Community description: This is the town's most populous hamlet. It's a family oriented community, says Joseph Ferraro, owner-broker of Assist 2 Sell US Home & Realty in West Babylon. West Babylon, Ferraro says, is convenient to major roads and highways as well as the Babylon railroad station and parks on the Great South Bay. Housing includes, capes, Colonials, split-levels and ranch styles. Currently, 255 houses priced from $195,000 to $829,999 are listed at mlsli.com, the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island's Web site. Of these, 32 are two-family homes priced between $379,999 and $629,000.

Co-ops: One bedroom, $130,000 to $200,000; two bedrooms, $175,000 to $275,000

Apartments: A few, ranging from about $800 to $1,400 a month.

New construction: There is only one house currently posted at mlsli.com - a nine-room Colonial on a 100- by 100-foot parcel for $599,000.

Shopping: Babylon Village, with shops and restaurants, is nearby. Montauk and Sunrise highways and Little East Neck Road also are popular hubs. There's a choice of supermarkets, including Super Stop & Shop, ShopRite and Pathmark.

Attractions: The 19-acre Van Bourgondien County Park on Albin Avenue has soccer fields and tennis courts. Golfers can play at the public course, Bergen Point Golf Club on Bergen Avenue. Belmont Lake State Park in Babylon, which also is the headquarters of the Long Island State Park region - has boating, fishing, biking, hiking, horseback riding, playing fields and courts and play grounds.

-Lisa Doll Bruno (8/31/2007)