Comments on: Going Local http://bloomfieldguy.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/going-local/ A transplanted New Yorker navigating the perils of first-time homeownership in the sortaburbs of New Jersey. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:06:33 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: bloomfieldguy http://bloomfieldguy.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/going-local/#comment-6 bloomfieldguy Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:59:04 +0000 http://bloomfieldguy.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/going-local/#comment-6 My wife and I are Latino (I'm half-black) so Bloomfield's diversity was very appealing to us and most of the negatives we heard about it were, ironically, thinly veiled references about exactly that. Funny what people will assume where you're not dark-skinned! Halcyon Park was the other neighborhood we really liked and we actually bid on a house over there but the owner was pretty firm on their listed price, having already dropped $10k. About a month later, they dropped it another $20k, almost to our original offer, but we were already sold on the one we ultimately bought which cost more but is closer to both school and transportation. Thanks for reading! My wife and I are Latino (I’m half-black) so Bloomfield’s diversity was very appealing to us and most of the negatives we heard about it were, ironically, thinly veiled references about exactly that. Funny what people will assume where you’re not dark-skinned!

Halcyon Park was the other neighborhood we really liked and we actually bid on a house over there but the owner was pretty firm on their listed price, having already dropped $10k. About a month later, they dropped it another $20k, almost to our original offer, but we were already sold on the one we ultimately bought which cost more but is closer to both school and transportation.

Thanks for reading!

]]> By: Charles Burns http://bloomfieldguy.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/going-local/#comment-4 Charles Burns Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:46:09 +0000 http://bloomfieldguy.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/going-local/#comment-4 Welcome to Bloomfield! I cam across your photos on flickr and found a link to your blog, and have enjoyed it so far. I, too, am a NYC transplant (Brooklyn and the LES) and I can say that while the south end of Essex County isn't The Big Apple, it's got a lot going for it if people would only give it a chance. We live in Halcyon Park -- we're close to Newark AND East Orange -- and heard all the "horror stories" when we decided to buy a house in Bloomfield, but there's honestly more crime in Montclair than I've ever seen in Bloomfield, even the south end. I love the fact that my neighborhood is diverse and someone from just about every race, religion, sexual orientation or political affiliation is represented, and we all manage to get along somehow. It's annoying when people reinforce negative racial stereotypes based on nothing but fear and hearsay. Anyway, again, welcome, and I hope you and your family like it here. We've been in Bloomfield 5 years now and are still glad we settled here. Welcome to Bloomfield! I cam across your photos on flickr and found a link to your blog, and have enjoyed it so far.

I, too, am a NYC transplant (Brooklyn and the LES) and I can say that while the south end of Essex County isn’t The Big Apple, it’s got a lot going for it if people would only give it a chance.

We live in Halcyon Park — we’re close to Newark AND East Orange — and heard all the “horror stories” when we decided to buy a house in Bloomfield, but there’s honestly more crime in Montclair than I’ve ever seen in Bloomfield, even the south end. I love the fact that my neighborhood is diverse and someone from just about every race, religion, sexual orientation or political affiliation is represented, and we all manage to get along somehow. It’s annoying when people reinforce negative racial stereotypes based on nothing but fear and hearsay.

Anyway, again, welcome, and I hope you and your family like it here. We’ve been in Bloomfield 5 years now and are still glad we settled here.

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