East Rockaway, NY - Jan. 13, 2010: Portnoy family pose...

East Rockaway, NY - Jan. 13, 2010: Portnoy family pose by the island in between the living room , left, and the kitchen, right, in the home for sale at 41 Emmet Ave. in East Rockaway. From rear, left to right, front: Adam Portnoy, with children Ilana, 11, Richie, 9, Jude, 2, and wife Dory Portnoy. For "Why You Should Buy My House" column. Credit: Newsday/Ken Sawchuk

Sellers: Adam and Dory Portnoy

Address: 41 Emmet Ave., East Rockaway

Asking price: $619,000

The competition: Similar-size homes in the Lynbrook school district are listed between $619,000 and $979,000.

Recent sale on the block: A four-bedroom split-level on Emmet Avenue sold in December for $610,000.

Taxes: $10,699; additional village taxes $2,791. (Does not include owner's STAR Exemption of $1,258.)

Time on the market: Since December

Listing agents: Donna Galinsky and Lenny Bobrow, Pugatch Realty Corp., Woodmere, 516-317-9253 and 516-784-0262, respectively

Why it's for sale: The couple, who have three children, say they would like to move to Suffolk County to be closer to family.

Adam, 36, a human resources professional, and Dory, 37, a stay-at-home mother, purchased this house almost 10 years ago. They have since put in a lot of work. Today, the house, which sits on a 67-by-100-foot lot, has five bedrooms and 21/2 bathrooms.

Dory talks about the enhancements:

"We have done everything. We put on a new roof, installed a new boiler, new flooring, windows, you name it. . . . We gutted the kitchen. It has granite countertops, nice wood cabinets and stainless-steel appliances. It's one of my favorite rooms - I spend most of my time in there. . . . We dormered the second floor. We have a huge master bedroom. We added a bathroom and put in a Jacuzzi. We also gutted the downstairs bathroom. . . . The kids hang out in the playroom , which was the original master bedroom. . . . Outside, we had a brick walk put in in 2002."

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