This is Part Five in a weekly series on the many different neighborhoods of Port Washington.

Baxter Estates, north of Main Street and bordering partly on Manhasset Bay, is one of the smaller villages in Nassau County. It has a distinct look, with peaceful park-like streets, paths, ponds and streams, and, of course, lovely homes.

Prices of homes range from the mid-$500s to about $1.5 million. Like many other areas of Port Washington, the rural setting belies the proximity to services, shopping and restaurants, and the easy commute to Manhattan. These features make Baxter Estates a great place to buy a home.

There are wonderful places here for walking, fishing, picture-taking or just sitting and contemplating the lovely setting. In particular, the watershed Barbara Johnson Park and Preserve at Baxter's Pond, which lies in the center of the village, never fails to provide inspiration at any time of year. I take many pictures here, and I find that the most comments I receive when posting about Port on Facebook are about Baxter's Pond. Many remember ice skating and other activities, and it obviously has made an impression on lots of people, even after they have moved on to other parts of the country.

Many home buyers ask me about the additional property taxes charged in villages. One advantage that was especially crucial this year is the snow removal. I was very happy with the response where I live in Manorhaven, and I've spoken to residents of Baxter Estates who were impressed with the response there as well. Other benefits of living in the villages are consistent enforcement of rules regarding construction and general maintenance. The additional village taxes are actually quite reasonable and worth it for the services received.

This is the final article in our series on the five villages of Port Washington. I hope they will give potential home buyers an overview and answered many of the questions I am often asked as a real estate agent.

Diane Schubach is a NYS Licensed Salesperson at Keller Williams of Greater Nassau. If you would like more information about buying or selling Port Washington real estate, call (917) 579-8356 or e-mail dschubac@optonline.net.