Long Island newcomer question (Merrick, Massapequa: for sale, homes, neighborhoods)

[GCGuy]

Originally Posted by clamboy

Its all about the GC until you drive through the Hempstead.....As the middle of the island contiues to suffer Id be very cautious about dropping big dollars there.There's some beautiful pockets.....GC(if you got the coin) Dix Hills,Manorville but your safest bet will ALWAYS be N of 25a or South of Montauk.

Best
C

Hempstead and GC never really meet. I had concerns myself but then spoke with a number of residents, checked out the area, etc. The crime is very low in GC. This is the only possibly negative factor, but the great community, good people, good schools, etc. make up for it. I wouldn't worry about the area going down too much. There are some not too nice places on the shores, too, and those areas are mixed in so your kids and their kids will be going to the same schools, etc. GC schools are only GC.

[Dedalus]

Originally Posted by bobbysock

I live in Douglaston which is in Queens just on the border of Queens and Nassau counties just below Great Neck. My train ride into the city is 25 minutes from Douglaston. Great Neck is about 30 minutes. There are trains that express from Manhattan with the first stop at Great Neck, then Manhasset, Plandome and the last stop is Port Washington.

Once upon a time, I lived in the Manor, do you know it?

I found out the other day that Lydia of "Aunt Lydia's Kitchen" lives, and broadcasts, from her home there.

Lucky lady. Gorgeous place.

[GCGuy]

Originally Posted by Dedalus

Once upon a time, I lived in the Manor, do you know it?

I found out the other day that Lydia of "Aunt Lydia's Kitchen" lives, and broadcasts, from her home there.

Lucky lady. Gorgeous place.

Douglas Manor is really nice. Man, those prices are steep, but gorgeous like you said. Private streets, windy, hilly, historic, private waterfront access.

[clamboy]

Originally Posted by GCGuy

Hempstead and GC never really meet. I had concerns myself but then spoke with a number of residents, checked out the area, etc. The crime is very low in GC. This is the only possibly negative factor, but the great community, good people, good schools, etc. make up for it. I wouldn't worry about the area going down too much. There are some not too nice places on the shores, too, and those areas are mixed in so your kids and their kids will be going to the same schools, etc. GC schools are only GC.

Franklin Ave pretty much connects the dots for me.


GC is to Hempstead like Jamaica Estates is to Jamaica.


I wouldnt be comfortable with it ...but hey its your Million.

Hempstead was beautiful once too.
I hear its going through a revitalization...I hope they turn it around.
It's really the heart of Nassau.


As for the No/So/Mid debate.

There are few (if any) undesireable areas N of 25a or South of Montauk.
But the Middle of the island seems very much up for grabs.

Best
C

[Dedalus]

Originally Posted by GCGuy

Douglas Manor is really nice. Man, those prices are steep, but gorgeous like you said. Private streets, windy, hilly, historic, private waterfront access.

It is one of these funny little tucked away places that is often called a "well kept secret." There's a website devoted to it I found the other night, that's where I found the tidbit about Aunt Lydia.

[fopt65]

Originally Posted by clamboy

Franklin Ave pretty much connects the dots for me.


GC is to Hempstead like Jamaica Estates is to Jamaica.


I wouldnt be comfortable with it ...but hey its your Million.

Hempstead was beautiful once too.
I hear its going through a revitalization...I hope they turn it around.
It's really the heart of Nassau.


As for the No/So/Mid debate.

There are few (if any) undesireable areas N of 25a or South of Montauk.
But the Middle of the island seems very much up for grabs.

Best
C

Garden City and Hempstead meet on many streets, FRanklin, Clinton, etc, but GC does a good job in policing the area. Going over the tracks from Hempstead to Garden City makes you feel like Dorothy going from Kansas to Oz

[GCGuy]

I didn't mean that they don't meet geographically, I meant socially. In other words, when you're in GC you're in GC and know it, and vice versa. I guess we have a good police force.

[AHHRN]

I believe some of these post are a little misguided...my husband and I live on the north shore but we spend a lot of weekends driving around and learning more about all the towns. Overall, if you could have your choice of towns to live in, stay away from the south shore . The further south your family goes from 25A the less desirable everything is. My absolute favorite towns are Matinecock, Lattingtown, Locust Valley, Bayville, Center Island, Mill Neck, and most of the towns around it (except glen cove) ...oyster bay is ok but nothing remarkable. If you go only a little further west there is Plandome, Roslyn, Manhasset and also Brookville (which is closer to the first set of towns above) are extremely nice, I live in Port Washington and am not the biggest fan but it is a good town ( too many rentals, don't invest in a home here). Out east Centerport, Lloyd harbor and surrounding areas are very nice. The downside of all of these places is that you’re talking about spending a pretty penny for merely a decent size house... as opposed to other areas. Northport and Huntington have good areas but also really not so great areas but your money will go further and you can stay on the north shore. Honestly from what I’ve seen and experienced the south shore is just not worth it even when you are in one of its nicer towns if you stray five minutes outside it looks like hell. Also there are way too many people who buy these tiny houses and build eyesores on the land which make it look gaudy. Spend a day getting lost in the first set of towns I mentioned and you'll never want to leave...and I think friends academy in locust valley is quite an impressive sight....I don't have children but would love to see what they have to offer. P.S. don't waste your money in garden city; both new Hyde Park and Hempstead (especially) which surround it are ****ty!!! and strays from there do walk over..And no matter what any one says, all you need to do is take one look at second ave; lots of huge homes and they all have a great view of low income houses right around the corner, literally! ..I don't know if this is helpful at all.. Many of the towns I mentioned in my first list (those in italic print), you can only buy an unimpressive/small house at the 700k price range (if at all) but to be in that area would make it worth it! If you and you’re family ever have a spare afternoon, try driving down dorsoris lane starting at forest ave (this is about where glen cove ends) and working your way north to lattingtown road and head east through Bayville rd around to w. shore road and get lost….it reminds me of Martha’s Vineyard….Enjoy

[CTtoLI]

Hello all!
We are in NY right now, got here Fri. night, staying until tomorrow late afternoon. We've driven all over Nassau county, and we love it! We are leaning a little more towards the North Shore. We had narrowed it down to Roslyn before we left, but now I have fallen in love with a house in the Strathmore section of Manhasset. We also loved the Gold Coast communities of Bayville, Locust Valley, Lattingtown, and Glen Head.
Problem is I heard the Locust Valley schools are not that great? I heard many people who live in these areas send their kids to private schools (Friends Academy, Portledge, Greenvale). I am not going to pay all of those taxes and not even use the schools! Anybody have any expeience with this school district?
As for the south shore, we did find many nice, waterfront communities that we liked as well. We liked South Merrick, the Mandalay section of Wantagh, and Old Harbor Green and Nassau Shores in Massapequa. Again though, the Massapequa schools dont seem that great? Am I wrong about this?
Now tomorrow we go look at nursery schools for our 3 yr old before we head home. We have appointments to tour North Shore Day School in Glen Cove, Friends Academy in Locust Valley, and Merrick Woods Country Day School in North Merrick.

[Dedalus]

It is a pre WW II housing development. See how a lot of the houses have a kind of uniform look to them? It was built by the "Levitown" Levitts' father, I believe.

It's a little troubling to me that there are no sidewalks...but, I guess I was about the only person who used to walk around out there.