By:Angela Marshall
Broker Pat Nugent, of Marashinsky & Nugent, is one of many Rockville Centre real estate agents enjoying the pricey trend. It-s really blossomed, she said of the million-dollar market.
The median home sale price in the Rockville Centre School District rose to $547,000 last year, up more than 7 percent from $510,000 in 2002. Over the past 10 years, the median price has more than doubled, from around $270,000 in 1994. Estimates include house, apartment and condo sales and could be slightly skewed by family-to-family sales for below market price.
Broker Liz Wallace, of Century 21 Sherlock Homes, said the rise is simply a matter of supply and demand. There aren-t enough homes in the school district to satisfy the number of buyers looking here, which drives up the price, she said.
Wallace said the majority of buyers come from New York City and are not put off by the high prices for Rockville Centre homes after spending as much as $4,000 in monthly rent.
Current residents also play a substantial role in the housing market here. It is not unusual for someone to grow up in Rockville Centre, go to school and end up back here to raise a family. This was true for the Shimkin family on Gateway. It-s just a beautiful place to live, said Jodie Shimkin. Her husband grew up here and wanted to raise the couple-s two children here as well. They-ve recently put their house up for sale, but with no plans to leave the village rather, to buy a bigger home in the Rockville Centre School District.
The Shimkins- current home is one of many located in the Village of Rockville Centre but the Oceanside School District. The median home sale price in Oceanside has also doubled over the last 10 years, reaching more than $393,000 last year.
Shimkin said she loves the village because of its diversity, great restaurants and schools.
Rockville Centre schools are a big draw, according to Nugent. She said the high school-s International Baccalaureate program, one of few in the U.S., attracts many buyers.
Programs offered by the village-s Parks and Recreation Department are also popular. Nugent said people like the tight-knit community feel these programs create.
It-s not just big homes or those on large lots that are selling for more. Nugent said that the small capes in the Greystone area that sold for $250,000 five years ago are now selling at around $499,000. I-m amazed at some of the prices, she said.
The growing million-dollar housing market has made Rockville Centre real estate agents learn new marketing strategies. Wallace explained that her company creates professional brochures and mails them to prospective buyers. The firm also advertises in international magazines. Wallace also said that it-s not as easy for potential buyers to see the pricier homes. Buyers must be pre-qualified before they can go into these houses.
