjack.