If you're thinking of buying in East Moriches

Often referred to as a low-key community, the bayside hamlet of East Moriches is popular for boating and fishing as well as for its quaint business district on Montauk Highway.

"It's calm and real," says Deirdre DeVita of Brown Harris Stevens. Main Street (Montauk Highway), she adds, is charming with a hardware store, little shops and eateries. "Main Street is very picturesque," echoes Steven Monzeglio of Brookhampton Realty.

Two small airports -- Lufker and Spadaro -- neighbor each other on this east-west stretch, which is dotted in either direction by other businesses and antiques shops. A Coast Guard station, marinas and waterside restaurants are very much part of the scene here, too.

Waterside developments include Newport Beach, where residents have their own beach and marina, says Mary Clay of The Corcoran Group, noting prices generally range from the mid-$300,000s to $900,000s. Baywood, another waterfront area, has about 100 homes, some on two-acre lots. Prices here can start in the $800,000s and fetch more than $2 million, Clay says.

Horse properties can also be found. House hunters have an ample choice of styles and sizes to choose from. Some homes are more than 100 years old, while others are brand-new, including in Paramount Manor, where 14 homes were recently constructed. Ranging between 2,900 square feet and 3,600 square feet, the Colonial/Traditional-style houses are priced from $499,000 to $589,000, says listing agent Vincent Martino of Douglas Elliman Real Estate. They come with all the "bells and whistles" and sit on either half-acre or one-acre parcels, Martino says, noting five have sold.

Condos are another option, while Walden Pond is a gated community of two-story garden apartments for people 55 and older, Monzeglio say.

CONDOS AND TOWN HOUSES 6 listings between $340,000 and $550,000.

SALES PRICES From Nov. 1, 2013, to Nov. 30, 2014, there were 48 sales with a median price of $350,000, according to Multiple Listing Service of Long Island data. The low price was $126,000 for a short sale and a high of $1,550,000. From 2012 to 2013, during the same time period, there were 47 sales. The median price was $389,000 with a low of $165,000 for a short sale and a high of $835,000.

ATTRACTIONS Kaler's Pond; Soldiers & Sailors Park, Terrell County Park; The Moriches Chamber of Commerce hosts annual events

OTHER STATS

TOWN. Brookhaven

AREA. 5.4 square miles

ZIP CODE. 11940

POPULATION. 5,249

MEDIAN AGE. 44.5

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME. $92,200

MEDIAN HOME VALUE. $361,250*

LIRR TIME TO NYC. 1 hour and 54 minutes to 2 hours and 7 minutes at peak

MONTHLY TICKET. $429

SCHOOL DISTRICT. East Moriches Elementary School, a 2014 National Blue Ribbon recipient, serves grades kindergarten to four; fifth- to eighth-grade students go to the middle school. High school students can choose either Center Moriches, Eastport-South Manor or Westhampton Beach.

Sources: 2010 Census; mlslI.com; LIRR; *Based on sales in the past six months, according to MLSLI