Moving to the area...need advice!

bmb527

New member
Hi all,
My name is Bill and I am a reef-a-holic. I am also moving to the NYC area in the first part of November. Hopefully, I can get my wife and daughter up by X-Mas. I was wondering if anyone either has or knows of a place to rent that is an easy, within reason, commute to JFK and large, well trained dog friendly. I have no clue what is a safe area for me and my family, so, I trust that some of the locals may be able to direct me to something.
I have been looking at craigslist and keep seeing places in Mastic. Good place? Safe, what would the commute be like? I will be working graveyard, so, that should eliminate some of the traffic mess,...I hope!
Well, any help you could provide will be greatly appreciated. I look forward to joining the club and meeting some new friends in which to share reefing experiences with.
Thanks,
Bill
 
hey, i live in mastic. thats not in the city though. thats on long island. its a good area for the most part. im 15 and this is where i lived my whole life. should be fine for you and your family. traffic isnt bad on the highways for the most part. only during rush hour.

good luck with the move.
 
Even without traffic, Mastic to JFK will take over an hour. Figure in rush hour traffic, you're looking at double. As a general rule, housing is less expensive near the airport, but schools are pretty bad, and personal/family/property safety are a fairly high risk.
As you go east, into Long Island, prices go up, until you reach a point that is so far from the City that commuting is a part time job in itself. Then prices drop some.
Long Island has a lot of very nice areas, but it's not without poverty. There are some downright scary neighborhoods.
How much of a commute are you willing to do each way, and what are you hoping to spend for rent?
 
I am looking to keep the drive at an hour or less and in the area of 1500/ month max. I know, that sounds like a tough order, but I can try I guess. I have heard that there are good and bad areas all over, I guess I just need to know where NOT to move my family. Schools aren't an issue, as my daughter is only 2, so, by the time she is ready for school, hopefully, we will know more of the area and know where we want to live.
Thanks,
Bill
 
What airline will you be working for? Try for places at least 5 miles east of the airport rather than around the airport, those areas can be a bit rough.. Some places in Queens can be okay but $1,500 won't get you a privet house for your dog.
 
I'll be working for Jetblue as a mechanic. I wouldn't expect an entire house, but maybe a duplex or townhouse or similar. I see some places where a tennant has use of the backyard, I just want somewhere so that they can get a bit of excersize and a place to poop. I have a pair of Akitas that are both certified with a canine good citizen award by the AKC.
Bill
 
Hi Bill, welcome in advance to LI. You came to the right place for helpful folks.

$1500 for a 2 bedroom near the airport is a tall order, plus you have to add utilities on top of that in moswt cases, which will be significant. I just moved into a 2 bedroom myself, and it was a good while of looking before I found something. (Further east than you will want).

You might try looking on apartments.com which will have some of the apartment complexes, and cragislist.com which will have privately owned apts. And if you do find something don't hesitate to ask around here whether it is a good neighborhood or a good deal.

Good luck!

Christine
 
My brother-in-law just rented a 3 bdrm detached house in Williston Park for $2650 a month. You can get an idea what a whole house would run without including utilities in Nassau county closer to the city.

3 bdrm apts in Bayside Queens with little to no parking, possibly no yard is up in the $1800 range and also do not include utilities.

One thing you should know is that utility rates are sky high up here. Electric is about 20.5 cents a kilowatt in LI and close to 24 cents for the city limits. Energy cost have more than doubled in the last 2 yrs up here.
 
I have been looking at craigslist and there seems to be plenty to rent, in the range I am looking at. Here are a few, maybe you all could tell me if any of these areas are decent. I am not to worried about schools as my daughter is only 2 and so she still has a couple years before school is a factor. We are just looking for a place that is safe to live. We realize that trouble can happen anywhere, we live in the dirty south now.
How do some of these places rate,
W. Babylon
Cypress Hill
Far Rockaway
W. Hempstead
Mastic/ Mastic Beach
Rocky Point
Long Beach

I don't mind a commute, an hour wouldn't be too bad, being as I will be working nights, I don't think traffic should be too bad, I may be wrong, please tell me if I am. I would like to find a place w/ grocery store and shopping fairly close, maybe a park, or library?

As for NJ, I would entertain that idea as well, but, how much am I going to spend on tolls to get to work and home every day? Would it be that much cheaper than living on LI?
Thanks,
Bill
 
W. Babylon - I lived there for 2 yrs, mostly good areas as long as you are not near wyndanch

Rocky Point- country, I live 2 towns over in Coram, nice area. Coram has some nice rental areas, call info for Avalone Pines in Coram for Townhouse & Apt. Brand new & on a golf course.
 
Forget Mastic--it's way too far. I live about a half hour closer to LGA than Mastic, and this Monday morning it took me an hour to get to LGA...not in rush hour...and on a holiday. You'll regret the commute within a week.

West Hempstead is pretty close, and I grew up there--not too bad at all. Some nice older neighborhoods, lots of Cape Cod style homes and tree-lined streets.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8312705#post8312705 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bmb527

W. Babylon
Cypress Hill
Far Rockaway
W. Hempstead
Mastic/ Mastic Beach
Rocky Point
Long Beach

Of the 7 you listed, I'd put Long Beach at the top of the list, and it's a stone's throw from JFK.
 
have a look into:
Westburry
hickssville
Levittown
east meadow

all have good school and is about 35-45 min from airport. you will be in nassau county close to queens border, center of everything and close to all routes.

all the places you mentioned are on the eastern end and as mentioned further from your work
 
Reef Junkie,
I see in your occupation: "Giving you peace of mind". Should I assume you are either a cop, good to take info from on where to avoid, or a member of the military, in which case, Thank You!

To all,
I appreciate all the input I am getting as this is a huge thing to me. I never in a million years guessed I would be moving to N.Y., I am from Montana and spent time in So. Cal. as a kid.
Thanks all,
Bill
 
Neither, security integrator and general PITA here.

Honestly, Long Beach is a great place, but it's tight on parking and you probably won't get a yard.

West Hempstead is a beautiful town, but if it's on the Hempstead boarder, you might be next to a crack house.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8314971#post8314971 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bmb527
Reef Junkie,
I see in your occupation: "Giving you peace of mind". Should I assume you are either a cop, good to take info from on where to avoid, or a member of the military, in which case, Thank You!

:lol: Reef Junkie will pick your pockets clean before you can say: supercalifragilisticespeallidocious :lol:

Only kidding, Bill is a great guy but keep 20 yr old daughters away from him :D
 
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