information on shirley/mastic area (Brookhaven, Sayville: for sale, real estate, sex offenders)

[kyle clark]

im from upstate and moving to mastic long island. how is it there. my sister sats its a not so great place to live. can anyone give info about it. thank you

[CKor]

I'll try the best I can to help you. I would firstly like to note this is coming from a younger (20's) member of the town, so my views will regard such. Also, I live in Mastic Beach, not Mastic, but really they are the same area. You'll never really know where one ends and the other begins.

First of all, most people are going to say the Mastic Beach/Mastic/Shirley area is a wasteland. I've been told by one of my friends that in a radio report it was named the "armpit of long Island." The town has its stereotypes as being a bad area. You'll catch yourself more than one time in a situation where someone asks where you live answering "about 15 minutes from the Hamptons." It's the safe way out, and will avoid any negative feedback, unfortunately.

I know that is a terrible way to begin the preview, but it should be noted. For me, I love the town, and that's because I understand no matter where you live you're going to find certain types of people. I attended William Floyd High School (which just got noted in Newsday as the school with the 3rd most violent crimes) and never noticed that much of a problem. The teachers were friendly, and the education I recieved helped put me into a nice Undergrad program (Geneseo, which I'm sure you know, since you live upstate). It's all what you make of it.

As far as the job market goes, you're going to find yourself commuting out of the area, upwards of 20 minutes, normally more (unless you plan on travelling to the city). There are practically no jobs here for a parent looking to pay for a home. That being said, a lot of people are moving to this area because Mastic and Patchoque are the most undervalued valued areas in Suffolk. The area is making attempts to improve itself, and the property value has steadily been going up. As an accountant in training, I won't shy away from saying the area has a chance to be a realtors gold mine, if the conditions fall into play. The beach is located only 10-15 minutes away for the most part, and unlike most places it's not extremely commercial, which is a nice trend away from Florida-esque beaches.

Nightlife and Culture... well, you're going to probably be travelling for that too. With the hamptons not too far away it's a nice place to visit, as long as you don't tell anyone where your from. The area won't land you into a country club. There are more black people in the area than in most along the southshore if that bothers you. I've never had a problem, but if you talk to some people you'll sadly hear a lot about the number of drug addicts. Again, it's all about the crowd you put yourself into, as I think is the case in any town (in some you just hear about it more). Any specific questions I'll answer for you as they come up, I know this isn't the most specific recount!

[jk24]

CKor mention Mastic as "armpit of long Island." Crotch or rectum is more like it. 25 years ago, Shirley & the Mastics (as the area is often referred) was a dumping ground for welfare. Although many good people have moved in and live there, the real estate values are depressed, the local school district is sorting through a serious money mis-management scandal and Brookhaven town (frequently referred to as "Crookhaven") has many problems of its' own; largely due to mis-management decades ago. Traffic is very heavy (abyssmal planning 30 - 40 years ago compounded by inaction today), local gas prices are well over $3/ gal (and rising) and, due to widespread past government corruption, obtaining building permits is like running a gauntlet (it was easier when the officials just quietly accepted "donations"). Far more people move away from Long Island than come to Long Island. Unless you're coming to a fabulous, well paying job, I'd have to wonder, "why bother?"

[GypsySoul22]

Shirley gets a lot of bad press (crime/bad schools) but I am not sure how bad it is. My sister has lived in Shirley with her family (four boys), a husband for about 5-6 years now.

The elementary schools sound fine. The kids seem to get a good education and not the burden of useless busywork/homework like my son gets in a so called 'better district.'). Her oldest is in middle school and has done okay (no problems with 'thugs').

Her area is supposed to be the exclusive part of Shirley. It's a normal neighborhood (the people are strange/stuck up and weird but that's a Long Island thing anyhow).

Traffic is a bad. (William Floyd Hwy is a nightmare..).

Several houses on her block were up for sale last year and were quickly snapped up.

People probably move there because there are still more affordable houses than in 'better' (relative term) areas.

[Denniswr]

Mastic people are reffered to as Mastoids. Many people feel there has to be something in the water to make most of the people there so messed up. Its a shame it could have been such a nice area with the beaches so close. But all the small summer homes of old have become full time homes for the dregs of society. I would rather live in a tent in the woods then reside in Mastic!!

[New_Yorker]

Mastic, Mastic Beach and Shirley are close in proximity. It's hit or miss. One area could be nice, and the next, not so nice.

My Aunt and Uncle lived in Mastic Beach for 35 years, directly across from the water. They never had a problem. Nice neighbors, quiet street.

Many people snub their nose at the area, but that's usually just a self-esteem issue on their part; trying to make themselves feel better about their own less than ideal living situations.

Ask a realtor where the nice areas are. Good luck.

Originally Posted by kyle clark

im from upstate and moving to mastic long island. how is it there. my sister sats its a not so great place to live. can anyone give info about it. thank you

[Denniswr]

News Flash Recent Newsday artical shows the Mastic area with a very high number of sex offenders living in the area

[Lockner]

I use to live there and I left 16 years ago and never looked back. Until recently when my youngest son decided to go stay with his father who still lives there. Well it is violent. On Monday my son was jumped by 20 kids and stabbed. The worst part, he was in his own driveway, with his current girlfriend, and he got arrested for defending himself. Can we say crooked cops? My son has told me so many stories, and for the record there are gangs, and drugs and illegal weapons sales. All on your very own street corners. Wake up people. Just because your houses cost a fortune, don't think you live in a fairy tale land. I grew up in Brooklyn and I still feel safer walking those streets at night in today's society, then I do out on the island. Tell me there isn't something wrong with that picture. For the price of a small house there I have a 5 bedfrrom home on 300 acres of land in PA, plus great schools, and we are close to many of the cultured arts, 45 min from Baltimore, 1 hour from Philadelphia, 30 minutes from Gettysburg Civial War Battlegrounds. If you have children, get out while you can, before they end up like my son in jail or dead, all becasue he didn't want to date this girl anymore and her brother and his friends decided that because she still had feelings for him, they were going to kill him. That was the intent. 20 against 1 and it could be your kid.

[MOVING TO LONG ISLAND]

Kyle Clark- Have You Given Any Thought To Going More West Than Shirley, Mastic, Patchouge Areas? We Have Been Researching Oakdale, Bohemia, Sayville Areas. They Offer Great Schools Good House Value And Locations. Tell Me What You Think . What Other Web Sites Have You Used To Help You Find A Great Place To Move?

[Letterhead]

I live in Nassau County but I have a friend who lives in a "nice" part of Shirley, and she says you get eaten alive by the mosquitos if you spend any time in your backyard during the summer!