Buying in Sound Beach, in Brookhaven Town
THE SCOOP With its affordable houses and small-town feel, Sound Beach is “the perfect location for a young family to start out,” says Jane Bonner, a Town of Brookhaven councilwoman.
Sound Beach was established in 1929, primarily as a beach community to give city residents a summer retreat. It “still has a rural, rustic, throwback-in-time feel to it,” Bonner adds.
The area features two small business districts, on Echo Avenue and New York Avenue, Bonner says.
In recent years, Echo Avenue was revitalized with the addition of new sidewalks, decorative lighting, landscaping and signage, says Bea Ruberto, president of the Sound Beach Civic Associaiton. There was also a traffic “calming” project completed on New York Avenue, she adds, which included new sidewalks, crosswalks and lighting.
While the hamlet offers a wide variety of housing styles, summer bungalows remain, though many have added extensions, says Laura Cochran of H & G Realty in neighboring Miller Place. Its northern border runs along Long Island Sound, so the area offers waterfront housing. Houses in the area range from around $200,000 to $500,000, Cochran adds. The typical property size are about a quarter of an acre, she says.
“There is sporadic new construction,” Cochran says. “But there’s really not a lot of land left.”
The Sound Beach Property Owners Associations offers access to the hamlet’s private beaches. The area is also home to Sound Beach Children’s Park and Sound Beach Veterans Memorial Park, which honors residents who lost their lives in military action. Memorial services are held at the site each year on Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
To prevent flooding and erosion in the area, a four-year project to replace drainage infrastructure was completed this spring, Bonner says, so rainwater and storm water runoff that would normally go into the Sound now flow into a recharge basin.
CONDOS AND TOWNHOUSES
There are no condos on the market.
SALES PRICE
Between Sept. 1, 2016, and Oct. 20, 2017, there were 146 home sales with a median sale price of $249,050, according to the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island. The low price for that period was $82,000 and the high was $465,000. During that period a year earlier, there were 110 home sales with a median sale price of $225,000. The price range was $94,000 to $560,000.
SCHOOLS
Most students attend Miller Place High School and Rocky Point High School.
OTHER STATS
Town Brookhaven
Area 2.7 square miles
ZIP code 11789
Population 7,612
Median age 37.0
Median household income $90,000
Median home value $245,000*
LIRR to NYC Port Jefferson, 96 to 117 minutes at peak
Monthly ticket $391
School district Miller Place, Rocky Point
SOURCES: 2010 Census; mlslI.com; LIRR;
*Based on sales in the past six months, according to MLSLI
RECENTLY SOLD
$427,500
SHORE DRIVE After 195 days on the market, this waterfront three-bedroom, three-bathroom Colonial sold for $21,496 less than its asking price. The house, built in 1999, boasts hardwood flooring and a living room with a wood-burning fireplace. The main level also includes an eat-in kitchen and dining room. The master bedroom, on the upper level, offers two walk-in closets and water views. The 0.14-acre property, with taxes of $15,928, also has a partially finished basement, a deck and an outdoor shower.
$310,000
BEACON DRIVE Originally listed for $299,000, this three-bedroom, two-bathroom home sold in May after 92 days on the market. The 1952 house, with hardwood floors throughout, features a main level with a living room, an eat-in kitchen with built-in banquette seating, two bedrooms and a full bath. The master suite, on the upper level, boasts a sitting area, a 14-foot walk-in closet and a bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and separate shower. The 0.23-acre property, with taxes of $5,224, also has a basement and attic.
$217,000
WILDWOOD DRIVE This ranch, with three bedrooms and one bathroom, sold for its asking price after 163 days on the market. Built in 1945, the house includes a family room that flows into an eat-in kitchen with new cabinetry and a dining area. The house, with a new air-conditioning system, also includes an attic and full basement. The 0.32-acre property, with taxes of $4,736, includes a private driveway and a covered front porch.
NOW ON THE MARKET
Starter
$259,996 This three-bedroom, 1 1⁄2-bathroom expanded ranch has an eat-in kitchen, a family room with cathedral ceilings and a three-seasons room. The 80-by-100-foot property has an attached one-car garage. Taxes: $8,915. Laura Cochran, H & G Realty, 631-474-2000
Trade-Up
$369,000 This three-bedroom, 2 1⁄2-bathroom raised-ranch includes a living room-dining room combination with French doors opening to a deck, and a master bedroom with a full bath. The 0.38-acre property also includes an attached office/rental and two-car garage. Taxes: $9,446. Michele Phelps Vachier and Brian Phelps, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, 631-766-0029
High-End
$749,000 This waterfront three-bedroom, three-bathroom ranch includes a living room, a dining room and a master suite with a private deck overlooking the water. The half-acre property includes two levels of Trex deck, a walkout basement and two-car garage. Taxes: $18,970. Deborah DeWick, Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, 631-664-2148
On Multiple Listings
Number of houses 52
Price range $119,000-$799,000
Tax range $2,581-$18,970