Even though archeologists have never actually found evidence that American Indian tribes lived permanently in Wyandanch, the city was still named after the famous leader of the Montaukett tribe during the 17th century. Still, it's nice homage to Chief Wyandanch, and a pretty cool name for a city to boot!
City is actually going a little too far when describing Wyandanch. In reality, it's a hamlet or CDP in the town of Babylon in Suffolk County, New York. It's about half way down, and pretty much right in the center, of Long Island, about 30 miles or so from Manhattan as the crow flies, with the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn all within easy commuting distance. As you'd expect from the region, summers can be warm and winters cold, with pleasant springs and colorful falls in between, so you're sure to experience all four seasons if you move to Wyandanch.
Moving to Wyandanch
Moving home is meant to be one of the most stressful things you can do in life, and it's certainly something that most people have experienced at least once or twice. However, the stress levels are usually pumped up to the max when the process of finding somewhere is laden with hurdles and hoops to jump through. Any town, city, hamlet, or CDP so close to a major urban area like New York is always likely to be a hot property market, especially when it's within commuting distance. Thankfully, however, Wyandanch isn't the constricted market that you might fear.
The Nuts and Bolts of It
OK, let's get into it. What sort of housing can you expect to find? Well, the first thing to note is that the proportion of renter occupied housing is high, while the vacancy rate is average for the nation and above average for the state. This is good news, because it means you won't have to battle every suburban house hunter for a piece of the real estate pie. There are several thousand homes in the CDP, with the heavy majority being single family detached homes. Again, anyone who wants to find a house for rent will have no trouble here. Unfortunately, however, it does mean that apartment seekers might be left with few options.
What You'll Need
Finding an appropriate property is one thing, but actually securing it is another. For one thing, you might find that you're not the only with with eyes for a certain place. This could mean you find yourself in a bidding war, especially if you love the place and don't want to let it go. If your offer is accepted, you'll still be a fair way from moving in. First off, reference checks will be done, possibly credit checks, too. Got any skeletons in your closet? Well, they might hinder you. Chances are you'll be fine, but it will help if you're financially secure, you're in a solid job, you have a good renting history, and you're able to put down your first month's rent and security deposit immediately. If you've got savings in place, paying for 6 months up front will be a big help. At the end of the day, it's all about doing what you need to to get those keys in your palm.
Neighborhoods in Wyandanch
OK, so before you actually start jumping through all those hoops to get into your new apartment or house, you're going to need to take a look around town and consider where's best for you. Here are a few notes on the neighborhoods in Wyandanch:
Town Center: Home to the most amenities in town, it's pretty walkable here. Restaurants in the downtown area include D & B Takeout and No. 1 Kitchen, and that's to name only a couple. Belmont Lake State Park to the east is great for summer day out.
Straight Path / Long Island Avenue: This neighborhood is characterized by gridded streets, and you're most likely to find an apartment here, rather than anywhere else.
Straight Path / Brown Boulevard: You'll find some of Wheatley Heights here with a few larger houses. If you're looking for a place with a pool, this is where to look. But be prepared to pay for it, as rent here is higher than anywhere else in the CDP.
Wheatley Heights: The rest of the nice tree-lined streets of Wheatley Heights are here. The main draw, however, is Colonial Springs Golf Club, so if you like to swing those clubs you might want to start your search here.
Living in Wyandanch
Wyandanch offers a great deal for any resident. If you enjoy getting outside and enjoying the great outdoors, Geiger Memorial Park is a good spot, with a lake for fishing and ball fields for all ages to play on. Wyandanch Park is another hot spot in the CDP, particularly during summertime, while Geiger also has a swimming pool and a few twisty slides for those hot days under the sun.
The streets are quiet and have a small-town feel, with youngsters rolling down the streets on their bikes, and cars tucked away on tidily kept driveways. It has a highly suburban feel to it, but it is within easy distance to a range of larger, more exciting, places to visit for both work and play. In fact, only a couple of miles to the west is Adventureland, an excellent amusement park with a mini roller coaster, various rides, an arcade, and water slides.
So, how about getting around? Well, the Long Island Railroad passes straight through the CDP, with a station right in the center and easily reachable by foot from most centrally located properties. There are also various bus routes that serve Wyandanch, both for local transit and longer journey inland. Then, of course, there are the roads, which offer the most reliable way of getting around for work and pleasure. There are several main roads that travel through the town, linking up with the Long Island Expressway just a few miles to the north, taking you straight over to Manhattan through Queens.