Baiting Hollow combines convenience, North Fork charm

On the cusp of the North Fork, Baiting Hollow is dotted with farms, nurseries and beaches, yet the hamlet is close to big box stores and the Tanger Outlets in Riverhead.

"For me, Baiting Hollow offers the best of both worlds," says resident Steve Mandresh, an agent at Douglas Elliman Real Estate. "It has all the charm of the North Fork . . . and it has the convenience of being so close to the expressway."

Residents working westward have an easier commute than those living farther east, yet they can enjoy North Fork ambience, adds Valerie Goode, owner-broker of Colony Realty. Popular spots include Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard, where visitors can taste wine and meet rescued horses. The Cooperage Inn Restaurant is touted for its cuisine, wine and beer garden.

Baiting Hollow, which shares a ZIP code with Calverton, has a new subdivision south of Sound Avenue that will comprise 23 homes on wooded, one-acre lots, says Chris Capitelli of Exit Realty Achieve. The houses, 2,900-square-foot Colonials and 2,550-square-foot ranches, with four bedrooms and four bathrooms, are listed at $669,000.

Baiting Hollow buyers can find homes priced from the $300,000s to more than $1 million, including some on the bluffs over Long Island Sound, Goode notes. Condos and seasonal cottages in Woodcliff Park also are available.

CONDOS: 16 listings from $249,000 to $429,000

SALES PRICES: Year over year, the numbers are up, according to Multiple Listing Service of Long Island data. From June 1, 2013, to July 20, 2014, there were 25 sales with a median price of $320,000. The low price was $26,500 for a seasonal cottage, and the high was $1,075,000. From June 1, 2012, to July 20, 2013, there were 20 sales. The median price was $299,000 with a low of $19,500 for a cottage and a high of $460,000.

ATTRACTIONS: The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary is about 3½ acres; there's a boat launch on Edwards Avenue; Baiting Hollow Scout Camp is owned and operated by the Suffolk County Council, Boy Scouts of America; Baiting Hollow Golf Club is private; residents have access to Riverhead town beaches.

MORE BAITING HOLLOW STATS:

Town: Riverhead

Area: 3.2 square miles

ZIP code: 11933

Population: 1,642

Median age: 49.2

Median household income: $83,167

Median home value: $335,000*

LIRR time from Riverhead to NYC: 2 hours and 12 minutes at peak

Monthly ticket: $466

School district: Riverhead

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