housing question- realistically....

Try Lynbrook. You can get one for around 400. Maybe a little less if you can negotiate down from the asking price.

The houses you are looking at in Elmont, are probably in the bad area. I live in Elmont, and a decent house in the nicer area of town are more expensive.

Lindenhurst has a few houses now in the lower 300's to upper 200's, I love my town and think its a great place to have a family grow. I wish we could afford a house but right now but we can't All the local papers have TONS of listing.

The thing is though that even if you dont plan on staying in a home long enough for your kids to go to school there, its still very important b.c. the value of your house depends in large part on the school district and on re-sale it will be important to future buyers.

Lynbrook, Malverne, North Merrick, Merrick, Roslyn Heights (usually more affordable than Roslyn and the other towns around the north shore), Commack, Melville, Carle Place are also negiborhoods to consider

Here are some nice homes under 400K in my area, and in my school district which is excellent.

Here are the MLSLI.com numbers

2060915 Gorgeous Split with amazing new stainless kitchen and nice wood floors. 379K

2109327, Brand new great location recently redone 389k

2073262 Great condition 389k

2101993 redone 409k

Gina,

What about starting with a co-op apartment ?
This will let you build equity until you are financially able to trade up to a house.
I have a two bedroom garden co-op in Bayside that is spacious. I don't live there anymore, I moved into DH's apartment, but left my dad in the co-op.

Good luck !

Yes, the taxes are outrageous - starting around 8 grand for even a small house.

But, I would look for houses a little bit smaller than you are looking - no need to have 2.5 baths in a starter home with two people!

---

Posted by GinaZ

---

Posted by Christys0925

Ok per a website I found it said Elmont NY is in Nassua county and I found alot of cute houses under 400,000.

Lookie at mls. 2106634

I know you will be able to find what you are looking for. Don't worry.....

---

thanks! I just get really nervous about buying a home on LI because its sooooo expensive. And I dont want to wait till Im 40 to have kids, but can't imagine raising them in a one bedroom apartment. LOL.

Does Elmont have a good public school district? Is it a safe town? Its also hard for me to look because I dont know where the better school districts are, but figure if we get something, we would want to stay there for a bit. And I always think a town is nice, then DH will say it has a ghetto section so the houses Im looking at could be in the bad areas. And I have no clue! LOL!

---

not really...

depends on WHERE in Elmont you are. But even so, the area of elmont that falls under Valley Stream school districts ain't so great b/c VS isn't what it used to be.

---

Posted by GinaZ

I just found out how much taxes are per year on LI on average. I didn't realize it would be more than like $2500. a LOT more! LOL- very unrealistic for us to pay that right now. I think we will have to wait another 4-5 years before we get a starter home. Siiigh there went that idea!!! Unless I can convince DH to move to Boston!!! I think my company has opffices there and its an awesome city!

---

I am sorry ...I have to laugh now
$2500
That is what you thought you would pay in taxes on LI for what you wanted
Did you ever ask your friends what there taxes are that have those homes you were comparing to?

B/C this is public knowledge or I would normally not put this out there. Our taxes are $10g a year. Granted I am in Western Suffolk. This is part of the reason that historical or older homes are soo great to get into on LI. That would be my next suggestion for you to start to look at. A home that needs work w/no extensions. You can always do add on's later.

---

Posted by gemmifer

---

Posted by GinaZ

I just found out how much taxes are per year on LI on average. I didn't realize it would be more than like $2500. a LOT more! LOL- very unrealistic for us to pay that right now. I think we will have to wait another 4-5 years before we get a starter home. Siiigh there went that idea!!! Unless I can convince DH to move to Boston!!! I think my company has opffices there and its an awesome city!

---

I am sorry ...I have to laugh now
$2500
That is what you thought you would pay in taxes on LI for what you wanted
Did you ever ask your friends what there taxes are that have those homes you were comparing to?

B/C this is public knowledge or I would normally not put this out there. Our taxes are $10g a year. Granted I am in Western Suffolk. This is part of the reason that historical or older homes are soo great to get into on LI. That would be my next suggestion for you to start to look at. A home that needs work w/no extensions. You can always do add on's later.

---

I guess like someone said- we should start out with a condo or co-op. I just want a yard. LOL. I really didn't think taxes were thaaat high! I thought the average in the ountry was like $2500-$4000 depending on the size of the house. So I figured like a small yard or a co-op would be like $2500-$3500. I guess I figured a house would be like $4000- cus thats a lot!!! I know some people that live in Boston and pay like $2000 in taxes a year, so i though ny would be like 4k cus its more. but DH told me what his parents pay a year and I almost fell over!!!! LOL!

I can understand how hard it is to find a house. This is one of the reasons we moved off LI to CT.

We have an old victorian mansion, 4 floors, 3,400 square feet on 0.75 care of land ( we had deer and wild turkeys in teh yard this morning)!

Our taxes are $2500 a year....and the house was under $300,000..............................

There were a lot of articles last year about the increasing cost of buying in LI was forcing many young couples and new families to move off the island. It is so sad because its such a beautiful place!

Our taxes will be going up to around 16k a year
Possibly more, because we just redid our home.

Its upsetting to spend so much in taxes just because you upgraded and extended your home. but the more living space and yard space and amentities such as a pool and deck, you get taxed on that for the rest of your life.

---

Posted by FullersBride

I can understand how hard it is to find a house. This is one of the reasons we moved off LI to CT.

We have an old victorian mansion, 4 floors, 3,400 square feet on 0.75 care of land ( we had deer and wild turkeys in teh yard this morning)!

Our taxes are $2500 a year....and the house was under $300,000..............................

There were a lot of articles last year about the increasing cost of buying in LI was forcing many young couples and new families to move off the island. It is so sad because its such a beautiful place!

---

Your house is beautiful

As for taxes with co op and condos.townhomes keep in mind there are common fees. The nicer the place the higher the fee and tax, which will put you in the same place as some taxes on a regular home. It's very expensive to live here, that's the bottom line.
I would research what you find is best for you, go to some open homes on both homes and condos. A lot of condos them have yards that you would be surprised with the size on them. Dh and I tossed up a condo for a while, we were going that route till something else came up that was better.
Good luck in whatever you do.

---

Posted by FullersBride

I can understand how hard it is to find a house. This is one of the reasons we moved off LI to CT.

We have an old victorian mansion, 4 floors, 3,400 square feet on 0.75 care of land ( we had deer and wild turkeys in teh yard this morning)!

Our taxes are $2500 a year....and the house was under $300,000..............................

There were a lot of articles last year about the increasing cost of buying in LI was forcing many young couples and new families to move off the island. It is so sad because its such a beautiful place!

---

where in ct did you move to? Do you commute to the city for work? I would move to ct in a second! I'd also move upstate if we found a town with great schools and a decent commute.

---

Posted by leafgirl

---

Posted by FullersBride

I can understand how hard it is to find a house. This is one of the reasons we moved off LI to CT.

We have an old victorian mansion, 4 floors, 3,400 square feet on 0.75 care of land ( we had deer and wild turkeys in teh yard this morning)!

Our taxes are $2500 a year....and the house was under $300,000..............................

There were a lot of articles last year about the increasing cost of buying in LI was forcing many young couples and new families to move off the island. It is so sad because its such a beautiful place!

---

Your house is beautiful

.

---

Thanks

---

Posted by GinaZ

---

Posted by FullersBride

I can understand how hard it is to find a house. This is one of the reasons we moved off LI to CT.

We have an old victorian mansion, 4 floors, 3,400 square feet on 0.75 care of land ( we had deer and wild turkeys in teh yard this morning)!

Our taxes are $2500 a year....and the house was under $300,000..............................

There were a lot of articles last year about the increasing cost of buying in LI was forcing many young couples and new families to move off the island. It is so sad because its such a beautiful place!

---

where in ct did you move to? Do you commute to the city for work? I would move to ct in a second! I'd also move upstate if we found a town with great schools and a decent commute.

---

We live in 'the Valley' region of New Haven county about 20 minutes from Yale New Haven hospital and an 80 minute train ride into the city with no transfers.

We don't communte to the city, but have a few friends that do and they say it isn't a big deal.

I love the area, quiet, more laid back, people are very friendly, neighbors look after each other!!! It's one of the best deicions we made and we are looking forward to raising our little one that is on the way here!!

FM if you ever have any questions!

---

Posted by FullersBride

---

Posted by GinaZ

---

Posted by FullersBride

I can understand how hard it is to find a house. This is one of the reasons we moved off LI to CT.

We have an old victorian mansion, 4 floors, 3,400 square feet on 0.75 care of land ( we had deer and wild turkeys in teh yard this morning)!

Our taxes are $2500 a year....and the house was under $300,000..............................

There were a lot of articles last year about the increasing cost of buying in LI was forcing many young couples and new families to move off the island. It is so sad because its such a beautiful place!

---

where in ct did you move to? Do you commute to the city for work? I would move to ct in a second! I'd also move upstate if we found a town with great schools and a decent commute.

---

We live in 'the Valley' region of New Haven county about 20 minutes from Yale New Haven hospital and an 80 minute train ride into the city with no transfers.

We don't communte to the city, but have a few friends that do and they say it isn't a big deal.

I love the area, quiet, more laid back, people are very friendly, neighbors look after each other!!! It's one of the best deicions we made and we are looking forward to raising our little one that is on the way here!!

FM if you ever have any questions!

---

I grew up in new england and in a similar atmosphere. I dont think i could rasie kids without the same type of surroundings. Dh grew up on LI and has only lived here, so he doesn't really see the big difference. It would be different if living here and having children grow up here was realistic for us, but I just dont think it is. Although I would miss LI as there is always a lot to do!!