Buying in Plainview

Plainview, a 5.7-square-mile hamlet in the Town of Oyster Bay, has "everything a growing family could ask for," says Jay Meringoff of Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty. Meringoff has been selling homes in Plainview for 19 years, and says the hamlet is desirable for its great parks, convenient shopping and a strong sense of community.

Plainview is diverse, Meringoff says, both in terms of the people who live there and the sizes, styles and prices of homes the community has to offer. He says you can find ranches, capes, Colonials and split-levels on lots ranging from less than a quarter-acre to a full acre in size. The price for a starter home can be in the low $300,000s, with high-end homes selling for more than $1 million. Another draw, Meringoff says, is Plainview's strong resale value.

Town Councilwoman Rebecca Alesia says a project approved in May will bring a new housing development to the hamlet. Country Pointe at Plainview, by The Beechwood Organization, will offer 750 units of 1,000- to 3,000-square-foot apartments and town houses. Some 528 of those residences will be for buyers ages 55 and over, while 132 will be non-age restricted. An additional 90 affordable housing units will be available for those aged 62 and older. The development, which will be in construction late this year or by early 2016, will feature a clubhouse with two outdoor pools, a fitness center, and tennis and boccie ball courts.

Alesia says Plainvew is a NORC, a Naturally Occurring Retirement Community, and the new housing development will help seniors remain in the neighborhood they love as they age. The town will gain 57 acres of land in the deal, which will be designated for parks, recreation and open space.

CONDOS AND TOWN HOUSES

There are 24 condos on the market, ranging in price from $459,000 to $1,275,000.

SALES PRICES

Between Sept. 1, 2014, and Sept. 30, 2015, there were 275 home sales, with a median sale price of $510,000, according to the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island. The low price for that period was $285,000, and the high was $1.16 million. During that same period a year earlier, there were 303 sales with the same median price of $510,000. The price range was $288,000 to $1.275 million.

ATTRACTIONS

Plainview-Old Bethpage Community Park, a 19-acre park featuring baseball and softball fields, tennis, basketball, racquetball and handball courts, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, children's wading pool, playground, grill and picnic area and wooded hiking trails; Manetto Hills Park and Nature Preserve, 138 acres of undeveloped open space on the grounds of the former Shattuck Estate with trails for hiking and biking.

OTHER STATS

Town: Oyster Bay

Area square miles: 5.7

ZIP code: 11803

Population: 26,217

Median age: 44.7

Median household income: $118,542

Median home value: $512,500*

LIRR time from Hicksville to NYC: 39 to 52 minutes at peak

Monthly ticket: $287

School district: Most residents attend the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District, with some students zoned for Bethpage and Syosset.

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

ON MULTIPLE LISTINGS

Number of houses: 114

Price range: $350,000 to $1.275 million

Tax range: $8,266 to $34,947

RECENTLY SOLD

Diamond Drive, $467,000

This three-bedroom ranch with an original asking price of $479,00 sold in June after 101 days on the market. The 1953 home has two bathrooms and a half-bath, an open floor plan, vaulted ceilings and a combination living and dining room. Amenities include stainless steel appliances, Andersen windows, a Jacuzzi tub and a skylight. There's a "man cave" in the full, finished basement that includes a bar and media center. The 65-by-120-foot property features a shed and multilevel Trex decking, and is located on a cul-de-sac. Taxes are $11,219.

Brook Path, $670,000

After 307 days on the market, this four-bedroom split-level sold for $19,000 less than its asking price of $689,000. The house, which was built in 1958, has two bathrooms and a half-bath, a formal dining room, an eat-in  kitchen with granite countertops and a den. The king-size master suite includes walk-in-closets and a dressing area. The home features hardwood floors, a fireplace, a skylight and a playroom in the finished basement. There's a deck and a porch on the 70-by-108-foot property, which is equipped with in-ground sprinklers and a security system. Taxes are $13,427.

Presidential Drive, $990,000

This five-bedroom Contemporary sold for $110,000 less than its asking price of $1.1 million  after 112 days on the market. The house has an open floor plan, four updated bathrooms and a half-bath, a formal dining room and an eat-in kitchen with new appliances and granite countertops. There's a den with a fireplace, hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, a skylight and a full, finished basement. The 1988 home has a new roof, windows, siding and boiler. There are new doors on the two-car garage, a new driveway and a large deck on the .59-acre property. The taxes are $29,121.

NOW ON THE MARKET

Starter, $439,990

This four-bedroom cape offers one updated bathroom, an eat-in-kitchen with granite counters, hardwood floors and a finished basement. The house has a new roof, siding, windows and pavers. There's a portico and in-ground sprinklers on the 50-by-100-foot property. Taxes are $11,335. Gail Rattner, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, 516-662-1787.

Trade-up, $750,000

This five-bedroom split-level had two bathrooms and a half-bath, a formal dining room and a great room with a fireplace. The kitchen features granite counters and custom cherry cabinets. There's a stone patio on the 70-by-100-foot property overlooking a pond and waterfall. Taxes are $19,658. Barry Paley, Laffey Fine Homes, 516-503-4242.

High-end, $1.1 million

This four-bedroom Colonial has two bathrooms an a half-bath, including a master suite with a Jacuzzi and steam shower. There's a granite kitchen, formal dining room and living room with fireplace. The house is on a 44-by-115-foot parcel in a gated community with access to a pool and tennis courts. Taxes are $31,061. Lynda Baker, Lynda Baker Realty, 516-433-4110.