Rockland or Long Island? (Massapequa, Pearl River: mortgage, property taxes, condo)

[LIorRockland]

Hello I am having a hard time deciding if I should move to Rockland Country (maybe Pearl River) or Long Island (Massapequa?) Is anyone familiar with both of these areas? Average houses in the 500 - 600k range seem to be cheaper in LI but the taxes in LI seem to be about 1-2k more a year than Pearl River. Commute to NYC is the same from both of these places. I'm currently living in Queens but a small ranch can run up to 1 million so it is very very expensive and I am looking for a nice suburban area to raise a family. All opinions would be appreciated!! Thanks.

[NickL28]

Originally Posted by LIorRockland

Hello I am having a hard time deciding if I should move to Rockland Country (maybe Pearl River) or Long Island (Massapequa?) Is anyone familiar with both of these areas? Average houses in the 500 - 600k range seem to be cheaper in LI but the taxes in LI seem to be about 1-2k more a year than Pearl River. Commute to NYC is the same from both of these places. I'm currently living in Queens but a small ranch can run up to 1 million so it is very very expensive and I am looking for a nice suburban area to raise a family. All opinions would be appreciated!! Thanks.

Probably outside the NYC area & suburbs unless you are making in the mid six figures and don't mind paying a total mortgage of $3,000 a month for a tiny 3 bedroom home or condo.

You don't get much more for your money in Rockland than in Long Island and the property taxes & commuting costs + time can be hellish.

But really both areas aren't much different in terms of the people & the culture (or lack there of) -- People are rude, self absorbed, drive horribly & make snap judgements on others based on what they wear & what they drive.

[nyxmike]

Originally Posted by NickL28

Probably outside the NYC area & suburbs unless you are making in the mid six figures and don't mind paying a total mortgage of $3,000 a month for a tiny 3 bedroom home or condo.

You don't get much more for your money in Rockland than in Long Island and the property taxes & commuting costs + time can be hellish.

But really both areas aren't much different in terms of the people & the culture (or lack there of) -- People are rude, self absorbed, drive horribly & make snap judgements on others based on what they wear & what they drive.

Really? One thing I love about living in NY is that I never feel like people are staring at me or judging me. Go down South if you really want to know what it is like to be stared at and judged.

Massapequa is a nice town with really good schools. Plus there is the Preserve - a large wooded area with walking trails, etc. Rockland County is very nice too (more of a rural feeling) just make sure you are near a train station.

[SuburbanDweller]

I live in Rockland. I'm not sure 'rural' would be a word I would describe it as, but it's lovely. Expensive? Yes.

Pearl River is an awesome town. I live in Clarkstown myself, but if I were moving to Rockland, I would really want to know a lot about Pearl River. It's a great town with a small town feel and community. The people are great - so very friendly. There is a very large Irish population.

The school systems are really great and there is almost no crime. I think it's a perfect place to look! The homes there are (as a whole) very nicely kept and the town is kept very clean.

As a commuter, there is a brand new large lot for the train station (takes you to Hoboken to transfer to PATH into NYC) or the bus system (COACH USA).

If you can afford it, I would seriously look into it. Espeically if you have a family!