Brightwaters: Waterfront homes, Fire Island access, parks draw buyers

THE SCOOP Known for its five lakes with stone bridges, century-old Victorian homes and canals leading to the Great South Bay, Brightwaters is a picturesque village with waterfront properties and access to Fire Island.

Families have established themselves over generations, either in Brightwaters Village proper or the communities that surround the village, Bay Shore and West Bay Shore.

Michael Greve, marketing director as well as a director on the Brightwaters Historical Society board, was one of them. After living elsewhere, he returned to the area and is raising his family in Brightwaters, enjoying childhood pastimes with his own children, like skating on the lakes.

"We have an influx of new residents, but we also see people who grew up in the area and came back, like me," he said. "I'm seeing a lot of my old classmates do the same thing."

The village is distinguished by its major roads that run through it. The "canal area" is from Montauk Highway down to the bay. From Montauk Highway to Union Boulevard is considered the "lakes area" and has many of the old homes on large plots of land, with maple and oak trees lining the wide streets. Union Boulevard to Sunrise Highway has the village's mostly smaller homes and Wohseepee Park with its tennis courts, clubhouse (where the historical society holds its public meetings on the first Wednesday of each month) and a playground.

An area known as the "four corners" at Union Boulevard and Windsor Avenue has restaurants and other shops. Twice a year, the village closes the streets there and holds block parties.

The village area was purchased by Thomas Benton Ackerson, of Brooklyn, in 1907. It quickly became a summer haven for city residents. It was incorporated as a village in 1916, according to the village website.

Brightwaters rarely has more than a few homes for sale at a time, and most sell quickly. Prices can range from $500,000 to around $1.5 million, though there are some in the high $2 million range. There are rentals, with one apartment complex on Orinoco Drive renting studio apartments for $1,895.

SALE PRICES Between Feb. 4, 2024, and Feb. 3, 2025, there were 29 home sales with a median sale price of $900,000, according to OneKey MLS. During that period a year earlier, there were 30 home sales with a median sale price of $775,000.

CONDOS AND CO-OPS There are no condos or co-ops on the market.

OTHER STATS

Population 3,185

Median age 40.4

Median home value $802,500

Monthly LIRR ticket from Bay Shore $378

School district, graduation rate Bay Shore (89.4%)

Library Bay Shore-Brightwaters Public Library

Transit Suffolk County Transit Routes 2, 12

Sources: 2022 American Community Survey; OneKey MLS via InfoSparks by ShowingTime; LIRR, data.nysed.gov

ON THE MARKET

$1.36 million

A six-bedroom gabled-styled Victorian, built in 1904, was owned by Henry Hornbostel, the architect of the Williamsburg Bridge. The 4,000-square-foot home, with three full-baths and two half-baths, has professionally manicured lawns on a shy-acre property a block from Brightwaters Canal. Taxes are $26,543. A sale is pending. Veronica Kramer, Eric G. Ramsay Real Estate, 516-805-1083.

$899,999

Built in 1942, this three-bed, two-bath expanded Cape was once featured in Home Magazine, according to the listing. It has a kitchen with vaulted ceilings, custom cabinetry and sliding doors to the back patio. The large family room has a gas fireplace and wall-to-wall sliding doors. Amenities include an in-house generator and central air. Taxes are $16,600. A sale is pending. Belinda A. Barresi, Go Asset Inc. Realty, 631-704-7645.

RECENTLY SOLD

$1.35 million

S. Windsor Avenue

Style Exp Cape

Bedrooms 4

Bathrooms 2½

Built 1942

Lot size 0.65 acre

Taxes $22,164

+/- List price Sold for asking

Days on market 170

$937,500

Manatuck Boulevard

Style Ranch

Bedrooms 3

Bathrooms 2

Built 1952

Lot size 0.32 acre

Taxes $17,095

+/- List price -$62,499

Days on market 139

$620,000

Brooklyn Boulevard

Style Exp Cape

Bedrooms 4

Bathrooms 2

Built 1950

Lot size 0.21 acre

Taxes $13,258

+/- List price -$55,000

Days on market 210

ON ONEKEY MLS

Number of listings 7

Price range $474,900 to $2.4 million

Tax range $14,392 to $35,955

The number of lakes and date the village area was purchased were incorrect in a previous version of this story.