Can anyone tell me anything about this area? Good schools, type of community, etc.
Thinking about buying in the future...
Thanks
Thats where I live!
Great Schools..in the last 2-3 years all the computers avail to the students have been ipdated. I hear nothing but good things about the teachers from a close friend w/ school age kids who works in the schools in LB.
lots of activities are avail to you in this community. They have an ice rink that is avail for all to use- one of the profess hockey leauges usses it during off season to keep sharp!
Rec center with pools, sauna, weight room, classes,etc.
Community teams- from pee wee sports to High school level in all sports.
Lots of mini marthons, and events on the GREAT BOARDWALK- craft fairs, art festivals, music band perform at least once a wk in the summer.
AND OF COURSE THE GREAT BEACH! also lots of boating and we have surfers too.
'trendy west end' is where u will find the bungalow homes. Good starter homes if you dont mind the 40x60 lots. Hard to park there on the weekend during the summer. very active neighborhood in the summer- think Jersey shore.
In the middle of town is where the LIRR stations is, town hall, post office, lots of diff types of restaurants are in the middle and west end of town. Movie house is under renovation - to be expanded. East End is where the homes are biggerm property is bugger and the neighborhood is a bit quieter. Thats where we live
Be prepared that although mort rates have gone down, and maybe housing costs in general- this is not the case for Long Beach. In one year, overall values for homes has increased about 10%.
Took us a year to find a suitable home...alot of it we did ourselves by checking mlsli.com every 2-3 days...and driving up and down the streets looking for 'for sale' signs every weekend.
WE wanted a 2 family so it took a little longer..but we hung in there, spent a little more $$ than we originally had slated, but it is worth while in the end. Our house appreciated about 10% since we have bought it!
Let me know if can help u with any ?S
GOOD LUCK AND COME ON IN~!!(the water is FINE!)
So now I'll pick your brain. Are there any areas that are not 'nice'. I'm not that familiar w/ the area and am trying to do some online sleuthing, i.e. recent sale prices in area. What are the areas of town where the high-rise apt are as oppose to the houses. So when I see an address and a $$ figure, I can tell if it's a house or an apt.
Thanks a million
the low income area is North Park..the few blocks behind Waldbaums and near the train stn. My hubby & I are Aux POlice and there are a lot of calls that direct us & the police to that area.
West End is all bungalows 30X60 properties w/ no parking on the street in the summer. Too close for comfort for us.
High rises are along EAst and West Broadway..all high rises are about 1-2 blocks from the beach. That's where all the condos are. I think that they are a bit expensive..
Oh- some townhouses are under construction on East Park more towards the west end of that area...right near our GREAT VETERARIAN! They all face the bay - which is also beautiful. DOnt know if they are all sold.
East End is all homes- 1,2,3 family homes, wider streets, tree lined. Olive street is cobble stone and has older, stately homes there -mostly one family and you are looking at $600,000 and up...IF they are for sale.
Other streets have mostly 1 and 2 family homes, spanish style raised ranches, some Tudors, some very modern.
You will see SEctions listed on MLSLI.COM Westholme is a nice family oreinted section where all the kids know each other and play in the street. WE could not find a home we could afford in that section when we were looking- about 2 years ago.
DONT allow the realtors to pressure you into a bigger home.
First priorty should be if the home is in GOOD to EXCELLANT condition.
We saw tons of homes that were in bad shape- and if they were barley maintained it would have been a much better story. MY dad was in construction and a masoner and I worked by his side as often as I could...so I KNEW what I saw was NOT ACCEPTABLE.
Good luck...and ASK AWAY!
We had originally looked at apt in Queens, but saw an article in NY times about long beach. We had some friends who rented there (years ago) but haven't been around lately. Just the idea of walking to the beach makes it seem worth the commute into NYC.
I'll probably be back to ask some more questions.
Thanks again
Karen
I'm not married yet, but I decided to check out what topics were here and came across this one.
I lived in LB for 5 years and LOVED it!
I rented a penthouse condo, and I wish I could remember the name of the unscrupulous realtor I used...possibly Topper (??) on Park Avenue. They rented me the condo, and 2 days after I moved in and they got their fee ($1200) they called my landlord and asked if they wanted to put the condo up for sale!!!! The realtor is on the corner near the train station. A overly-made-up, older woman and her husband worked there.
If I were buying a home there I would look for water damage first. I lived on Park Ave. During the NorEaster years ago, and we were on high ground and one of the only areas not flooded. If you look at the condos along the water, and there is underground parking, I remember those lots flooded badly.
The community is very nice, not stuffy at all, a nice mix of cultures and people.
The board walk is wonderful. I still try and get there a couple times a summer just to relax.
There are tons of restuarants! When I lived there, most delivered! You could have delivery from just about any nationality of food you could think of.
There are always craft shows, car shows, concerts, sporting events going on during the summer. I prefered the off season when I lived there because I liked the calmer atmosphere. The East end is calmer than the west end.
The bungalo area seemed to be a big area for summer rentals. I had a friend who lived there, and parking was horrible in summer. If you get a condo or co-op, try for a place where you have your own spot in a gated lot, unless looking for parking isn't an issue for you.
Overall it was a great town and I would move back in a heartbeat.
I agree with Diane- and yes that IS TOPPER. we did not use them.
We live on West Park Ave- sort of the midway street between the Beach and bay and the highest street/point. No flooding problems here.
