Where is a good place for a family to rent?

A friend is moving back to the states after spending the better part of the decade in Nairobi and Rome. They have a 7 year old and are looking to rent before they buy, and very much like the vibe and commute of SOMA. I don't know what to tell him about rentals. They like the amenities and location of Gaslight Commons but they would also like a place with a lot of kids. Can anyone speak to whether the commons has lots of families? He's trying to figure this out from overseas so I'd like to help as much as I can.

Thanks for any insight

Your friends might also want to consider renting a house. We did that before making the decision to buy. In fact, we ended up buying the house we were renting.

There are indeed kids in Gaslight Commons. I know of a few families who lived there while they were searching for a house. It has a pool, great access to park, playground and downtown!

I can't answer your question regarding the demographic composition of gaslight commons. However, you can advise your friend that assuming the child will be attending school in the SOMSD and participating in one or more of the activities available to children of that age through the recreation department, library, or one or more of the private facilities in the area offering child-centered activities, there will be many ways in which the 7 year old can meet other 7 year olds even if the building/block/neighborhood in which the family lives does not have lots of children within the subject child's age grade living there.

Thanks for the input! I'm inclined to suggest renting a house for the social factor but totally get not wanting to deal with "house stuff" first thing here. Does anyone know if Gaslight Commons iszoned for South Mountain? That's something else to think about if they're planning to move again after a year or so...

At the very, very bottom of this link:

http://www.somsd.k12.nj.us/Page/3725

is the school zoning spreadsheet. Gaslight Commons, 28 West Third Street, is listed for South Mountain, So. Orange Middle and of course CHS.

Good luck. I had a piano student originally from Brooklyn, whose family rented there before moving to a rental house on Academy. Any good realtor will help with rentals, but I always recommend Sarah Macyshyn with the Short Hills Weichert office.

And all of the elementary schools are good.

This is so funny - I think that I know the other adult in this family and just gave her advice on this question! I loved my realtor, Mark Slade, and am sure that he & any other realtor would help with rentals.

We lived at the Gaslight Commons last year for about 6 months and really liked it. There are definitely kids there although many families are transient ie they are trying out the area before buying. There were several families with very young kids. It's a very well run complex in our experience.

Most homes are rented through realtors with the renter paying the fee so they should consider how long they see themselves renting and whether that fee is worth it ie for a $3500/month rental they could be looking at upfront costs of $12,250 (commission, security deposit, rent).

FilmCarp said:
And all of the elementary schools are good.

I know! My thought was that if they didn't want to move elementary schools after they buy a house, they might want to know where their apartment is zoned for...

Thanks, all! I'll pass all this info along

I believe that once a child starts in a school they are entitled to stay in that school even if they move within the district.

FilmCarp said:
I believe that once a child starts in a school they are entitled to stay in that school even if they move within the district.

Oh really?? That would be so helpful for them, I'm sure!

Cranky, I sent you a pm. What a small world

Regarding changing schools when relocating within the District, it was not a blanket stay-in-your-school-for-as-long-as-you-are-in-town when my kids were here. I think you were able to stay for the current school year, but you had to request the District to let you stay for each year after that. If a school was full and your (now out of zone) child would force the creation of another section, you had to go to your zoned school. Maybe someone who still has kids in the system can say what the current practice is (our kids are now in their 20s, if that helps).

We are renting out our house instead of selling it. It is on Mountain Avenue in Maplewood. Beautiful neighborhood. Feel free to private message me. It is 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath. No fee.

In my experience, you can petition to BOE to remain in the school each year , provided there is room. The district will not provide transportation even if you are now beyond the 2 mile limit, because you are opting to change schools from your zoned school (Seth Boyden demo school notwithstanding) ,, unless the student has an IEP that mandates transportation is provided.