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Hi all, this will be one of my first posts. Just as a background, I currently live in an apartment in a Great Neck, and am looking to upgrade to a house w/ the wifey. We have a healthy budget of about $1mm, but don't want to take on taxes above $20k/yr. It might sound like an easy job finding a new home, but it really hasn't been. We're looking for a 4BR fairly new construction colonial/center hall, decent size house and lot, in a good school district that's less than a 1hr LIRR ride to Manhattan, and its been incredibly difficult in LI (not many nice new colonials here, mostly ranches).
Anyway we found one we thought might be the one in the Salisbury Estates section of the Town of Hempstead (postal address is actually Westbury though). After searching through the forum, I think we have a good idea on the quality of the schools (WT Clarke), and we're fine w/ that along w/ the general feel of the neighborhood. But one thing I read in a few posts has me extremely worried - several residents have made comments on the increasing number of illegals (whether immigrant or just renters) in the neighborhood. We are immigrants ourselves and can empathize to a certain degree, but we're really looking for a very family friendly neighborhood where our kids can ride their bikes around and not have to worry about safety in that regard.
Is there a real danger that Salisbury becomes more like the Village of Westbury or New Cassell in the not too distant future? We loved the leafy towns in Bergen County, NJ, but would like to stay in LI bc of family, friends and commute. Are we doomed to not find anything within our price range and w/ our criteria in LI? Thank in advance!
1million dollars in Westbury are you insane? You can get a really nice house inGC for that nowadays...newer isn't better....you are giving up way too much just to get new.
Salisbury is a decent area, and Clarke is a decent school, but spending $1 million to live in that area and that district (where you can buy in with $275,000 for a Levitt home) doesn't seem wise.
If you like the neighborhood then go for it! There are many ppl who have very good budgets/incomes and still choose to live next door to everyday folk instead of stuck-up snobs. I don't know your preferences but usually middle income areas have a better sense of community and less issues with heavy drugs among youth.
BUT you should still try to explore all of your options before you fully make up your mind. I don't know how deep you are into your home search but it wouldn't hurt to explore more towns to avoid any regrets. Also consider resale and the price that you think others would be willing to buy your home for if you may end up selling.
The first wave of gentrification has come to Westbury!
LOL, you guys may be right... It's difficult to give up the super nice, new construction house for a super nice town, but that's probably the more prudent thing to do...
Appreciate people's feedback - if anyone who has direct experience w/ Salisbury can comment, that would also be much appreciated. thanks!
If you like the neighborhood then go for it! There are many ppl who have very good budgets/incomes and still choose to live next door to everyday folk instead of stuck-up snobs. I don't know your preferences but usually middle income areas have a better sense of community and less issues with heavy drugs among youth.
Good luck.
people who do this generally have to have the biggest house on the block...and then are shocked when they go to sell and others do not feel the same way. Or when their neighbors do not treat the neighborhhod like a million dollar neighborhood.
Westbury has been a mix of ethnicities for years....nothing new there...Salisbury is more heavily Italian I believe.
people who do this generally have to have the biggest house on the block...and then are shocked when they go to sell and others do not feel the same way. Or when their neighbors do not treat the neighborhhod like a million dollar neighborhood.
Westbury has been a mix of ethnicities for years....nothing new there...Salisbury is more heavily Italian I believe.
We don't need or want the biggest house on the block, we just want a nice (maybe very nice?) house, which unfortunately is not always possible w/ our budget, hence ending up looking in a town like Salisbury, which not bad, but is probably not the greatest...
We've looked in towns like Pt Washington, Manhasset (too much $$), GC, Roslyn, Jericho and Syosset, all great school districts and decent commute, but can't find any homes that are within our budget that are (not necessarily in order):
1) in a good school district
2) < $1mm, < $20k taxes
3) 4BR, 3BA
4) < 10yrs old
5) 3000sf, 10000sf lot (or close to it)
6) colonial/center hall
7) not on a busy street
8) relatively close (can be driving) distance to LIRR station
9) < 45-50min LIRR ride to Penn
I think we want a house that checks all of these boxes, unfortunately it looks like maybe we're a year or so late to the market...
We don't need or want the biggest house on the block, we just want a nice (maybe very nice?) house, which unfortunately is not always possible w/ our budget, hence ending up looking in a town like Salisbury, which not bad, but is probably not the greatest...
We've looked in towns like Pt Washington, Manhasset (too much $$), GC, Roslyn, Jericho and Syosset, all great school districts and decent commute, but can't find any homes that are within our budget that are (not necessarily in order):
1) in a good school district
2) < $1mm, < $20k taxes
3) 4BR, 3BA
4) < 10yrs old
5) 3000sf, 10000sf lot (or close to it)
6) colonial/center hall
7) not on a busy street
8) relatively close (can be driving) distance to LIRR station
9) < 45-50min LIRR ride to Penn
I think we want a house that checks all of these boxes, unfortunately it looks like maybe we're a year or so late to the market...
Dix Hills will fit your criteria near perfectly. Lots of gorgeous homes on giant lots and you can get some pretty luxurious homes for under 1mm. It is a 59 minute LIRR ride to Penn Station from the Ronkonkoma Branch, so that may be pushin it for you..
Rockville Center is great too.
If you like the South Shore and living near the water then you can also try the parts of Merrick, Bellmore, Seaford, Wantagh and Massapequa south of Montauk Hwy (be aware that you'll probably need flood insurance though). You can probably get a very good bargain in these areas due to a lot of people selling their homes as a result of the hurricane-related occurrences of recent years.
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