Adam Waldman - Long Island REALTOR®

Smithtown School District Homes Market Trend Report - June 2008 - Mid-Year Recap.  This report shows a statistical comparison between the months of April, May and June 2008, in addition to a year-over-year comparison.  For the mid-year recap, the first and second quarter averages are listed as well for both 2008 and 2007.  This report provides information about homes sold in the Smithtown School District including:  location of homes, list price, sold price and days on market.

While the monthly reports provide a relatively small sampling of homes, which often times results in extreme fluctuations that may or may not be indicative of the market trend for the Smithtown School District, a look at the mid-year trends will be more indicative of the current market trend.  

This report is designed to give factual information about sales in the Smithtown School District.  As is the case with many school districts on Long Island, the Smithtown School District has a very broad spectrum of home prices (starter, mid-level, luxury), and the value of individual homes cannot be determined by evaluating broad market trends.  If you are interested in finding out the market value for your particular home, you should consider having an actual market analysis done. 

These reports are done by school district rather than town because school districts play a very important role in home prices on Long Island.   

Below the actual data you will find an analysis of the real estate trends for homes in the Smithtown School District.

JUNE 2008 HOME SALES

JUNE 2007 HOME SALES

YEAR-OVER-YEAR COMPARISONS 

MARKET TREND ANALYSIS: 

The June numbers were the best to date this year, in comparison to both the first and second quarter averages.  The average list prices and sales prices rised, days on market decreased, there was less new inventory and more closings than any other time this year.  However, the year-over-year numbers continued to decline.  In 2007 less homes came on the market during the first half of the year and there were more closings.  The average list prices and sales prices were lower this year compared to last year as well.  The ratio of list price to sales price decreased slightly, and days on market stayed about the same.

CONCLUSION: 

The June numbers were much better than the rest of the year to date.  While sales prices increased, perhaps the most positive sign was the fact that less homes came on the market and more closings occured.  Should this trend continue, it is likely that home prices could continue to climb as well.  However, the numbers have been weaker than the 2007 numbers across the board, and it remains a buyer's market.

The most likely reason that the numbers are improving is because more home sellers are pricing their homes for current market conditions.  The sellers that are truly motivated to sell should keep in mind that there is still a decent amount of inventory on the market, and homebuyers are most likely to make offers on the homes that are properly priced, and in the most "show-ready" condition.

Homebuyers that are interested in moving into the area should note that the pendulum might be starting to swing, and home prices may continue to rise.  Given the current mortgage opportunities, and the news about the future of mortgages, homebuyers that are able to afford a home now should be actively looking.  With prices possibly continuing to rise, and a possible rise in mortgage rates, the homebuyers that are still waiting out the market may very well find themselves with less buying power when they finally decide to purchase a home.

This past weekend, Robert Moses State Park celebrated its 100th Anniversary, with a number of events being held at each field of the beach.  Since Robert Moses is the beach that I have always gone to, I decided to pack up the family and head out to check out the celebration.  Things didn't go exactly as planned, as the little one's nap prevented us from getting to the beach in time to see the exhibits or take the free ferry boat ride.  But it didn't matter.  We still made it out to the beach during the celebration weekend, and it ended up being a great day.

We arrived at the beach at around four o'clock, long after most people had already headed for home.  Although the exhibits were being packed up, we stopped to check out the newly renovated facility building at Field 3.  Everything was clean and new, including the bathrooms.  One nice feature that was added is a family bathroom, perfect for those traveling with little ones.  After snapping a few pictures, we proceeded to the beach.

As we reached the sand, we kicked off our shoes and felt the cool white sand beneath our feet.  The little one was visibly excited, and it occurred to me that the beach may very well be her favorite place to visit.  Before I could even get the blanket and chairs set up, the kids were splashing around with my wife in a pool of water that had formed on the beach from the rising tide.  If there is one thing that can take your mind off of life's pressures, it is watching the endless smile of a toddler and listening to her shrieks of excitement and joy as she frolics on the beach.

Before long, my son and I headed down to the ocean.  He loves to play along the shoreline and let the waves crash into him.  As the waves hit the beach a pool of warm white foam was left behind.  There is something very peaceful about staring out into the vastness of the ocean, while the waves wash over your feet.  The ocean has a way of drawing you in and making you never want to leave, so I understand why it is hard for my son to walk away, and why my daughter faces down wave after wave even though most of them would knock her off of her feet if we let go of her hand.

After a while, we were able to coax the kids back up to the blanket.  Ah...time to relax and enjoy the beach!  Wait, scratch that.  Time to dig a big hole with a tiny shovel, so that we can recreate the pool of water that the kids were playing in when we first arrived.  Of course, the tide will never reach the hole, so it's up to daddy to bring pails of water to fill the pool.  After two trips and four buckets, I convinced my son that we were only making wet sand, and not a pool.  He understood, and agreed to play in the wet sand.

Now, I can sit back, relax and stare out at the ocean....for about 30 seconds.  The little one is off and running unencumbered through the sand, as most of the other beachgoers had already called it a day.  The only thing stopping her from running to the concession stand is me or my wife, although in all fairness, my son did a lot of the chasing and told us not to worry because he was "trained for this."  I'm not exactly sure where he got his training, but his help was greatly appreciated.

Watching the two of them together playing on the beach is one of those moments that puts a smile and your face, and reminds you how good life can be.  Is going to the beach with kids as relaxing as the old days when I used to go with my friends?  Definitely not!  But I wouldn't have it any other way. 

If you're like me, and you prefer to avoid crowds and extreme heat, you'll love going to Robert Moses after 4pm.  My wife even found it to be a little chilly.  Must be a woman thing, as I never seem to get cold at the beach.  Field 3 is a great spot, because the beach isn't too deep, and the new and greatly improved facility building is the best one around. 

We may have missed the official celebration of the 100^th anniversary, but we celebrated it in our own way as a family, at a beach that has been "home" to me ever since I was a kid.

Summer on Long Island is one of the most eventful times of the year.  While many people look forward to the summer because it means that they will be spending time at one of Long Island's many beaches or taking advantage of the plentiful fishing and boating opportunities, many other Long Islanders make time to attend live music events.  There is music to satisfy fans of virtually every musical genre, and the best part is that many of these concerts are free of charge.

The highest profile acts appear at the Jones Beach Theater.  Ticket prices for each show vary by artist.  This year's lineup features a wide range of performers including:  Rush, Judas Priest, Motley Crue, Stone Temple Pilots, Poison, The Police, Jethro Tull, Allman Brothers, Rod Stewart, John Mellencamp, Joe Cocker, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Donna Summer, Jimmy Buffet and more.  For the complete concert calendar and ticket purchases, please click here.

Many towns offer a free concert series over the summer, where you can bring a blanket, chairs, food and drink and enjoy the music under the stars.  The Town of Oyster Bay always features some well-known artists, and this year is no exception, with performances by Lou Gramm (Foreigner), Tony Orlando, The Spin Doctors, Air Supply, Patty Smyth and Scandal, and more.  Some of the best tribute bands are on the schedule this summer as well, including:  Stayin' Alive (Bee Gees), The Cast of Beatlemania, and Abbamania.  For the complete summer schedule, please click here.

The Town of Hempstead is featuring a number of tribute bands, including:  Beginnings (Chicago), Forever Young (Rod Stewart), Bad Medicine (Bon Jovi), Bad Animals (Heart), Yellow Brick Road (Elton John) and more, while the Town of North Hempstead will feature Big Shot (Billy Joel), Herman's Hermits with Peter Noone and more.

In Suffolk County, the biggest events are held at the Brookhaven Amphitheater.  This year's schedule includes:  The Music of Led Zeppelin (performed by a 55-piece orchestra), Extreme, Squeeze, Blondie to name a few.  For the complete concert calendar and ticket purchases, please click here.

In addition to the popular music, the town parks feature other genres such as jazz, country, orchestral music and children's music.  With something for virtually any taste and price range, Long Islanders have plenty of opportunities to enjoy music under the stars this summer.

I can still recall my visit to the Long Island Game Farm when I went there as a kid with my family.  Through a child's eyes, the place seemed larger than life.  Having never been to a zoo before, there was no basis for comparison.  The years have passed, and I've since been to larger zoos like the Bronx Zoo and San Diego Zoo, so the recent trip with my children to the Long Island Game Farm was a bit of a shock. 

In my mind, it was a large zoo that we spent the whole day exploring.  In reality, it is a fairly small zoo, which can be experienced in about three hours including stopping for lunch and bathroom breaks.  The day started out as a surprise for my son.  We figured that it would add some adventure to the experience.  He was excited to find out where we were going, but didn't seem overly enthused upon learning about where we were when we arrived.

The parking lot is unpaved, consisting mostly of gravel and grass.  We went on a day that wasn't crowded, so the zoo was fairly easy to navigate around, even with the stroller for my little one.  Before arriving at the zoo, we stopped into a CVS Drugstore to pick up a copy of  Newsday's magazine - Long Island Parents & Children, because the magazine has coupons that are good for a half price ticket for each child with a full price adult ticket (approximately $19 each).

Upon arriving at the gate, we purchased our tickets and proceeded directly to the tiger show performance that happens twice daily.  It is very cool to be up close and personal with a group of tigers, but the show is fairly short and there wasn't much to see.  At the end of the show, they bring one tiger into a glass cage so that people can stand next to it and take pictures.  We were about to line up to take a picture next to the tiger, when we were told that it would cost us $10, so we passed.  Taking a picture with our camera is one thing, but paying to have them take a picture was a waste of money (in my opinion), so we started our journey around the zoo.

Since we were near the food concession stand, we decided to have lunch before proceeding, as we knew that the kids would start asking for food sooner rather than later.  The biggest mistake that we made was not stopping to pick something up for lunch.  There are picnic tables, and you are allowed to bring whatever food and drink you would like into the zoo.  I strongly suggest doing so if you are planning to visit.  We ended up spending nearly $25 for the family on food that was marginal (at best).

Once lunch was over, we walked around the zoo, stopping a few times to allow the kids to ride on the tea cup ride and then on the train ride, which we all went on together.  Everything is much smaller than I remembered, but I'm sure it was because I am no longer a small child.  We saw everything that the zoo had to offer (monkeys, zebras, parrots, a buffalo, an alligator, a giraffe, lemurs, kangaroos and more).  We visited the nursery where you could pet and feed the baby goats, which was fun for the kids.

Before long, we had made our way through every area of the game farm, so it was time to head home.  Had my little one not been so cranky, the day would have been a bit more enjoyable, but that is life with a toddler.  On the way home, we stopped to get ice cream, and it seemed to be the highlight of the day for both of the kids.

If you are looking to see some interesting animals without having to plan a trip to the Bronx Zoo, it is worthwhile to spend a few hours at the Long Island Game Farm.  If you went there as a kid with your family or with a school field trip, and you remember it as a large zoo, you will be a bit disappointed. However, if you set realistic expectations, bring your own lunch, and avoid going with a cranky toddler, the Long Island Game Farm can be a fun day out with the family. 

Remember to pick up your coupons before visiting, as it can save you a decent amount of money.  For a list of where the coupons are published, please click here. 

For directions to the Long Island Game Farm, please click here.

This year marks the 100^th anniversary for Robert Moses State Park, and it is being celebrated this entire weekend with events at each field of the beach.  Coinciding with the celebration is the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the newly renovated facility building located at Field 3.  This $700,000 renovation is part of a larger $28 million revitalization of Long Island's state parks. 

This new facility building features expanded food concession, in addition to a larger beach shop and first aid center.  The bathrooms were completely renovated and redesigned to be more spacious and allow for a better flow of traffic through the changing areas; a new family bathroom was added as well.

Festivities surrounding the celebration of the 100^th anniversary include painting and photography displays, a children's art contest, children's entertainment and free ferry boat rides.  There will be a sandcastle contest at noon on Saturday, June 28^th on Field 3, and a treasure hunt / beach dig at noon on Sunday, June 28^th at Field 4.  The beach dig is being run by WBAB, in conjunction with Banana Boat.

A number of prizes will be given away, including concert tickets and a trip to the AVP Manhattan Beach Open (volleyball).  The trip includes roundtrip airfare, three night's hotel accommodations, $500 cash, and two tickets to the AVP event and Banana Boat Beach BBQ on September 19^th.

This should be a fun weekend for all at Robert Moses State Park.  Bring the family and come join in on the celebration!