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We've been looking all over long island, with our eastern extent (due to commute to work) being around the nicolls road area, and we havent found more than a couple of homes we've felt anything for.
We recently found a home in lake ronkonkoma that has everything we're looking for, reasonable price, and low taxes.
The only question that still sticks in my head is "how truly nice is the Lake Ronkonkoma area, and is the resale value strong"
I know about the area north as being not so great due to its vicinity to the (now torn down) Bavarian Inn and the couple of run down motels, however the house we're looking at is slightly east of Hawkins road just north of the LIE in the neighborhood comprised of Pleasure Rd, Cheryl Dr, Foster Rd, Gregory Dr, etc. Sachem school district as well.
We took a drive around the neighborhood a few times and it seems very well kept, with quiet families. Some houses had very nice cars, and a few had boats, which leads me to believe its a middle to upper middle class neighbor hood, which is what we are. Now obviously areas like Smithtown, Nesconset might be more desireable, but I already know that and i'm not asking anyone to tell me where i should live.
Just looking for an honest opinion from people who either live, or have lived surrounding this area, and experience with home values, resale value, etc.
We've been looking all over long island, with our eastern extent (due to commute to work) being around the nicolls road area, and we havent found more than a couple of homes we've felt anything for.
We recently found a home in lake ronkonkoma that has everything we're looking for, reasonable price, and low taxes.
The only question that still sticks in my head is "how truly nice is the Lake Ronkonkoma area, and is the resale value strong"
I know about the area north as being not so great due to its vicinity to the (now torn down) Bavarian Inn and the couple of run down motels, however the house we're looking at is slightly east of Hawkins road just north of the LIE in the neighborhood comprised of Pleasure Rd, Cheryl Dr, Foster Rd, Gregory Dr, etc. Sachem school district as well.
We took a drive around the neighborhood a few times and it seems very well kept, with quiet families. Some houses had very nice cars, and a few had boats, which leads me to believe its a middle to upper middle class neighbor hood, which is what we are. Now obviously areas like Smithtown, Nesconset might be more desireable, but I already know that and i'm not asking anyone to tell me where i should live.
Just looking for an honest opinion from people who either live, or have lived surrounding this area, and experience with home values, resale value, etc.
There are 2 things in that neighborhood to watch for: the power lines close the Expressway(whether you think there's any danger or not, resale value will be affected if they can be seen from your yard), and being too close to that shopping center on portion..at one time they were having problems with kids hanging out behind there and wreaking havoc. Wouldn't want to be right next to that.
Other than that, you are okay there..it's a decent school district in a decent middle class area.
Power lines run through the vicinity. Depending on the street the house you are looking at, it may not even be visible to you. I was looking at a house 3 yrs ago out there, but it was very close to the power lines.
The interior areas were well kept when we were looking also, in my opinion you should consider it, if you can live with the power lines in the vicinity.
Its a decent location with access to portion road and LIE, check for the usual suspects like offenders etc.
Yeah the house we're considering is well north of the power lines closer to Laurel and High St's off Cheryl, so as far as i could tell i didnt see any of the power lines as they were further south of the area. Its still well tucked in south of portion so its still a number of streets away.
Just more curious about the area overall. Housing prices have obviously taken a dip due to the close of the housing boom and the drop of the economy, but with the proper location in the neighborhood and a well done home, would property values remain steady if not increase depending on market? Not an area with a flat or negative resell value even if the market increases? The worry is always "did i buy a house in an area that looked great to me, but 98% of everyone else looking wont agree" haha
Yeah the house we're considering is well north of the power lines closer to Laurel and High St's off Cheryl, so as far as i could tell i didnt see any of the power lines as they were further south of the area. Its still well tucked in south of portion so its still a number of streets away.
Just more curious about the area overall. Housing prices have obviously taken a dip due to the close of the housing boom and the drop of the economy, but with the proper location in the neighborhood and a well done home, would property values remain steady if not increase depending on market? Not an area with a flat or negative resell value even if the market increases? The worry is always "did i buy a house in an area that looked great to me, but 98% of everyone else looking wont agree" haha
I don't think that area is declining, the school district has a good reputation, it's just big. The area is cookie cutter Long Island as it was designed from say 1960 to 1980. There's nothing too great or very bad about it, other than the eyesores by the lake which they should get rid of and turn the area into an actual attraction.
You have to make sure you don't pay too much, so check comps and make sure you're only paying what suits the area and the market. .
Guess i'll just have to keep driving the area, see if theres anything that catches my eye that i dont like haha. We're scheduling our second look at the house this weekend
Guess i'll just have to keep driving the area, see if theres anything that catches my eye that i dont like haha. We're scheduling our second look at the house this weekend
It's always good to see what the neighbors are like, because even a good neighborhood has it's share of loonies. I loved one house in Smithtown that I looked at before I bought mine, but the guy next door had rusty crap all over his back yard...old gas cans, broken down lawnmowers, buckets of who knows what.... I told the agent at the open house "good luck, you'll need it with that guy next door.
There are 2 things in that neighborhood to watch for: the power lines close the Expressway(whether you think there's any danger or not, resale value will be affected if they can be seen from your yard), and being too close to that shopping center on portion..at one time they were having problems with kids hanging out behind there and wreaking havoc. Wouldn't want to be right next to that.
Other than that, you are okay there..it's a decent school district in a decent middle class area.
Which shopping center? There's quite a few on Portion. I shop at the Meat Farms (Foster & Portion intersection) about 2-3X a month, late afternoon/early evening. Never had any problems there. One thing I would be concerned with is if people are using Foster to bypass Hawkins/Portion in the later part of the afternoon.
Ended up speaking to a few friends who live in the area, and the general consensus i get is that its nothing but middle to upper middle class working families, with young children outside playing without any worry of anything. As long as you dont purposefully go to the north end of the lake and sit there with a sign on your back *think Die Hard With a Vengeance* its just like living anywhere else on long island. Heck even in the upper class areas of huntington, you're still 3 miles from very dangerous NY Ave in Huntington Station
Which shopping center? There's quite a few on Portion. I shop at the Meat Farms (Foster & Portion intersection) about 2-3X a month, late afternoon/early evening. Never had any problems there. One thing I would be concerned with is if people are using Foster to bypass Hawkins/Portion in the later part of the afternoon.
The Meat Farms Shopping center.
Teenagers used to hang out behind the fitness place (was a porn theater years ago). Not sure if they still do or not. I'm not talking about getting mugged in the parking lot, I'm talking about having kids hanging out in cars blasting music on Friday and Saturday nights behind the shopping center.
And yest it looks like Foster can be used as a cut through from Hawkins to Portion.
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