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LIPhysicist
LIF Zygote
Member since 5/17 8 total posts
Name:
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Info for Long Island new comer!
Hi everyone,
New member of this forum 
I will be coming to Stony Brook beginning of August as I got a job at Stony Brook University. My background is in Physics where I will very soon get my PhD. Oh, and I come from Europe (Cyprus, a small island in the eastern Mediterranean).
So, we are moving to LI with my wife and trying to settle ourselves down! First thing we tried to find an apartment. Looks like Heatherwood at Port Jefferson is a very good choice. I have some basic questions concerning living in LI, Suffolk to be more specific. So, here they are:
First, note that heating, hot water, water and gas are included in the rent.
1. How much should I expect to pay for electricity every month? We are two young adults 29-30 years old, that try to be sensible with energy usage. Laundry is done in the community. The apartment we plan to rent is 813 sq. ft with 1 bedroom.
2. How much is the sewer and/or garbage cost?
3. And, most importantly, how much do we expect to spend on groceries (including everything, like food, personal care, detergents, etc) per month? We mostly cook at home and eat out only 2-3 times per month.
4. Are there any other utilities apart from heating, hot water, gas, electricity, water, sewer and/or garbage that we need to consider?
5. Also, how about internet and cell phone rates?
Thanks for the help.
Cheers,
Chris
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Posted 5/24/17 1:53 PM  |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Welcome
There's very few guys on here, so I wanted to make sure I said hi.
I haven't rented in 20 years, so I don't have much info on rental info.
Suffolk is a mix of sewers and septic systems. My neighborhood is septic systems on our properties, so there is no sewer service.
Internet/TV service is basically Cablevision https://www.optimum.net/
or
Verizon FiOS (Fiber optic) http://www.verizon.com/?lid=//global//residential
You can get satellite TV from Dish Network or Direct TV, but you'll still need to get Internet service from someone else.
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| Posted 5/24/17 3:13 PM |
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chilltocam
LIF Adult
Member since 11/11 9141 total posts
Name:
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Posted by GoldenRod
Welcome
There's very few guys on here, so I wanted to make sure I said hi.
I haven't rented in 20 years, so I don't have much info on rental info.
Suffolk is a mix of sewers and septic systems. My neighborhood is septic systems on our properties, so there is no sewer service.
Internet/TV service is basically Cablevision https://www.optimum.net/
or
Verizon FiOS (Fiber optic) http://www.verizon.com/?lid=//global//residential
You can get satellite TV from Dish Network or Direct TV, but you'll still need to get Internet service from someone else.
Since you will be in an apartment complex, your internet and TV service choices might be limited. You might not be permitted to put a satellite dish on the building, so Dish or Direct TV might not be available to you. Also, Verizon FIOS is not in every community - contact the complex for that info. (or you might be able to plug in the address on the FIOS website for some information). Cable and internet service can run anywhere from about $80/month (advertised introduction rate, very limited low end of the scale options and probably not even realistic) to $250+/month - depending on what services and channels you decide to get
As for the cost of electricity, I had a 1 BR co-op apartment about 5 yrs ago and I believe the monthly bill was somewhere between $60-$80, but I don't remember for sure (I lived there by myself. Bill was usually a bit higher in the summer due to air conditioner usage).
Welcome & Good luck! I hope you like it here
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| Posted 5/24/17 3:34 PM |
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LIPhysicist
LIF Zygote
Member since 5/17 8 total posts
Name:
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Thanks for the quick replies and the info, guys. For TV we're not seeking something fancy, even the most basic package will suit us for a start, I guess.
Actually I was expecting to hear something like: there are TV+Internet packages from this and that company. Isn't there something like this? I mean, the websites of various companies seem to make everything so complicated, I don't seem to get it.
How about groceries? Is is true that 2 young adults can live comfortably with ~$500-600 dollars per month on groceries? We don't eat a lot of meat, maybe one-twice a week, but we do eat fruit. We do not care much about organic or other fancy types of food.. My wife is a chef so already that's a good starting point for healthy food
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| Posted 5/24/17 5:13 PM |
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LIPhysicist
LIF Zygote
Member since 5/17 8 total posts
Name:
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Posted by GoldenRod
Welcome
There's very few guys on here, so I wanted to make sure I said hi.
I haven't rented in 20 years, so I don't have much info on rental info.
Suffolk is a mix of sewers and septic systems. My neighborhood is septic systems on our properties, so there is no sewer service.
Internet/TV service is basically Cablevision https://www.optimum.net/
or
Verizon FiOS (Fiber optic) http://www.verizon.com/?lid=//global//residential
You can get satellite TV from Dish Network or Direct TV, but you'll still need to get Internet service from someone else.
OK, I got it. I went through Verizon's website and found their packages, they are more flexible than Optimum and their prices are also more reasonable. The apartment I plan to rent is "cable ready". This means that a technician will just come and sort of plug-in the modem and that's all?
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| Posted 5/24/17 5:37 PM |
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chilltocam
LIF Adult
Member since 11/11 9141 total posts
Name:
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Info for Long Island new comer!
That sounds like a very reasonable food budget.
As far as the apartment being cable ready - you might not have a choice of service then. It might be set up specifically for a particular provider. I guess the complex can let you know for sure.
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| Posted 5/24/17 8:26 PM |
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lpnmj
LIF Infant
Member since 4/13 251 total posts
Name:
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
FiOS is not available in the area you are moving to. You should call optimum and see what kind of deal they can offer you
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| Posted 5/24/17 11:35 PM |
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LIPhysicist
LIF Zygote
Member since 5/17 8 total posts
Name:
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Posted by chilltocam
That sounds like a very reasonable food budget.
As far as the apartment being cable ready - you might not have a choice of service then. It might be set up specifically for a particular provider. I guess the complex can let you know for sure.
Thanks for the help!
I would be grateful for any more info regarding life in Long Island!
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| Posted 5/25/17 3:39 PM |
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GoldenRod
10 years on LIF!
Member since 11/06 26792 total posts
Name:
Shawn
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Posted by LIPhysicist
Posted by chilltocam
That sounds like a very reasonable food budget.
As far as the apartment being cable ready - you might not have a choice of service then. It might be set up specifically for a particular provider. I guess the complex can let you know for sure.
Thanks for the help!
I would be grateful for any more info regarding life in Long Island!
SBU is right at a train station, so you can easily take that directly into Manhattan for sight-seeing.
The Port Jeff Ferry is in the same general area. That's a nice way to get to Connecticut, and all point in New England.
Traffic on LI sucks.... so try avoiding driving west in the morning, or east in the evening. Since you'll be living and working fairly close, daily commuting traffic shouldn't be an issue, though.
Lots of wineries out east, mainly on the North Fork.
Plenty of Town, County, and State parks throughout the island.
There are tons of amazing restaurants of all cultures all over the island, including Cyprus.
What type of activities are you interested in? We could probably point you in the right direction if we knew a bit of what you're looking for.
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| Posted 5/25/17 4:05 PM |
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LIPhysicist
LIF Zygote
Member since 5/17 8 total posts
Name:
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Posted by GoldenRod
Posted by LIPhysicist
Posted by chilltocam
That sounds like a very reasonable food budget.
As far as the apartment being cable ready - you might not have a choice of service then. It might be set up specifically for a particular provider. I guess the complex can let you know for sure.
Thanks for the help!
I would be grateful for any more info regarding life in Long Island!
SBU is right at a train station, so you can easily take that directly into Manhattan for sight-seeing.
The Port Jeff Ferry is in the same general area. That's a nice way to get to Connecticut, and all point in New England.
Traffic on LI sucks.... so try avoiding driving west in the morning, or east in the evening. Since you'll be living and working fairly close, daily commuting traffic shouldn't be an issue, though.
Lots of wineries out east, mainly on the North Fork.
Plenty of Town, County, and State parks throughout the island.
There are tons of amazing restaurants of all cultures all over the island, including Cyprus.
What type of activities are you interested in? We could probably point you in the right direction if we knew a bit of what you're looking for.
Hi again, thanks for the tips 
Well, me and my wife are the kind of people who appreciate nature, walking in a park, visiting nice landscapes, enjoying sitting close to the beach, this kind of activities. I've already seen that Long Island has many of those to offer!
Apart from that, our biggest concern is basically our budget.
Our total income will be $49000 a year (pretax) plus $3000 location stipend. So we were wondering if renting an apartment at around $1500-$1600 is really affordable.
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| Posted 5/25/17 4:16 PM |
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Jenn79
One more?
Member since 2/12 2410 total posts
Name:
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Welcome! We are a family of 4. I live in Suffolk. I went to Stony Brook as well! We have two young children. Our food budget for the month is $700 we don't buy lunches or coffees out. We do go over our budget sometimes when we go out to eat more often than planned. When we go out to eat we spend around $50-$75 for our family depending on where we go. Obviously when we go to a nicer place it can be over .
Optimum and fios is the most popular. They have the triple play. We have optimum and pay around $180 a month with a pretty basic plan. They have the introductory rate which you can get for the first year which is around $100 or so. I forget the exact number.
Our cell phone plan is with sprint and for unlimited data and two new phones we pay around $135 a month. Verizon has a little better service, but they are a little more expensive.
I can't comment on electricity because we have a 2000sq ft house. So it will be substantially more than that size apartment.
If you plan on getting a car gas is about $2.33 a gallon right now.
Good luck!
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| Posted 5/25/17 8:35 PM |
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LIPhysicist
LIF Zygote
Member since 5/17 8 total posts
Name:
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Hi again,
Just wanted to ask, can anyone provide me with a recent review on Heatherwood apartments at Port Jefferson? I found this to be a good choice for housing. I've read many bad reviews online but they are more than 2-3 years old.
I'd be happy to get a recent review from someone who knows.
Thanks.
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| Posted 6/7/17 6:03 AM |
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LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19458 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Are you able to live in student on campus housing?
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| Posted 6/7/17 12:51 PM |
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LIPhysicist
LIF Zygote
Member since 5/17 8 total posts
Name:
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Posted by LSP2005
Are you able to live in student on campus housing?
I don't think so, I'm with my wife, and we would prefer something bigger than a student dorm...
Anyways I'm not a student so I don't know if I'm even eligible for living on campus.
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| Posted 6/8/17 5:26 AM |
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angelicd77
LIF Adolescent
Member since 12/13 794 total posts
Name:
Kim
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Posted by LIPhysicist
Posted by GoldenRod
Posted by LIPhysicist
Posted by chilltocam
That sounds like a very reasonable food budget.
As far as the apartment being cable ready - you might not have a choice of service then. It might be set up specifically for a particular provider. I guess the complex can let you know for sure.
Thanks for the help!
I would be grateful for any more info regarding life in Long Island!
SBU is right at a train station, so you can easily take that directly into Manhattan for sight-seeing.
The Port Jeff Ferry is in the same general area. That's a nice way to get to Connecticut, and all point in New England.
Traffic on LI sucks.... so try avoiding driving west in the morning, or east in the evening. Since you'll be living and working fairly close, daily commuting traffic shouldn't be an issue, though.
Lots of wineries out east, mainly on the North Fork.
Plenty of Town, County, and State parks throughout the island.
There are tons of amazing restaurants of all cultures all over the island, including Cyprus.
What type of activities are you interested in? We could probably point you in the right direction if we knew a bit of what you're looking for.
Hi again, thanks for the tips
Well, me and my wife are the kind of people who appreciate nature, walking in a park, visiting nice landscapes, enjoying sitting close to the beach, this kind of activities. I've already seen that Long Island has many of those to offer!
Apart from that, our biggest concern is basically our budget.
Our total income will be $49000 a year (pretax) plus $3000 location stipend. So we were wondering if renting an apartment at around $1500-$1600 is really affordable.
I cant comment on the quality of the apartments there, but rent on LI is ridiculously expensive. I have yet to hear of a complex on LI that is less then $1800+ for a 1BR. Generally, utilities arent included either.
As far as activities go, Port Jeff is awesome for street fairs, farmers markets, and shops for sight seeing. Plus the ferry is right there. You shouldnt have a problem keeping busy!
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| Posted 6/13/17 5:43 PM |
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LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19458 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Posted by LIPhysicist
Posted by LSP2005
Are you able to live in student on campus housing?
I don't think so, I'm with my wife, and we would prefer something bigger than a student dorm...
Anyways I'm not a student so I don't know if I'm even eligible for living on campus.
I would look into it because I don't know that you will be able to find something for 1500 including utilities. So I would ask the school if they have accommodations.
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| Posted 6/13/17 10:24 PM |
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LuckyStar
LIF Adult
Member since 7/14 7274 total posts
Name:
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Info for Long Island new comer!
A coworker of mine lives in a complex in St. James and I believe pays $1600 a month. Definitely doesn't include cable but other utilities for a small apartment would be cheap.
You are likely not eligible for student housing and probably wouldn't want to live there even if you were.
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| Posted 6/14/17 10:01 AM |
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LIPhysicist
LIF Zygote
Member since 5/17 8 total posts
Name:
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Re: Info for Long Island new comer!
Posted by LuckyStar
A coworker of mine lives in a complex in St. James and I believe pays $1600 a month. Definitely doesn't include cable but other utilities for a small apartment would be cheap.
You are likely not eligible for student housing and probably wouldn't want to live there even if you were.
Heatherwood at Port Jefferson also offers 1bd apartments for $1585, which I find a reasonable price for their size, area and amenities, and also compared to similar complexes. Included is everything except cable and electricity. Actually I find it to be the best option compared to other 5-6 complexes I have considered.
My question was mostly due to the fact that I heard some bad reviews, and just wanted to see if anyone had a more direct experience with them.
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| Posted 6/14/17 10:10 AM |
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