Living in Head of the Harbor
Key metrics and insights for homebuyers and sellers evaluating Head of the Harbor, Suffolk, NY 11780.
How far is Head of the Harbor from New York City by train?
From St. James Station on the LIRR Port Jefferson Branch, scheduled weekday AM-peak service takes about 84 minutes to Penn Station, 87 minutes to Grand Central Madison, 88 minutes to Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn (MTA LIRR timetable data).
Is Head of the Harbor walkable?
Head of the Harbor has a Walk Score of 3 out of 100, which Walk Score rates "Car-Dependent".
Nearby Long Island Rail Road stations and typical weekday AM-peak travel times to the Manhattan and Brooklyn terminals. Many Head of the Harbor residents use whichever station best fits their branch and schedule.
AM-peak travel times on scheduled LIRR service to Penn Station, Grand Central Madison, and Atlantic Terminal (Brooklyn). Based on MTA LIRR public timetable data.
Head of the Harbor Market Data
Current market conditions and pricing trends for Head of the Harbor, Suffolk, NY.
Single-family, condo and co-op homes are measured separately — these medians are never blended together. Based on 177 recorded closings in ZIP 11780 between Sep 10, 2025 and Sep 10, 2026 — a settled trailing twelve months, ending about a month back so late-recorded closings are counted rather than missed. Days on market are medians, not averages. A property type with fewer than 8 closed sales in that window is left out rather than published on a sample too thin to mean anything.
Month-to-month medians in 11780 have been uneven across the past 2 years, ranging anywhere from $602K to $1.01M — more indicative of a thin or property-mix-driven market than of a single direction. Prices have ticked back up recently after a softer stretch. The typical recent sale has taken about 25 days to go under contract.
Based on information from OneKey® MLS, for the period October 6, 2025 through October 2, 2026. Source: OneKey MLS (recorded LI sales, trailing 12mo) + actual tax. Based on 440 recorded sales. Property tax values shown are algorithmic estimates calculated from official NY State ORPS / NYC Department of Finance assessment data aggregated by school district (Long Island) or ZIP code (NYC). These figures are an educational baseline and do not represent a guaranteed or binding tax bill. Actual taxes vary based on individual assessed value, applicable exemptions (STAR, Senior, Veteran), historical grievances, village overlays, and special district levies. Verify exact tax with the Nassau County Assessor / Suffolk County Comptroller / NYC Department of Finance before any financial commitment.
Across 8 years of county-clerk records, 298 homes in the Smithtown school district were bought by a company and resold within two years. Over the whole period the typical one was bought for $385,000 and resold for $564,000, a median of 7.1 months later.
That difference is gross. Renovation, carrying, financing and selling costs are not recorded anywhere public, so it is the change in price, not a profit. Over a hold of that length prices across the county moved about +4.3%, so most of the difference is not the market carrying the house.
What these homes resold for moved from a median of $492,000 in 2017 to $730,000 in 2024, up about 48% over the period.
The pandemic years cut against the intuition that investors moved in. Companies bought 11.2% of homes here in 2019, then 5.0% in 2020 and 6.4% in 2021 — the lowest share of the 8 years. In the two years when buyers competed hardest, companies won a smaller share, not a larger one. The number bought and resold within two years fell with it, from 51 in 2019 to 29 in 2021.
Since then it has reversed. Company buying reached 10.2% in 2024 — around its pre-pandemic level, while the market cooled.
In 2025, 34 homes in the Smithtown school district were resold by a company that had bought them within the previous two years. They were bought for a median of $520,000 and resold for a median of $765,000. Measured house by house, the typical resale was 47% above what that same buyer had paid, a median of 5.8 months earlier.
That difference is gross. Renovation, carrying, financing and selling costs are not recorded anywhere public, so it is the change in price, not a profit. Over a hold of that length prices across the county moved about +4.3%, so most of the difference is not the market carrying the house. 3% resold for less than they paid.
Companies bought 8.7% of the 530 homes sold in the Smithtown school district that year (46 of them).
2025 is not a complete year here. Filings reach the state months after closing, so 2025 runs only to October and its totals will keep rising. Its counts are not comparable with a full year; its medians are.
In 2024, 34 homes in the Smithtown school district were resold by a company that had bought them within the previous two years. They were bought for a median of $485,000 and resold for a median of $730,000. Measured house by house, the typical resale was 50% above what that same buyer had paid, a median of 7.2 months earlier.
That difference is gross. Renovation, carrying, financing and selling costs are not recorded anywhere public, so it is the change in price, not a profit. Over a hold of that length prices across the county moved about +6.5%, so most of the difference is not the market carrying the house. 6% resold for less than they paid.
Companies bought 10.2% of the 678 homes sold in the Smithtown school district that year (69 of them).
In 2023, 26 homes in the Smithtown school district were resold by a company that had bought them within the previous two years. They were bought for a median of $466,000 and resold for a median of $695,000. Measured house by house, the typical resale was 42% above what that same buyer had paid, a median of 6.0 months earlier.
That difference is gross. Renovation, carrying, financing and selling costs are not recorded anywhere public, so it is the change in price, not a profit. Over a hold of that length prices across the county moved about +4.1%, so most of the difference is not the market carrying the house. 8% resold for less than they paid.
Companies bought 10.5% of the 664 homes sold in the Smithtown school district that year (70 of them).
In 2022, 38 homes in the Smithtown school district were resold by a company that had bought them within the previous two years. They were bought for a median of $380,000 and resold for a median of $569,000. Measured house by house, the typical resale was 44% above what that same buyer had paid, a median of 7.5 months earlier.
That difference is gross. Renovation, carrying, financing and selling costs are not recorded anywhere public, so it is the change in price, not a profit. Over a hold of that length prices across the county moved about +3.7%, so most of the difference is not the market carrying the house. 5% resold for less than they paid.
Companies bought 7.4% of the 807 homes sold in the Smithtown school district that year (60 of them).
In 2021, 29 homes in the Smithtown school district were resold by a company that had bought them within the previous two years. They were bought for a median of $390,000 and resold for a median of $620,000. Measured house by house, the typical resale was 67% above what that same buyer had paid, a median of 6.0 months earlier.
That difference is gross. Renovation, carrying, financing and selling costs are not recorded anywhere public, so it is the change in price, not a profit. Over a hold of that length prices across the county moved about +5.8%, so most of the difference is not the market carrying the house. 3% resold for less than they paid.
Companies bought 6.4% of the 909 homes sold in the Smithtown school district that year (58 of them).
In 2020, 44 homes in the Smithtown school district were resold by a company that had bought them within the previous two years. They were bought for a median of $310,000 and resold for a median of $500,000. Measured house by house, the typical resale was 54% above what that same buyer had paid, a median of 9.1 months earlier.
That difference is gross. Renovation, carrying, financing and selling costs are not recorded anywhere public, so it is the change in price, not a profit. Over a hold of that length prices across the county moved about +8.5%, so most of the difference is not the market carrying the house. 7% resold for less than they paid.
Companies bought 5.0% of the 836 homes sold in the Smithtown school district that year (42 of them).
In 2019, 51 homes in the Smithtown school district were resold by a company that had bought them within the previous two years. They were bought for a median of $335,000 and resold for a median of $485,000. Measured house by house, the typical resale was 45% above what that same buyer had paid, a median of 8.1 months earlier.
That difference is gross. Renovation, carrying, financing and selling costs are not recorded anywhere public, so it is the change in price, not a profit. Over a hold of that length prices across the county moved about +3.7%, so most of the difference is not the market carrying the house. 24% resold for less than they paid.
Companies bought 11.2% of the 866 homes sold in the Smithtown school district that year (97 of them).
In 2018, 27 homes in the Smithtown school district were resold by a company that had bought them within the previous two years. They were bought for a median of $315,000 and resold for a median of $495,000. Measured house by house, the typical resale was 52% above what that same buyer had paid, a median of 6.7 months earlier.
That difference is gross. Renovation, carrying, financing and selling costs are not recorded anywhere public, so it is the change in price, not a profit. Over a hold of that length prices across the county moved about −0.3%, so most of the difference is not the market carrying the house. 7% resold for less than they paid.
Companies bought 9.4% of the 799 homes sold in the Smithtown school district that year (75 of them).
In 2017, 15 homes in the Smithtown school district were resold by a company that had bought them within the previous two years. They were bought for a median of $285,000 and resold for a median of $492,000. Measured house by house, the typical resale was 71% above what that same buyer had paid, a median of 6.8 months earlier.
That difference is gross. Renovation, carrying, financing and selling costs are not recorded anywhere public, so it is the change in price, not a profit. Over a hold of that length prices across the county moved about +1.3%, so most of the difference is not the market carrying the house.
Companies bought 8.1% of the 777 homes sold in the Smithtown school district that year (63 of them).
Source: property transfers recorded with the county clerk, which cover every sale rather than only those listed for sale. Filings reach the state months after closing, so these figures run to October 2025 and describe what has already happened rather than the market today.
Between 2017 and October 2025, 1,217 homes in the Smithtown school district passed between family members rather than being sold — about 20 for every 100 that sold on the open market.
86% of them recorded no price at all, so they appear in no market statistic, no listing history and no sold comparable. They are counted here because the transfer itself is filed with the county clerk, whether or not money changed hands.
Counted from the reason recorded on each transfer with the county clerk, not from the price. Transfers filed only to add or remove a name on the deed are excluded — those are paperwork, not a change of owner. Where a filing gives no reason it is not counted, so these are minimum counts rather than a complete rate, and they run to October 2025.
Of the 5 homes for sale in Head of the Harbor today, 2 are now asking less than they originally asked, against 34.8% across Suffolk.
Read this as a snapshot, not a rate. It counts every one of the 5 homes currently for sale in Head of the Harbor — nothing is sampled or estimated, so the figure is exact. But with only 5 on the market, one seller changing their price moves it by about 20 points, and it can swing sharply week to week without the market itself changing. It describes these 5 homes today rather than a settled rate for Head of the Harbor.
Measured from the OneKey MLS feed, updated daily. A home counts as reduced when its current asking price is below the price it was first listed at — not against an estimate or against other homes.
What This Means for Sellers
Head of the Harbor reads as a Seller's Market: about 3.8 months of single-family supply, and homes sold in a median of 18 days over the past 12 months. If you're considering selling, this market rewards strategic pricing — not overpricing. A properly positioned listing will attract qualified buyers and maximize your net proceeds.
What This Means for Buyers
Buyers in Head of the Harbor should be prepared to act quickly and come with strong offers. Pre-approval is essential, and buyers are generally better served retaining their own real estate attorney early to review the negotiation and contract. Expect competition, but don't overpay — there's a difference between being competitive and being reckless.
Measured across ZIP 11780, which also covers Saint James and Nissequogue.
The listings that did not sell asked a median of $1,849,495 — 133% above the $795,000 median of the homes that closed. Counted over the trailing twelve months: every listing that closed, expired, was withdrawn or was terminated. Listings still active or under contract are not counted on either side. If the feed does not retain every withdrawn listing, the real figure is higher than the one shown, never lower.
Based on information from OneKey® MLS, for the period September 10, 2025 through September 10, 2026.
Flood informationHead of the Harbor: FEMA flood dataMedian NFIP cost, single-family homes, ZIP 11780: $760 a year (Aug 2026)
Median yearly cost by FEMA zone: high-risk A zones $2,000 (19 policies, small sample); coastal high-risk V zones $2,020 (3 policies, small sample); moderate- to low-risk zones (X, B, C) $640 (51 policies).
Cost trend, Suffolk County
Median yearly cost of single-family NFIP policies taking effect each month.
In Suffolk County, the typical monthly median yearly cost of single-family NFIP policies taking effect in June through August 2026 was $1,410, 14% higher than the typical month in June through August 2025 ($1,230). Based on 6,422 and 6,811 policies.
Check a specific address
Look up the FEMA flood zone for any address: FEMA Flood Map Service Center · FloodSmart (FEMA).
Flood data for Suffolk County: costs by ZIP, trend and FEMA ratings →Calculated from FEMA policy data (as of Sep 8, 2026) and FEMA's NFIP residential penetration rates. Yearly cost is premium plus FEMA fees, single-family NFIP policies only; the insured share is residential NFIP contracts as a share of all residential buildings. Private flood insurance is not included. Not a flood-zone determination, insurance advice or a quote. Each building is priced individually.
What It's Like Living in Head of the Harbor
Head of the Harbor is one of Suffolk's most established residential communities, offering a distinctive blend of suburban character and metropolitan accessibility. Located in the 11780 zip code, the community is served by the Smithtown Central School District.
With a median home price of $880,000 and a median recorded property tax of $16,200 annually, Head of the Harbor pairs an established housing stock with direct access to New York City. The commute to Manhattan averages approximately 84 min via the Long Island Rail Road.
Living in Head of the Harbor does not mean one kind of ownership — condos selling at a median of $478K, single-family homes selling at a median of $880K, each with its own economics and day-to-day experience. The practical difference is who owns the to-do list: coop and condo buildings absorb exterior upkeep through monthly charges, while a house puts every system and repair decision in your hands. Condos are the dominant apartment form in Head of the Harbor — deeded ownership with fewer transfer restrictions than a coop.
Joseph's Insider Guide to Head of the Harbor
Direct answers informed by 5,000+ closed transactions across Nassau, Suffolk, Queens and Brooklyn — not the canned content you'd find on any listing portal.
Is Head of the Harbor a good place to live for commuters?
The LIRR connects Head of the Harbor to Penn Station and Grand Central Madison in approximately 84 min. Peak express service, station parking and walk-to-station distance vary by address, and those three factors decide what a commute actually looks like day to day.
What are property tax trends in Head of the Harbor, NY?
Head of the Harbor homeowners pay a median of approximately $16,200 a year in property taxes — the median of the tax figures actually recorded on homes sold here, not an estimate. The bill funds school-district, county, town, and special-district services. Taxes are assessed parcel by parcel, so two similar homes on the same street can carry very different bills — confirm the actual assessment on a specific address before relying on it.
Is now a good time to buy or sell in Head of the Harbor?
Head of the Harbor is currently a Seller's Market, with homes selling in about 18 days. Prices have moved +6% year-over-year. Timing decisions depend on your specific situation — contact Joseph for a no-cost strategy session tailored to your property and goals.
What makes Head of the Harbor different from other Suffolk communities?
Head of the Harbor is a long-established community served by the Smithtown Central School District. Prices and activity vary by property type, school district, condition and price band; the figures above show where this market stands now.
What should buyers know before making an offer in Head of the Harbor?
School district boundaries in Head of the Harbor often run street by street — two blocks can mean a different school zone, so confirming a home's exact attendance zone before you make an offer matters. As an Associate Broker who is also an attorney, Joseph reads title and contract details differently than most agents — and when the facts of a deal are in front of him, he knows what's worth asking about. (Not a substitute for your own attorney's representation.)
Is Head of the Harbor walkable for everyday living?
Head of the Harbor has a Walk Score of 3/100, measured at a single point near the centre of Head of the Harbor. Walkability varies street by street, so check the score for a specific address; the LIRR provides Manhattan access in approximately 84 min.
Planning a Move to Head of the Harbor?
Get the Head of the Harbor Relocation Guide — schools, commute options, live market data, and insider neighborhood details compiled by an Associate Broker who is also an attorney.
Explore Head of the Harbor
The latest from Head of the Harbor — local news, community events, and neighborhood highlights.
Schools in Head of the Harbor, NY
Head of the Harbor is served by the Smithtown Central School District. Attendance zones on Long Island are assigned street by street, so a Head of the Harbor mailing address does not by itself determine which school a home is zoned for.
- Elementary
- Accompsett Elementary School Dogwood Elementary School Mills Pond Elementary School Mt Pleasant Elementary School Smithtown Elementary School St James Elementary School Tackan Elementary School
- Middle
- Accompsett Middle School Great Hollow Middle School Nesaquake Middle School
- High
- Smithtown High School-East Smithtown High School-West
These are the schools recorded on homes sold in this district over the last 12 months — the district may also serve neighbouring communities. Zones can change and run street by street — we confirm the exact assignment for any home before you offer.
Typical value is the median recorded sale price in the district. Typical annual tax and effective rate are the median recorded tax bill and that bill divided by the median sale price, across 510 recent sales carrying a reported tax figure — an observed cost ratio, not an official millage rate. District boundaries can cross town and postal lines, so always verify the district for a specific address.
See every Suffolk school district, its schools and its tax rates →
Head of the Harbor Schools — Frequently Asked Questions
What school district serves Head of the Harbor?
Head of the Harbor is served by the Smithtown Central School District. District boundaries on Long Island often run street by street, so we confirm the district and attendance zone for a specific address before you make an offer.
What schools are zoned for Head of the Harbor?
Head of the Harbor is served by the Smithtown Central School District, which records these schools on homes sold in the district — elementary: Accompsett Elementary School, Dogwood Elementary School, Mills Pond Elementary School, Mt Pleasant Elementary School, Smithtown Elementary School, St James Elementary School, Tackan Elementary School; middle: Accompsett Middle School, Great Hollow Middle School, Nesaquake Middle School; high: Smithtown High School-East, Smithtown High School-West. Districts with more than one school at a level assign students by street, so confirm a specific address before relying on it.
What high school do Head of the Harbor students attend?
The Smithtown Central School District, which serves Head of the Harbor, operates Smithtown High School-East and Smithtown High School-West. Which one a home is assigned to depends on its street, so confirm the address before relying on it.
School district boundaries on Long Island often run street by street, so a Head of the Harbor mailing address doesn't guarantee a given school. We confirm a home's exact attendance zone before you make an offer.
Head of the Harbor on the Map
Explore Head of the Harbor and nearby areas. Zoom in to see neighborhoods, schools, transit, and local amenities.
Looking to Buy in Head of the Harbor?
Browse available properties or let Joseph find the right home for you — with the read of an Associate Broker who is also an attorney.
Homes for Sale in Head of the Harbor, NY
50 active listings currently on the market in Head of the Harbor. Data refreshed from the MLS in real time.
Active 24d
Garden
Active 5d
Ranch
Active 9d
Cape Cod
Active 2d
Colonial
Active 11d
Colonial
Active 92d
Post Modern
Listings courtesy of OneKey® MLS as distributed by MLS GRID.
Based on information submitted to the MLS GRID as of October 10, 2026 7:45 pm. All data is obtained from various sources and may not have been verified by broker or MLS GRID. Supplied Open House Information is subject to change without notice. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy. Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.
Personal-use terms and which listings this site shows: MLS & Data Disclosures
Showing 6 of 50 active listings
View All 50 Listings in Head of the HarborRecently Closed in Head of the Harbor
104 closed sales found. Recent transactions provide real-world context for current market values. For a full Comparative Market Analysis of your property, request a complimentary CMA.
← swipe to view all →
| Address | Type | Beds / Ba | Sq Ft | Closed | Sale Price | $/Sq Ft | DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colonial | 4 bd / 3 ba | 1,928 | — | Sign in to view | — | 15d | |
| Colonial | 4 bd / 3 ba | 3,485 | — | Sign in to view | — | 2d | |
| Garden | 2 bd / 2 ba | 1,067 | — | Sign in to view | — | 30d | |
| Colonial | 4 bd / 3 ba | 2,220 | — | Sign in to view | — | 18d | |
| Colonial | 4 bd / 3 ba | 3,068 | — | Sign in to view | — | 12d | |
| Contemporary | 3 bd / 4 ba | 2,691 | — | Sign in to view | — | 13d | |
| Cape Cod | 4 bd / 2 ba | 1,270 | — | Sign in to view | — | 10d | |
| Other | 3 bd / 2 ba | 2,116 | — | Sign in to view | — | 30d | |
| Ranch | 3 bd / 1 ba | 1,402 | — | Sign in to view | — | 10d | |
| Ranch | 4 bd / 4 ba | 3,800 | — | Sign in to view | — | 25d | |
| Cape Cod | 4 bd / 3 ba | 1,977 | — | Sign in to view | — | 21d | |
| Cape Cod | 3 bd / 2 ba | 1,561 | — | Sign in to view | — | 10d |
Source: OneKey MLS — Head of the Harbor closed sales, last 180 days. Verify all figures independently before making decisions.
Get Your Home’s Value →Head of the Harbor Real Estate FAQ
Expert answers to the most common questions about buying and selling in Head of the Harbor.
How much does it cost to buy a home in Head of the Harbor?
Is Head of the Harbor a good place to buy a home, and who is it right for?
What are property taxes like in Head of the Harbor, and can they be lowered?
What is the LIRR commute from Head of the Harbor to Manhattan?
What is the median home price in Head of the Harbor, and is it a buyer's or seller's market right now?
How are the schools in Head of the Harbor?
Why work with Joseph DeVito to buy or sell in Head of the Harbor?
Is Head of the Harbor a buyer's or seller's market?
Are sellers cutting prices in Head of the Harbor?
What counts as a price reduction on this page?
Joseph DeVito is a New York Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker and a New York attorney. He does not act as both broker and attorney on the same transaction: here he acts as a real estate broker only, and he is not your attorney. Real estate services provided through Keller Williams Realty Greater Nassau are not legal representation. Everything on this site is general information for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice, it creates no attorney-client relationship, and it should not be relied on as legal advice — for advice about your own situation, consult your own attorney.
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How Head of the Harbor Fits Into the Suffolk County Market
Head of the Harbor’s median sale price of about $880K sits about 28% above the Suffolk County median of about $689K. These are whole-county figures over a settled trailing 12 months — the same data behind our full Suffolk County reports.
County medians describe the wider market, not any specific property, and are not a valuation of a home in Head of the Harbor.
Markets Near Head of the Harbor
The closest Suffolk communities we track, with their current median sale price, median days on market, and market condition — useful for widening or narrowing a search.
Live OneKey MLS medians from recent closed sales, refreshed daily. Market condition reflects months of supply. Figures describe each market, not any specific home.
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Buy or Sell in Head of the Harbor, NY With an Associate Broker Who Knows Which Questions to Ask
Joseph DeVito has been part of more than 5,000 closed transactions across Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens, and Brooklyn. As an Associate Broker who is also an attorney, he reads a deal differently than most agents — and when the facts of your Head of the Harbor deal are in front of him, he knows the contract and title questions worth asking.
Also explore: Buyer Resources · Selling Your Home · All Suffolk Communities · Suffolk County Housing Market Outlook · Suffolk County Days on Market Report · Suffolk County School & Tax Breakdown