Buying a home in East Marion

From the bay side, one can see Orient State Park, Orient Harbor, Shelter Island and Bug Light (the Long Beach Bar Lighthouse), says resident Deborah Kusa, an associate broker at Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate. Across the Sound is the Connecticut shoreline, which is visible on a clear day. Then there's Dam Pond Preserve, a popular county park.

East Marion -- situated between Greenport and Orient -- has a petite business center, Kusa says, which includes The Fork & Anchor, a general store, the Lavender by the Bay farm and farm store, and the Arbor View House Bed & Breakfast and Spa.

Tranquil neighborhoods feature a mix of homes built from the 18th to 21st centuries. Lot sizes range from a quarter-acre to multiple acres. Gardiners Bay Estates is a private beach and marina community. Prices throughout the hamlet typically range from the $300,000s to more than $2 million, Novick says.

East Marion experiences a summer swell, Kusa says, noting the area has a large number of second-home owners.

Town: Southold

Area: 8.4 square miles

ZIP code: 11939

Population: 926

Median age: 53.7

Median household income: $73,050

Median home value: $460,000*

Transport to NYC: Hampton Jitney: Stops in front of the post office and runs year-round.

School district: Oyster Pond district serves K-6; middle and high school students go to Greenport.