Relocating from Pittsburgh to Ocean/Monmouth County for work. Where's a reasonable place to live?

Submitted by RunsOnColdBrew t3_11o6kaz in newjersey

As the title states, I'm making my way to the Garden State from Pittsburgh. Since I've only ever passed through NJ, I'm not familiar with the communities and unfortunately will not have much time to see potential properties in person before packing up and moving. Pittsburgh is cheaper to live in than most of the country, so we're prepared to downsize by a LOT.

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Can anyone recommend neighborhoods, property management companies, or even private landlords that check (most of) the boxes?

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Thank you for the help in advance. To preface, I already prefer Wawa over Sheetz, and understand I'm not supposed to ever go into the left lane. I'm not a Steelers fan.

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Background:

  • Cannot buy a home at this time--strictly renting with a budget of <$2,500 per month
  • Prefer to live in Monmouth/Ocean Counties--no need to visit NYC, so I want to avoid traffic and other inconveniences associated with that commute (see commute info below)
  • 2 adult professionals / 2 adult housebroken cats / 1 adult housebroken dog
  • Relocation will likely be in the fall

Requirements:

  • Off-street parking. Unreserved spaces in a parking lot are OK.
  • <30 min commute from Neptune / <45 min commute from Colts Neck
  • Will not leave pets behind, so landlord/property manager MUST be willing to accommodate 2 cats and 1 dog; OK with paying extra deposit and/or pet rent

Strongly Prefer:

  • In-unit washer/dryer OR washer/dryer hookup
  • Close to parks or trails
  • Easy access to conveniences like the grocery store and pharmacy

Not Important:

  • Nightlife. We don't drink or "go out"--a good time is a Target run or trip to the farmer's market.
  • School district; no plans for kids. Would still like to not get stabbed walking from the car to my front door, so still have safety (kinda) in mind.
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mcscootface t1_jbr46o2 wrote

I suggest looking at anything in Ocean Township, Eatontown, or Tinton Falls. They should have a nice selection of apartment complexes that could fit your requirements.

Fair warning- both Monmouth and Ocean counties have areas that are damn near impossible in the summer time. Monmouth generally is easier because there’s no barrier island traffic that makes the main roads bottleneck. Monmouth, in my opinion, has an immaculate selection of parks and trails.

Year-round, Ocean county is a less friendly place in general.

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Rusty_Ferberger t1_jbr5pu9 wrote

I've lived in both and I feel the quality of life in Monmouth is better. Better parks. Better shopping. Better living accommodations. Based on your commute you could end up in some bigoted communities in OC. If that's not really a concern for you, OC would be more affordable. Sounds like shitty advice, but based on my experience it's pretty accurate.

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RunsOnColdBrew OP t1_jbtbehx wrote

I'm glad you brought this up, actually. We're not far from the city of Pittsburgh but we've got QAnon school board members and people trying to defund the library here. I'd like to avoid that crowd if I can.

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RivChk t1_jbryvaf wrote

You may want to check out this apartment complex. I had friends who lived there. It’s on the very western part of Neptune and the commute to Colts Neck is a pretty straight shot. Walk to a nice county park (Shark River Park) with trails. All conveniences are within a few miles. 5 miles to the beach.

-2 bedroom unit is under $2500 -Dog & cat friendly….with a small dog park area -washer and dryer in unit

https://jumpingbrookapt.com/

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ThatOtherOtherGuy3 t1_jbrd851 wrote

I can only speak for my local area. Tinton Falls, Shrewsbury, and the North side of Middletown are nice and more affordable than other towns in the area. I’ve rented in Matawan/Aberdeen and the rents were the best for what I wanted.

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RunsOnColdBrew OP t1_jbtbvld wrote

Thanks for the tips. Since we don't know the area yet, I've got no issue signing a lease for a year and then exploring neighborhoods when we're there and upgrading down the road. Affordability will be at the top of the list for now.

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stickman07738 t1_jbsmfb1 wrote

Some have recommended Tinton Falls - stay away from Shafto Road as there is a landfill nearby and there are occasional odors.

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rossmosh85 t1_jbsmxh0 wrote

Your big decision is: Do you want suburban living or shore living.

Despite it being only a difference of 10-15 miles, it's a distinctly different feel and lifestyle. Personally, I advocate for unique experiences when given the opportunity. This may be your only opportunity for beach/shore living.

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RunsOnColdBrew OP t1_jbtbopu wrote

Maybe a dumb question, but--is there enough to do at the beach that isn't the beach? I'm into the dining and shopping experiences that some beach communities have to offer, but I'm not much into the beach itself (not the water, at least--reading a book with an umbrella sounds pretty damn nice, though).

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rossmosh85 t1_jbtd4a7 wrote

Go on Google streets and check out Asbury Park, Long Branch and Belmar.

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dinosaurjr87 t1_jbrb371 wrote

I’d Zillow rentals up and down highway 35 and 36. Traffic is inevitable but I’m on the bayshore off 36 in Monmouth and it’s manageable in the summer. Stay away from eatontown traffic. Not a fan of ocean county but it’s affordable, same as parts of west Monmouth but too rural for my taste.

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Ok_Conversation5384 t1_jbsie8v wrote

As a lifelong Belmar/Neptune resident, I’d suggest both towns & Tinton Falls, Eatontown and Ocean Twp. You should be able to find an apartment/house in your budget and traffic,shopping and quality of life are great. (Also, I’d advoid Jumping Brook apartments- there is always something happening over there!) Good luck!

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BF_2 t1_jbr6x2u wrote

Neptune is fine. There are apartments in or nearby, but I don't know anything about them.

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