Square-mile Locust Valley offers cottages to estates
Business and storefronts on Birch Hill Road in Locust Valley. "We are such a small town that we do know most of our clients by first name," says the owner of one shop. Credit: Chris Ware
THE SCOOP While shopping in Locust Valley one afternoon, Kim Bancroft realized she'd forgotten her wallet.
“I was still able to go to the butcher, go to the market and the deli, all without a cent,” says Bancroft, an agent at the Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty in Locust Valley and resident of nearby Lattingtown, which shares a ZIP code with Locust Valley. “Each one of the places has house accounts, which you don’t see in many other neighborhoods these days.”
The relationship and familiarity among store owners, customers and neighbors within the one-square-mile hamlet, along with the vintage storefronts that line some of its streets, give Locust Valley its small-town feel, residents say.
“We are such a small town that we do know most of our clients by first name,” adds Len Margolis, president of the Locust Valley Chamber of Commerce and owner of Le Joaillier Fine Jewelry, which is in a shopping center of Tudor-style stores called The Plaza.
Bancroft says another benefit of the area is its schools, including Locust Valley High School, which in 2017 placed in The Washington Post’s annual list of the nation’s most academically challenging, ranking 120th in the country and fourth in New York State.
The renovation of the Locust Valley train station was recently completed, including an enhanced exterior and restored waiting room, Margolis says. A portion of Piping Rock Road was recently repaved, and trees were planted along the area’s main strips on Forest Avenue and Birch Hill Road, he adds.
Homes are available at an array of price points, Margolis says, from estates constructed in the Gold Coast era to small cottages.
The area features mostly Colonials and Capes, with most homes having been built in the 20th century, says Carol Hiltz-Conigliaro, brand manager of Signature Premier Properties in Locust Valley. Prices are typically between about $500,000 and $1.5 million, Hiltz-Conigliaro says.
Many summer rental homes are also available, she adds, with prices reaching as much as $20,000 per month for certain houses. Many renters are Manhattanites looking to take advantage of the local country clubs, such as nearby Piping Rock Club.
“Locust Valley is only minutes from the water and ... surrounded by several incorporated villages of extreme wealth,” Hiltz-Conigliaro says, referring to neighboring areas that include Lattingtown, Matinecock, Mill Neck, Brookville and Upper Brookville.
The area is also home to Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club, the John P. Humes Japanese Stroll Garden, and the Basil Leaf Cafe.
CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are none on the market.
SALES PRICE Between July 1, 2017, and July 16, 2018, there were 60 home sales with a median sale price of $610,500, according to the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island. The low price for that period was $370,000 and the high was $2.025 million. During that period a year earlier, there were 69 home sales, with a median sale price of $575,000. The price range was $335,000 to $2.025 million.
SCHOOLS Most students attend Locust Valley High School. Private schools Friends Academy and the Portledge School are nearby.
OTHER STATS
Town: Oyster Bay
Area: 1.0 square miles
ZIP code: 11560
Population: 3,406
Median age: 40.0
Median household income: $92,449
Median home value: $630,000*
LIRR to NYC: 66 to 73 minutes at peak
Monthly ticket: $297
School district: Locust Valley
SOURCES: 2010 Census; mlsli.com; LIRR
*Based on sales in the past six months, according to MLSLI
RECENTLY SOLD
$475,000
Riggs Pl.
Style: Colonial
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 1
Built: 1920
Lot size: 45x100
Taxes: $10,378
Reduced: $24,000
Days on the market: 133
$795,000
Fox Ridge Ln.
Style: Split-level
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3 full, 1 half
Built: 1957
Lot size: 77x177
Taxes: $20,582
Reduced: $44,000
Days on the market: 160
$1.265 million
Oyster Bay Rd.
Style: Colonial
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3 full, 1 half
Built: 2005
Lot size: 2.12 acres
Taxes: $32,151
Reduced: $60,000
Days on the market: 170
NOW ON THE MARKET
$575,000
This Cape, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, includes a living room with a fireplace, an eat-in kitchen and first-level master bedroom. The 45-by-125-foot property also includes a basement and detached two-car garage. Taxes: $13,086. Barbara Brundige, Signature Premier Properties, 516-759-4400
$699,000
This three-bedroom, two-bathroom ranch features a living room with a fireplace, a den, an eat-in kitchen, dining room, and en suite master bedroom. The 118-by-188-foot property boasts a full, unfinished basement and an attached two-car garage. Taxes: $11,274. Michael Stanco, Douglas Elliman, 917-293-0915
$1.35 million
This six-bedroom farm ranch, with four full bathrooms, includes a living room, family room, sun room and master suite with a loft and bathroom. The 2.2-acre property also features a barn, in-ground pool and cabana. Taxes: $26,849. Aleta Heisig and Carol Cotton, Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, 516-759-4800
On Multiple Listings
Number of houses 12
Price range $425,000-$1.95 million
Tax range $6,042-$49,129
