If you want to buy in the Ronkonkomas
Ronkonkoma Beach at Lake Ronkonkoma. Ronkonkoma, flanked by the LIE, is in Islip Town, while Lake Ronkonkoma, to the north, is split between the towns of Brookhaven and Smithtown. (July 7, 2012) Credit: Randee Daddona
Though the sister hamlets of Ronkonkoma and Lake Ronkonkoma have many similarities, each has its own identity.
The communities share a ZIP code, but are governed by different townships.
Ronkonkoma, flanked by the Long Island Expressway, is in Islip Town, while Lake Ronkonkoma, to the north, is split between the towns of Brookhaven and Smithtown.
Lake Ronkonkoma is unique for its lake — Long Island's largest — formed by a glacier about 20,000 years ago.
Ronkonkoma is home to Long Island MacArthur Airport and the Ronkonkoma train station.
An ambitious project on the drawing board — the Ronkonkoma Hub — would redevelop 50 acres around the Ronkonkoma train station into a mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly district.
The overall location of these two communities is very desirable, says resident Mike McLean of Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate, noting folks love it “because everything is right there.” Resident Katherine Kennedy of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage agrees, saying, “Most things you need are less than five miles away.”
When it comes to housing, buyers can find Capes, ranches, high-ranches, Colonials, contemporaries and Post-moderns. Most sales right now are for homes priced right around the $300,000 mark and below, Kennedy says.
In Lake Ronkonkoma, there were 67 sales from June 1, 2011 to June 29, 2012. The median price was $268,000, with a low of $150,000 and a high of $535,000.
