Okay, so FH and I are planning on starting to seriously home hunt in December 2009/January 2010. We have some ideas about good school districts to move into. He REALLY wants Three Village, and I REALLY want Commack. We want a school district in Suffolk with solid academics and an amazing music program (we're both music teachers, so that's really important to us). He really wants 0.35 acres, and we're looking in the $300-400K range. We also have to be mindful of length of commute--which is why I'm pushing for Commack since I teach in south central Nassau County and he teaches in central Suffolk. I don't want to have to be in a position where when we do have kids, my 1st grader has to wait 45 minutes for Mommy or Daddy to pick him/her up from the nurse's office after throwing up in the cafeteria. Help?
he gives me butterflies
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
sorry but commack is out of your range. taxes are high (10-14k) so thats about 1k a month in taxes on top of your mortgage pmt as well as homeowners insurance and pmi if you dont have the full 20% down pmt i dont know where it is you fh is looking at but why dont you guys try northport, greenlawn, or kings park
good luck
squeekietoy
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
Posted by mlcvln129
Okay, so FH and I are planning on starting to seriously home hunt in December 2009/January 2010. We have some ideas about good school districts to move into. He REALLY wants Three Village, and I REALLY want Commack. We want a school district in Suffolk with solid academics and an amazing music program (we're both music teachers, so that's really important to us). He really wants 0.35 acres, and we're looking in the $300-400K range. We also have to be mindful of length of commute--which is why I'm pushing for Commack since I teach in south central Nassau County and he teaches in central Suffolk. I don't want to have to be in a position where when we do have kids, my 1st grader has to wait 45 minutes for Mommy or Daddy to pick him/her up from the nurse's office after throwing up in the cafeteria. Help?
You're going to pay more than $300-$400k for a decent house in Three Village district. It's VERY expensive.
mlcvln129
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
Posted by squeekietoy
Posted by mlcvln129
Okay, so FH and I are planning on starting to seriously home hunt in December 2009/January 2010. We have some ideas about good school districts to move into. He REALLY wants Three Village, and I REALLY want Commack. We want a school district in Suffolk with solid academics and an amazing music program (we're both music teachers, so that's really important to us). He really wants 0.35 acres, and we're looking in the $300-400K range. We also have to be mindful of length of commute--which is why I'm pushing for Commack since I teach in south central Nassau County and he teaches in central Suffolk. I don't want to have to be in a position where when we do have kids, my 1st grader has to wait 45 minutes for Mommy or Daddy to pick him/her up from the nurse's office after throwing up in the cafeteria. Help?
You're going to pay more than $300-$400k for a decent house in Three Village district. It's VERY expensive.
FH has seen a lot of houses on mlsli.com that are in that range in South Setauket and East Setauket. And yeah, I guess you're right about Commack. . .disappointing that taxes are ridiculously high.
Dreemer107
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
what about Middle Country? It's practically the same distance as 3 village.... Houses in this district are in your range, taxes are moderate. I've been outta of the district for a few years, but when I was in the HS the music program was really good as was the middle school. It might not hurt to look...
he gives me butterflies
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
fh and i really wanted to start out in commack school district (east northprt) but the taxes are too high for us, but we're not planning on having kids right away and we have at least 5yrs till they start school, so commack sd is some place where we will prob end up raising our kids but for now we'll do a starter somewhere more affordable.
coldasice217
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
I would suggest Smithtown, right smack dab in the middle. But you'd probably have to stick in the Nesconset part of town. Or Kings Park, but Kings Park district.
Unfortunately, Three Village is untouchable for us downtrodden middle class. And the taxes are through the roof. Sigh.
Bride213
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
I grew up in Setauket, so I know the area pretty well. It's possible that houses you are seeing in that range in East Setauket are near the high school right off Old Town road, that's where the district line is. South Setauket is less expensive because it is on the otherside of 347 and has a centereach zip code. You might be better off looking at parts of stony brook, the S or M sections are nice and they are in 3 village SD. Good Luck...prices are still dropping, you'll find something sooner or later
Alex827
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
I grew up in Bay Shore. There are really nice parts (Brightwaters and down by the water). And the schools are amazing.
MrsDrinkh20
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
Im not looking at money ranges because I am an idiot () But I wanted to throw Northport into the mix too. Right near commack (probably just as expensive still) but hte music deparmtent is amazing
mlcvln129
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
Posted by Alex827
I grew up in Bay Shore. There are really nice parts (Brightwaters and down by the water). And the schools are amazing.
But there are some really ghetto parts of Bay Shore, too. Do the schools seem like they're kinda segregated--ie. the honors/music/high achiever kids tend to stay away from everybody else?
mlcvln129
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
Posted by Bride213
I grew up in Setauket, so I know the area pretty well. It's possible that houses you are seeing in that range in East Setauket are near the high school right off Old Town road, that's where the district line is. South Setauket is less expensive because it is on the otherside of 347 and has a centereach zip code. You might be better off looking at parts of stony brook, the S or M sections are nice and they are in 3 village SD. Good Luck...prices are still dropping, you'll find something sooner or later
How far is Stony Brook from Oceanside? My hugest concern right now is the length of my commute. (In other words, am I going to have to find a new job once I have kids?)
MLAngelo
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
What about East Islip? The negative is we are often on austerity because we don't have a lot of businesses in town, but we have an award winning music program. We had the biggest auditorium on Long Island and itmust still be one of the largest if not the largest, it was bigger then my colleges. Our orchestra, chorus, and band win all kinds of competitions, or at least did when I was in High School. We were pretty amazing and sent tons of kids to Music schools. And academically its a pretty good school district, my graduating year they sent 6 students to IVY League including the Brown 8 year Med program, one to West Point, one to NAVY, one to Georgetown, and a ton of other great schools. But there are really affordable houses. I am really happy that I bought a house in the district.
Chanwich
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
Posted by mlcvln129
Posted by Bride213
I grew up in Setauket, so I know the area pretty well. It's possible that houses you are seeing in that range in East Setauket are near the high school right off Old Town road, that's where the district line is. South Setauket is less expensive because it is on the otherside of 347 and has a centereach zip code. You might be better off looking at parts of stony brook, the S or M sections are nice and they are in 3 village SD. Good Luck...prices are still dropping, you'll find something sooner or later
How far is Stony Brook from Oceanside? My hugest concern right now is the length of my commute. (In other words, am I going to have to find a new job once I have kids?)
Stony Brook is about 40 miles from Oceanside, but it may take way longer depending on what time you leave. I've had it take close to 2 hours to get to Stony Brook (from Lynbrook, close to Oceanside) if you leave the area during normal 'commute' hours!
sofreakingexcited
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
Both are great! I'm from Commack though and of course that gets my vote!
mlcvln129
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I have to be at work between 6:45-6:55 am most days (my early morning rehearsals start at 7:20 am, so I like to be ridiculously early), so I have a feeling I won't hit that much traffic coming from Stony Brook or East Setauket at that time. I'm commuting from Islip now, and it's a breeze to get to work. Coming home from Oceanside is a totally different story. We've heard mixed things about EI. We know that the music department is PHENOMENAL (sp) but academically, it's so-so. Since FH and I are both nerds (but him moreso than me--he's DEFINITELY smarter), we want a high achieving school district in Suffolk that's not really too snobby. I don't want my kids to feel like they have to constantly be decked out in Abercrombie and Hollister while carrying the newest Coach purses and using the latest iPhone in 2nd grade. We want normal kids, normal parents in a district in our price range. . .which can be hard to find on LI.
Alex827
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
Yeah...there are some ghetto parts...but honestly the schools are amazing. The high school is Brand New...and the segragation was not an issue ten years ago. I am not sure how it is now. The elementary schools are great too. I student taught and subbed in every school 2 years ago and they were all still really great. If I could I would live in Bay Shore...but we bought my FH's mom's house in Ronkonkoma so we are here now. But our kids will go to Middle Country...which I hear is good too!!
mlcvln129
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
We're trying our best not to go just by one factor. I have heard great things about Bay Shore schools, but there are some scary parts. What are the 'better' elementary schools in the district?
I hear Middle Country is really good, too. I just judged a NYSSMA festival there, and it was ridiculously well run.
edit to add: But FH is OBSESSED with living in the Three Village school district. I try to remind him that not every teacher we see and know about in our music teacher travels is going to be there when our kids are in middle school and high school.
Alex827
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
The scary parts are not that scary. I mean Wyndanch and Mastic are scary. Liek all towns, Bay shore has its not so nice parts. But I would not be afraid of it at all. I love the water and you can not get any closer to the water then Bay Shore. I was in Band and Marching band from 3rd grade until I graduated and the music dept. is fantastic. We are award winning. And they just re-did the high school and put in a brand new stadium and track
AngeeM
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Re: NWR: home hunting & school districts
FH has some rental properties in commack and they have some really nice homes. Unfortunately though, when you are house hunting almost EVERY neighborhood has some not so great areas. Me personally I'm looking for somewhere with a mix of people living their. I am probably going to send my kids to catholic or parochial schools. Maybe you can increase your price point to move into commack?
