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We are looking to move from Brooklyn Heights to Long Island (we have a 19 month old). My husband works by Penn Station and would like to have a train ride of no more than 45 minutes. We are looking for a town, preferably with a good sized downtown and also good schools. We also would like to join a synogogue and would like a town that has a conservative shul. Our budget is about $700 or $750. We are considering Rockville Centre and Port Washington. Any suggestions or input would be great! Thanks!
For a home. I know we are priced out of certain towns probably so want a town where we can get a nice 4 bedroom house and have the other aspects we are looking for.
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Not sure you can get a nice 4BR in RVC at that price point but they do have a temple in town. It's also the seat of the Catholic Diocese on Long Island so take that info as you will.
For a home. I know we are priced out of certain towns probably so want a town where we can get a nice 4 bedroom house and have the other aspects we are looking for.
Do you mean $700-750K for Buying a home or $700-750/month to RENT a home? 700K is more than enough to find a nice house to buy in RVC or PW. With a 700K budget, you can even shoot for Garden City or Searingtown, Old Westbury. But be sure to account for taxes...taxes will run you at least $11-15K/yr in these towns.
We are looking to move from Brooklyn Heights to Long Island (we have a 19 month old). My husband works by Penn Station and would like to have a train ride of no more than 45 minutes. We are looking for a town, preferably with a good sized downtown and also good schools. We also would like to join a synogogue and would like a town that has a conservative shul. Our budget is about $700 or $750. We are considering Rockville Centre and Port Washington. Any suggestions or input would be great! Thanks!
If that's what you need, look in the Five Towns area (Hewlett, Cedarhurst, Lawrence, Woodmere, etc.). The LIRR ride to Penn is within your husband's time limit of 45 minutes. You will find something within your budget. The schools are good too (except Lawrence has declined as a lot of parents are sending their kids to Jewish religious schools instead). RVC is very catholic. Not sure about PW. The pricing you want is a little bit low for RVC and PW for a nice home, but the real estate market is stagnant, so who knows, the deals might get better as time goes on.
Neither Port Wash or Rockville Centre has a sizable Jewish community, although P/W has more. The Conservative movement in the 5 Towns has diminished greatly too and continues to decline. Try Merrick, perhaps. You might like Jericho, Syosset or Plainview, but he commute might be longer than you would prefer.
Merrick would be perfect for you. Good schools. Nice people. A sizeable Jewish community. A very stable downtown. Good commute to Manhattan. Close proximity to parkways and shopping. I speak as someone who lived there for 18 years.
I would suggest you look in Merrick Woods, which is a tree-lined neighborhood north of Sunrise Highway and within walking distance to the train and village. You might even find a home there slightly under your budget, which could help to make up for the items below.
There are just a few caveats:
1. Taxes are high, relative to housing prices. That means you might find a $500K-$600K house with $15K-$20K+ in taxes. And that's today. You could end up with $30K taxes in 10 years because, like most other Long Island communities, the school boards are doing little to rein in costs for superintendent and teacher salaries and benefits. I believe these taxes are what's keeping the housing prices down in Merrick. The buyer pool is shrinking for people who can afford to carry the mortgage, taxes and all the other expenses of living on Long Island.
2. During Hurricane Sandy, water came up in some spots as far north as Sunrise Highway. You should look at the flood maps to see the locations. I believe that makes housing values south of Sunrise somewhat uncertain. I wouldn't buy a house down there.
3. Pertaining to #2, if housing values and tax assessments go down in South Merrick, the folks up north (who share the same school district) will have to make up the difference, leading to the higher taxes I mentioned in #1.
If you're willing to strap on your seat belts re the current and potential taxes, Merrick is a great place. Good luck!
Neither Port Wash or Rockville Centre has a sizable Jewish community, although P/W has more. The Conservative movement in the 5 Towns has diminished greatly too and continues to decline. Try Merrick, perhaps. You might like Jericho, Syosset or Plainview, but he commute might be longer than you would prefer.
Merrick has 2 conservative temples. Cedarhurst and Woodmere also have 2.
Merrick would be perfect for you. Good schools. Nice people. A sizeable Jewish community. A very stable downtown. Good commute to Manhattan. Close proximity to parkways and shopping. I speak as someone who lived there for 18 years.
I would suggest you look in Merrick Woods, which is a tree-lined neighborhood north of Sunrise Highway and within walking distance to the train and village. You might even find a home there slightly under your budget, which could help to make up for the items below.
There are just a few caveats:
1. Taxes are high, relative to housing prices. That means you might find a $500K-$600K house with $15K-$20K+ in taxes. And that's today. You could end up with $30K taxes in 10 years because, like most other Long Island communities, the school boards are doing little to rein in costs for superintendent and teacher salaries and benefits. I believe these taxes are what's keeping the housing prices down in Merrick. The buyer pool is shrinking for people who can afford to carry the mortgage, taxes and all the other expenses of living on Long Island.
2. During Hurricane Sandy, water came up in some spots as far north as Sunrise Highway. You should look at the flood maps to see the locations. I believe that makes housing values south of Sunrise somewhat uncertain. I wouldn't buy a house down there.
3. Pertaining to #2, if housing values and tax assessments go down in South Merrick, the folks up north (who share the same school district) will have to make up the difference, leading to the higher taxes I mentioned in #1.
If you're willing to strap on your seat belts re the current and potential taxes, Merrick is a great place. Good luck!
Why do you think the housing prices are "kept down" in Merrick? Isn't Merrick mainly a middle class community? What do you think the middle class on Long Island should be paying for a family home to live in? A million? Just wondering.
Also your number 3 may be incorrect. On LI they don't let the assessment value and the tax rate both go DOWN at the same time. If the assessment value of a house goes down, the tax rate is raised. They do not just go to a different part of town and slam those people more. They do not make their budget based on what the tax revenue is. They make their budget numbers and THEN adjust the taxes to achieve their numbers.
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