Buying in Bellerose Village
Pictured is Commonwealth Avenue in the Village of Bellerose in Western Nassau County, bordering with the New york City Borough of Queens. Credit: Kevin P. Coughlin
THE SCOOP Tucked between Floral Park and the Queens border, the village of Bellerose is a small community of just fewer than 400 homes.
The village offers the best of both worlds, says Michele Mayo, owner of
Village Manor Realty in Floral Park. "You have gorgeous, majestic homes in a quiet, residential setting and the wonderful convenience of a quick, 35-minute commute into Manhattan."
Tara Moreno, owner of Abbott Realty in Floral Park and a former resident, raves about the village's aesthetics. "It has big, wide streets lined by trees." When in bloom, the trees canopy the streets, and some of the medians are planted with flowers, she adds.
The Tudor-style fire department, village hall, recreation area and train station are along the southernmost edge of Superior Road. St. Thomas Episcopal Church, a brick building with stained-glass windows, is across the street on Commonwealth Boulevard. The commercial area is along Jericho Turnpike.
Neighborhoods feature mostly Colonials and Dutch Colonials as well as some Tudors and Capes. "Every house is different," Moreno says. "The homes have so much character," Mayo adds. Property sizes typically range from 50 by 100 feet to 80 by 100 feet. Prices usually start in the mid- to high-$400,000s and can top out in the high $700,000s, Moreno says.
"At any given time, there are only a few homes on the market," Mayo says, noting that houses hold their value, and residents tend to stay.
SALES PRICE From Feb. 1, 2011, to April 2, 2012, there were five sales, according to Multiple Listing Service of Long Island data. The median sales price was $535,000 with a low of $360,000 and a high of $583,650. From Jan. 1, 2010, to Jan. 31, 2011, one house sold for $565,000.
ATTRACTIONS The village recreation area, for residents only, offers a playground and two tennis courts.
BY THE NUMBERS
Town: Hempstead
Area: 0.1 square mile
ZIP code: 11001
Population: 1,193
Median age: 40.9
Median household income: $171,771
Median home value: $545,000*
LIRR time to NYC: 31 minutes to 40 minutes at peak
Monthly ticket: $223
School district: Floral Park-Bellerose
SOURCES: 2010 Census; mlsli.com; Long Island Rail Road;
*Based on two sales in the past six months, according to Multiple Listing Service of Long Island
