You feel the small-town charm of Fanwood best while cruising its tree-lined residential streets. Homes are lovely and full of unique character. Lawns are ample, green, and trim. It’s the kind of place where children form happy memories of trick-or-treating and block party water balloons fights.

“The town is so kid-friendly. There are nice parks and a newcomers club that helps you set up playdates, which was a good way for me to meet other new moms.”

– Ms. Zadorian, Local Resident

History of Fanwood, NJ

Fanwood became incorporated in 1895 during the era of the horse-drawn carriage. It originated around the Fanwood train station, which remains true today in some ways. The railroad company bought up the surrounding land and developed it with properties for the wealthy.

Over the decades, the town filled with Victorians, Colonials, Arts and Crafts-style homes, Capes, split-levels, and ranches. To this day, Fanwood retains a respect for its architectural mosaic of homes. Properties are typically renovated rather than demolished in favor of new builds.

For buyers, this means a wonderful selection of property types far removed from suburban cookie-cutter builds. Touring Fanwood homes for sale is always a unique delight. For sellers, this means a stable forecast for property values.

What’s the Cost of Living?

Check out this comparison table of the average cost of living indices between Fanwood, New Jersey, New York City, and the US.

COST OF LIVING	Fanwood	New Jersey	NYC	USA
Overall	142.6	119.8	168.6	100
Grocery	107.2	105.8	116.6	100
Health	97.5	96.9	127.6	100
Housing	189.4	136.4	224.3	100
Median Home Cost	$552,600	$397,900	$654,300	$291,700
Utilities	114.7	109.2	150.5	100
Transportation	115.7	127.7	181.1	100

The median household income in Fanwood NJ is $147,905 and the national median household income is $62,843.

Best Things To Do in Fanwood

Fanwood is a little town almost fully encompassed by Scotch Plains, like the little morsel being eaten by Pacman. As such, there are plenty of things to do in the immediate surroundings, beyond what Fanwood offers.

Special Events

As a mark of its tight-knit community, thousands of guests turned up for the 2022 Fanny Wood Day, despite the town having a population of only 7,300.

Fanwood also hosts many more events. Here’s just a sample that shows off the excellent community involvement.

• 5K Fun Run, where some participants run in pajamas
• FanJam, a live music festival in LaGrande Park
• Party in the Park, which includes contests, games, and an outdoor movie night
• Juneteenth, a social justice event
• Easter Egg Hunt in Forest Road Park
• The Santa Parade with door-to-door present giveaways
• Pumpkins and Police, where children decorate pumpkins with local officers
• Halloween Parade and Costume Contest

Beyond these officially organized events, you can also expect block parties during summer and autumn.

Amenities of Fanwood

Being a small town, there isn’t a huge abundance of places to go within the town limits. Most things to do center around South Avenue, which runs for about 1.5 miles through the middle of Fanwood. There you can find restaurants and bars, boutiques, and the occasional fitness studio.

Downtown Fanwood has enjoyed a recent revitalization, replacing many one-story dilapidated buildings and strip malls with chic mixed-use properties. Residents can expect this little renaissance to continue.

Of special note, Fanwood has also received the Tree City USA designation for its abundance of foliage.

Connections and Transportation

Here you can find some very exciting news that might just make you a great deal of money.

In 2019, the Raritan Valley Line introduced the one-seat ride to Fanwood. That means passengers no longer need to transfer at Newark to get into Manhattan, which saves time, money, and stress.

At present, it’s only available Monday-Friday during off-peak hours. However, Mayor Colleen Mahr is optimistic this offering will extend to other time slots.

While this is convenient for Fanwood commuters, the main upshot is that it should significantly increase property values over the next decade. According to one source, property values in nearby Summit, NJ rose 25% since the introduction of the one-seat ride 15 years ago.

In other words, it’s a great time to buy property in Fanwood and will probably remain a great time to sell for years to come.

Fanwood FAQs

Finding or Selling Your Fanwood Nest Home

It’s always a pleasure to host an open house or give a showing on the quaint streets of Fanwood. My passion for introducing families into this neighborly community has granted me some wonderful accolades:

• Top 1% of 88,000 Coldwell Banker Internationally Qualified Sales Associates for 2016-2021
• Twelve-Year Winner of the Five Star Professional Agent as seen in NJ Monthly Magazine for 2012-2023

Even more than these awards, I’m proud of the exceptional reviews I’ve inspired from clients. Please read through the many pages of positive reviews to see what I mean. But for now, here’s a little taste.

“Sharon helped educate my wife and I through the entire process and made herself available at all times. She accompanied us along our visits and answered every question we had. Her references provided excellent service as well to assist us along the way. We couldn’t thank Sharon enough for her work with us and recommend her to anyone looking for a superb real estate professional!”

– Angela and Zach

To find out more, I encourage you to get in touch and join the ranks of my highly satisfied clients.