5 waterfront houses on the market on Long Island

A white egret with a grand wingspan swooped down for a landing on a pond in Southold. Julia Robins, a real estate agent with Century 21, is selling a house just steps away.

The sounds of wildlife fill the air here, she said.

"It's a relaxing, beautiful place to renew and restore yourself," said Robins. "It feels magical. Even doing open houses down there the past couple weeks, I adore sitting at the lake, listening to the sounds of nature. It's a special place."

Purchasing a waterfront property on Long Island can lead to rare moments like this, and, in some cases, a whole new lifestyle, local real estate agents agreed. Whether it's by the bay, on the Sound or near a pond, water enthusiasts might like to take a dip at some of these recently listed properties on Long Island.

'Off the beaten path'

If you blink while driving along Ocean Parkway, you just might miss Oak Beach: A hidden gem of a community where this home is on the market for just under $1.4 million. The contemporary-style abode is seconds away from Fire Island Inlet.

The property is served by the Babylon Union Free School District. It is located in an AE flood zone — a FEMA classification for an area with a 1% chance of flooding annually — said listing agent Beth Lowe, of Douglas Elliman Real Estate.

"You could live there year-round, or it could be your summer home," said Lowe. "To me, it's the best of everything."

The home includes four bedrooms and three bathrooms, coming to a total of 2,200 square feet. The elevated, wrap-around deck offers both views of the water and the scenic neighborhood. Ownership of the property also includes your own dock and private, gated beach.

"It's absolutely gorgeous," Lowe said. "It's been updated and has a beautiful, beachy vibe, with shades of blue — especially in the kitchen."

Updates took place over the last three years, and include the kitchen, two of the bathrooms, windows and siding. The house was also hooked up to the municipal water system recently, Lowe said.

A short stroll on a winding, wooden path leads directly to the water, where some neighbors have docked their boats and others just sit and enjoy the sights. There is also a 10-mile bicycle trail nearby, connecting to Jones Beach Theater and Captree Boat Basin.

To run essential errands, such as trips to the pharmacy or grocery store, residents hop on Ocean Parkway and take the bridge over to West Islip, Lowe said.

But for beach lovers, this can be an oasis.

"It's just so private and so off the beaten path, but in a very good way," Lowe said.

From pond to Sound

With 100 feet of lakefront, just a block from the beach, this Southold ranch has enough water to satisfy even the splashiest Long Islander.

Three bedrooms and one bathroom bring this property to 1,200 square feet, on a 0.37-acre lot. With a recent price drop to $998,000, the house was previously used as a summer rental, said listing agent Julia Robins. The property is served by the Southold Union Free School District, and annual property taxes are $7,642.

"The owner's favorite thing is watching the sunset over the Sound on the front deck, and the moonrise over the lake on the back deck," she said. "It's a really special location."

The house is situated between Great Pond (which is essentially in the backyard; there's a staircase that leads there) and Kenney's Beach, which is on Long Island Sound. It was built in 1955 and was "basically always used as a summer house," said Robins.

The roof was updated around 2016, and there is new siding, too. The house is priced based on its location, Robins added: "The only other place you can see the bay and the Sound is from the causeway in Orient."

Launching kayaks or canoes across the rippling water is the norm here during the summer, and then residents can go ice boating across the frozen pond in the winter, Robins said.

"I don't think there's anything quite like this on the rest of the North Fork," she said.

Watch a Jones Beach show from the bay

The seller of this bayfront property in Merrick did a "full reconstruction," including the windows, doors, roof and siding, said Zachary Elliot, of Nest Seekers International. He co-listed the property with Allison Beamer, and there is an offer pending.

"This home is situated so you don't feel like your neighbors are next to you on either side," Elliot said. "And there's really nice, wide exposure to the waterfront."

Serious boaters would enjoy sitting on the dock of Merrick Bay: The property includes a 12,000-pound capacity boat lift, dual floating docks and a 50-amp marine outlet. Served by the Merrick Union Free School District, the house was listed for nearly $2 million, with annual property taxes of $23,614. Flood insurance costs under $2,000 per year, which is transferable to the next owner, Elliot said.

With all these aquatic amenities at this price point, it's an unusual opportunity for a buyer — especially considering smaller property sizes in the same range on the North Shore, Elliot said.

"It's a brand-new reconstruction, built right on the open bay, and you have room for a boat, jet skis, whatever it may be," he said.

Prospective homebuyers could take a boat out and watch a show at the Jones Beach Theater, Elliot added — there is a large screen visible from the water, in the distance. And to drive there, the theater is approximately 9 miles away, via the Meadowbrook Parkway.

The house sits on a 0.17-acre lot, with four bedrooms and 2½ bathrooms. Other features include solar panels, a walk-in closet and radiant heat under ceramic tile throughout the first floor.

Elliot, who primarily works on the North Shore, said he's noticed a trend in relocation while selling this Merrick property.

"It's amazing how many buyers we've met coming from the North Shore, looking for that lifestyle change," he said. "A lot of boaters, fishermen, people looking to downsize from larger homes. This house has very little maintenance, and you're right on the water, so it really allows itself to provide a lifestyle people are looking for."

Modern living, by the bay

A three-bedroom, 3½-bathroom property sitting on Tiana Bay is on the market for $2.595 million. The annual property taxes are $18,352.

Coming to a total of 2,550 square feet, the Hampton Bays house has several interior features that were updated within the last three years, said Douglas Elliman Real Estate associate Danielle Baker. That includes kitchen appliances, laundry units, heating system, solar panels and a Tesla charging station.

An elevated mahogany deck overlooks the water. The house is situated where the Tiana and Shinnecock Bays meet, said Baker.

"It's got beautiful curbside appeal," said listing agent Enzo Morabito, of Douglas Elliman Real Estate. "It looks like a little Nantucket house."

The property is bulkheaded and includes a private dock, along with an outdoor shower and hot tub. There is no flood insurance on the property, said Morabito, due to its elevation.

Built in 2008, the house features an "upside-down" open concept format to boost the panoramic, waterfront views. "The kitchen is upstairs, and most of the bedrooms are downstairs," Baker said. The second level boasts walls of windows and glass doors to take in the landscape of blue below.

The area is ideal for anyone who loves to splash around: "If you're a boater or like sports fishing, it's only about a quarter-mile to the inlet," Morabito said.

Whether the buyer uses it as a beach house or primary residence, the community offers a getaway lifestyle. There is a protected section of beach toward the end of the strip, and the street is "pretty private and quiet," Baker said.

"Everything is beautifully and tastefully done in this house," she added.

The property is served by the Hampton Bays School District.

Floating in Moriches

A cedar-shake, Nantucket-style home overlooking Moriches Bay hit the market in June, at nearly $1.4 million. There is currently an offer pending. The property is served by the East Moriches Union Free School District.

For being so close to the bay, this property has something unusual to offer: A gunite pool, said listing agent Natalie Lewis.

"It's completely uncommon, that close to the water along the shoreline," said Lewis, of Coldwell Banker. "Along that whole strip, I think there's one other [pool], but it's completely up against the house."

This Center Moriches home sits on a 0.39-acre lot and contains four bedrooms and 2½ bathrooms. The annual property taxes are $17,023, and flood insurance is $3,300 a year.

"What makes the house special is it has a mahogany balcony off the primary, which has really beautiful views," Lewis said. "All of the rooms, with the exception of maybe two, have water views."

Around back, there are private stairs leading to the beachfront, and the property is fully bulkheaded. There isn't a dock currently, but with approvals by the Town of Brookhaven, a floating one could likely be installed, Lewis said.

The possible activities are numerous, for fishing, crabbing, swimming, or "you can tie up a floaty and just float there," Lewis said. Most of the interested buyers so far have hailed from New York City, she added.

"The last four waterfront homes that I sold in the Moriches area were actually to Manhattanites," Lewis said. "It's so close to the Hamptons, without the Hamptons prices and the congestion that's happening there."

But even in the colder months, this beach house can adapt: "It does have a nice, masonry fireplace for the winter," Lewis said.

By Rachel Weiss

rachel.weiss@newsday.com@RachMWeiss

Rachel Weiss joined Newsday in 2016. As a real estate/living multimedia reporter, Rachel writes feature stories and contributes to and appears in on-camera video packages. She was the lead reporter on Newsday’s LI Acts of Kindness series.