Port Jefferson Real Estate Agents, Port Jefferson Homes for Sale, Port Jefferson Condos, Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York, NY

Port Jefferson Real Estate Overview

The Village of Port Jefferson is located in the Town of Brookhaven in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the village had a total population of 7,837.

Anchored by a historic harbor and thriving business district, Port Jefferson is a close-knit village that has become accustomed to the bustle of tourism.

Residents and day-trippers alike stroll the waterfront as well as visit the shops, boutiques, art galleries and restaurants that often occupy historic buildings. Live performances can be seen at Theatre Three on Main Street, and lodging is available at Danfords Inn and at several bed-and-breakfasts.

Plans for a new harborfront park and village center are under way. Almost each month brings a different event, including the maritime festival, concerts, stock car derby for kids and the Dickens Festival, when the village is transformed into an 18th century town with residents and merchants dressing in character. (To learn more, visit the community Web site, www.portjeff.com.)

AT A GLANCE
Town: Brookhaven
Area: 2.6 square miles
Population: 9,324
Median age: 42.1
Median household income: $75,296
Median home value: $460,000*
Travel time to NYC: From Port Jefferson, 96 to 117 minutes by LIRR at peak times.
Monthly LIRR ticket: $252
ZIP code: 11777
SOURCES: Claritas 2003, Long Island Rail Road *Based on past six months per Multiple Listing Service of Long Island
"It's been a village that residents have always been able to shop in or do what needs to be done for everyday life," says Grace Fitterer, a resident, chamber member and sales agent at Coldwell Banker.

Fitterer acknowledges that many residents and visitors complain about the lack of parking, but officials are studying several possible solutions.

The hilly terrain features bluffs and neighborhoods where no two homes are alike. House styles include Colonials, Victorians and contemporaries, as well as original cottages and homes from the 1800s on various-sized properties. Prices generally range from $300,000 to $1.2 million. "Real estate values are going through the roof," Fitterer says. Home .buyers are especially attracted by the lower property taxes; the business district and a LIPA plant each contribute one-third of the total tax base.

Port Jefferson's roots begin with the Setauket Indians, who called the area Suwassett, .meaning "land of small pines." When they sold the land to settlers in the mid- to late 1600s, the area was renamed Drowned Meadow for its marsh.

The local shipbuilding industry was initiated by John Willse, a farmhand who began building vessels in 1796 in what is now Poquott.

In 1836, the residents, in search of a more appropriate name for their prospering seaport, decided to name it after President Thomas Jefferson. In 1840, William L. Jones began construction of a 500-foot dock that signaled the beginning of today's Port Jefferson.

Land along the dock was filled in and built up in the following years to create Main Street. In 1852, the village was designated an American port of entry, and a federal customs house was constructed on East Main Street. (It was later relocated to High Street, where it still stands.)

Regular ferry service to Bridgeport, Conn., began in 1872.

The wooden shipbuilding boom largely ended in the 1870s with the advent of steamships and iron-hulled vessels, which Port Jefferson's yards weren't equipped for.

Port Jefferson reinvented itself as a vacation spot, and beaches and bathhouses opened around the harbor.

Today, residents have beach privileges at East and West beaches. They can join the Port Jefferson Country Club. Two hospitals serve the community.

Students attend the Port Jefferson school district. It is about 58 miles to Port Jefferson from midtown Manhattan.

IF YOU WANT TO BUY

Starter: Small cottage and ranch, 1-2 bedrooms, 1 bath, some with partial basement, less than 1/4-acre lot, very limited, taxes $2,000-$3,000.

Price: $300,000-$400,000

Trade-up: Cape, Colonial, some ranch, 3-4 bedrooms, 2- 21/2 baths, eat-in kitchen, basement, 1-2 car garage, less than 1/4-acre to 1/3-acre lots, taxes $3,000-$5,000.

 Price: $400,000-$600,000

Luxury: Colonial, Victorian, contemporary, 4-5 bedrooms, 21/2-31/2 baths, eat-in kitchen, basement, 0-2 car garage, some with water view, taxes $3,500-$10,000.

Price: $650,000-$1.2 million

CONDOS AND CO-OPS

Condos and townhouses, 2-3 bedrooms Price: $300,000-$750,000

IF YOU WANT TO RENT

Above businesses on Main Street, $900-$1,500 a month; 1-bedroom garden apartments starting at $1,250 a month; 2- bedroom luxury apartments starting at $2,200 a month.

RECENT SALES

Jayne Avenue, $310,000, 3- bedroom cape, 2 baths, eat-in kitchen, basement, detached 2-car garage, 168x56 lot, cedar, 89 years old, taxes $3,967.

Laurel Avenue, $412,000, 4- bedroom ranch, 2 baths, eat-in kitchen, fireplace, basement, 1- car garage, 100x126 lot, frame, 38 years old, taxes $4,527.

High Street, $486,000, 4-bedroom Victorian, 2 baths, basement, almost 1 acre, frame, 94 years old, taxes $2,591.

Sands Lane, $635,000, 4-bedroom ranch, 21/2 baths, eat-in kitchen, fireplace, partial basement, 1-car garage, 3/4- acre, pool, 39 years old, taxes $8,880.

Nadia Court, $786,000, 4-bedroom Colonial, 31/2 baths, 2 fireplaces, skylight, basement, 21/2-car garage, 93x253 lot, pool, waterview, frame, 16 years old, taxes $10,054.

SOURCE: Grace Fitterer, Coach .Realtors, Port Jefferson Village

The Port Jefferson real estate links at the top of the page will help you find Port Jefferson homes for sale, Port Jefferson real estate agents and Port Jefferson home values. Get access to Port Jefferson real estate listings and Port Jefferson home listings, including the Port Jefferson MLS, Port Jefferson REALTORS, Port Jefferson new homes, Port Jefferson condos, Port Jefferson condominiums, Port Jefferson property, Port Jefferson land, Port Jefferson acreage and Port Jefferson foreclosures. These free real estate services feature all Port Jefferson cities, Port Jefferson towns, Port Jefferson suburbs and Port Jefferson neighborhoods. The websites linked above also contain information on Port Jefferson home selling, Port Jefferson home buying, Port Jefferson mortgages, Port Jefferson insurance, Port Jefferson movers and other Port Jefferson realty services for anyone looking to sell a home or buy a home in Port Jefferson, Brookhaven, Suffolk County, New York, NY.

Also: Port Jefferson, New York Official Website