Buying a home in East Williston
The exterior of East Williston Village Hall is pictured on Jan. 7, 2013. The village is drafting plans for a $7 million independent water supply system. Credit: Newsday / Audrey C. Tiernan
If you're in search of a quiet bedroom community, you might consider the compact village of East Williston, which is often described as old-fashioned and family-oriented.
"Everyone knows each other and watches out for each other," says Tom Schrafel of Coach Realtors of the Willistons. "Neighbors help one another -- it's that kind of community," echoes resident Sharon Sullivan-Piscopia of Laffey Fine Homes in Williston Park. "East Williston is a throwback in time," says Mayor David Tanner, citing well-attended community events such as holiday parades and gatherings at the village green.
Village Hall and the library were expanded about three years ago, Tanner says. Residents participate in programs that include storytime and Mommy and Me classes, adds Sullivan-Piscopia. Every village street was repaved a couple of years ago, says Tanner.
With about 870 households, the village's neighborhoods feature tree-lined streets and a mix of home styles and sizes, Sullivan-Piscopia says. "When you walk down a block in East Williston, you feel like you're in the country," says Jane Schrafel, also of Coach Realtors of the Willistons. Shops and restaurants are close enough -- opposite the East Williston train station, which is in Williston Park, Schrafel says. The market is active, Sullivan-Piscopia says.
CONDOS
Wheatley House. The units "are very hard to come by," Sullivan-Piscopia says.
SALES PRICES
From Jan. 1, 2012, to Dec. 31, 2012, there were 25 sales, with a median price of $646,000, according to Multiple Listing Service of Long Island data. The low price was $490,000, and the high was $1,515,000. From Jan. 1, 2011, to Dec. 21, 2011, there were 26 sales. The median price was $709,750 with a low of $450,000 and a high of $1,420,000.
ATTRACTIONS
A portion of the private 18-hole Wheatley Hills Golf Club is in the village; there are volunteer organizations to join; visit the village website to sample a list of annual events: eastwilliston.org.
BY THE NUMBERS
Town: North Hempstead
Area: 0.6 square mile
ZIP code: 11596
Population: 2,537
Median age: 44.8
Median household income: $151,923
Median home value: $710,000*
LIRR time to NYC: 41 minutes to 54 minutes at peak
Monthly ticket: $223
School district: East Williston
Sources: 2010 Census; mlsli.com; Long Island Rail Road
*Based on sales in the past six months, according to Multiple Listing Service of Long Island
