Homes for sale in Oceanside

Oceanside is a hamlet on the South Shore of Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, about forty kilometres from Manhattan. It lies between Rockville Centre and Long Beach, beside the canals and wetlands that open onto the bay, and is mainly a residential suburb of single-family homes, with a core of condominiums and co-ops.

For a buyer, Oceanside brings together three things that rarely come together: a direct train to Manhattan, the beach a few minutes away and its own well-regarded school district. The downside is well known to anyone who lived through 2012: the southern part of the hamlet is a flood zone, and property taxes in Nassau County are among the highest in the country. This page explains the hamlet, what is for sale and what to check before buying.

Where it is and how to get there

Oceanside sits on the southern edge of Nassau County, just north of Island Park and Long Beach, with Rockville Centre and Baldwin as neighbours to the north and west. The Long Beach beaches are about ten minutes by car, and Jones Beach a little over twenty.

By train, Oceanside station, on the Long Beach Branch of the Long Island Rail Road, reaches Penn Station in Manhattan in about fifty minutes. By car, the Southern State Parkway runs to the north and is the link to the city and the rest of the island. JFK airport is about twenty-five minutes away outside rush hour. Inside the hamlet you need a car, and the station has its own parking for daily commuters.

A little history

For more than two centuries the place was called Christian Hook, and it lived off fishing and the bay's oysters. It became Oceanville in 1864 and Ocean Side in 1890, and only in 1918 did it settle on Oceanside — names chosen, even then, to attract buyers from outside.

The big growth came after the Second World War, when Long Island filled with suburbs for families working in New York. Most of today's houses date from that period: Capes, ranches and split-levels on regular lots, many extended and renovated over the decades. In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy flooded much of the southern area, and the rebuilding that followed — raised houses, revised insurance, protection works — still shapes the market.

Oceanside, area by area

The canals and Ocean Harbor

To the south, sections such as Ocean Harbor follow the canals that open onto the bay: houses with water access, some with a private dock. They are the most sought after by boat owners, and also the most exposed to flooding. Here the price depends heavily on whether the house was raised or rebuilt after 2012.

The centre and Long Beach Road

Around Long Beach Road and the station are the everyday shops, restaurants and services. The nearby streets have smaller, older houses on narrow lots, with the advantage of walking to the train.

The residential sections to the north

To the north, sections such as Terrace, Ocean Lea and Tall Oaks make up most of the hamlet: quiet streets, single-family homes with a yard and garage, many extended. This is where most of the houses for sale are, and where flood risk is generally lower.

Oceanside Cove

Oceanside Cove is a gated community of co-ops and condominiums, with a pool, clubhouse and tennis courts, beside a lake. It is the most affordable way into the hamlet, with its own rules that are worth knowing before making an offer.

Health, schools and services

The main hospital, Mount Sinai South Nassau, is in the hamlet itself, which is rare on Long Island. Children attend the Oceanside Union Free School District, Oceanside's own school district, with its own elementary and high schools. In the United States, the school district weighs on the house price and on the tax bill, and it is the first thing a local buyer asks about. Supermarkets, pharmacies and restaurants are along Long Beach Road and in Rockville Centre, a few minutes away.

What is for sale

Oceanside mainly sells single-family homes — expanded Capes, high ranches, split-levels — and, in Oceanside Cove, co-op and condominium apartments. In our selection, prices range from about US$549,000 to US$1.2 million: apartments sit at the lower end of the range, and the larger, renovated houses in the best sections at the top.

What to check

Floods and insurance

Much of the southern area is in a flood zone on the federal map. Ask for the house's elevation certificate, ask what happened during Sandy and whether it was rebuilt, and get a flood insurance quote before making an offer. With a mortgage, that insurance can be mandatory, and the annual cost changes the numbers.

Property taxes

The annual tax in Nassau County is high and varies widely between similar houses. Ask for the tax bill for that address, with the special districts itemised. Owners commonly grieve their assessment every year, and it is worth knowing whether the current bill already reflects a reduction.

Co-op or condominium

In a co-op you do not buy the apartment, you buy shares in the corporation, and the board has to approve the buyer — which can be hard for someone living outside the United States or without income there. The monthly maintenance often includes taxes and the building's mortgage. In a condominium ownership is outright and the purchase rules are simpler. Always confirm which of the two it is.

Extensions and permits

Many houses have been extended over the years. Confirm that the extensions, the finished basement and any extra bedrooms are permitted and appear on the certificate of occupancy, because what is not permitted may not count in the bank's appraisal.

Mortgage and appraisal

In a competitive market, the bank's appraisal can come in below the agreed price, and the loan is calculated on the lower of the two figures. Anyone buying with a mortgage should have pre-approval in place before making an offer, and set out in the contract what happens if the appraisal or the inspection goes badly.

Legal and tax checklist, in the United States

Before buying: the property tax bill; an independent inspection; the elevation certificate and flood zone map; a flood insurance quote; permits for extensions and the certificate of occupancy; for a co-op, the bylaws, the building's financials and the approval criteria.

On purchase: in New York State, each side has its own attorney, and a contract is signed before closing. Budget for title insurance, closing costs and transfer taxes. Buyers from abroad need a US tax number to report income and, at closing, the bank and the attorney ask for proof of the source of funds.

While owning: property tax paid to the county, the town and the school district; insurance, including flood cover; maintenance and, where applicable, the co-op or condominium fee. Rental income is declared in the United States, even by non-residents.

On sale: capital gains tax. Non-residents are subject to FIRPTA withholding at closing, which is an advance on the tax and not the final tax. It is worth speaking to a US accountant before selling.

Who it suits — and who it does not

It suits families who want a house with a yard, a good school district and a train to Manhattan, with the beach nearby; boat owners looking for a house on the canals; and those looking to Oceanside Cove for a more affordable way into the South Shore.

It suits less those who do not want to deal with flood insurance, those running tight numbers without including Nassau taxes, and, in the co-ops, those without US income that will satisfy the board.

Final thoughts

Oceanside is a family suburb on the South Shore, with train, beach, hospital and school on the doorstep. What separates a good purchase from a bad one is the house's relationship with the water, the tax bill for that address and, for apartments, whether it is a co-op or a condominium.

When you contact us through a property page, we forward your details to our partner broker, who holds the full information on that specific property — tax bill, flood zone and insurance, co-op or condominium rules, and negotiating terms.