Long Island certainly has more than its share of multi-million dollar homes, but it also has some very affordable—and delightful—retirement communities. If you’re interested in Long Island real estate, it’s a good idea to first get a feel for its geography. Although there are four counties here, Nassau and Suffolk are the ones you should be thinking about. The two other counties, Brooklyn and Queens, are closer to Manhattan, and they’re two of the five boroughs of New York City.
For our purposes, Nassau County is closer to NYC and considered West Long Island while Suffolk is East Long Island. As you move eastward, the island splits like an open beak into North Fork and South Fork; you’ll find some of the more exclusive and higher-priced active adult neighborhoods out this way. Farther inland, you’ll find many neighborhoods with lower price tags, although Foxwood Village is near the split.
For budget-minded homebuyers, here’s a list of East Long Island 55+ communities with homes for sale under $250k.
Leisure Village – Ridge, NY
Below $100k – Mid $200s
Our most pennywise choice is also the largest; the established, gated 55+ neighborhood of Leisure Village has 1,500 resale attached homes and a golf course. Less than five miles south of the Long Island Sound with Brookhaven State Park on the right and Rocky Point State Pine Barrens Preserve to the left, Leisure Village is surrounded by natural beauty.
There’s an on-site 25,000-square-foot clubhouse for homeowners, and inside, you’ll find a multi-purpose room, hobby rooms, and a fitness center. It’s a popular gathering spot for the men’s club, ceramics, the quilting club, and the women’s guild. Outdoor perks include a 9-hole golf course and putting green, an outdoor pool and patio, bocce ball courts, and walking trails.
There are 11 one-level floor plans with one to two bedrooms, one to two bathrooms, and garages or street parking. Some have features like master suites, updated windows, and private wooded settings. The homeowners’ association (HOA) handles snow and trash removal, lawn care, and exterior building maintenance.
Click here to request more information about Leisure Village.
Leisure Knoll – Ridge, NY
Low $200s – High $400s
Also in Ridge, Leisure Knoll is another established active adult neighborhood in a very desirable part of East Long Island. It has 701 resale single-family homes, and it was designed with 12 charming floor plans ranging from 655 to 1,135 square feet. These models have two bedrooms, one to two bathrooms, and one-car garages. Larger models offer covered porticos and eat-in kitchens. The HOA fee covers lawn maintenance and snow removal.
The menu of neighborhood amenities includes a community bus, tennis and bocce ball courts, walking trails, and an outdoor pool. The clubhouse features an arts and crafts studio, a multi-purpose room, a catering kitchen, a ballroom, and an exercise room. Homeowners gather here for chair yoga, singles club meetings, singing groups, and Italian Club meetings.
When you need to run errands, there’s a Walmart just three miles away, and as you drive, you’ll pass the Middle Island Shopping Plaza, a library, a Rite Aid, and Artist Lake.
Click here to request more information about Leisure Knoll.
Greenwood Village – Manorville, NY
Below $100k – Mid $100s
Manorville is about 10 miles southeast of Ridge, and it’s home to Greenwood Village, an established active adult community with 512 resale attached and single-family homes. This gated property is closer to the Island’s southern shores, near recreation areas like Cupsogue Beach County Park and Rock Hill Golf & Country Club.
Greenwood Village is a land-lease community, so residents own their homes and pay an additional monthly fee for their land. Most of the homes are single-family models, ranging from 900 to 1,300 square feet with one to three bedrooms, one to two baths, and attached one-car garages; some also have basements, porches, and Florida rooms. The attached homes have about 1,100 square feet with two bedrooms, one bathroom, and attached one-car garages.
There is a private clubhouse, which offers an exercise room, a woodworking shop, a game room, an outdoor pool, bocce ball courts, and tennis courts. Additional perks include scenic ponds, walking trails, a picnic area, an RV parking lot, and a community bus. There’s also an active Seniors Club that homeowners enjoy participating in.
Click here to request more information about Greenwood Village.
Foxwood Village – Calverton, NY
Mid $100s – Mid $300s
Our final entry is Foxwood Village, an established, gated retirement community with 294 resale single-family homes. Its desirable location near the North Fork/South Fork divide and reasonably priced homes make this 55+ community a real find. There are seven manufactured models sized from 1,344 to 1,800 square feet with two or three bedrooms, two baths, basements, and attached one-car garages. The community’s HOA fee provides for trash and snow removal plus landscaping.
Homeowners enjoy spending leisure time at the private clubhouse, which has a heated outdoor pool, an exercise room, a ballroom, a bingo room, and a catering kitchen. There are also horseshoe pits, bocce ball courts, a pond, and plenty of woods and natural space on the property. Foxwood Village is near recreation areas like Indian Island County Park and Hubbard County Park. Other nearby points of interest include the Tanger Outlets Riverhead and the Long Island Aquarium.
Click here to request more information about Foxwood Village.
