Suffolk-North Shore communities? Opinions / Comparisons (Brookhaven, Monroe: houses, neighborhoods, buyer)

[MDtech123]

I'm looking at houses in a few communities and wanted any opinions or first-hand knowledge of these areas. I am currently looking at houses in Stony Brook, Setauket, Mt. Sinai and Miller Place. We will be in the lower end (<400k) of these neighborhoods and are not sure which is better and for what reasons. (Given comparable houses).

As always thanks in advance for all of your help!

[dman72]

Originally Posted by MDtech123

I'm looking at houses in a few communities and wanted any opinions or first-hand knowledge of these areas. I am currently looking at houses in Stony Brook, Setauket, Mt. Sinai and Miller Place. We will be in the lower end (<400k) of these neighborhoods and are not sure which is better and for what reasons. (Given comparable houses).

As always thanks in advance for all of your help!

It depends on a variety of factors. Where are you commuting to work? I can tell you that the relative small difference between Stony Brook and Miller Place on the map can add up to an extra 40 minutes on the road...Route 347 is an abomination. Commute is a big issue to me, I'm not sure about you.

400K will buy you more house in Miller Place than Stony Brook. I don't think you will find comparable houses in those 2 areas for 400K...but I could be wrong.

I like the area of Stony Brook by the water, but you aren't going to be living there for 400K. You're also probably talking about South Setauket or the tract home developments of Stony Brook Road in Stony Brook, not the north shore fancy pants areas.

There are a lot of variables in this discussion. I think that Miller Place is also a notch down in terms of school districts..still good but not as good as 3 Village or Mt. Sinai. Again, what factors are important to you?

[OhBeeHave]

You need to give us some idea as to what YOU consider 'better' as opinions will be vary, but in the end yours is the only one which will matter.

For example:

Some people prefer newer housing stock, others like old homes.
Are you looking for a community with a mix of people or one which is more homogeneous?
Do you need to be close to shopping, other services, or houses of worship?

[MDtech123]

I havent been on 347 east of nicholls during rush hour.. is it really that bad? I work in melville so its about 45-55 minutes to nicholls, and i dont think i can handle another 30mins to get out to miller place.

I know the school and housing situations, but I was asking more about the people. Any quirky facts about the communities that I may not know?

[Crookhaven]

Id add Rocky Point, Ridge, Shoreham and Wading River.

Access to the Wm Floyd is key.
(Exit 62-68 goes very fast and Billy F north of LIE is cake)

Youll do very well sub 400k, might even score a waterview.


Crooks

[dman72]

Originally Posted by MDtech123

I havent been on 347 east of nicholls during rush hour.. is it really that bad? I work in melville so its about 45-55 minutes to nicholls, and i dont think i can handle another 30mins to get out to miller place.

I know the school and housing situations, but I was asking more about the people. Any quirky facts about the communities that I may not know?

During rush hour it's bad, during Saturday and Sunday afternoons it's bad...it's terrible from the Northern State all the way to 112!! Even though it takes just as long, I'll take 25A just because it's a nicer ride.

The South Shore fixed Sunrise long ago and is much better for it, but 347 is the way it is because of NIMBYISM and environmentalists. I actually had a friend of a friend (environmental type) tell me that they shouldn't make 347 a limited access highway because that will cause the North Shore to become more built up. Apparently the guys who built the giant developments on postage stamp sized lots in Mt. Sinai weren't deterred.

There's nothing really quirky about the people or communities..North Shore Long Islanders are pretty much the same. Mt. Sinai has/had the Chandler Estates, which are a quirky place..a hill up behind a church where Marilyn Monroe hung out one summer..now it's basically ruins. Pretty cool.

[Crookhaven]

Originally Posted by MDtech123

I havent been on 347 east of nicholls during rush hour.. is it really that bad? I work in melville so its about 45-55 minutes to nicholls, and i dont think i can handle another 30mins to get out to miller place.

I know the school and housing situations, but I was asking more about the people. Any quirky facts about the communities that I may not know?

Miller Place is a very nice upscale blue collar elite town.
Taxes can be brutal.Very good schools.

Stony Brook is much more educated and diverse.
Its getting very crowded there though...big, big gap between the Old Money and Strathmore/So Setauket (aka your budget).

347 is useless and you'll be married to it in SB.
Its a great town with great schools though.

Crooks.

[dman72]

Originally Posted by Crookhaven

Id add Rocky Point, Ridge, Shoreham and Wading River.

Access to the Wm Floyd is key.

Youll do very well sub 400k, might even score a waterview.


Crooks

Oy Vie. 20 mins to the LIE and then another 35 minutes to Melville, Crooks. They said they don't want a longer commute. We're talking an hour each way if they are driving during the teeth of rush hour to get up there.

I drove through your neck of the woods last weekend to kill some time. Saw about six Harleys in the back roads. I'd live up there if it wouldn't increase my commute by 40 minutes.

[Crookhaven]

Originally Posted by dman72

Oy Vie. 20 mins to the LIE and then another 35 minutes to Melville, Crooks. They said they don't want a longer commute. We're talking an hour each way if they are driving during the teeth of rush hour to get up there.

I drove through your neck of the woods last weekend to kill some time. Saw about six Harleys in the back roads. I'd live up there if it wouldn't increase my commute by 40 minutes.

Dman

Youre hell bent on painting NE Brookhaven out to be as far a Montauk.

Having worked in Melville for years...its an hour to 110 during rush.
All Im saying is that Miller Place would be harder.

Pat Mt Sinai Exit 63 sucks.

Crooks

PS
Youd live up here if you could find a buyer for your house in Seldom ; )

[Walter Greenspan]

MDtech123, when you do find a house that you like, you can find out in which community (city, village or CDP) that house is actually located, which is oftentimes different from the community named in that house's mailing address, by using the Census Bureau's online address search function. (CDP or Census Designated Place is the Census Bureau equivalent for a hamlet in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.)

And, very importantly, among other things, the Census Bureau's online address search function also indicates in which school district an address is located.