Buying in Farmingdale, a village with a thriving downtown

THE SCOOP

Having added approximately 275 new apartment dwellings in recent years, and with more on the way, Farmingdale now has a thriving downtown, says village Mayor Ralph Ekstrand.

“It’s been phenomenal for giving the businesses a shot in the arm with people walking our downtown,” Ekstrand says. “Obviously, if you walk the downtown, you tend to spend money in the downtown.”

Development began in 2013 after a master plan was developed and implemented, he says. That helped reduce the number of vacant stores in the downtown area from 26 to two, Ekstrand adds.

Additional projects are in the works, including a potential mixed-use building near the fire department that Ekstrand says will have its first public hearing in January.

“That’s an approximately $25 million project, so we want it done right, and we want to hear a lot of the public’s input,” Ekstrand says.

A permit is in place for a 24-unit, high-end senior apartment building one block east of the intersection of Main Street and Route 109, Ekstrand says. The complex, he adds, will have a full-time concierge offering services “just like you would get at a hotel.”

During the summer, he says, the village redid two downtown parking lots and added two others near Main Street, forming more than 100 new parking spaces. The downtown area includes “a tremendous diversity of restaurants that bring people from all over into our town to taste the different cuisines,” Ekstrand says.

The central location of the village, with Farmingdale State College and Republic Airport nearby, allows for easy access to major roadways both north and south.

“Logistically,” Ekstrand says, “Farmingdale is in the heart of Long Island.”

The village offers a variety of housing styles, including historic Colonials, Capes, ranches and high-ranches, says Larry Theodore of Century 21 American Homes, who has been selling residential real estate in Farmingdale for more than 30 years. Prices, he says, range from a starter home typically starting around $350,000 to high-end homes between $600,000 to $900,000, a majority of which are in the Lenox Hills section.

“Sometimes a buyer will pay a little more than market value to live in the incorporated village because you get the different perks of walking to town, shopping and railroad,” Theodore says.

Adding to the appeal of Farmingdale, he says, is the quick commute to Manhattan, which includes 49-minute express rush-hour train service to Penn Station, and the shopping options along the Route 110 corridor, which recently added a Stew Leonard’s.

Running along the village’s northern border is Bethpage State Park and Golf Course, including the famed Black Course, which is slated to host marquee tournaments such as the 2019 PGA Championship and 2024 Ryder Cup.

CO-OPS

There are six co-ops on the market, ranging in price from $128,800 to $189,000.

SALES PRICE

Between Nov. 1, 2016, and Nov. 30, 2017, there were 256 home sales in Farmingdale with a median sale price of $425,000, according to the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island. The low price for that period was $100,000 and the high was $945,000. During that period a year earlier there were 267 home sales with a median sale price of $383,000. The price range was $170,000 to $885,000.

RECENTLY SOLD

$575,000

JEROME DRIVE After 90 days on the market, this six-bedroom split-level sold for $64,999 less than its asking price in October. The 1956 home, with three full bathrooms, boasts a new kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. Also included on the main level is a living room, dining room and den with a fireplace. The master suite is on the upper level along with two other bedrooms and a bath. The house also includes a finished basement. The 75-by-108-foot property, with taxes of $16,655, features an attached one-car garage.

$441,000

MELVILLE ROAD This three-bedroom, 1 1⁄2-bathroom Colonial sold in November for $31,000 more than its asking price after 88 days on the market. The 1958 house has hardwood flooring throughout. Off the living room are sliding glass doors that open to a deck. The formal dining room flows into the eat-in kitchen. The master bedroom, which has dual walk-in closets, is on the upper level with the two additional bedrooms and a full bath. The 61-by-148-foot property, with taxes of $9,129, also includes an unfinished basement and attached one-car garage.

$367,500

BALDWIN STREET Originally listed for $379,990, this three-bedroom ranch sold in August after 190 days on the market. Built in 1956 and recently renovated, the house includes two full bathrooms. Beyond the foyer is an open-concept layout that includes a living room, dining room and eat-in kitchen. The house also includes an attic and a finished basement with a full bathroom. The 64-by-110-foot property, with taxes of $10,449, also includes an attached one-car garage, a concrete patio and above-ground pool.

NOW ON THE MARKET

Starter

$415,000 This three-bedroom high-ranch, with 1 1⁄2 bathrooms, includes a living room, dining room, eat-in kitchen and family room. The property includes an attached one-car garage. Taxes: $11,680. Michael A. Gregoretti, Real Estate Broker, 516-459-3658

Trade-Up

$599,000 This three-bedroom, three-bathroom Colonial boasts a formal living room with a fireplace and a family room with cathedral ceilings. The 55-by-180-foot property includes a finished basement and attached one-car garage. Taxes: $14,489. Margie Horowitz, Laffey Fine Homes International, 516-606-8806

High-End

$689,990 This four-bedroom, three-bathroom high-ranch includes a new granite eat-in kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a family room with a fireplace and a master bedroom with a new bathroom. The 75-by-168-foot property includes an attached two-car garage. Taxes: $12,043. Larry Theodore, Century 21 American Homes, 516-859-8738, 516-293-2323

On Multiple Listings

Number of houses 16

Price range $249,000-$689,900

Tax range $7,126-$21,156