Buying in Amityville

THE SCOOP

Amityville village is a “nautical-type community that’s a beautiful place to live,” says village Mayor Dennis Siry, a longtime resident. “Anyone that lives here will tell you the same thing.”

A waterfront community and boaters’ haven, the area has many vintage homes on properties along the bay and Amityville River, which winds through the center of the village’s southern point.

In recent years, the village has added housing options, including Newpointe Estates, a gated condo development, and Oak Street Villas, a 24-unit apartment complex near the village’s main strip, Siry says. The village is exploring the possibility of adding apartments and transit-oriented housing that would appeal to younger residents as part of a downtown revitalization, he adds.

“There are a couple [projects] on the back burner that are waiting to move forward,” he says. They “will hopefully get a little more feet on the street and help revitalize our downtown. It has been improving steadily over the years, so we want to keep that trend going.”

Additional development could come to the 7 1⁄2-acre former site of Brunswick Hospital, which when completed could be a “big bonus for the community,” Siry says.

The village received an $80,000 grant in December for revitalization efforts along a section of Park Avenue, which is being used for repaving, drainage, new crosswalks and other improvements. Siry says the corridor along the Village Triangle at Broadway and Park Avenue has seen new businesses and eateries open in recent years, including Amity Ales and Carney’s Irish Pub and Restaurant. The strip will soon add a gourmet deli, he says.

Amityville offers a wide selection of housing styles, prices and sizes, but it is best known for its vintage waterfront Colonials situated on large parcels, says Jerry O’Neill of Coldwell Harbor Light, who listed the village’s so-called “Amityville Horror” house, which sold this year for $605,000. Prices, on average, range from starter homes that are about $350,000 to high-end homes between $800,000 and $1 million, he says. Properties along the river, he adds, can fetch from $400,000 to more than $1 million.

The village, mostly south of Sunrise Highway, also offers condos, co-ops, gated communities and 55-and-over developments, some of which are on the water. In North Amityville is Greybarn, a luxury rental community, phases of which are still under construction, and which O’Neill calls “a one-of-a-kind development.”

In addition to Colonials, the village boasts a variety of styles, including Capes, expanded Capes and ranches, says longtime Amityville resident Geralyn Bozza of Above Board Real Estate. Amityville, she says, offers estate-like settings, with some properties featuring accessory buildings and bulkhead on the premises. Living in Amityville’s incorporated village has its perks, Bozza says.

“We have our own private police force, and we love it,” she says. “The area has that small-town feel. Everybody knows each other in Amityville.”

Amityville is home to Revolution Bar & Music Hall, which offers musical acts and tribute bands. The village also features various parks, marinas, a museum and the private Amityville Beach, which includes athletic fields, a playground and a pavilion available to residents for rent for summer parties.

The area also hosts annual events, such as the Christmas tree lighting, which will be held on Dec. 2.

“Once you’re here, you are kind of sucked into the Amityville atmosphere,” Siry says. “It’ a great community with a lot of character.”

CONDOS AND CO-OPS

There are seven condos on the market ranging in price from $139,000 to $579,900. There are seven co-ops available with prices that range from $91,000 to $299,000.

SALES PRICE

Between Nov. 1, 2016, and Nov. 16, 2017, there were 190 home sales with a median sale price of $325,000, according to the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island. The low price for that period was $60,000 and the high was $980,000. During that time period a year earlier, there were 162 home sales with a median sale price of $295,000. The price range was $70,000 to $1.2 million.

SCHOOLS

Most students attend Amityville High School or local private schools.

OTHER STATS

Town Babylon

Area 2.1 square miles

ZIP code 11701

Population 9,523

Median age 46.4

Median household income $83,125

Median home value $334,788

LIRR to NYC 52 to 69 minutes at peak

Monthly ticket $350

School district Amityville

SOURCES: 2010 Census; mlslI.com; LIRR

*Based on sales in the past six months, according to MLSLI

RECENTLY SOLD

$648,000

GRIFFING AVENUE After 422 days on the market, this four-bedroom Colonial sold for its asking price. The 1964 house, with four full bathrooms, boasts an open concept granite kitchen with white cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and a wall of windows overlooking the backyard. The main level also includes formal living and dining rooms and a den. The master bedroom, which includes an en suite bathroom, is on the upper level with three additional bedrooms. The .43-acre property, with taxes of $21,775, includes a detached 2 1⁄2-car garage and an in-ground saltwater pool.

$500,000

GRAND CENTRAL AVENUE This three-bedroom, 1 1⁄2-bathroom ranch sold for $39,000 less than its asking price after 169 days on the market. The waterfront house, built in 1972, features a granite eat-in kitchen with a center island and stainless steel appliances, a formal dining room and a great room with a fireplace and sliding glass doors opening to a patio. The master bedroom has a full bathroom. The .39-acre property, on a canal that opens to the Great South Bay, also includes an attached two-car garage and an attic. The taxes are $20,873.

$350,000

MARION ROAD Originally listed for $379,000, this three-bedroom split-level sold in October after 139 days on the market. The house, which was built in 1956, includes two full bathrooms. The main level includes a formal living room with a fireplace, a kitchen and a formal dining room with sliding glass doors that open to a deck in the backyard. There is also a family room on the lower level. All three bedrooms, along with a full bath, are on the upper level. The 85-by-126-foot lot has property taxes of $13,637.

NOW ON THE MARKET

Starter

$369,000 This four-bedroom, 2 1⁄2-bathroom home features a living room, a den, a dining room and a kitchen with new appliances. The 70-by-130-foot property includes a finished basement and an attached two-car garage. Taxes: $7,562. Judy Etman, Judy Etman Realty, 718-344-9968

Trade-Up

$459,990 This renovated expanded ranch, with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, includes a granite eat-in kitchen with sliders opening to a deck, and a master suite with a walk-in closet and a private bath. The 60-by-144-foot property also has a finished basement and a detached garage. Taxes: $13,205. Rosemarie Bozza, Above Board Real Estate, 631-264-7700

High-End

$599,999 This five-bedroom, two-bathroom waterfront Colonial features a master suite with a private deck overlooking the water. The 50-by-126-foot property includes 50 feet of bulkhead. Taxes: $13,301. Richard Losito and Anthony Picone, Signature Premier Properties, 516-670-2212, 516-984-3498

On Multiple Listings

Number of houses 23

Price range $225,000-$1.5 million

Tax range $7,562-$17,868