My home is informal and relaxed, you will feel at home. It has nice natural light and open spaces.
The recent changes in Airbnb and hotel prices have made visits to New York City very challenging. If you stay in Montclair you get the best of both worlds, easy access to the city and a nice green local area with a lot to do and places to explore further away.
The space
If you look at the photos there are captions that explain everything, I still have to add photos of the main bedroom with the queen size bed and the second bedroom on the second floor with the single bed. I also have another single mattress and a double futon that can be used either in one of the bedrooms or in the upstairs open space or even in the back living room. We are informal and want people to feel comfortable. This is not luxury space of hotel like amenities, it's a home exchange in the true nature of home exchange so although I will declutter more before your visit, you can expect to find the things of a normal home. The photos pretty much show how it will be, except for the bedrooms where there are personal items, those will be empty.
Guest access
3 floors but you don't need to go up to the third floor if you aren't using that space.
Notes
We have a washer and dryer in the unfinished basement. You have to go down some steps to get there. Also, we don't have any back lawn or garden but there are plenty of parks nearby, or you can just sit on the front steps and watch people go by.
Features
Washer
Dishwasher
Clothes dryer
Oven
Microwave
Coffee machine
Fridge
Iron
Hair dryer
Heating
Air conditioning
TV
WiFi
High Speed Internet
Bathtub
First aid kit
Wheelchair accessible
Smoke alarms
Fire extinguisher
Bed sheets
Towels
Workspace
Fireplace
Home cinema
Toys
Gym
Sauna
BBQ
Pool
Hot tub
Balcony
Garden / yard
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Covered porch / verandah
Kosher home
Meat-free kitchen
Gated community
EV Home Charger
Bikes
Camping gear
Kayak
Tennis court
Standup paddleboard
House rules
Suitable for infants under 2
Suitable for children ages 2-12
Pets not allowed
No smoking
Dates of Availability
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Neighbourhood
Montclair is a great little town. There are many restaurants, movie theatres, an art museum a live music venue (The Wellmont theatre), parks, summer activities such as fairs and concerts, classes in art, yoga, dance, summer camps for children. People are friendly and diverse. It's only a short (25 minute) ride from Newark Airport. The last time I took an Uber from the airport it was about $50, there is a bus as well if you are adventurous and want to save money. It's a great location because you can alternate trips into the busy city with relaxing times in and around our home. You can also drive to the NJ beaches, the closest one is about an hour away, you can take the kids to several water and amusement parks and also explore some nice villages around New York State and New Jersey for restaurants, nature and antique or craft shopping. You can take the train to other places such as Philadelphia or Washington D.C, or if you decide to rent a car you can drive there fairly easily. We have hosted 9 exchange families/couples and they have all loved Montclair. In fact, Montclair is a very sought after New Jersey suburb of NYC and many people are trying to move here for the quality of life with proximity to New York City.t. Many activities for children in the town, including summer camps in the local schools for children to make friends and practice English and for those who want real immersion experience.I can help you make arrangements for anything you are interested in! I traveled to Europe often with my young children and often put them into summer classes so they could meet friends and learn the language and this is very possible here in Montclair . One of the best things about my home is that you really can walk everywhere, we have a Quick Check (convenience store) on the corner, a pizza place, Indian restaurant, a great bagel shop, a Whole Foods is about 15 minutes walk away, downtown Montclair with a ton of restaurants is about 15 to 20 minutes walk away.
Getting to my home
Newark airport is 25 minutes away by taxi or Uber. Last time I used Uber in January 2025 it cost about $60 each way. There is a bus though, with one easy change, you can also take, it costs about $2.50.
Nearest airport
Newark airport
Getting around
You can walk everywhere, or easy Uber, Home is in great location with easy access to NYC (35 minute direct train-it's a 15-20 minute walk to train, please note it's direct only from Monday through Friday). On the weekends there is a non direct train that takes only a few minutes longer but the station for this is further from the house, Bay Street and it is at least a 30 minute walk or 5 minute Uber ride,. You can also drive to New York City, it's a 12 mile drive, please note this takes a long time though if there is traffic and you would have to put your car in a parking lot most likely as street parking would be difficult as in most big cities. Also there is now congestion pricing to drive into certain areas of the city. The train is best option and there are discounts for multiple rides, please see NJ Transit website and add Watchung Avenue, or Walnut Street, Montclair, to Penn Station, NYC for details.
Map of Approximate Location
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Feedback
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Premium
Debra
We are a family of four with many prior exchanges. Debra is a retired teacher who used to exchange through the very first exchange organization that existed before the internet! We had to mail our requests and photos! Tim is a jazz musician. Our girls are now grown and live elsewhere. Usually, it will just be me, Debra, traveling. As a new member I don't have any globes yet so I suppose the first exchange will need to be reciprocal in some fashion
"Near 10th Arrondissement, I am taking a summer course."
May 1, 2025 - Jun 7, 2025
"Would love the Albaicin, I am taking a course there."
Jun 21, 2025 - Jul 5, 2025
"Would love to visit Aix-en-Provence and open to all areas around there."
Jun 7 - 21, 2025
"All of Spain, but have already visited Barcelona so not interested for there. Would love to visit Pais Vasco."
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Exterior of house. If you rent a car you have driveway space. There are 8 steps to enter the first floor There is no garden or green yard in the back.
This is the front of the main floor. It's a nice place to sit and watch the day start in the morning, you'll see people on their way to buy bagels at the corner bagel store, or people walking their dogs and or their babies. In the spring you can open the window and get a nice breeze. If you happen to be here in May you will see the rhododendron tree in full purple bloom.
This is the back living space. It gets a lot of afternoon sun. The couch is old but comfortable, That is the pop up sauna on the left. There is a wooden dance floor leaning on the window in case you want to practice. The blue carpet is new. The window air unit in the window on the left
This space is next to the kitchen. Right now I only have 2 chairs but I'm going to replace them. The elliptical exerciser can be moved if you want It's a bright space.
This is my piano which you are welcome to play as long as you don't eat or drink while you are playing, and put food/drink on the piano.
The elliptical machine, though if you are visiting NYC you will probably get enough exercise walking around there. By the way, I also have a few yoga mats and blocks/balls and some light weights you can use.
This is the downstairs full bathroom, not any storage space but I normally have a set of plastic shelves in there that I removed just to take the picture, It can be left empty in there for you.
These steps you will see right when you enter the house and they bring you to the second floor where there are 3 bedrooms and a full bathroom. We usually leave are shoes on the rack which is to the right of the steps, we try not to wear shoes in the house.
Another view of the front area. The chair, from IKEA is very old but still works fine for sitting. Those pictures may or may not be hung up when you arrive but they are nice to look at either way.
A cozy armchair in the front space. I sit here every morning and drink tea or coffee. There's a little collapsible table there usually.
These spiral steps are newly re-carpeted and bring you from the second to the third floor. On the third floor is a bright open space and behind that is the 4th bedroom.
This is the upstairs bathroom, full with a bathtub and shower.There isn't much/any storage in here but we manage.
Another view of the sink area of the upstairs bathroom. My husband made the wood part of the sink.
This is the first bedroom that you see when you climb the steps. It has new blue carpet. Right now there is a student tenant living here but it would be empty for a home exchange or hospitality stay
The desk for the first bedroom, this would all be empty for your stay.
This is the finished attic space that you see when you go up those spiral staircases. It's empty but there is an extra futon and an extra single mattress that could be put up there in case you needed more sleeping areas. It can get hot in the summer because warm air rises and there is no air conditioner up there.
This is a Therasage personal sauna with infrared lights. It's in the back room.
This is our TV in the back room. It has Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Max and maybe a few others but they might not all be available on my account when you are here. but you can always put your account info into any app. Also, we get regular American channels as well as a ton of weird Internet channels. You will always have something to watch. In this picture you see the back deck. In the spring/summer I usually plant things, but if I'm away I probably won't. There is a round glass table out there and a few chairs but the rain has made the chairs a bit weathered. They still work though to sit on.
This is the kitchen. It has all the normal kitchen things. It also has air fryer, coffee grinder, Nespresso machine, soda stream, toaster, dishwasher, microwave, moka pot, French press. The cabinets have dishes, pots, pans, etc. The dishes, silverware are a mish mosh of styles, colors.
The refrigerator, home style with happy magnets, artwork and family pictures.
This is the 4th bedroom up in the 3rd floor. It's a finished attic space. It has new carpet. Notice that this single mattress is on the floor. All of this stuff will be removed, it belongs to a student tenant who is returning home soon. The rest of the room is very big and it has an air conditioner unit in the window. Remember you have to climb the spiral stairs to get here so it might be best for a child or teenager.and someone who doesn't mind sleeping on the floor mattress.
Another view of the 3rd floor open area, you can hide up here for some peace/quiet or do some yoga. Or, you can put the futon here and have extra sleeping space.
This is the smallest bedroom on the second floor, Here you see the single twin bed on a frame. In the summer there will/can be a window air conditioner unit in that window you see.
This is the closet for the second smaller bedroom. It will be empty if you visit, the radiators have all been repainted as seen in the picture and the carpet is new.
Another view of the smaller second bedroom. Empty bookshelf and dresser.
A desk in the smaller second bedroom. There is only one window in that room It's great for sleeping, gets dark at night. There is also a ceiling fan not pictures.
This is the main bedroom. The bed is queen size. It has a mattress topper on it. I would say it's on the softer side. The air conditioner will be in the window during the summer. There is carpet, it is not new but it is clean. We don't do fancy bed dressings, just a sheet, blanket in a clean duvet and pillow in clean case, of course if you want a top sheet we have those too.
This is the dresser in the main bedroom, Most or all of it can be emptied for your stay, as well as the top if you prefer.