Garden City vs Great Neck, house hunting questions (Hempstead, Port Washington: how much, houses)
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My husband and I are looking for a 4-bedroom house with short commute to midtown Manhattan, good public schools, and friendly community. We don't have kids yet, but are planning to start a family. I am Chinese, and he's an Asian-looking Caucasian. My parents are likely to move in with us at some point. We are (a lot) more into academics than sports. We have seen houses in Great Neck, Manhasset, and Garden City. We have narrowed down to GC and GN. Here are a few questions which I wish to get some advice on:
1. We noticed that for similar houses, the price in Garden City is significantly lower than in GN. What's the reason behind it? How would this impact future value of the houses?
2. I noticed some postings mentioned GC schools focus on sports a lot more. Would it be a problem for families who don't enjoy sports that much?
3. How are the schools compared between GC and GN? We have heard mixed messages.
4. How is the commute from GC to flushing, Queens? This is for my parents who might need to go there a lot.
5. Do families in GC socialize a lot, or mostly keep to themselves?
6. In GC, how is the area between the high school and the GC Golf Club?
My husband and I are looking for a 4-bedroom house with short commute to midtown Manhattan, good public schools, and friendly community. We don't have kids yet, but are planning to start a family. I am Chinese, and he's an Asian-looking Caucasian. My parents are likely to move in with us at some point. We are (a lot) more into academics than sports. We have seen houses in Great Neck, Manhasset, and Garden City. We have narrowed down to GC and GN. Here are a few questions which I wish to get some advice on:
1. We noticed that for similar houses, the price in Garden City is significantly lower than in GN. What's the reason behind it? How would this impact future value of the houses?
2. I noticed some postings mentioned GC schools focus on sports a lot more. Would it be a problem for families who don't enjoy sports that much?
3. How are the schools compared between GC and GN? We have heard mixed messages.
4. How is the commute from GC to flushing, Queens? This is for my parents who might need to go there a lot.
5. Do families in GC socialize a lot, or mostly keep to themselves?
6. In GC, how is the area between the high school and the GC Golf Club?
Thanks a lot!
1. Reason is Great Neck has a faster commute, lower property taxes and is surrounded by affluence. I don't think it will impact future values. Both towns are excellent. I would actually argue that Garden city is overall a much better place to live.
2. Maybe. Depends on how much you care what others think.
3. Both excellent. I would argue Garden City schools are actually overall better due to having more balance.
4. Commute not as good as great neck obviously.
5. They socialize a lot. Garden City probably has the greatest sense of community of any upscale suburb in the NY metro area.
Different demographics. GC mostly white, Catholic (not all, but most). Great Neck growing Asian population and Jewish. Great Neck is very pushy with the academics and academic competitions. Academics trump sports. The Nassau county quiz bowl meets are held at Great Neck South. GN would be closer to Flushing, but the drive from GC to Flushing isn't that bad either. There's also an Asian market in Hempstead, which would be closer to Garden City. Both have nice shopping districts, but they have different types of stores and restaurants.
I would choose Garden City , it a little more diverse.
HUH?
I would choose a realtor who actually knows the towns they are selling in.
Garden City is about 95% white and about 98% Christian. Hardly diverse.
Yes, sports are king in GC, but I don't think the non-sporty types suffer; however there is no question (at least in my mind, and I lived in GC for 13 years) that GN is more academically competitive. However, I live in an area that is more demographically similar to GN now, and those stereotypes are all true, those kids are all about the academics and nothing else and it makes for a bit of a stressful school experience.
Previous poster made a good point about GN - surrounded by wealthy areas, while GC is not.
My husband once lived in Port Washington, and would argue that the commute from GC is better because you have many more options than JUST the PW line. However, people who love the PW line are not easily persuaded from that viewpoint.
The area you asked about is called the Estates section of Garden City and IMHO is the best place to live in the village. You're surrounded by other good areas. No bad borders.
GC does have a good sense of community and IMHO it's where the "snobby" tag comes from. Nothing like trying to preserve the character and history of a place to set off the name calling. That's all people in GC really want, but it's a problem for everyone else for some reason.While there certainly is a LOT of wealth in the village, there are plenty of down to earth, regular-joe type of people.
All things considered, I would say based strictly on the commute for the parents, Great Neck. Both are strong academically but GC a bit more into he sports that GN. Tomais, is 100% correct in his post. GC has a very strong sense of community and there is a certain "something" attached to saying you live there. Difficult to describe, not what I could call "snobby" at all but an "I've arrived in a non snobby, or off putting way."
If you consider GC have you looked into Herricks. Large Asian demographic there and a good school district academically. Not the easiest commute to Flushing but it would be the same for GC.
As the previous posters said, GN is surrounded by wealthy areas while GC is flanked by one of the worst areas on LI. Based on everything you posted though, I would definitely go for GN over Garden City. You certainly can't go 'wrong' with either town though.
sorry to be OT, what is Asian looking Caucasian? I've never heard of that term. You mean he is some Russian Mongolian? or half Asian. Seems like a odd term.
About 15 minute ride from GN to Flushing on the LIRR is very hard to beat or the local NICE bus for the budget conscious
sorry to be OT, what is Asian looking Caucasian? I've never heard of that term. You mean he is some Russian Mongolian? or half Asian. Seems like a odd term.
About 15 minute ride from GN to Flushing on the LIRR is very hard to beat or the local NICE bus for the budget conscious
Nassau Road in Great Neck the first full block in Great Neck is now almost 100% Asian.
Why, Nassau/Queens board means Q12 bus top of block straight to Flushing. Bottom of block LIRR straight to Flushing. Both a short walk, the Little Neck stop LIRR stops just a few feet from Great Neck border which is a lower monthly ticket than the Great Neck Stop. Plus city fare deal on LIRR on weekends can go to Manhattan for price of a subway ride. And only 23 minutes to Penn. Also being right off Northern at City line can get to flushing by car in minutes. By comparision Garden City is HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE to commute to Flushing. The train does not go there at all, no good bus GC middle of Island away from any Highway
Nassau Road in Great Neck the first full block in Great Neck is now almost 100% Asian.
Why, Nassau/Queens board means Q12 bus top of block straight to Flushing. Bottom of block LIRR straight to Flushing. Both a short walk, the Little Neck stop LIRR stops just a few feet from Great Neck border which is a lower monthly ticket than the Great Neck Stop. Plus city fare deal on LIRR on weekends can go to Manhattan for price of a subway ride. And only 23 minutes to Penn. Also being right off Northern at City line can get to flushing by car in minutes. By comparision Garden City is HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE to commute to Flushing. The train does not go there at all, no good bus GC middle of Island away from any Highway
GC is not horrible and a train does go there and to be fair the highways are not that far away. In fact, I might argue that GN is a peninsula and there is only one real way in or out, so it is not all that convenient by car either. If train line to Flushing is a must have, then GN it is.
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