Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

So we found an awesome house on a canal. Besides the flood insurance and no heads backyard. What are the pro and cons of living on a canal?? We have no clue if this is awesome or totally crazy of us!! TIA

Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

Where on the canal? Friends of ours used to live at the end of a canal and when the tide went out it would smell. And when the tide came in trash would all collect at the end (right in front of their deck).

Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

The very beginning of the canal. Closest to street.

Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

My brother has owned 3 houses on canals in 2 Suffolk South shore towns, but he is big into boating and loves having his boats, jet skis, kayaks etc right in the back yard. If you have young kids, you have to be extremely vigilant about watching them, and any kids that visit. Now, my nephews are a little older (11 & 13) and it is amazing for them. There is a nature preserve across the canal from my brother and the kids will kayak across the canal and play in the preserve (woods) and sometimes they kayak to their friends houses - always within view of an adult. It can be windier and buggier being on the water, and if your neighbors are going out on their boats, they go right by your backyard, but it's also really nice to sit in the yard and be on the water. They are very friendly with all of their neighbors, so it's always nice when someone goes by on their boat

ETA: Flooding can definitely be an issue, but it can be more or less of an issue, depending on how the house is situated. My brother's house is situated higher up on the property so that the house has never flooded, not even during Sandy. Part of the backyard and street did, but they did not sustain any damage

Message edited 3/5/2016 9:06:43 PM.

Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

Flooding. High tide during bad rain storms (not just hurricanes) can cause water to go over the bulkhead. Some areas also have problems with street flooding during storms as well.

Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

My Dh's aunt lives on a canal but they are really into boating and fishing. However, their street is always flooding if it rains a lot, they're yard is extremely buggy in the summer and there is no privacy at all in the yard. I would be a nervous wreck with having young kids in the yard too. It's totally not for me.

Re: Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

Re: Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

We lived closest to the street by a canal growing up and it flooded ALL THE TIME! Every full moon it would at least be in the street. Do A LOT of asking questions of neighbors in the area. Storms we would get 5 ft in the basement and Sandy the house got water inside the house...first time ever. We were in a very low lying area and the streets were raised twice for a total of 6 ft and it STILL floods! My dad finally sold the house after Sandy.

Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

Pros: pretty view, boating if you're into it.
Cons: flooding potential, flood insurance, smell of the canal, worrying about kids and pets jumping / falling in, and mosquitoes.

Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

T

Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

Thanks All!!! I think we are going to pass on it. Mosquitoes, smells and worry is not worth it. So glad I asked here..you are all so much help!!!

Re: Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

I would not, I would be worrying about flooding and having to stay on top of young kids constantly to make sure nothing happens.

Message edited 3/7/2016 11:18:30 AM.

Re: Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

We just sold our house that was a block down from a canal in Baldwin. Very happy we found a buyer as it was sitting on the market for almost 2 years because of the flood zone and Sandy stigma. The problem is re-sale value with these homes.

Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

I grew up directly on a canal on a dead end. The flooding was often and sometimes catastrophic. We lost two cars to flooding. Our home was two-family and we lived on the second floor so I can only imagine what the downstairs tenants went through.

Re: Living on a canal - south shore Nassau!

There is a beautiful house near me on the market right now --- really nice inside and outside, really reasonably priced. I was wondering what the catch was until I saw the location and remembered the street. That street is prone to flooding and was one of the first to flood before anywhere even started flooding during Sandy. It's priced low for a reason, which is a shame considering its such a great house. It may have been raised (some on that street are) but it's also a very narrow street with really bad parking.