Opinions needed on these towns

So we are starting our search for our dream neighborhood...so I have been asking a lot of questions over the past year on here and everyone is great.

We are planning to really look into the following:
Greenlawn (went there today) (HF SD)
Northport
Commack
Smithtown
Nesconset ? bc it seems very far considering our family is in Queens.

Also we have looked at Holbrook, I liked it, but not too sure.

So tell me your thoughts.

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

all are good. can't really go wrong. Holbrook probably has lower taxes than the rest.

also check out hauppauge..good area, low taxes..right near nesconset and smithtown.

st. james is good, too

Message edited 12/4/2010 8:56:25 PM.

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

I grew up in Greenlawn and live in Commack now. I would recommend both towns. Good luck!

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

All great areas, Nesconset and Smithtown are right next to one another, so they are equally just as far east. I live in Smithtown and love it here. As for congested, Main St gets a little slow at rush hour, but thats it. I dont hit congestion anywhere, ever. However, there are a million "short cuts" to avoid Main St between 5 and 6. Nesconset has mediocre access to parkways, so it might be a pain in the arse for your family to come out to visit from Queens. but is still really nice.

All greats areas, all great SDs. All comparable to one another. Northport has a quaint small town feel with a Main St and Village but is really nowhere near a parkway at all. Greenport has a cute Main St as well, so does Smithtown, but not the type youd stroll around. Commack doesnt really have a central town area, its a bunch of residential areas built off Main rds, but great schools, great parkway access, and convenient shopping.

I dont know much about Holbrook, but if you think Nesconset is too far, Holbrook is even further east.

ETA: St James is so nice and so cute, but is nowhere near a parkway.

Message edited 12/4/2010 9:09:18 PM.

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Not sure what you're "scene" is (or budget) but if you wanted to go a bit further....Stony Brook Village is amazing. If you pass through st. james and keep heading down 25a, you will run into it. It's like something out of a movie...has a duck pond..docks..old fashioned ice cream shoppe. I'd kill to live there!

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

My faves on your list woudl be Smithtown and Northport.

Out of the ones you listed we looked in all but Nesconset. If you dont want to go TOO far east than I would say no to nesconset and holbrook. Although your $ might go further in those towns in terms of house size.

And even though Smithtown and Nesconset are right next to each other Smithtown is a big town, I live about 15 minutes from the Nesconset library yet I am in Smithtown.

Northport also encompasses Fort Salonga (not sure your budget though) which is close to SM parkway so there is good access there.

All those Sds are good too so, overall I am not sure you can go wrong in any of them.

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

I'm in East Northport. Northport school district, however, if you go to the "other side" of my cross street, you are in Commack. The zoning is odd.

I LOVE it here! Commack and Northport are both very good districts.

Northport is beautiful. My father is considered East Northport and he too is on the border of Northport. Once you cross over 25A, I think the homes get more $$ (not 100% sure though).

I also lived in Nesconset and Lake Grove! LOVED being close to the highways (closer than I am now). Loved all the shopping as well. This time of year 347 is very heavy traffic though. Still, a beautiful area.


ETA: Another East Northport school district is John Glenn! You can live in East Northport and go to 1 of 3 districts/schools (Northport, Commack, John Glenn/Elwood)

Message edited 12/4/2010 11:28:01 PM.

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

I think Smithtown would be the best pick off of your list.

Smithtown has a main street...which is important to me, more of a sense of community. Great SD, and I think it covers such a large area, you can pretty much pick if you want to be closer to highways, or not. Nesconset, to me can be far from Smithtown, or not, if you are near the mall say, that would add some time to you commute west, as opposed to say living on the Smithtown/Commack border. It could take you a half hour to get to Nesconset, if there was traffic.

Kings Park, (though you didn't mention) would be a close second, an area like San Remo is goregous, small property, but near water which makes up for it.

Commack is a really nice town, and another excellent SD..but again, I would just pick Smithtown, over that..they are similar, but I feel like Smithtown is more of community sense, being that Jericho tnpk is the main street...but a goregous area of LI, nonetheless.

Oh, and Stony Brook is another great one that was mentioned! And there are areas that are not insanely overpriced...especially these days, I would take a look...try the areas off of Hallock ave, and Stony Brook rd...close enough to the VIllage, but far enough away in the $$$ sense...

Good Luck...so exciting!

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

How does your commute fit in? That would be a big factor for me.


Too bad that you are not coming to Greenlawn next weekend - they are having a day of Holiday Shopping sponsored by the library - 10% off at many of the stores in Greenlawn. I think they are having something at the Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Society today (on Little Plains Rd and Park Ave - John Gardiner's Farm) What houses are you looking at today? My neighbor's house is on the market - a large, extended L-shaped ranch (although it has a "unique" layout)

But it's also > 5 mins to Huntington train station; 5 minutes to Huntington Village and 5 minutes to Northport village.


Northport has some great tax rates b/c of LIPA/National grid. So even if you are in the village with village taxes, it's typical LI taxes. Depending on where you are - Sunken Meadow Parkway is close or Elwood Rd shoots down to Northern State (exit 42)


I don't know much about hauppauge at all, but I did meet some of the teachers at a conference last month and I was SHOCKED when they said they have 34 students in a HS class! 28 in elem ed. too high for my liking.

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Posted by Serendipity

Posted by Erica

How does your commute fit in? That would be a big factor for me.


Too bad that you are not coming to Greenlawn next weekend - they are having a day of Holiday Shopping sponsored by the library - 10% off at many of the stores in Greenlawn. I think they are having something at the Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Society today (on Little Plains Rd and Park Ave - John Gardiner's Farm) What houses are you looking at today? My neighbor's house is on the market - a large, extended L-shaped ranch (although it has a "unique" layout)

But it's also > 5 mins to Huntington train station; 5 minutes to Huntington Village and 5 minutes to Northport village.


Northport has some great tax rates b/c of LIPA/National grid. So even if you are in the village with village taxes, it's typical LI taxes. Depending on where you are - Sunken Meadow Parkway is close or Elwood Rd shoots down to Northern State (exit 42)


I don't know much about hauppauge at all, but I did meet some of the teachers at a conference last month and I was SHOCKED when they said they have 34 students in a HS class! 28 in elem ed. too high for my liking.

Commute is a big thing for us too, I would say #3 on the list after SD and safety. My DH commute to NYC. Let me add that to the OP.

We didnt look at any specific houses bc we would like to decide on 1-2 arewas first before actual house looking. We are actually area looking first bc we have time.

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

WE live in Holbrook and commute into NYC each day. I work in Midtown, my DH downtown. door to door, my commute is about 2 hours, my DH is about 2hrs 10mins.

Holbrook is a great area but if you are looking for a shorter commute, look closer west.

Good luck.

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Posted by Serendipity

Commute is a big thing for us too, I would say #3 on the list after SD and safety. My DH commute to NYC. Let me add that to the OP.

We didnt look at any specific houses bc we would like to decide on 1-2 arewas first before actual house looking. We are actually area looking first bc we have time.

Re: Opinions needed on these towns

Posted by Serendipity

Commute is a big thing for us too, I would say #3 on the list after SD and safety. My DH commute to NYC. Let me add that to the OP.

We didnt look at any specific houses bc we would like to decide on 1-2 arewas first before actual house looking. We are actually area looking first bc we have time.