Featured sleeping-beauty property: No. 1 Marina

I'm going to blog properties in Mastic Beach which are for sale, and where I see a lot of potential. Not everyone can see through to the diamond underneath.

This home is on Riviera Drive, immediately across the street from Marina Number One. This is the eastern-most marina in Mastic Beach, close to the William Floyd Estate and the nature preserve and wetlands.

It is raised on pillars, contemporary style, with a second-floor deck and several balconies. It faces west, over the marina, towards the spectacular sunsets, and is a few hundred yards from Number One Beach. As a member of the Mastic Beach Property Owner's Association (http://http://www.mbpoa1928.org/), the homeowner is able to rent a boat slip in the marina for a very reasonable fee. According to http://www.realtor.com/, the home has three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms, was built in 1995, has around 2500 sq. feet of living space, and sits on approximately 0.22 acres of property. There are indoor pictures on http://http://mlsli.com.

The house needs work, at least cosmetically. The siding paint has faded, is peeling, and there are spots where it needs to be repaired. This may be enough to stop many people from looking at the house, but if that is all that needs fixing structurally, it's quite simple. From the photographs of the inside of the house, the kitchen and bathrooms look clean but nothing special.

I would paint the home a light grey, with bright white accents, and hang hardy, brightly-colored plants in baskets from the deck and the balconies. I would work on the kitchen and bathrooms and bring them up-to-date with stainless-steel appliances and contemporary countertops to match the style of the house. I would probably replace at least some of the carpet with wood, bamboo, linoleum or tile. I would make this a real home.

Today's listed price is $339,900 and the MLS ID is 2076588. The sale is being brokered by Green Acre Investment Corporation. (UPDATE: now listed on MLS as #2138895 at, can you believe this, $229,900!!!)

If you're looking for a waterview/waterfront property, this has to be worth considering. If you need help seeing how the house might be, I can lend you my imagination.

Mastic Beach, cute cottage opportunities

A search on http://www.realtor.com/ reveals that, this week, there are 54 homes for sale in Mastic Beach for 175,000$ or less. While it is incredibly sad that so many people are losing their homes in foreclosure, this is also a big opportunity for anyone with a little money, a good imagination, and a dream of an affordable home by the water.

Wherever you are in Mastic Beach, you are walking or cycling distance from the water. A few minutes drive or cycle to the ocean at Smith Point. We are surrounded by wetlands and all the wildlife and beauty that comes with it. Egrets are a daily sight. Ospreys fishing.

Many of these low-cost homes are in need of at least a little repair and love. Being by the ocean, and with the extremes of New York weather, they need more care and maintenance than say a condo in San Diego. Maybe you'll need to repair the roof, or replace a window or two. The yards may need a lot of work: if the house has been standing empty for a few months, the local vines and wild roses may have already made it look like Sleeping Beauty's house, and hidden it from view. Don't be scared by this: there are many competent roofers, remodellers, handymen (and handywomen) and yard services ready and willing to help. For competitive rates, too.

I drive and cycle around these streets and see all these homes just waiting for someone to discover their beauty, and bring it out.

If you tour the streets south of Neighborhood Road, you'll see houses that are beautifully maintained, bright and clean, surrounded by flowers and trees and beauty. You'll see the potential in the houses that are for sale. And you'll maybe see your own dream home.

If you have a little trouble visualizing how these homes could look, and how they might work for you, call the Heron (http://www.heronhomestaging.com/). A trained home stager can see the best in any home, and may be able to help you picture yourself living there.

Whoever said a home by the water was only for millionaires?