A Tall Order: What's Quiet, Near Water and Close to the City? (Babylon: 2009, city hall)

[alexei27]

Originally Posted by pdxbray

Thank you so much. Do you have any thoughts about something directly on the line, like Port Jefferson? Or how about Rocky Point? someone on another forum suggested that.

I appreciate how helpful everyone is in sharing their personal knowledge.

You might find a better tax situation in Rocky Point...and there are some fantastic homes. I live in Sound Beach...the town immediately west. It does not have as much charm as Rocky Point or Port Jeff because there is no real "downtown"...but there are some really fantastic homes with views of the Sound.

One thing to consider between the south shore and north shore is that the south shore is susceptible to hurricane and winter storm surges wheres the north shore is not. You probably will not need flood ins on the north shore whereas you would (or should) if you are within a mile of the south shore.

[LIGIRL08]

Setauket or Stony Brook on the north shore - although if you are commuting into NYC the trains stink.

If you are looking for South Shore, I agree with the Bayport suggestion - add Sayville to the mix too (great downtown area!)

[FormerSouthShore]

Originally Posted by alexei27

You might find a better tax situation in Rocky Point...and there are some fantastic homes. I live in Sound Beach...the town immediately west. It does not have as much charm as Rocky Point or Port Jeff because there is no real "downtown"...but there are some really fantastic homes with views of the Sound.

One thing to consider between the south shore and north shore is that the south shore is susceptible to hurricane and winter storm surges wheres the north shore is not. You probably will not need flood ins on the north shore whereas you would (or should) if you are within a mile of the south shore.

Rocky Point has a folksy charm and still has a beach community feel to it in some areas.

Port Jefferson Village has more of the historic shipbuilder type homes and a real busy Main Street harbor area. Lots of daytrippers; int he evening lots of barhopping.

Great point about the south shore and potential flood areas.

Some companies are no longer writing homeowners insurance on LI because they say we are due a big hurricane.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by LIGIRL08

Setauket or Stony Brook on the north shore - although if you are commuting into NYC the trains stink.

If you are looking for South Shore, I agree with the Bayport suggestion - add Sayville to the mix too (great downtown area!)

Wasn't the original poster asking for a price under $400K? That isn't happening in most of the places mentioned unless it is falling down.

It is doable in Sound Beach or Rocky Point, but to say that's an hour from Manhattan, unless you have a helicopter at your disposal, is a stretch.

The original poster needs to adjust their figures upwards of 500K and taxes around $7,000 to really approach anything close to what they are asking.

[totallyfrazzled]

Originally Posted by dman72

Wasn't the original poster asking for a price under $400K? That isn't happening in most of the places mentioned unless it is falling down.

The original poster needs to adjust their figures upwards of 500K and taxes around $7,000 to really approach anything close to what they are asking.

I was thinking that too, which is why I suggested Northport Village but even there, the homes will be older and the property sizes will be very small. And even so, the prices will be in the area of 390-399K at the lowest (selling price, not listing price) I would think.

And I forgot about the Northport Village Tax too. That's an additional expense over and above the normal tax bill. Babylon Village does the same thing. Sayville doesn't, though, because it's not an Incorporated Village.

You MIGHT be able to find something decent in the high 390s in the north part of Bayport, or in Blue Point which is just east of there. BUT (Catch-22!) the taxes are high in both areas because of the Bayport-Blue Point School District.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by totallyfrazzled

I was thinking that too, which is why I suggested Northport Village but even there, the homes will be older and the property sizes will be very small. And even so, the prices will be in the area of 390-399K at the lowest (selling price, not listing price) I would think.

And I forgot about the Northport Village Tax too. That's an additional expense over and above the normal tax bill. Babylon Village does the same thing. Sayville doesn't, though, because it's not an Incorporated Village.

You MIGHT be able to find something decent in the high 390s in the north part of Bayport, or in Blue Point which is just east of there. BUT (Catch-22!) the taxes are high in both areas because of the Bayport-Blue Point School District.

Northport is quieter than Port Jeff, has a cute downtown, and is slightly less than an hour from NYC, but between taxes and the cost of houses, is way over their criteria.

I would not buy a house within ear shot of PJ or Northport village because of all the motorcycles that drive down there all day and night during the summer. It sounds like a war zone when these overgrown children roar into town.

[totallyfrazzled]

Maybe the northern part of Babylon or the southernmost part of West Babylon? It wouldn't be in the village (thus no Village taxes) or subject to flooding, but would be close to one of the best LIRR lines into NYC and convenient to the beaches. High 300s there might be possible but it would be small, on 1/4 acre max, and probably cookie-cutter development ambience.

The only things in that price/tax range in quiet, safe, nice, charming areas and in decent condition are going to be of the bungalow/cottage variety, IMO.

[OhBeeHave]

The lion's share of affordable houses is certainly located in Rocky Point and Sound Beach -- a quick search of MLSLI.com – Long Island Real Estate – Find A Home in Nassau, Suffolk & Queens listing Port Jefferson, PJV, Poquott, Rocky Point, Saint James, Sound Beach, Stony Brook turned up over 22 pages of homes $400K or less. There were plenty of little cottages, some cute, some in dire need of repair in the RP & Sound Beach area under $300K. Someone else on the board was looking in this area about 6 months ago -- she ultimately bought on the south shore -- and back 6 months ago there wasn't nearly this much inventory at under $300.

No one mentioned St James earlier which is why I added it - this one is $338K
http://www.mlsli.com/unidetailsredo....tart=14&rpp=10

Setauket $339K (needs work)
http://www.mlsli.com/unidetailsredo....tart=14&rpp=10

Stony Brook (S-Section which is desirable to many) $340K
http://www.mlsli.com/unidetailsredo....tart=15&rpp=10

Stony Brook (H? Section, might corner a busy road) $340K
http://www.mlsli.com/unidetailsredo....tart=16&rpp=10

St James $359K
http://www.mlsli.com/unidetailsredo....tart=17&rpp=10

Port Jeff $359K taxes under $3K (Busy Sheep Pasture Rd almost near Main St --a 'borderline' area, walk to hospital, walk to train might be in contact with the Lawrence Aviation plume.)
http://www.mlsli.com/unidetailsredo....tart=17&rpp=10

St James $369K
http://www.mlsli.com/unidetailsredo....tart=18&rpp=10

St James $370K, taxes $5,700 ($4700 after STAR) - this is an adorable little house on Roseville, walk to Lake, the town and St James LIRR. It's a nice neighborhood in there. This would be my pick.
http://www.mlsli.com/unidetailsredo....tart=19&rpp=10

[MoonlightFlight]

I don't know what the taxes are in the St. James area today, but I lived in Nissequogue right after my daughter was born. We had a nice house with beach rights, and my husband commuted to Manhattan from the St. James railroad station. The Stonybrook RR station was only three miles in the other direction. Some of the older homes up there were smaller, less than 2000sqft. Our property was two acres, but I don't know if that was a minimum property size. Most of it was woods; there was only a small area around the house to tend. It may be out of your price range now, though.

[totallyfrazzled]

I'm surprised that there are many houses in St James with taxes that low. Most people in St James are lined up waiting for Mark Lewis to grieve them.... Smithtown too.

But the OP said "near water" and I wouldn't consider St James in that category, or Smithtown (other than North Smithtown near the river, which is out of their price range) either.

It would be helpful to know how close to the shoreline the OP wants to be. Waterfront? Waterview? Winter waterview? no more than a mile? no more than 2 miles? no more than 5 miles?