Great Neck Apartment Renter's Guide
Great Neck Apartment Renter's Guide
Overview
"I had a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbor's lawn, and the consoling proximity of millionaires." - F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Great Gatsby". Great Neck, New York, is the area upon which Fitzgerald's West Egg is based.
Nassau County, in which Great Neck lies, is comprised of three towns and two cities; within the towns are 64 incorporated villages and over 100 unincorporated ones. Great Neck is the western-most area in the county, and it covers the western-most peninsula and spreads out for some distance south.
When moving to Great Neck, you'll want to consider which neighborhood best fits your needs
"I had a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbor's lawn, and the consoling proximity of millionaires." - F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Great Gatsby". Great Neck, New York, is the area upon which Fitzgerald's West Egg is based.
Nassau County, in which Great Neck lies, is comprised of three towns and two cities; within the towns are 64 incorporated villages and over 100 unincorporated ones. Great Neck is the western-most area in the county, and it covers the western-most peninsula and spreads out for some distance south.
Moving to Great Neck
When moving to Great Neck, you'll want to consider which neighborhood best fits your needs. Much of the town is walking distance to the Long Island Rail Road, which is convenient for commuters to Manhattan, but some areas are a car ride away.
When moving to Great Neck, you'll want to prepare for your ultimate lease signing by gathering together the various documents that you'll need to hand over to your landlord. This could include anything from copies of your ID and letters of reference to a credit check and proof of income. Having all of this information at the ready will greatly expedite the process, and get you moved into your new pad as soon as possible.
Neighborhoods in Great Neck
Parts of the town border the Long Island Sound, while each neighborhood has multiple parks with different features such as docks, swimming pools, skating rinks and sporting fields and courts. Also, if you're moving to an apt for rent near the town center, you'll want to check with the building ahead of time about parking and where to put your moving truck. Many of the town's apartments are within the commercial town center, and parking is metered and can be difficult to find. There are more than a dozen villages and neighborhoods within Great Neck, but some have more defined features than others.
University Gardens: The only village in Great Neck to straddle Northern Boulevard, University Gardens has a diverse makeup of living options. On the south side of Northern Boulevard are homes and other rental properties of various sizes and price-points. On the north side are some affordable homes and an apartment development called Great Neck Terrace. There are a couple hundred one- and two-bedroom garden apartment homes, most of which are owned, but there are a few are rentals.
Great Neck Plaza: The heart and soul of Great Neck is the town center. With red-brick sidewalks and tons of boutique clothing stores, restaurants, frozen yogurt shops and a movie theater along Middle Neck Road, the town is the hub of social activity and business. Dine out at Shiraz or hang out at Village Green Park.
Village of Great Neck: When you say you live in Great Neck, anyone who is familiar with the area will ask "North or south?" The Village of Great Neck is often referred to by locals as "north town" because it is further north along Middle Neck Road, the main street, and is still part of the town center, with multiple restaurants, shops and delis. There are also a number of garden apartments, much like the area's southern counterpart. This area has a mix of rentals, condos, and co-ops as well, so it's definitely a good place to start your search for apartments. This is also the part of town you'll want to check out if you're looking to rent a single-family home, as it's really the only area with a number of openings. The beautiful All Saint's Cemetery is here as well.
Living in Great Neck
Great Neck is a place unlike any other. There are few towns you can find out there with such a range of opportunities, residents and residences, and hanging out in the town center or at any of the parks would show this.
Speaking of parks, there are few towns out there with more of them! You'll find something for everyone: Great Neck Estates Park and Stepping Stone Park both have docks to moor your boat, pools, tennis courts and tons of greenery. Lakeville Park has a jungle gym and basketball court. Allenwood Park is dominated by an enormous expanse of green fields, and it also has water fountains to play in. Memorial Field has soccer fields, multiple baseball mounds and tennis courts.
The town is extremely welcoming and also offers restaurants with cuisines from around the world. Also, the town is on the Port Washington branch of the Long Island Rail Road, and Penn Station is only 29 minutes away! There are buses that travel through Nassau County available as well.
If you're lucky enough to have a clear day, you can glimpse the Empire State Building on the Saddle Rock Bridge, right across from the main branch of the town's library.