Goodbye LI! (Levittown, Hicksville, Commack: crime, hotels, homes)

[mrstriplem]

welll...i certainly wasn't trying to offend anyone...here, just saying my goodbye and experience trying to make it on LI...

And when i say "I hope it gets better for you here.." I mean in the real estate/property tax sense...everyone has their own idea of "quality of life" mine may be very differenct from yours...and we could argue that forever here! Believe me, I have family who will never leave LI and that is there choice and I don't repremand them for their decisions.

I am not "overjoyed" that I am leaving long island... I like many things about LI...but for my particular family (and also many others that I know)...it is the sensible decision, financially and otherwise, for us to leave...and yes I did buy my house after 2002...so I paid when prices were going up...and my home now isn't worth close to what I sold it for 1 year ago...so i am thankful I sold when I did. Maybe we don't make the kind of money others do who can afford to stay here...it's all relative to each ones situation.

But don't worry...i won't be posting here again anytime soon!
Thanks!

[ncc1701]

Please do post. It is always interesting to see how other locales/lifestyles compare to LI. Have you found jobs in NC? Please post a picture of your house after you move in. Good Luck!

[mrstriplem]

don't worry I will post again...just venting...

Yes my husband has found a job...making very close to what he makes here...i work from home...so my salary/job won't change after the move.

Thanks for the words of encouragement!

[cricketfan]

Originally Posted by Jrprofess

Cricket, although the reply may be harsh, the OP does have that frustrating tone that many who post about leaving the area have...it is difficult to wish someone the best when they toss in quotes like "...I hope that for the ones staying...things change for you here...". That's funny, I like things just the way they are...although I would love a fix for the real estate tax issue.

For those who enjoy the area it is rude to presume that we are staying behind in some declining pit, as if we are oblivious to this ominous "decline" or too scared to make the big move. Additionally, too often posters blast "Long Island" when they are speaking about the perceived decline of their town and local area. Long Island is too large an area and diverse from town to town to generalize. Not everybody is struggling to afford a Levitt ranch money pit (as the OP described...not my words). I would also probably want to move if that was my situation. I take no issue with criticism of any area, and if somebody fires back and disagrees they deserve the same consideration for their opinion as the OP. Maybe the tone was harsh, but the opinions expressed deserve equal courtesy.

Your screen name suggests a certain degree of sophistication, so surely you don't believe that the OP is saying that his or her circumstances are the same as yours and everyone else's in Long Island. When people are hurting they tend to see life through their own prisms and when the OP said "I hope that for the ones staying, things change for you here" you must know that he or she is not referring to you but to others who may be feeling the same pain.

On the other hand, the OP is right in saying that "the quality of life on long island is dwindling". One can easily make the argument that it is indeed dwindling, although in different degrees for different people. But in fairness this is a fact that is not confined only to Long Island.

The thing I find disturbing and even laughable is that whenever someone posts on this board that they are leaving Long Island in search of a better life, there is always an outburst from certain people. The OP is NOT dissing Long Island, in fact the OP says that he or she is sad to leave and at the end wishes Long Islanders good luck. Why can't you protesters do the same and wish the OP good luck also.

[NSHL10]

Good luck, and remember that "bless your heart" is not a compliment, LOL

[ClarkStreetKid]

Originally Posted by Glad2BHere

The below quote isn't a diss?

Lighten up and don't take the "diss" personal. Life is way too short.

Most of us who left didn't have that as our long term goal, (ask my wife who says I was hellbent on living and dying on LI), but greener pastures called and off we went of our own accord. On the other hand some feel or really were pushed off the Island by it's economics and those people feel angry, as they IMO should. Who's to say in a few years of more taxes that you won't be looking for those greener pastures too. So when someone flips the bird on their way over the Belt don't get so upset.

[Smash255]

Originally Posted by NYC2RDU

There is no area in North Carolina that will turn into the current Long Island (west of Riverhead). The economic drivers are simply not present anywhere and the geographic limitations don't exist.

And it is rude to post a "see ya, wouldn't want to be ya" thread. I left and while I'm happy with my decision I continue to miss the many, many good points about living on Long Island.

As for the herd comment, I doubt you or your family (whomever was first to purchase a home on Long Island) did so as a trailblazer when the place was mostly farm land. Long Island became what it is today because the masses from New York City moved east in herd-like fashion. So unless you're someone whose family roots trace back to the 1800's I'd lay off that angle.



The amazing property values are only amazing based on when you purchased it. I doubt those people who bought into the market since 2002 are feeling the market-value love these days. The two houses I've sold on Long Island since 2002 are now worth at least 10% less then what I sold them for so Id doubt their current owners share in your opinion.

Oh and as far as the proximity to Manhattan thing goes it's only a plus if you take advantage of it. We almost never did and while I often listed it as a perk of Long Island living it's sort of a weak point. I'm more likely to plan a weekend trip into the City now that I can afford it since relocating away from the area.

Homes here have not gone down by that much. Suffolk was hit a bit harder than Nassau, which only saw a 2.2% drop in the last year but overall the LI housing market while dropping hasn't dropped as much as most other markets have. on top of that those who bought in 02, 03 and in somce cases 04 are still doing fine, considering that we saw double digit increases in values all the way through 05. Even with the recent drops the median price here is about $100,000 higher than it was in late 02/ early 03

[Glad2BHere]

Originally Posted by ClarkStreetKid

Who's to say in a few years of more taxes that you won't be looking for those greener pastures too. So when someone flips the bird on their way over the Belt don't get so upset.

I'm to say that won't happen. I am sure of this. And I am not upset. Just calling it as I see it.

[mrstriplem]

Originally Posted by Glad2BHere

The below quote isn't a diss?

Certainly doesn't sound like a compliment to me. Believe it or not, many of us do very well here in LI. Then to say "see ya'll in NC", as if to imply we will all head to NC one day when we wisen up? No disses in this? Had OP said "Leaving, goodbye LI, I will miss some things, not miss some things, etc" I would then say congrats on your decision to move and left it at that. But the post wasn't as free of "disses" as you are saying it is. I know how to read, and certainly know how to read b/w the lines and I am responding to that.

No this post wasn't meant to "diss" anyone...and yes you shouldn't take it personally...maybe i should have said "See ya later LI"! maybe that would have sounded better!?!...and remember I also did say it is all relative to ones situation and I did NOT say anyone needed to "wisen up", that is just an interpretation of what I wrote. Gee I guess not everyone is allowed to have their own opinions of where they grew up and lived...so i won't bother anymore!

[Smash255]

Originally Posted by mrstriplem

No this post wasn't meant to "diss" anyone...and yes you shouldn't take it personally...maybe i should have said "See ya later LI"! maybe that would have sounded better!?!...and remember I also did say it is all relative to ones situation and I did NOT say anyone needed to "wisen up", that is just an interpretation of what I wrote. Gee I guess not everyone is allowed to have their own opinions of where they grew up and lived...so i won't bother anymore!

I don't think he or anyone else was suggesting that you aren't capable of expressing your opinions. However, I do think the tone of your post came across as LI is horrible I'm out peace, something we see too much of on this board. Now I don't believe it was your intent, but I see how somone may have gotten that interpretation from that post. BTW what were the dwindling quality of life issues you were talking about in regards to?