Hoboken Op-Ed: Is Housing Inflation Driving Flight To Suburbs?

HOBOKEN, NJ — The following letter to the editor comes courtesy of Chris De Young, a New Jersey real estate agent who has worked with Hoboken home seekers.

“I enjoyed the 2015 article, Hoboken: Now Seeing NYC Price Refugees. Undoubtedly, housing price inflation in Manhattan, as well as Brownstone Brooklyn (Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope) has driven this trend.

“As a real estate sales agent in Ridgewood, I observe a parallel trend: upscale North Jersey towns seeing Hoboken and Jersey City price refugees. These smaller satellite cities like Hoboken and Jersey City attract singles and young couples, who often remain until the first child is born. Not long after, the search for larger living quarters begins, and the housing price inflation that has unfolded in these areas drives the relocation toward the suburbs.

“This suburban shift is further compounded by the issue of education, and the prohibitive cost of sending children to private schools in urban areas. My wife and I were in this exact position when our 2nd child was born several years ago. We lived in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn and we loved it! When our 2nd child arrived, the four of us were crammed into 900 square feet of living space. As we searched the city for larger living quarters, we became resigned to living in tight spaces. However, it wasn't until we inquired about nursery school enrollment for our toddler that we became aware of the daunting private school tuition bill we'd be facing in just a few years. We reluctantly decided that our days as an urban family were over.

“We opted for Bergen County, settling in the beautiful village of Ridgewood. We have never looked back! Ridgewood and the surrounding towns (including Glen Rock, Fair Lawn and Ho-Ho-Kus) offer a diverse selection of housing stock, much of it century-old Victorians. Bustling downtown Ridgewood offers countless dining and shopping options. Ridgewood's schools are very highly regarded. And the relatively easy commute to the city, which I did on a daily basis for many years, is facilitated by Ridgewood's proximity to New York, and its being an express stop on NJ Transit.

“As a real estate sales agent, I find working with these buyers to be particularly rewarding, often walking the local streets and parks, introducing myself and engaging in a conversation. My personal tale of the move to the suburbs lends a welcome ear of empathy to young couples facing a difficult decision. One Paulus Hook couple with their second child still in diapers lamented how their 1st-grader's local elementary school had class sizes approaching 40 students. They had resigned themselves to the move to the suburbs (I am currently working with them!).

“Another Hoboken couple with similar family size complained about weak public schools and costly private school options. They too planned to move to the suburbs in the coming year. Both couples had their sights set on New Jersey, but were still undecided as to upscale towns like Chatham, Maplewood, Millburn, and Summit in Morris and Essex Counties, or similar Bergen County towns of Ridgewood, Glen Rock, HoHoKus and Allendale. For the majority, the decision hinges upon schools, commuting distance and value (i.e. how much house for the money).”

Send Hoboken news tips, letters to the editor and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com