Apartment Complexes in Hackettstown/Mansfield
My son, 28 and single, is seeking an apartment in the Hackettstown/Mansfield area.
He is interested in either a 1 or 2 bedroom unit. He is a teacher and has no pets.
I would like to refer him to a complex where current or recent residents have had a
positive living experience.
Any recommendations would be very much appreciated.
Many thanks.
Evergreen'69 I lived in Greenview Gardens for 13 years, but I was paying $1220 per month when I moved out in 2021. It is now $1790 per month according to rent.com for the same apartment. What a joke... My house in PA costs me hundreds of dollars less than that apartment costs now. Young people are better off saving money and buying a house in another state than continuing to pay these ridiculous prices.
Metsman Try Victoria Village, which is right behind Dunkin on Mountain Ave. 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 bath. Prices are around the same as Greenview Gardens, but were constructed later (around 1995), and you rarely hear your neighbors. The only caveat is you have to pay for your heat and hot water, which is gas, as well as your electricity.
They have central air, so your gas bill goes up in the Winter, then electric bill goes up in the Summer, but the ratio together means a fairly stable utilities bill (for me between $70-120 combined), I pay about double that for cable though (Comcast). No getting digital TV here, though you may likely be able to use an antenna to get free TV in the Mansfield area.
https://www.bocinaproperties.com/victoria-village-apartments
Phil D. Towpath Village is great, nice and quiet with good neighbors, but new management has jacked up rents to an absurd level. I pay less for the two bedroom I have been in for years than they are charging new residents for a STUDIO (over 1700!!). Two bedrooms I believe go for 2300 currently. Not sure what’s going on in town to cause it but the rent prices are out of control.
Phil D — is Victoria Village still no pets? We looked there years ago and loved it but have cats.
Kat Kat
Yes, that's the only downside in my eyes, since I love dogs. No pets in Victoria Village, at all, including cats. No smoking inside or close to the apartments either.
I agree with Kat about Towpath Village. I live in another property that is managed by JCM Living and they jacked up the rent this year 4x more than the previous management did in the 8 years I have lived here.
A few months ago JCM Living sent me a notice stating my rent wasn't paid. I would have to pay in person with a bank check or money order or eviction will begin. I paid as I had early/on time every month for 8 years. About 1/3 of the tenants received that letter. They send eviction notice for their own screw up.
AVOID Towpath Village and any place run by JCM Living
CBGB 
danny zucko "Seriously how are people affording this rent? Two job? No food?"
Skill? Work? Worth?
The same people bitchin about minimum wage and free college don't understand that means real estate tax (and everything else) goes through the roof to pay the GOV..to give them the illusion of 'free' to get votes- so the politicians get a big payday and even better retirement. Free college, free healthcare, free medicine, free child blah blah blah..
Then the kids (and dumb people) wonder 'why is everything so expensive'....
They also don't understand that that employers hire you to complete a task. That's it. And that task is only worth so much to the employer. It's not about your family, your bills, your house. You are there to complete a task. If someone else is willing to do that for less money- they get the job. As it should be.
Nobody owes ANYONE anything. Think of life at a basic level-as if we were caveman- what do you need to do to survive? If you need to perform a task- give value to someone else in return for money- to survive- that is all it is- a trade of your value / worth- to someone else for whatever they value your time / worth / task for.
Any manipulation of the wage ground level is an oasis. Min wage was never meant to live on- it's the LOWEST pay- should be for the lowest person doing the lowest value / worth. Like a kid at his first job for a few months.
Anyone saying otherwise is lying to you.
Want more money? Learn a skill. Make yourself more valuable in some manner. There is no reason someone older than 18/19 is on min wage other than their own lack of trying.
And again- OMG why is rent so high- well, why are taxes so high? Why does the landlord have to pay a fortune for a new roof, for a new driveway, for insurance, for a new septic, well, plumber, electrician, appliance repair... because everyone else is also paying to carry the weight of those that aren't doing their share of self responsibility. Same as they would if we were living centuries ago- take care of yourself and stop robbing others without understanding where and WHY that 'free' money exists and what it actually causes....
Josh @Josh
LOL, OK, whatever you say man. Do you eat steroids for breakfast? Try coming down off of your right wing pedestal every now and then, the real world awaits you.
only one truth Is it legal for the new year's rent to be upped about $90 per month?? that is about 9% increase.
Hackresident Not even gonna touch Josh’s off topic rant — not sure what free money he thinks we’re all paying our rents with — hack resident, there are no laws regarding rent increases here. My rent went up 100 last year, probably will go up another 100 this year. Previous years were 15-20 max.
@hackresident:
"The State of New Jersey does not have a law governing rent increases. However, municipalities within the State may adopt ordinances regulating the amount and frequency of rent increases within their specific municipality."
In any case, you have a rental contract...what does it say about increases?
OnTheEdge "Private money" i.e. hedge funds and the like have been going in to the rental market for years now. Besides buying up single/duplex homes (often for cash) and renting them out (or using as an airB&B), the money has now been flowing toward apt complexes and similar. NYC has some rent controlled/rent stabilized units, but very few relative to the need, and the balance of available space find their rents rising as the market will bear. The old adage, "follow the money" is always a good place to start.
New2this 
seigeI would try an alternative route. There are a lot of seniors in the area who would/might rent out a room in their house for company,help around the house /rides to medical appointments,etc.. Placing a add in a church bulletin or this web site would be a good start to find that place to live.
Hammer Try Woodmont at Liberty in Independence. Brand new and offering rentals for Spring. I believe they are giving discounts to teachers and first responders. Looks very nice but probably expensive. Can’t believe how high the rents have gotten over the years.
AnnE Woodmont at liberty is over $2300 for a ONE bed. It’s the most expensive place in town and the reason everywhere else has raised rents so high.
Will there be rental apartments at the new place being built bear CVS? They will most likely be expensive too. Seems like there is a scarcity of affordable places in or around this area. In all my years (lots), my mortgage payment was never anywhere near those monthly rents. I never would have been able to afford a home for my kids as a single mother.
Lonesome Dove Thank you to everyone that responded. The information you provided was most helpful and will provide guidance for my son. Again, many thanks.
Pizzaguy- All energy costs have seen record increases recently across the US. Some states have been even worse than these numbers: Electricity is up an average 14%, fuel 27%, natural gas 53%, and get this- the import price for natural gas has increased 165.5%! Couple this with the 2022 average 8% inflation rate ( it spiked at 9.1%) and now the ever increasing interest rates, in conjunction with an inventory starved home sales market here in NJ, it's no wonder rents are where they are.
I wouldn't be surprised if utilities that were once "included" in the rent become a disclosed extra charge line item at some inflated flat rate to cover the ever rising expenses for the apartment owners. Good times!
Greg Rents have gone up past seven or eight months because of high interest rates on mortgages. Less people can afford increasingly high mortgage payment so they need to rent. Basic supply and demand in that Arbitrage. I remember last year you could get a three bedroom in Panther Valley for $2,400. Now it's over 3,000.
Correct Reginald.
"How does inflation affect the interest rate?
As inflation increases, so does the price of everything, including mortgage rates." Inflation also reduces the demand that investors have for mortgage-backed bonds. As demand drops, the prices of mortgage-backed securities fall. That results in higher interest rates for all mortgage types. Feb 19, 2023"
Don't forget about the Fed's influence on mortgage rates. With inflation high, they raise rates to slow borrowing, which should slow spending, and therefore (supposedly) slow inflation.
I realize that mortgage rates aren't directly tied to the Fed rate, but as long as Fed keeps raising rates, good luck getting mortgage rates to drop meaningfully. Also, don't forget mortgage rates at least from a historical perspective aren't that high. Just ask anyone that got a mortgage pre 2000, though real estate was much cheaper then.
Alexandria at Mansfield are okay. Like everywhere else, as min wage increased so did the cost of living. One bedroom is listed for 1475. Two bedroom is 1700. Pets are not allowed but everyone has them anyway because its too easy to claim they're emotional support animals. Fortunately most residents do clean up after them. I have decent neighbors so my area is calm and quiet. Some people have nightmare neighbors so be careful
Resident I was forced to live with fam till I was thirty because it’s almost impossible to afford rent when you’re a woman. In NJ at least, the most expensive state in the nation to live in. In WV property taxes are $500 a year. Everyone can look up the states with the cheapest taxes on Google. We all might want to move from this hell hole. So we can afford to survive.
Completely agree. I remember that Sinatra song saying if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. Well, NOT ANY MORE !!!.
After the diversion from truthfulness, freedoms, economic accountability, along many American values to be self-evident, many of those have left (in droves) to seek such places (who populated & boomed the most remote areas) now says ANYONE can MAKE IT ANYWHERE !!!
Like a similar story a person from a small town moved to the big city with big dreams, has now flipped allowing the same person with big dreams (for a change or just."want to move from this hell hole. So we can afford to survive") can move to the small city to get the same storied 'Happy Ending'
aol123@aol.com Emily, If NJ is a hell hole for you, go! But, you will find there are many types of hell holes elseware other than Cost of Living.
EVV Not a hell hole to me - have lived in nyc, culver city cali, more nyc - englewood, wanaque, garrett mountain- and Allamuchy - love me some NJ
4catmom Emily, if you think New Jersey is a hell hole please visit West Virginia. For the $500 a year in taxes you’ll be living in a shack wit no running water. It’s a ridiculous notion that you can’t afford rent because you’re a woman. While I understand, it’s challenging to afford rent these days, I’m pretty sure if you get an education and a good job you’ll be able to afford rent.
Hadenough 
Philliesman Hadenough, my family lives in West Virginia. Yes, they have running water, yes, they have modern amenities. Your assumption is quite ignorant. My aunt lives in a house and pays $600/year in property taxes Think her rate is around 0.5% and her home is assessed at $120k.
NJ has the highest property tax rates in nation cos of CORRUPTION.
Yes, it exists even in Hackettstown.
Garrett Mountain, remember when they were building those condos on the ledge... almost bought a 2 bedroom there.
iJay @John Brown...
There will be exceptions to the rule, but the reality is that WV is one of the poorest states in the Union, there's no denying that. If you don't think that "corruption" exists in WV, then you aren't being honest with yourself.
There are tradeoffs anywhere you live, but to call NJ a "hellhole" is absolutely ridiculous. No, not everybody can afford to live here, but that's true of many places in the country. You are getting a lot for your dollar living in NJ, in fact there are few places that can match what NJ has to offer in totality.
If your bitterness and resentment toward NJ is that extreme, then by all means, head for the hills of WV. I'm sure your aunt would love to have you nearby.
As expensive as it is in jersey, at least there's always some kind of work available. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to find just a fast food job in some states. Plenty of young people are stuck living at home or with family till they're 30 nowadays. There's no shame in that. I miss my parents cooking.
You only have to move over the border in PA and the taxes are considerably less. We’re in the West End of Monroe County. Beautiful area, taxes are a third of what we’d pay for the same house in NJ. School system is better than Hackettstown in my opinion. I can bow hunt in my yard. There’s nothing in NJ worth paying significantly more for. How do you even retire in NJ… you better have a boatload saved up or you’re stuck leaving.
People are living at home until 30 because b
People aren’t getting married or getting married late. The solution is two incomes.
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