The Babylons

We've been house hunting in Babylon & W.Babylon but DH wants to expand our search to N.Babylon & maybe even Deer Park too. I know every neighborhood has its good and bad parts. Any ideas on where I should be looking or what places to avoid?

Re: The Babylons

I grew up in Deer Park and it's not bad at all. Of course you have your parts near Brentwood/Bay Shore that I would stay away from, but every town as one bad part. I live on the Dix Hills/Commack line and that neighborhood is beautiful. It's very desirable for middle income families because it's affordable, the area is nice, taxes won't kill you and the school district isn't bad.

I graduated in '99 and the school district's scores weren't the greatest. It was because we had so many old teachers that were waiting to retire and they sucked. Over the last 5 years more than half of Deer Park teachers retired and we have some good young blood teaching now. The scores have improved.

Deer Park is seperated into 4 sections that are divided by the LIRR and Deer Park Ave. The northeast section, is where I lived and it's nice. The "west side" which is the south west section of deer park is FILLED with families and is affordable (this is the closets section to N. Babylon). I would stay away from Bay Shore Rd. and houses around it. It's kinda sad being that it's 2005, but I find most the minorities are in a section of their own (this south east section of town). This is where Deer Park gets the bad rep for gangs and violence. I guess years ago, minorities were only showed houses in this section and it kinda stayed that way. Not that other parts of Deer Park don't have minorities, it's just that part is very concentrated.

Personally, N. Babylon isn't any different than Deer Park. In fact my friends from N. Babylon always thought Deer Park was a nicer town. FM me with any questions.

Re: The Babylons

I grew up in North Babylon and am moving back in September (buying my parents house). The school district is not the best on LI but it is not horrible either. The elementary schools are good, it's the high school that does not get the best reviews. I wouldn't let that stop you though, ya never know what it will be like when it's time for your kids to go(that goes for any school). There is one part of NB that borders on Wyandanch that could be considered "less than desirable" by some and that is north of the SS Parkway and west of Belmont park.
I will live close to the Deer Park border and it's a nice quiet neighborhood. It seems to me that the town is really turning over in age. A lot of young people are moving in because it is one of the only towns that are semi affordable and are a reasonable commute to the city(Babylon is one of the better train lines).
Feel free to send me FM if you want to discuss further:)

Re: The Babylons

Re: The Babylons