Levittown or Franklin Square ? (Hempstead, Hicksville: apartments, new house, neighborhoods)

[NYNewlywed]

I recently found this forum and I have to Thank you for all your inputs ...It have been a great source of information since we are looking to move. My husband and I are on the market for a new house now that the prices are more reasonable. We bought a house about 2 yrs ago in Westbury and unfortunately I have to agree with most of you when I tell you that the town is not what it used to be, I am debating between a house in Franklin Square at around 470k or a similar house in Levittown for under 400k. I am just so scared of moving to a place similar to Westbury (illegals, illegal apartments, bad schools)... Please let me know what you all think we should do (we work in Suffolk but our friends and family are in Garden City and Queens)....Once again Thank you !!!!!

[sange77]

Definitely Levittown. Franklin Sq, is surrounded by Elmont and West. Hempstead both of which are neighborhoods that used to be nice years ago but have changed. Levittown is surrounded by Wantagh, Bethpage, Hicksville, East Meadow...etc. you get my point. all surrounding neighborhoods are good ones. One thing though with Levittown, if taxes are a concern of yours....Levittown School District has one of the highest taxes...I believe the school tax alone is over $8k. You may want to check out the surrounding neighborhoods in Wantagh schools, Plainedge, Massapequa, Bellmore. Good Luck.

[deevee]

Levittown by far. I cant agree more with sange77. The area surrounding Franklin Square is not the best.
Wont be long before FS is Elmont.

[norm]

I live in Hicksville and it is pretty much the same atmosphere as Levittown except with lower taxes. Are you sure that you can buy a house in Levittown for under $400k? That sounds very cheap to me.

[kell78]

there is an area of franklin square that borders Garden City that is not so bad. It is right off of New Hyde Park road and walking distance to the stewart manor train station which is convenient.

I agree it is not the best but there are worse places in LI.

[MichaelMarinelli]

Originally Posted by NYNewlywed

I recently found this forum and I have to Thank you for all your inputs ...It have been a great source of information since we are looking to move. My husband and I are on the market for a new house now that the prices are more reasonable. We bought a house about 2 yrs ago in Westbury and unfortunately I have to agree with most of you when I tell you that the town is not what it used to be, I am debating between a house in Franklin Square at around 470k or a similar house in Levittown for under 400k. I am just so scared of moving to a place similar to Westbury (illegals, illegal apartments, bad schools)... Please let me know what you all think we should do (we work in Suffolk but our friends and family are in Garden City and Queens)....Once again Thank you !!!!!

Go with Levittown.

[VillageOfWestbury]

Originally Posted by NYNewlywed

I recently found this forum and I have to Thank you for all your inputs ...It have been a great source of information since we are looking to move. My husband and I are on the market for a new house now that the prices are more reasonable. We bought a house about 2 yrs ago in Westbury and unfortunately I have to agree with most of you when I tell you that the town is not what it used to be, I am debating between a house in Franklin Square at around 470k or a similar house in Levittown for under 400k. I am just so scared of moving to a place similar to Westbury (illegals, illegal apartments, bad schools)... Please let me know what you all think we should do (we work in Suffolk but our friends and family are in Garden City and Queens)....Once again Thank you !!!!!

Where in Westbury do you live? I've seen alot of improvement over the last two years so I'm curious.

[GCGuy]

Both are nice. I like Franklin Sq. though. It's still a very solid area, I (and my wife) have a bit of family there. Pretty good schools. They all seem to like it.

[fopt65]

Northern Franklin Square (preferably north of hempstead Tpke) is the most desirable part of Franklin Square. School district 17 is the better choice compared to 13. Yes Elmont and West Hempstead are our neighbors, but FRanklin Square so far has stayed stable. Eventually, I think, everything along Hempstead Turnpike will be similar demographically, including Levittown.
I don't know much about Levittown, but all the houses I looked at there 13 years ago had no basements. All FRanklin Square houses have basements.
Levittown used to be considered the cheapest place for whites to live in Nassau. I don't know if it is still considered that way or if its more equally desirable to its neighbors now.
All in all, I don't know if one is so superior to the other. The commute to Suffolk would definitely be easier from Levittown.

[Glad2BHere]

Each one has its advantages.

There are many nice areas of FS. My brother just bought a house for 480 in FS. A lot of people in FS stick together in not letting the town go down the way you describe Westbury. Just drive around and you will see.

Take a look at GreatSchools.net. Look at teh FS school district. Then look at the student info. It will give ethnicity breakdown and free lunch stats. FS is very very opposite of how you describe Westbury according to that and according to my vists there (frequently).

Depends what you want. Levittown has its issues too. My friend bought a house that was a "rooming" house (she didnt even know what that was) that neighbors complained about for years and years (rental, rented rooms, etc). The owner even put toilets in the bedroom. The house was set up as illegal two family on top of that.

So each area has its strong points. Tell us more of what you are looking for.