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NASP09
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Member since 6/05

6030 total posts

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Message edited 8/20/2009 9:45:39 PM.

Posted 3/30/09 9:26 PM
 
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JustJack
:)

Member since 2/06

2041 total posts

Name:
J

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Thats the predicament we were in and we decided the buy the house and we couldnt be happier. We love the area now. We also almost looked for a year. We didnt want to buy a fixer upper.

Posted 3/30/09 9:28 PM
 

LIMOMx2
...

Member since 5/05

24989 total posts

Name:

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Well it sounds just like you are talking about our town. We bought here and DH grew up here and we couldn't be happierChat Icon We would like to send our children to catholic school but that has nothing to do with the district. It would have happened no matter where we lived.

Posted 3/30/09 9:33 PM
 

JandJ1224

Member since 6/06

5911 total posts

Name:
Jannette

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

I say move on

Posted 3/30/09 10:10 PM
 

mathteach
Roll Tide!

Member since 8/08

3169 total posts

Name:
Christine

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

districts can change either way...buy the house.

Posted 3/30/09 10:24 PM
 

evenedan
Need a little sunshine

Member since 9/05

3843 total posts

Name:
D

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

We're buying in a district that I've heard some refer to as "iffy," but when I did my own research, actually looked at test scores and such, I didn't understand what was so "iffy" about it. I think in our case, it's because we are surrounded by outstanding school districts on all sides, so ours by comparison seems to suck. But in reality, it's decent, better than decent actually. The reputation of the district didn't deter us from buying the house because 1. We don't have kids yet and don't really plan on living in our house for more than say ten years. How bad can first, second or third grade be? 2. I went to NYC public schools my whole life, our district is paradise compared to where I went. 3. We are getting a great house for a great price in a great neighborhood and we have relatively low taxes. Therefore, my child will benefit from having parents that aren't stressed out and maxed out because they're struggling to afford the mortgage and taxes, which might have been the case if we bought in a town with a stellar district and higher taxes.

All that being said, there are some districts I would never have bought in. I guess it all depends on how "bad" it is.

Posted 3/30/09 11:25 PM
 

sunnyplus3
:)

Member since 11/05

8749 total posts

Name:

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Posted by evenedan

We're buying in a district that I've heard some refer to as "iffy," but when I did my own research, actually looked at test scores and such, I didn't understand what was so "iffy" about it. I think in our case, it's because we are surrounded by outstanding school districts on all sides, so ours by comparison seems to suck. But in reality, it's decent, better than decent actually. The reputation of the district didn't deter us from buying the house because 1. We don't have kids yet and don't really plan on living in our house for more than say ten years. How bad can first, second or third grade be? 2. I went to NYC public schools my whole life, our district is paradise compared to where I went. 3. We are getting a great house for a great price in a great neighborhood and we have relatively low taxes. Therefore, my child will benefit from having parents that aren't stressed out and maxed out because they're struggling to afford the mortgage and taxes, which might have been the case if we bought in a town with a stellar district and higher taxes.

All that being said, there are some districts I would never have bought in. I guess it all depends on how "bad" it is.



Chat Icon Chat Icon Chat Icon
I live in a district that gets beat up all the time-Longwood. Meanwhile our bugdet always passes, we have TONS of programs, clubs & sports teams. Our sports teams are awesome, the cheerleaders have won the nationals a few times. The kids here have great school pride. The teachers are dedicated and it can be challenging when a certain percentage of the students have no parental involvement or encouragement at all! There are benefits to living in my area that truly cannot be found in other places on for any price, like a private fresh water lake. All of the kids in my neighborhood grow up fishing, swimming, sailing & participating in community events.
There is much more involved in the success of a child than the school district they attend.

I'm not into keeping up with anyone, we like to live low & enjoy life.
As for resale value which is a topic that always comes up in regards to "iffy" districts, you are getting the house at a lower price than you would if the same house was in Jericho, therefore when your ready to sell you'll need to pass that a market appropriate savings on to the next buyer.
Houses in my town that are priced right sell quickly & they did not inflate as severely as other areas a few years ago so the prices drop has been softer recently.
I hope that helps.

Posted 3/31/09 6:54 AM
 

Erica
LIF Adult

Member since 5/05

11767 total posts

Name:

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

personally, for me, SD is number one on my list.

BUT you can make anything within any district if you are an involved parent.

Posted 3/31/09 7:52 AM
 

spooks
So in love!

Member since 6/06

4378 total posts

Name:
Sarah

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

I'd do your own research b/c often the "iffy" school districts, still may have amazing programs to offer its students and just has a bad rap. A lot depends on the child and the parent too. So, I'd still buy it if I were completely in love with the house and the price was right.

Posted 3/31/09 7:54 AM
 

Mrs-D-Girl
Love my fur baby

Member since 8/07

5183 total posts

Name:

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

I would say go for it also. We heard great things about our district and some "iffy" comments, we said to ourselves, we don't have kids yet and A LOT can happen in the future.

There are different "Iffy" levels also, is it crime, the teachers, the grades that come out of there? For me, as long as crime was not an issue I was ok with it. I plan on making sure my kids learn and do their school work and at the end of the day, I think it comes down to the parents and not the teacher.

We asked the neighbors, local stores and other resources and heard wonderful things about the area and district, most people who gave an opinion did not grow up here.

I drive to work and see all the kids and school buses and it puts a smile on my face of what I see around me. All the parents are outside waiting with the kids, drinking coffee, laughing and it seems like such an amazing place to raise a family.

We LOVE the area and LOVE our home and would not trade it for the world.

Best of luck! Chat Icon

Message edited 3/31/2009 9:11:20 AM.

Posted 3/31/09 8:35 AM
 

MrsD06
LIF Toddler

Member since 9/07

478 total posts

Name:

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Posted by spooks

I'd do your own research b/c often the "iffy" school districts, still may have amazing programs to offer its students and just has a bad rap. A lot depends on the child and the parent too. So, I'd still buy it if I were completely in love with the house and the price was right.



ITA
Honestly, based on your description it sounds like you could be talking about all but maybe 10-15 of the top SDs on LI (not sure if you're talking about LI or not). We found that when discussing SDs with people in anticipation of beginning our house search, there were very few districts that EVERYONE had something positive to say about. So if you haven't already, definitely do your own research and try to find out more about both the positives and negatives you're hearing. If the neighborhood is otherwise nice (low crime, etc.) and the house itself is in a good location, I don't think you would have a problem with resale.

ETA: Where are the positives and negatives coming from? We found that 99% of the time, the negatives about certain districts came from people who didn't have personal experience with the district - they heard that it's bad, or it wasn't good 20 years ago. We found it much more useful to talk to parents whose children attend school in the district, or teachers that have worked in the district.

Message edited 3/31/2009 8:52:03 AM.

Posted 3/31/09 8:47 AM
 

rkoenke
my little piggys

Member since 3/08

4315 total posts

Name:
rachel

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Posted by mathteach

districts can change either way...buy the house.



This is so true. I have never heard of grammar schools being bad, it's usually based on high school. by the time your (non) children get to high school, the best school could become not-so-the-best... And the reverse can happen too!

KWIM?

I say buy it too.

ETA: I heard that there is a new episcopal leader that came to my town and is working with teens and supposedly has a great reputation. this is just an example of having good influence, doing good in a community... if he does change things for the better (not that things are bad now), great!

Message edited 3/31/2009 8:56:27 AM.

Posted 3/31/09 8:54 AM
 

belladi
LIF Adult

Member since 9/06

1011 total posts

Name:
diana

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Posted by kbeana24

Lets just SAY, you've been looking for a house for almost a year. You find a house you LOVE, in your price range, in a great neighborhood (very family-friendly neighborhood).
And you dont have kids YET.
But the school district is iffy. You have heard both good things and bad. Supposedly, the district has a "bad rap" but many people say it is really ok.

Would you keep looking, accept the school district, or look into private schools (assuming you were able to afford it)?

WWYD?



I did jsut this when I bought my coop.. Everyone said the neighborhood was ok and the sd was iffy.. But the developmebt had everything I needed and IM MORE THAN HAPPY TO BE there.... I dotn have kids granted but you can always upgrade..

Posted 3/31/09 9:00 AM
 

nov04libride
big brother <3

Member since 5/05

14672 total posts

Name:
Me

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

SD was #1 for us. We got a ranch and could have had a small mansion in other SD for the same price. It also really affects resale value--the SD next to ours has homes selling for $200-300,000 less than our SD. And yes, SD change, but the top 5 or 10 have remained constant in the rankings for the past 15 years, and that is what many home buyers take into consideration. JMO. We also didn't want to HAVE to move when our kids reach a certain grade level to avoid the SD.

ETA: I was PG when we bought, so we knew that SD would be important to us in a few years, and did not want to feel pressured to move. If I was going to spend the money on private school, I'd spend more on the house and buy in a better SD.

Message edited 3/31/2009 9:44:01 AM.

Posted 3/31/09 9:12 AM
 

skew
LIF Adult

Member since 5/05

6794 total posts

Name:

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

LOVED the house, iffy SD but no kids. i would buy. never know what the future holds. SD could improve or you might want to upgrade to a bigger house once the kids are of school age.

Message edited 3/31/2009 9:26:32 AM.

Posted 3/31/09 9:25 AM
 

LuvmyShihTzu
<3 I <3 my DD <3

Member since 8/08

3325 total posts

Name:
Happiest Mommy <3

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

If it were me and I couldn't afford to put my kids in private school I would not buy that house. The school district is the most important to me, even before the house itself. If you know you are going to have kids for SURE, then I'd rethink the house. There are beautiful houses everywhere, you just have to keep searching. I think that a good education is key to success in our world and I would personally feel guilty if I bought the house hoping the schools would change, have kids and send them there and then have problems with their classmates or education. JMO HTH

Posted 3/31/09 9:27 AM
 

TheDivineMrsM
2 girls 4 me!

Member since 8/08

7878 total posts

Name:
Mama mama mama....

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

We intentionally bought a house in an SD with a good rep. I knew we wanted kids, and private school would not be financially feasible. That being said, there are only a handful of districts that I think are truly awful. Most of LI districts IMO are fine.

Message edited 3/31/2009 10:35:20 AM.

Posted 3/31/09 10:22 AM
 

lullabella
LIF Adult

Member since 5/05

2246 total posts

Name:

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

l would only if you could afford to send them to private school if you want. We bought in a really nice neighborhood, I wasnt crazy about the schools but I didnt really care since I am sending them to Catholic school anyway.

Posted 3/31/09 10:29 AM
 

junebride06
love my boys!

Member since 2/08

3181 total posts

Name:
Robin

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

We also looked for over a year but a good school district was on the top of our lists. So if you ask me, I say keep looking. Good school districts usually always also have good neighborhoods. You also need to keep in mind re-sale down the road.

Posted 3/31/09 12:10 PM
 

Cheeks24
Living a dream

Member since 1/08

8589 total posts

Name:
Cheeks

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Go for it. School districts change!

Posted 3/31/09 12:11 PM
 

Jenn627
Laaaaaaaambert!

Member since 5/08

9818 total posts

Name:
Jenn

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Well - if it was to be our forever home - I'd go for it.

Like other posters said - when it comes to SDs (unless absolutely horrendous) - your kid gets out of it what they and you put into it... so if it were not an issue of whether or not we wanted to sell in 5 to 10 years - I'd absolutely go for it.

Posted 3/31/09 12:43 PM
 

TheLorax
LOVE

Member since 2/06

5581 total posts

Name:
Suzanne / SuzBride

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Posted by Mici C

Go for it. School districts change!



Agree. By the time you have a baby and that baby grows to high school age (which is what most reps are based on), it will probably be at least 15 years. Alot can change in that time! When my parents moved into SMithtown's SD, they had multiple small JHSs and 2 HSs, by the time my siblings and I got to JHS/HS, there was only one giant JHS and another giant HS, and now they have changed back to smaller schools again. SO the school we ended up going to was alot different from when they moved to SMithtown! And the school now is alot different from what we went to!

Message edited 3/31/2009 1:11:02 PM.

Posted 3/31/09 1:10 PM
 

beaviss80
:)

Member since 8/06

1552 total posts

Name:
michelle

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Posted by JandJ1224

I say move on

i agree, you have to think of re sell value

Posted 3/31/09 1:22 PM
 

siffleuse319
LIF Infant

Member since 8/08

189 total posts

Name:

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Home is where the heart is. And remember that even the bad districts on long island still offer a good education. In the end, all that will matter is your family's values and the love you share within your 4 walls. Lots of LIers get caught up in the miniscule differences between school district stats. I know of plenty of accomplished, successful and kind adults who were educated in Wm Floyd, Bellport, Riverhead...etc. So....if you love the home and can afford to spend TIME with your family instead of working to pay the mortgage, then go for it. That by far, is more important than what the Jones' say about your district or how much they're willing to pay you on resale. Good Luck!

Posted 3/31/09 5:26 PM
 

BaroqueMama
Chase is one!

Member since 5/05

27530 total posts

Name:
me

Re: If a house you LOVED was in an "iffy" school district?

Ok, put it this way.....I bought in a neighborhood that is gorgeous, by the water, walk to the parks, the ferry, great families all around, but I've heard some iffy things about the school district, upon my own investigating and speaking to many parents of many children of all ages in the school district, we decided to buy here because everyone is happy that I've spoken to.
Now, here's the kicker...my friends just bought a house in a district that is supposedly top knotch and always receives accolades in reviews and what not, well, guess what? They have a raging heroin problem in their high school and had to bring in drug sniffing dogs and what not. So, you never know if a good district really IS good.

Posted 3/31/09 5:40 PM
 
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