Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: For Sand-question about Essex Fells NJ

I spoke with my husband and he confirmed my memory. There isn't really any "town" in Essex Fells - it's homes and the golf course. And the homes are really lovely.

He's pretty sure high school students from Essex Fells go to a West Essex Regional High School and that's also what Wikipedia says. (Wikipedia has a detailed entry on Essex Fells.) I don't have kids so I don't know much about any of the area high schools. An acquaintance told me that West Essex Regional has a wide range of students from very well off to very not well off but she didn't say anything about how good a school it is.

The thing to be very, very careful about anywhere in Essex County (anywhere in New Jersey, really, but especially Essex) are taxes. Property taxes are brutal here. That won't be a problem if you're renting but if you want to buy down the road it will be. So you might see if you can find out what the property taxes would be if you owned the house you plan to rent. Also your user page says you live in Florida now. See if you can find out what the utility bills look like for the house you're going to rent. Look particularly at what it's going to cost to heat the house during the winter. And figure you're going to have to make serious investments in winter clothes - coats, hats, gloves, scarves, boots - for everyone in the family. (You laugh but I almost fainted when I first moved here from Texas and realized how much extra clothing I was going to have to buy to survive.)

New Jersey has a personal income tax - I'm not sure Florida does. If you're going to have to buy your own health insurance, that's pretty pricey here too.

On a happier note, Essex Fells is a gorgeous part of the State. There are some very nice reservations (undeveloped big parks) nearby. There's also Brookdale Park in Montclair where every summer there are outdoor concerts on Friday nights in August. There's nothing in the world more wonderful than a Jersey summer night. You have very easy access to Manhattan via bus, train, or car. If you've lived your entire life in the South as I had before I moved here I can pretty much guarantee that your first Spring here will be a thrill. And your first Fall here will probably make you weep with joy.

There are even a couple of Whole Foods nearby and a vegan restaurant or two.

I hope this helps.

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