A community transit bus is a key service for active adult neighborhoods because it helps people who might otherwise be stranded at home, but that’s not all a transit service is good for. Homeowners can hop on and join their friends as these buses drop them off at their errands and pick them up afterward. Some communities also provide transport to community events and day trips, offering a stress-free way to get around.
It may not be easy to find a retirement community that has this kind of service, but we checked out the real estate in Long Island and found seven of them. This area is one of the most picturesque parts of the East Coast; it’s surrounded by bodies of water, dotted with charming towns, and filled with abundant natural recreation areas.
Long Island’s cultural attractions are another reason why many active adults retire here. The Gatsby’s Gold Coast has breathtaking mansions, and there are galleries and theaters like the Southampton Arts Center and the Argyle Theater. The Island is also known for its world-famous seafood, laid-back wineries, remarkable golf courses, farm stands, and shops. Also, no matter where you are in this part of New York, there’s a medical center nearby, and getting into the Big Apple is pretty easy (unless it’s late in the day on a Sunday during the summer or rush hour).
Here are four Long Island 55+ neighborhoods offering community transit.
Country Village Estates – Coram, NY
Low $300s – High $300s
Talk about location: Country Village Estates is just eight miles from the Long Island Sound, close to Pine Ridge Golf Club, and just down the road from a shopping center that has a Stop & Shop, a Home Depot, restaurants, and a CareMed Primary & Urgent Care.
This gated active adult community was built from 1993 to 2001, and it has 195 resale attached homes. The five floor plans range from about 1,200 to 1,400 square feet with one or two bedrooms, two bathrooms, eat-in kitchens, open floor plans, and attached one-car garages. Options include patios and dens, and the monthly homeowners’ association (HOA) fee provides for community services, including the bus.
Country Village’s clubhouse features an outdoor pool, a gathering room, an exercise room, and a library. There are also walking trails, horseshoe pits, and bocce ball courts on the grounds.
HarborView – Port Washington, NY
High $600s – Mid $1Ms
The aptly named retirement community of HarborView is perched just outside of Hempstead Bay, where you can find North Hempstead Beach Park as well as other parks and beaches. And if that wasn’t enough, this community is also right across the street from Harbor Links Golf Course near grocery stores, specialty shops, and restaurants in downtown Port Washington.
Completed in 2004, HarborView offers 270 elegantly-appointed resale condo, attached, and single-family homes. There are 145 condominiums sized from 1,064 to 2,484 square feet with one to three bedrooms, one-and-a-half to three bathrooms, and two parking spots. The select number of attached homes range from 2,364 to 2,884 square feet with three bedrooms, two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half bathrooms, and attached two-car garages. There are also several single-family homes sized from 2,371 to 3,440 square feet with three bedrooms, two- or two-and-a-half bathrooms, and attached two-car garages.
This upscale, gated neighborhood also has a lovely clubhouse with a modern fitness center that features an indoor pool, spa, and saunas. There’s also an outdoor pool as well as that community bus to take you where you need to go.
Sunrise Village – Sayville, NY
Low $400s – Low $500s
A bit more to the south of Long Island, we find Sunrise Village, an intimate, gated 55+ community of 213 resale attached homes. It’s right near the Sunrise Highway, where you’ll find the Sayville Shopping Plaza, an animal hospital, an urgent care, and plenty of shops and services. Drive south about three miles, and you’ll hit landmarks like Fire Island and Robert Moses State Park.
Sunrise offers five downsizing-friendly attached models, ranging from 1,141 to 1,632 square feet with two bedrooms, one or two bathrooms, private patios, and attached one- or one-and-a-half car garages. Options may include hardwood cabinetry, large laundry rooms, and granite countertops.
The HOA fee provides for landscaping and snow removal, and the community clubhouse is popular with homeowners. It offers a social room, a library, a bocce ball court, and an outdoor pool and patio area.
Fairfield at St. James – St. James, NY
Mid $400s – High $600s
Like the other three communities we’ve described, Fairfield at St. James is a quintessential shore town. It’s near the beaches, and it has more than enough options for running errands and enjoying leisure time. It’s a well-established development, with 653 resale condo and attached homes on a gated property less than three miles from Stony Brook Harbor. It’s also mere minutes from a Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, ALDI, and the Smith Haven Mall.
Most of the homes here are condos, and they have one or two bedrooms, one or two bathrooms, and either one-car garages or driveways. Most also have a patio or a private balcony. The select number of attached homes come with three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and either garages or driveways.
The Fairfield’s clubhouse is the perfect place for socializing and working out, and residents take advantage of its meeting rooms, library, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, and fitness center. There’s also a pond with a gazebo as well as a community bus.
