Live Where You Work New Jersey

by Kathryn Godby Oram

It’s 7:30 am, the kids are off to school and I have the house to myself. Before I leave for work, I snap the leash on the dog and walk the few blocks to La Famiglia for a Latte. I love the walk, the greetings and the banter in the shop.

Why am I telling you this? No one really cares where I get my coffee. I relate this story merely because it’s illustrative of what’s happening around the country as well as in New Jersey. People are choosing to be a part of their communities not just to live in them. They are finding that the simple things and the simple connections that they have with merchants and neighbors are important and comforting. No one wants to see their favorite coffee shop or deli go out of business; and while we are all worried about money we still want the comforts that hometown stores can offer.

The bloom is off the rose, the economy is not what it once was. People are no longer moving from town to town for a better job or to get a bigger house. Families are staying put, laying down roots and choosing to stay where they are. Once roots are established, many families find that they enjoy being a part of a community and having all the benefits that membership entails.

What this means for the home buyer is this; as a country become less nomadic and more town centric, we are going to look for amenities that keep us close to home. As the workforce is able to spend more and more hours working from their houses the towns in which they live will benefit from those workers doing all of their errands in those towns. In that vein, New Jersey has begun an incentive program aimed at home buyers who would like to live where they work. This program Live Where You Work, offers mortgage incentives for home buyers of a certain income range.

Community living and working benefits both homeowners and business owners. A thriving town has more stable home values and is better able to weather bad markets. A stable and consistent population can keep small business alive and well in a bad economy. The 3/50 project was created to make the shopping public see what they can do to keep their local businesses afloat in these uncertain times. Join us in Supporting the 350 Project!

When looking into different towns, evaluate what kinds of things you will take advantage of. If you’re a runner; where is the safest path? Are there streetlights for running at night or early in the morning? If you are primarily interested in activities for the kids: How close are you to a park? Can your kids walk to school, tennis courts, or a community pool?

As value is always on the mind of today’s buyer, remember that if the town you live in is appealing to you than it will be appealing to a future buyer as well. That great street with the wide, bike accessible sidewalks will attract the same type of buyer that you once were.

Finally, I love my neighborhood restaurant. I can’t say that the food is the best. I can’t say much about the food actually, but I eat it. I always enjoy going there. I am greeted by a warm smile, familiar faces and while it’s not “Cheers”, it’s home. My husband buys a local police detective a beer, says hi to a neighbor and we sit. The kids are home, three blocks away, and we have a night out on the town, our town.