A Cape in Baxter Estates Village with views of Mill Pond is on the market for $749,000.

THE SCOOP With a wide range of housing options, affordable prices and a central location, Coram is an attractive option for first-time home buyers, says Katherine Ferraro-Graupe, branch manager of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage's Ronkonkoma office.

When thinking about how to increase home value, root your expectations in reality. Updates rarely recoup 100 percent of their cost, but they can make your family more comfortable and even help your home sell faster.

A 10,000-square-foot home in East Hampton with a 133-inch projection TV, infrared sauna and views of the Atlantic Ocean has been listed for $17.5 million.

Summertime is the perfect time to appreciate the outdoors.

Within walking distance to downtown Fair Harbor, the house sits on a 6,000-square-foot lot.

The Schillings' home is on a verdant lot and comes with rights to Pryibil Beach and the beach at Morgan Park.

A Shoreham home listed for $599,000 features extras such as guest quarters in the garage and an attached greenhouse.

Finding a rental on Long Island may seem like a daunting task, but it can be done via internet searches, calling potential management companies and being willing to work with a broker.

A contemporary Fire Island home surrounded by gardens on Lone Hill Walk in the Pines community is on the market for $750,000.

A five-bedroom, 5.5-bath Colonial in Bay Shore includes a four-bedroom guest house. It is listed for $1.2 million.

A Roslyn home that was once part of the Frick estate is on the market for $799,000.

Within Levittown, where suburbia originated on Long Island, "we have 18,000 homes, we have three school districts, but we are still a very close-knit town," says longtime resident Dara Crawford of Century 21 Prevete Real Estate.

A centerhall Colonial built on the site of Suffolk's first courthouse is for sale in Southold.

The Baos' property represents comfortable living both indoors and out.

These Long Islanders used various methods -- calling management companies and working with agents -- to score their dream rentals. Here are their stories. 

A Sea Cliff Victorian built in 1893 by one of the village's founders is on the market for $1.175 million.

A modern Cold Spring Harbor home has been updated by its architect owner and includes custom fixtures. It is on the market for $979,000.

A historic home was floated by steam barge from an estate in Bay Shore to its current location in Brightwaters more than 100 years ago. It is on the market for $1.249 million.

Her 20-acre Bridgehampton estate, Tower Hill, is on the market for $29.5 million, while her 4.4-acre beachfront spread in North Haven is asking $20 million.