Broad question about LI real estate

It is a MUCH better time to buy a house on Long Island, right now, compared to Manhattan. Especially eastern nassau and western suffolk. Buyers are very willing to make deals. Many of these houses which were over a million, are clearly reduced. I did grow up there, but prefer the city now. If only I wanted to live on Long Island it would be a great time to buy....

Thank you. Any specific towns you like? My friend seems to be looking mainly at Rockville Center.

Oh lord no, not another lic thread.

Long Island is certainly NOT LIC. Where you live depends if you want nassau or suffolk, and north shore or south shore. Both are quite different in look, feel, and the types of people. Depending if you want close proximity to the city, do you want land? Pretty much you'll have to sacrifice one for the other, unless money is no object.

Thanks - proximity to the city and good schools are the priorities. Thanks again.

If youre friend is looking at the south shore I would reccomend the 5 towns as opposed to Rockville Centre- Hewlett, Woodmere, Cedarhurst, etc is much more "towny" and a lot of things can be walked to as opposed to other areas on the South Shore and North Shore which you need to drive to everything. If your friend has kids, I would definitely reccomend Hewlett or Woodmere, vs. Cedarhurst or Lawrence because the Lawrence Public school district is not that great anymore.

In terms of pricing- from what I've seen in teh area in terms of transactions (and elsewhere) I've seen things go for between 10-15%+ off asking. If your friend can spend upwards of $1M- then he can get something really nice in the back villages- Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor, Hewlett Neck or Woodsburgh. Waterfront properties there usually go for $1.3M+ and non waterfront $900k+.

http://www.mlsli.com/

Good luck to your friend!

coincidentally.. i grew up in rockville centre, but I have no idea what the real estate market is like there. As opposed to 5thGenNyer opinion, I thought RVC was a great place to grow up. our school system is like top 50 in the nation.

newguy97- Not saying Rockville Centre is bad at all- but if i had to choose a place on the South Shore, I would choose the 5 towns.

Best public schools on Long Island (and also some of the best in the country) - Syosset High School, Jericho, Great Neck.
My favorite towns on LI (all less than an hour from NYC) - Cold Spring Harbor, Huntington, Brookville, Old Brookville, Syosset, Woodbury, Lattingtown, Bayville, Oyster Bay