Buying a home in Westhampton Beach

THE SCOOP

Thinking about the sandy shores of Westhampton Beach, agent Maria Cunneen of the Corcoran Group says: “I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.” Cunneen has called the village home for 18 years. “It’s a return of yesteryear when it comes to getting your children to enjoy the great outdoors.” There’s a great feeling of community in the village, Cunneen says, where many of the activities from the beach to the library are inclusive and family-oriented.

There’s something for everyone in Westhampton Beach, Cunneen says, both in terms of home prices and styles. “No one style dominates,” she says, leaving room for a buyer’s preference for ranches, Capes, Contemporaries or Postmoderns. Many styles, from entry-level homes to palatial estates, are available, Cunneen says, appealing to a wide range of buyers.

One undeniable appeal is the village beaches, which have been rated among the world’s best, according to Westhampton Beach Trustee Brian Tymann. Tymann calls the village “the first Hampton” — saying it has the benefit of being closer to Manhattan and lacking the heavier traffic farther east on the South Fork.

Tymann describes Westhampton Beach as a tight-knit community where the board of trustees is working to revitalize the downtown area, and an active chamber of commerce is planning new events. The chamber hosted a Harvest Festival in the fall and a Dickens Festival in the winter, Tymann says, and those may become annual events. For the first time last summer the village hosted “Movies on the Green,” where residents could watch films on The Great Lawn free of charge.

Other changes coming to the village: Southampton Town has approved a plan for a pocket park between Main Street and the waterfront, and the village board has plans for a sewer district that would allow for more restaurants and businesses along Main Street.

CONDOS AND TOWNHOUSES

There are eight condos and town houses on the market ranging in price from $499,000 to $949,000. There are 14 co-ops for sale between $299,000 and $529,000.

SALES PRICE

Between Jan. 1, 2015, and March 15, 2016, there were 89 home sales, with a median sale price of $1.3 million, according to the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island. The low price for that period was $175,000, and the high was $14 million. During that same period a year earlier, there were 84 home sales, with a median sale price of $1,150,000. The price range was $270,000 to $8 million.

SCHOOLS

Most students attend Westhampton Beach High School. In 2015, 62 percent of graduates earned a Regents diploma with advanced designation. That’s down from 68 percent in 2014.

OTHER STATS

Town Southampton

Area 2.9 square miles

ZIP code 11978

Population 1,721

Median age 55.2

Median household income $81,188

Median home value $1,250,000*

LIRR Westhampton to NYC 2 hours and 1 minute; one train at peak

Monthly ticket $485

School district Westhampton Beach, Remsenberg-Speonk

SOURCES: 2010 census; mlslI.com; LIRR;

*Based on sales in the past six months, according to MLSLI

RECENTLY SOLD

$5,025,000

Dune Road

Originally listed for $5,249,000, this eight-bedroom bay-front Contemporary sold in January after 141 days on the market. The 1980 home has been renovated to include 11 bathrooms and one half-bath, an eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, living room and media room. Amenities include hardwood floors, a fireplace, skylights, maid’s quarters and a master suite with a sitting room. The .83 acre property features 132 feet of waterfront, a gunite pool, deck, bulkhead and dock. The home comes with beach rights and deeded docking rights and has a four-bay garage that holds 11 cars. The taxes are $37,727.

$1,250,000

Exchange Place

This four-bedroom home sold for $245,000 less than its asking price after 231 days on the market. The 3,100-square-foot home was built in 1950, offering 4 1⁄2 baths, a kitchen that opens to a formal dining room and a living room with a fireplace. There’s a sunroom and a two-bedroom guest suite on the first floor and a master suite on the second floor that features views of Quantuck Bay. The .3-acre property has a front portico and an arched arbor leading to the brick patio in the backyard. The taxes are $14,157.

$470,000

Rogers Avenue

After 367 days on the market, this three-bedroom ranch sold for $55,000 less than its asking price. The 1960 home offers one full bathroom, a renovated eat-in kitchen and a combination living room-dining room. The 1,110-square-foot home features a fireplace, hardwood floors and a full basement. There’s an in-ground pool on the fenced, half-acre property, which also offers a front porch, rear mahogany deck, paver walkways and an attached garage. The taxes are $4,424.

NOW ON THE MARKET

Starter

$499,000

This three-bedroom ranch offers two full baths, an eat-in kitchen, formal dining room, hardwood floors and a Florida room. The fenced, 72-by-126-foot property is on a cul-de-sac. Taxes are $3,884. Thomas Mangel, Saunders & Associates, 516-383-3917

Trade-Up

$1,250,000

This four-bedroom, four-bath Postmodern has an open floor plan with a fireplace in the great room, hardwood floors and a finished basement. There’s a pool, hot tub and multilevel deck on the .93-acre property, which comes with beach rights. Taxes are $8,575. Ina Ferrara, The Corcoran Group, 631-680-1392

High-End

$5,025,000

This waterfront Contemporary has five bedrooms and six full baths, a combination living room-dining room, a master suite, gym and fireplace. The .74 acre property offers a heated, gunite pool and a tennis court. Taxes are $23,287. Janet Booth, Norma Reynolds Sotheby’s International Realty, 516-578-7626

On Multiple Listings

Number of houses 96

Price range $200,000-$17,995,000

Tax range $1,900-$73,388