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Definitely never said (and certainly never intended to imply) that Patchogue was "top of the market." It's clearly not, since it's still one of the lower-priced areas in Suffolk in spite of the many improvements you're quick to tout. It's just not as cheap as the Mastics or Shirley.
Sorry, not what I meant to do at all.
I wasn't calling you out or putting words in your mouth or anything like that. Just adding to your comment. The prices have gone up in the recent years, yes I agree, and I'm adding that it's still going up.
Sorry if I came off like I was attacking your post. Completely unintended.
The areas all touch and have a similar look. I'd avoid the area around the Poospatuck Reservation though. Definitely a little shady over the years. For the price i'd rather check Rocky Point, Selden, or the northern part of Coram.
I purchased a home with my Fiance last year in Shirley.
We were warned off by our friends who have lived on Long Island longer than we have about the Shirley Mastic area. We heard horror stories of transient renters, absentee landlords, the bad school district, bad neighbors, crime, vacant homes, gangs, drugs, etc. You know the rest.
In our hunting we did come across a number of houses that were extremely nice, only to be turned off by the fact that the street or neighbors were a little too scary or run down for our taste.
We eventually settled on a home on one of the canals east of William Floyd, down near the end of the parkway...right before you get to the bridge.
I'm so glad we ignored our friends advice. Our home is more than we could have hoped. Everyone on our street is either a family, middle aged or elderly couple. Half of the homes are people's second homes, or vacation homes- meaning the street is very quiet most of the time.
When our neighbors are home, they are so welcoming. We were given welcome cards, champagne, and even had the offer to use one of our neighbors docks to launch a boat if we ever acquire one.
Not that we would need to- there is a public easement at the end of the street I believe we are entitled to use, right into Moriches Bay!
I wake up every morning to a view of Fire Island and can catch the ocean breeze off my back deck whenever I wish. It's less than a ten minute walk from my door step to the sand on the ocean.
That said, I am an avid runner, and sometimes my runs to bring me to areas where the houses are a little more unkempt, or where there are vacant properties. Just the same, I haven't seen anything (and I almost always go running after dark) that would make me feel unsafe about running alone at night with my iPod- and I run all through Shirley, Mastic, and Mastic Beach (I do steer clear of the reservation...).
There are bad parts of almost any town. Don't let them scare you away from the potential great parts.
Of course, we found this hidden gem with lots of research: If you find a home you think you like, speak to your would-be neighbors. Ask how the properties fared during Sandy. Ask how they fare at night time. Come drive around during the day, during the summer, when school is out, and at night to see if you're still comfortable. We saw a couple houses that were 20-30k more affordable than the one we settled on, and which were also bigger- but they had some unnerving residents next door, or across the street. Some nice homes down near the water in Mastic Beach also looked appealing, but even though there were no bad neighbors in sight, the low lying and un-bulkheaded lots were too much of a turn-off to go in that direction.
Most importantly, don't let anyone tell you that the entire tri-hamlet area is something to stay away from. My Fiance and I found the perfect home and we will be here for years to come.
As an aside, we don't have children so we can't speak with experience about the school district. We both went to high school in separate locations in Upstate New York, and we thought the William Floyd Campus looked quite nice. While I'm sure there are some rotten egg kids in attendance there, I went to high school in an area that had no where near the negative outward reputation that Shirley/Mastic has, and there were plenty of kids dropping out, on drugs (even a couple messing around with heroin), getting caught with weapons, etc. High school has the potential to be ugly almost anywhere you go- but high school is meant to prepare you for later life, and later life ain't always so pretty either.
I don't anticipate we'll take serious issue with the school district later in life if we find ourselves sending our kids there. Especially if my Fiance accepts a job teaching with the district, as she would like to. Currently she commutes to Queens and teaches at a Charter school, which is hardly sustainable in the long run.
Look carefully and you might find your dream home- Yes, even in the Mastic/Shirley area! I did.
One thing I never understood is, why did Mastic Beach become the worst of the 3 areas, when it's the closest to the water (hence the name)? Anywhere else on Long Island, the areas closer to the water are more expensive.
THIS IS SO FUNNY. I WAS JUST WONDERING THE SAME THING.
Was thinking of buying a home in Mastic beach and using it for rental income. Is this possible? I google earthed it.. and street view.. its all so pretty actually. Im sure a few black ppl give it a bad name. who cares. google street view really shows pretty houses. although small. i think they were once beach cottages.
No, actually it's the white people! That's also why a lot of people think the Tri-Hamlet area is sketchy ... the behavior of the white people for the most part.
by City-Data
White alone - 9,545 (73.4%)
Hispanic - 1,837 (14.1%)
Black alone - 1,341 (10.3%)
Two or more races - 140 (1.1%)
Asian alone - 85 (0.7%)
American Indian alone - 21 (0.2%)
One thing I never understood is, why did Mastic Beach become the worst of the 3 areas, when it's the closest to the water (hence the name)? Anywhere else on Long Island, the areas closer to the water are more expensive.
Maybe it crashed as a summer destination and then was only desirable to lower class people for the small and cheap houses?
Look what happened to the Rockaways in Queens and Coney Island in Brooklyn. Oceanfront slums that logically shouldn't be. Once the shine was off them as summer destinations and the lower classes moved in for the cheap small houses, the City decided to build lots of projects ... and look where it is now. At least Mastic Beach doesn't have a bunch of projects, but the Reservation nearby can make up for that.
The houses are generally smaller in Mastic Beach, except the ones that are right on the water. Also, for the most part none of those houses have considerable bulkheads, meaning they are much more vulnerable to floods. Unless they are raised (many of the nice ones are) they are right on the flood plain. I'm sure property values have been sinking since Sandy, unfortunately.
Maybe it crashed as a summer destination and then was only desirable to lower class people for the small and cheap houses?
Look what happened to the Rockaways in Queens and Coney Island in Brooklyn. Oceanfront slums that logically shouldn't be. Once the shine was off them as summer destinations and the lower classes moved in for the cheap small houses, the City decided to build lots of projects ... and look where it is now. At least Mastic Beach doesn't have a bunch of projects, but the Reservation nearby can make up for that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mockkkkk
The houses are generally smaller in Mastic Beach, except the ones that are right on the water. Also, for the most part none of those houses have considerable bulkheads, meaning they are much more vulnerable to floods. Unless they are raised (many of the nice ones are) they are right on the flood plain. I'm sure property values have been sinking since Sandy, unfortunately.
All good points, and it brings up another interesting point: it seems that areas on the water are either very rich or very poor, never middle class. Then again, that has unfortunately become true of most of Long Island and New York City.
Mastic Beach is the worst. Shirley - especially the Tangiers area in the best. Mastic runs in extremes.
The people there, are mostly blue collar and lower middle class. No mater how much money they make.
The school district is pretty bad. All three of those towns share the William Floyd District except for a little bit of Mastic which goes to South Manor.
If you are buying a starter house stick to Shirley Tangiers or North Mastic - Manor Park. Also, North Shirley in the somewhat better Longwood district.
Any feedback on Wavecreast Dr. in Mastic Beach? Looking at a smaller home on Lons creek at the eastern end of the road. I agree the houses range widely there are abandon small shacks one burned condemned and 3 houses down a new ones going up that looks like $½ a Million. Any crime on this peninsula ?
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I'm not kidding. I lived in that hell for several years when I was first married. 
