Thinking about moving to Califon - anybody offer any insight

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vlkslvr

Active Member
So I've posted a few times in GTLuke's thread:

http://www.mtbnj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23485

about a mtb friendly town with some property. I've been searching for closing on a year now and I've looked at probably 100 places in Hunterdon and Somerset counties. I think I may have finally found something in Califon but I wanted to get some idea if I'll like it or not.

I'm coming from Edison and some of my main motivation for leaving there is that I want more property in a quieter town. I work in Warren so a similar/better commute from what I have now would be a huge bonus.

So far Califon seems to be meeting all my criteria. I've found a few houses that I am interested in, one in particular that seems to suit my needs perfectly so now I need to know if Califon is the town for me or not.

As far as I see it the biggest drawbacks are the "remoteness" of Califon and the facts that every house is going to have septic/Oil heat, highish taxes and in general are older properties.

Benefits are large properties, definitely good road biking roads (which is important because I commute by bike 2-3 times a week), Vorhees park is just a few min away, Round Valley is 10 miles away. Chimney Rock is right by work so I'd have other parks to ride in.

I can provide more details but basically I am just looking for some thoughts/comments on Califon from people that have experience with the area. In the end it comes down to me being responsible for making this decision so I'm not asking for a yes you should move there or no you shouldn't type decision just your experiences/likes/dislikes.
 
I think I can help here a little.

I live in Long Valley right on the border of Califon (I actually have a Califon mailing address), and have been there for the last ten years. As a cyclist, the area is ideal. Great roads for miles in pretty much every direction. I very rarely do the same road ride twice. Two good shops that are equi-distant from Califon (Cyclecraft in Long Valley and Bike King down on Rt. 31), and Marty's isn't too far either up in Hackettstown.

For off-road, RV is close, but this also puts you within 1/2 hour of all three Allamuchy parks. Columbia Trail is right there, which you can use to hit some of the singletrack in Voorhees, Schooley's Mountain, and Teetertown Ravine (never been, but I hear there's trails). Also can't forget about the new trails being built in High Bridge, which is close by.

You'll have great routes for commuting (my parents live in Warren, so I am familiar from riding to their place), so there's another plus.

The town of Califon is quaint, good (not great, though) restaurants in town and in neighboring areas (High Bridge, Long Valley).

There are a few minor downsides. The well/septic thing is what it is. The area, particularly Long Valley, is very prone to power outages, but a generator can take care of that. Also, avoid any house along the river. Saw some significant flooding during that hurricane last August. Califon lacks a decent supermarket, you'll probably end up going to Chester because the A & P is pretty bad.

Since you're coming from Edison, you may need a period of adjustment. We find it a bit frustrating at times where we live, because we are not close to any conveniences, but if you are right in Califon, you will be closer to things than we are. Two liqour stores and four pizza places right along that stretch of 512, so there you go.

Taxes may be a little higher than elsewhere, but they're like that pretty much everywhere. Not sure if you have kids or are planning on it, but the schools have a very good reputation out that way.

Hope this helps.
 
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I don't know if you plan on having kids, but North Hunterdon is the regional school there and is huge and seems to test pretty well. Though it's a 20-min drive from califon.

The town itself looks nice. rural to be sure, but some nice new homes and nice setting.
 
After living in Glen Gardner (10 minutes west of califon) for almost 2 years, i'll say the road riding is great. Your commute will be awesome roads.
There is no local singletrack that I know of. RV, CR, and the moochys.

What I love about the area is that its not packed with too many people. When I drive to 6 mile, I end up wanting to kill someone. Way too over crowded.Traffic at every light. Which Im sure is similar to Edison.
 
I drive through Califon daily for my commute...and I often think to myself "this would be a great place to live"...although I have lived most of my life in rural areas and enjoy the quiet scene. I recently got in a road ride in the area and looking forward to more...plus you are close to the Mooch parks!!
 
Thanks for all the comments guys - keep them coming.

About the only drawback I've seen that could be troublesome is the amount of flooding a long the river. Two places I am looking at are on river road. I've been told that the flooding occurs but that isn't all that bad and that the one house I am looking at hasn't had any water in it in the 16 years the people have owned it. The other has a basement that supposedly only got water in it during Irene.

I guess I'll be having to either forget about these places or do some in depth research and see what the reality is.
 
Stay away from the water. Talk to the neighbors, not the guy selling the house.... He'll lie.
 
Some "califon" addresses feed into West Morris High School. I grew up in Long Valley and would move back if we could. Taxes are high, but nothing compared to what I pay in Essex County for a house half the size.
 
Califon sends to Vorhees HS, not North Hunterdon, no?

I had an uncle there when I was a kid and now we have good friends there. I can't say I'd ever want to live there myself. Idk exactly why.
 
jShort said:
Stay away from the water. Talk to the neighbors, not the guy selling the house.... He'll lie.
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+2 on that.

i really like califon, my wife and i looked there but just decided it was "too far". it is out there but beautiful. i ride through there a lot. as mike and shorty mentioned, the roads are excellent. you can connect the columbia trail right in the middle of town. if you fish ever, it's a GREAT place to be and there's even a little fly shop.

i don't necessarily agree with the stay away from the river thing but do you homework.
 
Norm said:
Califon sends to Vorhees HS, not North Hunterdon, no?

I had an uncle there when I was a kid and now we have good friends there. I can't say I'd ever want to live there myself. Idk exactly why.
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Califon does send to Vorhees from what I've seen.

Can you offer any type of explination? I know it's a little remote compared to Edison but so far driving through I like it. Perhaps I am missing something though and I'd love to hear why people would think they might not want to live there.


Thanks everyone else for the replies. The river thing might be the deal breaker considering the two properties I am particularly interested in are on River road. I'm going to do some more homework and see what info I can find out.
 
I love the area for road biking. It's quite a nice area. I've lived in Edison before, and between the 2 I'd pick Califon by a long shot. Edison was brutal for both traffic and road biking. I understand why you want to get out. Even now when we go through there and see the traffic I comment that I don't miss it.

I just wrote up a bit of a reply and deleted it. I think this is one of those conversations best had in person, because no matter how much I try to word this right, it sounds wrong. It turns out that our friends love it, but oddly are trying to move out. I don't know what that means. I think there's a sort of lack of identity there.

Full confession: I may be holding on to some of my childhood memories about it, which leaves it as a place I'd not think to live. I never had anything but good times out there, so I'm not sure that's it. I dunno. Someday we should have a beer or 6 and talk about it. Or not, it may not really be that important.

Mike hit on a few things there - good, not great. Not convenient. Personally I'd look at Warren or Watchung, especially where you work. I know, real estate ain't exactly affordable there.
 
vlkslvr said:
Can you offer any type of explination? I know it's a little remote compared to Edison but so far driving through I like it. Perhaps I am missing something though and I'd love to hear why people would think they might not want to live there.
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for us it boiled down to being just too far. both of our families live in boonton twp. proximity to good special services was also a huge concern- both of my girls are deaf with a pretty rare, not very well known hearing loss so going that far out just ended up not being an option. couple that with the fact that my professional life more or less revolves around NYC and it was out. FTR, we also deemed most of Long Valley too far as well.
 
Norm said:
I love the area for road biking. It's quite a nice area. I've lived in Edison before, and between the 2 I'd pick Califon by a long shot. Edison was brutal for both traffic and road biking. I understand why you want to get out. Even now when we go through there and see the traffic I comment that I don't miss it.

I just wrote up a bit of a reply and deleted it. I think this is one of those conversations best had in person, because no matter how much I try to word this right, it sounds wrong. It turns out that our friends love it, but oddly are trying to move out. I don't know what that means. I think there's a sort of lack of identity there.

Full confession: I may be holding on to some of my childhood memories about it, which leaves it as a place I'd not think to live. I never had anything but good times out there, so I'm not sure that's it. I dunno. Someday we should have a beer or 6 and talk about it. Or not, it may not really be that important.

Mike hit on a few things there - good, not great. Not convenient. Personally I'd look at Warren or Watchung, especially where you work. I know, real estate ain't exactly affordable there.
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All good points and yeah a beer or 6 would definitely be welcomed to discuss in person. I'll see about making that happen.

I realized I left out a few pretty important details that would help explain why it might be an ok area for me.

I'm in my mid 30's, single and without kids and plan on keeping it that way. I'm planning on working in the Warren area for the foreseeable future and I want to be within a 1 hour commute which largely means ~25 miles given traffic in NJ. I also would love to be able to continue to commute by bike which means <25 miles to keep it reasonable.

I want some degree of remoteness/property because as I get older I value my privacy more and more. Besides biking I also do a lot of work on cars and garage/property to do so is high on my list of requirements.

Warren/Watchung would probably be ideal geopgraphically but I just don't think I want to swing it from an affordability standpoint. That and you don't get the nature/riding areas that you do out in Califon.

Definitely keep the info coming as it's greatly appreciated.
 
Some good advice here. If you are concerned w/ the well, and whatnot, you can come a little further south of 22/78. I like it a lot here in Branchburg.

Also consider: Flemington, Whitehouse, Readington, Lebanon

Personally, i like the "remoteness" of this area.

My office is in NYC (i'm a consultant, so i am not there often) but there isnt much better then coming home to a quiet area after working in the city...

I ride to all those awesome roads in califon/old wick/peapack/gladstone/bedminster/lamington etc...

Plus right near CR, 6MR, RV...another positive is you are able to ride Geax here as well...

Since you work in Warren, you should have a fast commute on 78, i never hit traffic in this area on 78...
 
Dr Superb said:
Also consider: Flemington, Whitehouse, Readington, Lebanon
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Man, you guys are running through my childhood towns. I spent more time in Flemington than Califon as a kid. I lived in Whitehouse & Readington at points. I got nothing on Lebanon. Might as well throw Bloomsbury & Washington in to complete the circle of my childhood. Oddly, I've spent almost zero time in Clinton. Oh, Annandale too - lots of time there.
 
My wife grew up in Califon and her family still lives there.

I just asked my wife what the pro's and con's of growing up in Califon were. She replied more open space but 45 minute drive to the mall.

Califon seems perfect for you, if you like privacy and space yet affordable Califon is it.
 
pooriggy said:
Califon seems perfect for you, if you like privacy and space yet affordable Califon is it.
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Based on what you described, I'd agree with pooriggy's above statement. Califon is a good fit.

The commute to Warren is sweet either by bike or by car. If I had that commute, all would be right in my world.
 
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