Summit, New Jersey real estate listings, home buying, selling and relocation information

home in summit

Don't be fooled by the MLS calling Summit "Summit City". It is NOT a city. Summit is known for having one of the best upscale town centers in the area. Trust me, being able to live within walking distance of this town is AMAZING! The energetic town of Summit, NJ is surrounded by incredible Real Estate, absolutely exquisite estate homes, charming family homes and convenient, cozy town homes and condominiums. Summit has so much to offer its residents, convenient transportation to New York City, award winning schools, plentiful recreational activities and programs, and rich history! It is no surprise that so many people choose to call Summit, New Jersey home! Click here for Recent Home Sales Stats.

Schools
Click Here Free local school report
In Summit School district, There are five elementary schools for children kindergarten through to grade 5 - Brayton, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln Hubbard, and Washington Summit after school programs are free and open to children in grades 6-12. They run all year with expanded programs during the summer. There's plenty to keep the kids occupied during the summer vacation too, with a good selection of local summer camps, including the Academic Institute at Oak Knoll School , Kent Place School, creative camps at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, sporting activities sponsored by The City of Summit Recreation Department, and Summit YMCAs camp program.

The Summit Area Community School (SACS) is a non-profit organization for residents of Summit, and surrounding communities offering classes ranging from languages, art and literature to music and career development and even tutorials with Princeton professors. Adult classes run during the day, evening and on Saturdays for people high school age plus. For children in grades 1-4, Saturday morning classes are available through the Summit Area Community Kids (SACK) program.

Public Schools
Summit High School
9-12 9/10
Lawton C Johnson Middle School
6-8 9/10
Brayton Elementary
K-5 8/10
Franklin Elementary
PK-5 9/10
Jefferson Elementary
K-5 7/10
Lincoln Hubbard Elementary
PK 9/10
Washington Elementary
PK 8/10 Private Schools
Kent Place School
K-12
Oak Knoll School
K-12
Oratory Preparatory School
7-12

Pre-School and private kindergarten
Central Presbyterian Church Nursery
PK-K
Jewish Community Center Nursery

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Shopping
There's a relaxed and timeless feel to shopping in downtown Summit along Springfield Ave and its side streets, thanks largely to the profusion of family-owned businesses. Chic boutiques, interior design shops, florists, gifts shops, jewelers, book sellers and sports stores mingle with hardware stores, drugstores, galleries and outlets selling fine wines and gourmet food. If you desire a little pampering you've got plenty of choices among the myriad salons, spas and nail salons. Whatever you are looking for you are sure to be rewarded.

In Union Place, just across from the Summit train station is one of the Town's retail gems the Summit Cheese Shop. The tiny space is a pungent treasure trove of dairy delights, and they do sandwiches too. The Wine List of Summit on Springfield Avenue is steeped in the proprietor's passion for the noble grape, with thousands of bottles from all over the world stretching down the aisles. A short stroll along the road and over the rail bridge is the car connoisseur's dream: Small boys and grown men have been known to spend hours drooling over the slick cars and one-off motorcycles in the Performance Auto Group window.

You will find Natales Bakery a little out of Summit center on Broad Street. Don't be fooled by the unassuming brick building. Here you'll find the yummiest pastries, breads and pies. The donuts are known as the best in New Jersey and the angel cake is amazing. Over on the other side of town is Summit Antiques Center, with collectibles and furniture from a bygone era. And don't forget that the designer labels and big store names are just a five minute drive at the Short Hills Mall.

The Farmers Market comes to town every Sunday from 9am-2pm between June and October, in the Summit Bank parking lot.

There is ample free customer parking in Summit. Check out the useful map of Summit Downtown, where you will also find a store directory and information about upcoming events.

Transportation
Step off the train in Summit, NJ and with the bustling street cafes and cosmopolitan atmosphere you could almost be in Paris or Rome - only in Summit, NJ the sidewalks are wider, the streets are less crowded, and there is plenty of space to spread out and breathe.With excellent DIRECT transportation to New York City, fabulous schools and great quality of life, it is no surprise that Summit, NJ is a popular choice for family living.

Summit train station is about a 40 minutes to midtown Manhattan. The Midtown Direct Line of New Jersey Transit takes commuters straight into New York Penn Station, Newark and Hoboken. A quick change onto the PATH Rapid Transit System transfers you to the heart of New York's financial center. Trains reach Newark Broad Street in around 20 minutes. Summit station is wheelchair accessible and provides free bike racks.

There are four long term parking areas for resident commuters from $3 per day - Broad Street Garage, Chestnut Lot, Elm Street Lot, and Sampson Lot. Residents can obtain permits from the Parking Services Agency at Summit City Hall on Springfield Avenue or from Summit Chamber of Commerce on Summit Avenue.

You can drive from Summit, New Jersey to New York City in under 40 minutes, depending on the time of day. Summit is just off of routes 24 and 78, and the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway and route 280 are all within 10-15 minutes. Newark Liberty Airport, a major continental and international gateway, is a 20 minute drive away.

Bus routes 70 and 986 pass between Florham Park, Livingston, Irvington, Newark, New Providence and Berkley Heights. Other nearby mass transport options are the Ferry , the Lakeland Bus and the Community Coach which takes you straight to New York City or Atlantic City from nearby stops.

Restaurants
During the summer there is a distinctly European feel to the area around Union Place, where there is café-style dining on the wide sidewalk. It is a wonderful spot to meet friends for a quick lunch or a leisurely dinner while watching the world go by. With its seductive ambiance and traditional French menu, La Souffle is the obvious choice for romantics. Fiorino's on Maple Street is another top pick, and has earned glowing praise from Agata's for its take on classic Tuscan cuisine. For a taste of contemporary India, try Dabbawalla, a modern canteen type restaurant on Springfield Avenue.

At the top of Union Place you will find the unmistakable Summit Diner, serving hearty breakfasts, snacks and suppers to the community for more decades than most can remember. Broadway Diner on River Road is also a good place for great family breakfasts, and for informal family dinners head over to La Pastaria. The Summit Food Market on Springfield Avenue, a traditional deli and grocery store, serves up a vast range of made-to order sandwiches from breakfast time on.

Everyone raves about Roots Steakhouse on Springfield Avenue not just for its superb dry-aged beef but also for the extensive wine list. Take a tip and book early!
Winberries restaurant and bar is a favorite after-work meeting place. It is in part of what used to be The Summit Opera House erected on Springfield Avenue in 1894 as a "dry entertainment" hall. It's right across from our office, and you'll be sure to see a few Keller Williams agents there for our weekly Thursday night Happy Hour. Jill, from our office, is "Chairman of the Bored" and makes sure it's always a fun time for all.

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Recreation
Entertainment and the arts

Summit is home to the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, the largest in the state of New Jersey, devoted exclusively to contemporary art, including painting, ceramics, sculpture and digital media. It's stimulating exhibitions range from museum-quality shows by internationally famous artist to works by talented locals in the three interior galleries and Art Park outside. There is also a nine-studio art school with inspiring programs to bring out the inner artist whatever your ability. The center hosts creative kids parties too, and there's a summer camp.

The arts have long played an important role in Summit life. Worthington Whittredge, a renowned painter of the Hudson River School, lived here from 1880 until his death in 1910. Summit Playhouse , the community theater, has been going strong since 1918. The company stages several shows a year and supports the Kaleidoscope Theatre for Youth. Summit Chorale is New Jersey's oldest community chorus, about to celebrate Summit Tudor its 100th anniversary, and performs a huge variety of works from the classic to innovative modern pieces. Summit Symphony was formed in 1938 and gives at least three free recitals a year. The quality matches that of many professional orchestras, although every member of the ensemble is an amateur musician. A Fact for the more progressive music lover the cult band The Velvet Underground gave their first ticketed show at Summit High School!

The Mayors Partnership for the Arts has raised tens of thousands of dollars to bring art to the community since 2002, ranging from free jazz concerts and sculpture exhibitions in Wilson Park to brightening up some of the city's bus shelters with stained glass panels.

The Clearview Cinema is in the center of town on Springfield Avenue, in the heart of the restaurant and café zone. Hint, Ricky's Candy Store is just a few doors away.

Great Outdoors

In spring, vast drifts of daffodils are a must-see at the Reeves-Reed Arboretum on Hobart Avenue, although the 12 ˝ acres of formal gardens and woodlands are impressive at any season. The gardens have been laid out to represent design trends by prominent landscape architects of the late 19th and 20th centuries. The arboretum is listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places.

Driving into the center of Summit, you can't help but be impressed by the amount of public open space. In fact there are well over 70 acres of parkland all together. Memorial Field on Parkview Terrace and Ashland Road is by far the largest and includes baseball/softball fields, soccer fields a cinder track, tennis courts and playground. The Tatlock/Greenfield Recreation Fields on Butler Parkway boast a synthetic turf football stadium and track, along with four lighted tennis courts, practice fields and a playground. Mabie Playground on Elm Street and Summit Avenue also has courts for basketball and bocce, and at Wilson Park there are paddle tennis courts, baseball/soccer fields, a basketball court and playground. There are two multipurpose fields at Glenside Fields.

Briant Park to the East of Summit, near Route 24, is 30 acres of rolling grassland with a large pond.

Sporting Life

The City of Summit Recreation Department sponsors a wide array of recreational activities, from basketball, football, karate and soccer to softball, swimming, tennis, cheerleading, ski club and yoga. There are kid's summer camps too.

Where better to cool off and socialize during the summer than the award-winning Summit Community Pool? Who needs the beach there's also a sand volleyball court here and a shady picnic grove.

Many of my clients are overjoyed when they discover the great golfing opportunities in the area. Whether you are looking to develop your game, unwind from the stresses of the working week, entertain clients, or relax in the company of fellow golfers at the 19th hole, there is an impressive array of award-winning golf courses within easy striking distance. Baltusrol Golf Club 2˝ miles away recently hosted the PGA Championship and is a private club. Even closer to home is the hugely popular (also private )course at Canoe Brook Country Club. Summit was the first town to open a municipal-built golf course in New Jersey. Summit Municipal Golf Course stretches across 13 acres of a former private estate. The annual tournaments are highlight of the year for many members. Check out all the golf courses close to Millburn and Short Hills at golflink.com

At the Beacon Hill Club on Hobart Avenue nine acres of beautifully landscaped terraces, gardens and woodlands surround the buildings, tennis and paddle courts, pool and ice skating rink.

For informal exercise that's lots of fun check out Summit Hash House Harriers cross country running club where an integral part of the action involves quenching their thirst at local establishments.

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