Springfield
WHY BUY IN SPINGFIELD.
If you travel the tangle of tree lined roads outside Springfield, New Jersey in the fall, before you enter the historic township which is home to the famous Baltusrol Golf Club, the site of several major golf championships, including the U.S. Open, you will pass through softly undulating hills carpeted with leaves the color of copper and gold; and, as you near the center of town and pass through the attractive neighborhoods – affordable and laid back, filled with split-level or ranch houses; Queen Anne cottages and Craftsman bungalows – the cottonwood and maple trees that line the streets, providing shade for the well-tended lawns, will also be changing color, flaunting their spectacular foliage.
Springfield, population 14,500, although it shares many of the characteristics of neighboring towns is, in some ways, a hidden gem; not quite as tony as Summit or Short Hills, it is a place where everyone seems to know everybody by name, the perfect spot to escape the city and start a family. From Labor Day to Memorial Day, the municipal pool, becomes the center of activity – a family pass is $325 a year – and on weekends in the historic plaza, you’re likely to stumble upon a free concert, an art show, or a farmer’s market. There are also men’s, women’s, and girl’s softball leagues, and for eight weeks each summer, children have access to a camp program for four hours each day at the community center. The fee is $40 for each two-week session.
The Mall at Short Hills is less than a 10 minute drive from the center of Springfield. Shopping districts in Millburn and Maplewood are also nearby. A 10-screen movie complex is in the other direction, on Route 22 in Mountainside.
SCHOOLS
About 2,000 students attend the five public schools in Springfield: one from prekindergarten through second grade, two for Grades 3 through 5, one for Grades 6 through 8, and Jonathan Dayton High School, where seventy-seven percent of the class of 2007 said they planned to attend four-year colleges. SAT averages were 528 in reading, 507 in math and 498 in writing, compared with 509, 491 and 489 statewide.
COMMUTE
Many people in Springfield take a New Jersey Transit bus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal from a large parking lot at Mountain and Morris Avenues. On weekdays, more than 40 buses run to and from New York. The trip takes 40 to 45 minutes.
A monthly bus pass is $146. Annual stickers for the parking lot in Springfield, which has 275 spaces, sell for $15 to residents and $100 to nonresidents.
Some Springfield residents live only a few blocks from New Jersey Transit’s Short Hills station, which is on the Morris and Essex Line, with service to Hoboken and to Penn Station in New York. A monthly pass to New York is $186.
Seven years ago, Springfield began a jitney service from the municipal pool to the Short Hills station; it runs from 5:45 to 8:50 a.m. and from 4:45 to 8 p.m. A yearly jitney pass, which includes parking at the pool, is $600. Homes Currently For Sale in Springfield, New Jersey
This Month In Real Estate
Stop!!!!!!!!
Don’t leave this post just because it appears to be dated. This is actually the latest version of This Month In Real Estate. Rest assured, each month it automatically updates to the newest version. So have a look.
Ok. If you haven’t watched This Month In Real Estate before, here’s the deal. It’s a [...]
This Month In Real Estate.
Whoops. I forgot to post the latest edition of This Month In Real Estate. Here it is. Better late than never.
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»Pre-Forclosure Reality Check.
This is not a topic that gets me excited. It’s very sad. I’m doing this because I want to keep it real with my readers.
This is reality in 2009.
Every month, I will breakdown the number of properties in each of our towns for which a lis pendens has been filed in the past 30 [...]
Billionaire Advice
For the past week or so I have been boycotting all Network and Cable news. It’s gotten to the point where every time I turn on CNN or NBC it’s so painful, I dream of placing my hand in a blender just so I can go to the emergency room and enjoy large quantities of [...]
Leave a comment | Keep Reading»Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan.
The Obama Administration has finally unveiled the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan.
Wrap your mind around it NOW
Five Simple Ways to Avoid Paying Too Much For a Home.
There are a lot of great values in the current real estate market, but it’s still possible to pay too much for a home. Here are a few simple things you can do to avoid making bad decisions.
1. Focus on the numbers. When making an offer, ask your agent to show you every like kind [...]
January Version of This Month in Real Estate.
Here’s the latest version of This Month in Real Estate. It covers interest rates and affordability. The numbers are very interesting.
The one thing that bothered me about this segment, however, was that it felt a little bit like a sales pitch. I would hope that the next edition focuses strictly on the numbers.
Enjoy.
This Month in Real Estate. Recap on December 2008.
Here’s another excellent edition of This Month in Real Estate. Once again, the numbers illustrate why buyers are being handed such an amazing opportunity.
Enjoy.
Real Estate Report
Here’s This Month in Real Estate. It’s a monthly report that Keller Williams Realty puts together on current real estate market conditions. Keller Williams Realty International in known for delivering highly researched compelling market stats. There’s some good stuff here.
Please note that the report is general in nature. Real Estate doesn’t work that way — [...]
My Favorite Restaurant in New Jersey.
No, I’m not going to tell you mine. It would be almost impossible for me to narrow it down to a single establishment. I’m interested in YOUR favorite eateries. Why you enjoy them — and what’s the best dish on the menu.
If for some reason the establishment isn’t in business anymore — my readers still [...]
