Behind the Hedges

In the era of Coronavirus (COVID-19), we are living through both a health and a financial pandemic the likes of which we have never experienced before. Every aspect of everyone’s lives has or will be impacted, including our real estate. Here are five real estate laws that you need to know to get through COVID-19…
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Built in 1884, who could predict that a former potato and grain barn would one day be the office space of an iconic Piano Man? The property at 7 Powell Avenue, Southampton, has closed. It was listed by Brenda Giufurta of Douglas Elliman Real Estate, and Joseph Savio, also of Douglas Elliman, brought the buyers….
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On September 13, 2019, limited liability companies (LLCs) lost the ability to offer anonymity of their owners in residential real estate deals throughout the State of New York. Now, real property transfer tax returns, relating to residential property, sold or purchased by a limited liability company, must offer transparency by including ownership information about any LLC…
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It’s a rare moment when one celebrates the artificial, but a well-considered and beautifully crafted fake can be absolutely essential for completing a room and, by extension, a home. Whether it’s painting a wall, a window frame or fixing a piece of fine furniture, the art of faux finishing is indispensable in any luxury homebuilder…
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Celebrities, warring spouses, trampolines… Our panel of real estate experts tell all about their most memorable open house experiences. I had sellers who were getting divorced. I scheduled an open house and they both decided to stay and have a fight while there were buyers walking through the house. Expletives were flying until ultimately one…
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Sandcastle at Quogue, the lavish property at 216 Dune Road, is now in contract. Listed by Jeremy Ryan at The Corcoran Group (last asking price $17.299 million), this luxury home features 5 bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms, 9,000 square feet on 1.72 acres, heated infinity pool, library, media room, numerous fireplaces, garage, beach rights and more. The…
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Aesthetics have long played a role in the creation of fine furniture, yet the decorative arts are often considered inferior to fine art. Today, studio and art furniture makers like Sag Harbor’s Nico Yektai are showing collectors, curators and interior designers that usefulness and good art are no longer mutually exclusive.​ “The idea that a piece of…
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Two truths and a lie: Real estate can be fun. Lawyers can be funny. Real estate law doesn’t make for compelling entertainment. Readers of Behind the Hedges are no doubt familiar with real estate attorney Andrew Lieb and his column, “Lieb at Law.” Lieb’s witty columns delve into the nitty-gritty of real estate law and…
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Hamptons home professionals understand the importance of creating homes that are luxurious, attractive, durable, cost-effective, energy-efficient and technologically advanced. From custom builders to interior decorators, appliance experts to window wizards, solar power pros to property management gurus…the East End home needs them all. Following the adage “if you build it, they will come,” the premier…
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In an increasingly digital landscape where reading from tiny screens has become commonplace, the value and beauty of books may be lost on some, but a grand and comprehensive home library will always denote status and taste. After all, as George R.R. Martin writes in A Dance with Dragons, “A reader lives a thousand lives before…
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