Best Towns in Long Island (Brookhaven, Islip: section 8, home, neighborhood)

[Jrprofess]

Originally Posted by beachgirl558

Thanks for the advice. I think to be sure we will just have to spend the money for a big trip to come out and do some hunting around various neighborhoods in person. I was just trying to get some areas ahead of time in which to narrow in. Anyone know anything more about Baldwin or Farmingdale?

I am not originally from Long Island (CT) but married an Italian New Yorker and based on the marriage vows was not permitted to leave . Like any metro suburb there are good and bad things but I do think I have a pretty objective view of the area towns given I have been here for over a decade, my children are being raised here, and I was not born and raised in one of the towns so I am not emotionally tied some a local pizzeria or park...

I would not recommend Farmingdale or Babylon given they do have some marginal areas. They have some very nice sections as well but I'd expect you would want to live in an area where the entire town is considered very nice, and all of the schools are top notch. Farmingdale and Babylon are solid, but the school districts are not the strongest on the island (and even without kids, strong schools mean good home values). I would recommend West Islip over both if you can afford it. Additionally, I would look at Plainview/Old Bethpage school district towns. Plainview can be a bit snooty, but the schools are extremely competitive and the town is very safe, and very convenient to things on the island and to the city. Just my two cents. Let me be clear though to anyone in the towns that I listed that might be offended. I mean nothing personally (scout's honor) and my wife is a south shore Nassau County gal born and raised (and a big defender of the the island). I personally live in the the Town of Smithtown (Smithtown) specifically, and think it is by far the nicest part of the island with very strong schools and an area where every town in the township is great. But to be practical I no longer have to make my city commute and it is a haul into Manhattan. Also, it is not cheap, though in the current market things are definitely in the buyers favor these days. Best of luck to you...and if you can stretch that commute a bit, maybe even consider some north shore communities a little further east than you are looking. The north shore on a whole is a bit nicer than the south shore...just don't tell my wife I said so

[sean sean sean sean]

Where are these supposedly dicey areas of Farmingdale? I have yet to run across any of them...

[nbres]

East Farmingdale is mostly industrial - maybe that is what the earlier post means.

[GCGuy]

Originally Posted by nbres

East Farmingdale is mostly industrial - maybe that is what the earlier post means.

I think he's talking about the increasing Latino presence...always a bumper crop of fun and excitement. Viva La France.

I wouldn't consider Farmingdale for that reason, too. Many parts are quite nice, my friend bought a house there in Half Hollow Hills SD, but I just hope it doesn't turn too much.


Best towns...how can we forget about the GC, yo??

[nbres]

I think he's talking about the increasing Latino presence...

Why are people on this board so afraid to speak their minds!

I hate this talking in code. Just say it, be honest.

[nancy thereader]

I would not recommend Farmingdale or Babylon given they do have some marginal areas.

I know that Babylon Village does have a FEW maginal areas, but it is truly a lovely little village and NOT downscale at all.

[AndreaII]

If you would be willing to extend your commute to NYC a little, I'd take a look around Oakdale, Sayville, Bayport, etc. South of Montauk Highway are some lovely neighborhoods with large, older, beautiful houses (the kind with the large front porches, etc., decent amount of property), big trees, nice side streets, and good areas. The school districts are good too.

I really think you would get more bang for the buck in that particular area on the South Shore.

Trying to pull this off over the internet is way too inaccurate. You'll have to get in a car and ride around these areas and neighborhoods and see for yourself. What will appeal to other people may not appeal to you at all. What they consider safe and "good" areas, may very well strike you as being so-so, etc.

Comparing North Shore to South Shore as far as prices go, it seems to me that North Shore prices are higher than South Shore. For example, North Shore Stony Brook/Setauket is directly opposite Bayport which is at the end of Nicolls Road on the South Shore. Yet the prices in Bayport are significantly less than in Stony Brook. I'm not saying this holds true for all of the Island, but it does in this example.

[clamboy]

Originally Posted by AndreaII

If you would be willing to extend your commute to NYC a little, I'd take a look around Oakdale, Sayville, Bayport, etc. South of Montauk Highway are some lovely neighborhoods with large, older, beautiful houses (the kind with the large front porches, etc., decent amount of property), big trees, nice side streets, and good areas. The school districts are good too.

I really think you would get more bang for the buck in that particular area on the South Shore.

Trying to pull this off over the internet is way too inaccurate. You'll have to get in a car and ride around these areas and neighborhoods and see for yourself. What will appeal to other people may not appeal to you at all. What they consider safe and "good" areas, may very well strike you as being so-so, etc.

Comparing North Shore to South Shore as far as prices go, it seems to me that North Shore prices are higher than South Shore. For example, North Shore Stony Brook/Setauket is directly opposite Bayport which is at the end of Nicolls Road on the South Shore. Yet the prices in Bayport are significantly less than in Stony Brook. I'm not saying this holds true for all of the Island, but it does in this example.

Time out....Bayport/Blue Point is as expensive as Stony Brook if not more (and equally as affluent).
Particularly South of Montauk.

Id move there in a heartbeat if I had the coin.

Plus So Shore LIRR is MUCH better.
Cannonball.

C

[catlaw1]

If I were in my 30's (if only...lol) I would look at a starter in Bethpage. Great schools and what a sense of community! If you get a good starter in say the south bethpage area your biggest problem will be wanting to leave when you can afford to.

I have been there often for soccer games and football and for the great fund raiser the HS runs for cancer. Gezz it is an amazing sense of togetherness and friendship. There were thousands marching for the cancer fundraiser and they were there all NIGHT!!

As for education, it is a strong program great sports program and a good history of children moving on to college. It has a cute little train station and is close to hicksville if you need a better schedule. Shopping ranges from the local to a mall close by on Broadway in Hicksville and the Old Grumman property is starting to shape up. Stay away from the North number streets... issues concerning toxic dumping from Grumman's otherwise, it is a great place, no dicey neighborhoods and a really safe place to live with transportation education and recreation all right within a five minute drive.

[Jrprofess]

Originally Posted by nbres

Why are people on this board so afraid to speak their minds!

I hate this talking in code. Just say it, be honest.

When I said "marginal" areas in referring to those towns I was not talking code about "darker" people....please. I am not from long island originally and hate how segregated it is by train stop. It is ridiculous. My point on some of the "marginal" areas were in reference to some dumpier looking parts of the town where white, red, brown, and blue people live for all I know. Babylon Village is nice, but North Babylon is not as nice. If you had a choice why live in an area where you would prefer not to go a mile north. The school scores are mediocre in these areas as well. Not bad, not good. Farmingdale is adjoined to a lot of industrial area along 110. Not as nice near there, regardless of race creed or religion. I live in Suffolk. There are plenty of "marginal" areas that are very WHITE. It is offensive that you presume that is what I meant. When I moved to long island years ago it became clear to me I was one of the only democrats on the entire island...to presume any bias on my part is rude.