News & Features

Once again, Paul Masi of Bates Masi Architects manages to stun us. The owners of this property had had a 1960s modern house designed by a disciple of Marcel Breuer, but unfortunately the house, on an inlet of Georgica Pond, was a victim of Superstorm Sandy. They contacted Paul Masi to design a new home for them with the same spirit. He questioned what the owners loved about the previous home, the simplicity and the use of current technologies, and then designed the new place to use today's best building materials, including cross laminated timber, and simple honest design that incorporate structural elements such as steel columns. These are complemented by natural maturals such as bamboo and cypress boards, as well as a stunning modern bronze fireplace. [caption id="attachment_68495" align="alignnone" width="750"] All photos via Saunders[/caption] And don't worry about the place flooding again. The new building is elevated above the previous floor level. On the front facade, the elevation is softened with terracing, while on the side by the water, the foundation is recessed so the house appears to float. Now for the details! Represented by Diane Saatchi at Saunders, the property is asking $10 million, which might be a little high. The house is a manageable 3725 square feet with 5 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, set on 2.34 acres. Of course it's south of the highway but just a couple houses from the highway. On the plus side, the place is just completely gorgeous with stone floors, that fireplace, and midcentury style built ins. Plus, of course, the beauty that only comes when a house is designed by a thoughtful architect. For more, click here. 48 Georgica Close Road, East Hampton  

Honestly, although we love our current home intensely, we're slightly annoyed we didn't buy this house. It's just that good. The Conklin house, c. mid-1700s, looks like it's been lovingly lived in for close to 300 years. Everything you could want in a home of the period, including ridiculously wide floorboards, fireplaces galore including an old colonial bake oven and one with a period chimney cupboard, old beams, ancient four-paneled doors, all are there. (Having lived for many years in a home of the period, we're less enamored of the low ceilings, but even though we're tall, we got used to them quickly.) There's a separate barn/garage on the property, which is a generous 0.83 of an acre just one block outside East Hampton Village. In addition, the new owner could add on to the place via the kitchen. Asking price for all this was a reasonable (to us, anyway) $1.32 million. The property was repped by Jackie Lowey at Saunders and she found a buyer for it under a month. Well done to her, and congrats to the new owners. For more, click here. 57 Accabonac Road, East Hampton

Southampton, we have a problem. Yes, we've long known about sea level rise, but new data compiled by a group called the Union of Concerned Scientists shows that in the US, Southampton has the second highest level of property tax revenue at risk. (Congratulations, Central Coast, California! You're the big loser here, with Southampton close behind.) In fact, Southampton may well be the most vulnerable in the nation based on home values. The Union of Concerned Scientists used Zillow estimates to calculate values, and any casual user of Zillow in the Hamptons knows the values tend to be laughably underestimated when it comes to waterfront property. (The other data used in the analysis was published last year by the scientists, detailing areas of "chronic inundation," which means in this case 26 times a year.) Climate change will drive sea level rise. That means that coastal communities such as Southampton are in big trouble. East Hampton is less at risk, as a good bit of the coastline--think Montauk bluffs, for example--is above sea level. Westhampton Beach, Meadow Lane--areas built on barrier islands or as-good-as barrier islands are at serious risk, with the possibility of being flooded 26 times per year by 2030. (Which is only 12 years away, folks...) The Union of Concerned Scientists points out that the data reflects sea level rise, not storms. And of course, property values will sour, infrastructure will erode and local taxes will slump. This means that municipalities' credit ratings will dip and make it harder to finance projects to ameliorate the problem. What can we do? On a local level, we can do things like elevate structures; use fewer impermeable materials on the ground so that water can drain instead of flood; plant bio-retention gardens and bioswales. But the real change has to come at the state and federal level: cut carbon emissions, improve flood insurance, and other initiatives. Let's get started to save our beautiful community.

Last Thursday, reality star Luann de Lesseps listed her Sag Harbor Greek Revival with Christopher Burnside of Brown Harris Stevens. The asking price was $6.25 million. Now it's five days later and the price is $5.75 million. Can't swing that, homebuyers? Just wait another ten days and the price will drop to $4.75 million! In 30 days, it will be just $2.75 million! And then a month later, evidently free. The former countess purchased the property in 2013 for $2.437 million and spent a long time renovating it. But she is tired of the Hamptons, so she's looking for more peace upstate in the Catskills. On a third of an acre, the property makes the most of its waterfront setting on Sag Harbor Cove. There are sweeping vistas out to the water, the property boasts a coveted dock, and the deck has a lovely dining pergola. There are four bedrooms and four baths in a compact 2500 square feet. There's even a winterized studio on the property with a full bath. For more, click here. 30 John Street, Sag Harbor

For years the house stood empty, crumbling and abandoned, with caved in ceilings, missing doors, and holes in the floor; a sign stating the house was unfit for human occupation was posted to the front. As recently as 2016, the house seemed destined only for the wrecking ball. But now, after extensive renovations, Morpurgo House is almost ready for new owners. It's been listed by Scott Strough at Compass asking $7.5 million. Long thought to be built between 1850 and 1860, when the Italianate style of the house's exterior was popular, the house's origins have recently been pushed back a hundred years. Pre-Revolutionary details in the basement, such as massive foundation stones, 18^th century nails, and distinctive beams point to a date around 1750. The house was then renovated in the 1840s, 1870s, and the 20^th century as the needs of its inhabitants changed. [caption id="attachment_68462" align="alignnone" width="750"] All images via Compass[/caption] In the 21st century, the house now sports such amenities as five en-suite bedrooms, an elevator, two staircases, a Control4 sound and automation system, a 600 square foot roof deck with fireplace, bar and lounge area on the third floor, wine storage, security integration with video retrieval and CAT5 communications wiring, and outside, a gunite pool. Yet everything old that was sound and could be kept, reused or re-purposed was. 18th century beams were kept and while a new 10-foot basement was dug, the original foundation stones have been reused in the garden. Rob Walford of Breskin Development, told Behind the Hedges, "Our biggest surprise was the condition of the oldest part of the house. It is in excellent condition and very sound. The post and beam frame of the house will last for another 250 years now that the house is being maintained. There are homes in England framed similarly that are 700 years old." They knew how to build in the old days. It may have been built originally for Captain John Hulbert, a Revolutionary War hero who designed one of the first American flags with stars and bars. Captain Hulbert was guarding sheep in Montauk in August 1775 when the British came down from Boston to get supplies. Captain Hulbert and his men fooled the enemy (located in Fort Pond Bay) into thinking there were many more soldiers than there actually were by marching and turning their coats around. The British left, deciding the sheep weren't worth the fight. During the 1870s into the 20^th century, the house was a summer hotel operated by the Lobstein family. In 1965 the house, then divided into eight apartments, was purchased by the Morpurgo family. Two sisters, Annselm and Helga Morpurgo, inherited from their parents in 1975. Annselm owned two-thirds of the house and Helga the other third. But the sisters did not have the money to keep up the 3900 square foot house and its condition began to suffer. They leased seven of the apartments and Annselm lived in the eighth. In the late 1990s, the John Jermain Memorial Library, which is next door, was interested in buying the property to expand the library. But the sisters and the library could not agree on a price. In 2003, the Morpurgos decided to auction the house with a minimum bid of $1.5 million. No bids were tendered. Then the sisters fell out. Helga wanted to sell the house: taxes were not being paid and the condition of the place grew worse and worse. Annselm wanted a certain amount of money, however, which no one was willing to pay. The sisters then sued one another. The house was put up for auction twice more, in 2005 and 2006, with no bids. Finally, in 2007, the house was sold to an LLC for $1.46 million. Annselm filed an injunction against the sale, but the judge tossed it. Eventually she and Helga each received 37 percent of the sales proceeds, with the rest going to satisfy back taxes. Annselm kept living in the house until she was evicted in 2008. The house changed hands several times more until being purchased by Breskin Development. The house is almost finished, and while the renderings available now are a little skimpy, we can't wait to see how gorgeous the house will look when finished. For more, click here. 6 Union Street, Sag Harbor

We love this one! This property has been in the same family since 1958, and you can tell. It's old-school charming and while we're sure the new owners will redecorate (psst: make a deal to buy the vintage rattan furniture!), we just really hope that the place won't be knocked down. The house was owned by cookbook author and editor Eleanor Lynch. Of course you use her 1967 manual Reynolds Wrap Creative Cooking With Aluminum Foil every day, along with the 1957 The Ogilvie Cookbook, which came with its own Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dust jacket. The East Hampton Star noted on June 6, 1965, "Food Editors to Visit East End": "Mrs. James Terry (Eleanor Lynch), director of home economics for the Reynolds Metals Company in New York, is bringing a party of ten food editors of New York publica­tions to eastern Long Island on Fri­day, June 14; the tour will end at the Terrys' summer home over­ looking Gardiner's Bay on Louse Road, Springs, at 4 p.m. The party will attend the Straw­berry Auction at Riverhead, visit historic spots in East Hampton, in­cluding Home, Sweet Home, and wind up the day with a dinner of Long Island specialties." Now the details about the house, which is repped by Denise Wilder and Christopher Stewart at Elliman. Of course there are beautiful panoramic views across Gardiner's Bay, with 150 feet of water frontage on just under an acre of land. There is no pool (back in the day they weren't considered necessary on waterfront land), but there might be room for one on the side of the property. The house itself offers five bedrooms and two baths in 3700 square feet. From the knotty pine paneling to what is probably the original birch kitchen cabinets, it's all original. Yes, of course it could use some updates. We're just saying, nab the rattan above. Of course there's a deck overlooking the bay. Asking price for all this? A mere $3.65 million. We'd love to know what the family paid in 1958, wouldn't you? For more, click here. 84 Louse Point Road, Springs

Reality star Luann de Lesseps has evidently had enough of her Sag Harbor Greek Revival, listing it this afternoon with Christopher Burnside of Brown Harris Stevens. The former countess purchased the property in 2013 for $2.437 million and spent a long time renovating it. On a third of an acre, the property makes the most of its waterfront setting on Sag Harbor Cove. There are sweeping vistas out to the water, the property boasts a coveted dock, and the deck has a lovely dining pergola. There are four bedrooms and four baths in a compact 2500 square feet. There's even a winterized studio on the property with a full bath. Asking price is $6.25 million; that sounds about right to us. What do you say? For more, click here. 30 John Street, Sag Harbor

Social House, Pittsburgh native musicians, writers and producers, released their debut single "Magic In The Hamptons Ft. Lil Yachty" a few days ago. It's set to be a summer smash hit. Of course, listening to it, our minds went to real estate. Social House features creatives Michael "Mikey" Foster and Charles "Scootie" Anderson. Miles McCollum is Lil Yachty. Lyrics include

You know where I go when we're dancing Handshakes in The Hamptons and gettin' drunk in the mansion with you

and

New shoes, new clothes and a Chanel purse Vacaying in The Hamptons got a lazy curse

So we're thinking the guys will need at least three bedrooms in the mansion, a bar, and a dock for Lil Yachty's yacht. This is what we decided: 38 Cobb Isle Road, Water Mill. This is no ordinary mansion: there are interior waterfalls and an indoor/outdoor heated pool and Jacuzzi spa with push-of-a-button retractable glass walls (and the additional 1200 square foot pool area has a fireplace and waterfall too). There's also a wet bar, billiard room and surround sound throughout. Of course there's a lil dock for Lil Yachty's lil yacht. Asking price is $10.45 million, repped by Bespoke. And please ask us to the housewarming, guys. For more, click here. 38 Cobb Isle Road, Water Mill

Last summer, we declared, "If you don't instantly adore this Greenport house with its pinnacle roofed towers, there's cobwebs in your soul. (There's probably cobwebs in the attic, too, but never mind.)" Well, no one did. At least no one did at its asking price. We also stated, "Asking price for all this is $1.5 million. Whether or not that's reasonable for the property, represented by Susan Sutton at Corcoran, we can't say, not knowing how much work it requires." Turns out it wasn't reasonable, as the place recently sold for $975K, which is a whopping $500K off the original ask. However, we stand by our statement that North Fork properties are only going up in price, and a lovable waterfront cottage like this must be a good investment. Read on for the history of the house, known as Rosemary. [caption id="attachment_62150" align="alignnone" width="660"] All photos via Corcoran[/caption] The William H. Joost House, known as Rosemary, was the summer residence of insurance executive William H. Joost and his wife, who lived on Dean Street in Brooklyn. They first came to Southold in 1895 when they purchased the S.B. Terry property. In 1899 they sold most of that property to the Bliss family, keeping a small portion with a cottage for themselves. The cottage was greatly enlarged and renovated in 1908, when the two towers were added. Originally located on Maple Lane, the home was moved by barge in 1926 to its present location in Greenport. Yep, the house, at just 1600 square feet, is pretty small by today's standards, and it definitely needs work. There are three bedrooms and two baths. (We'd keep the lavender bathroom with the swan faucets, though, because it's hilarious.) Of course there are beautiful views everywhere: the 0.36-acre plot includes 100' of waterfront. There's an outdoor shower and a detached garage that is too funky for words. For more, click here. 3345 Bay Shore Road, Greenport

It is 1893. You are arriving in Southampton to play golf. Atop the highest point of Shinnecock Hills is the clubhouse, an understated yet imposing building on top of a rolling landscape. Except for farm buildings, the clubhouse is the only visible structure for miles, a white temple surrounded by acres of lush greens. It all began in 1890, when New York society men William K. Vanderbilt, Edward Meade and Duncan Cryder visited Biarritz in southern France. There at the resort they met Scotsman Willie Dunn, who was building a golf course at the resort. They decided to introduce golf to New York. The men scouted around the city for a spot; Meade thought upstate New York was a good place, while Cryder preferred Yonkers. Long Islander Vanderbilt urged them to look east. 80 acres of land in Shinnecock was purchased for $2,500 and 44 original members signed up for $100 each. Women, by the way, were allowed to join from the start, and the club also boasted America's first golf pro, who happened to be both Shinnecock Indian and African American. 12 holes were initially built, which crossed the Long Island Rail Road train tracks. On one of the holes, they'd send a caddie ahead, and if a train was coming, he'd ring a bell. Now they needed a clubhouse. In 1892, the fashionable firm of McKim, Meade & White were engaged; Stanford White drew up the plans and built a small place for $8000. Architecturally, the building is a hodgepodge, like a mashup of an American barn and a Greek temple, with Palladian windows, an overhanging roof, and a Doric colonnade supporting wide verandas. The club was so successful and popular, the clubhouse needed to be expanded almost immediately. Enlargements were added in 1896, 1903, and 1913. The front door of the clubhouse still faces south where most of the course was before County Road 39 was built in 1929, forcing the reconfiguration of the course. Today, the building is the oldest structure in America built specifically as a golf clubhouse. Painstakingly restored several years ago, Stanford White's clubhouse remains the most iconic building in the golf world.

This house is so adorable we want to eat it up. It's teensy at a mere 576 square feet, so basically would only work for one or two very close people; we think it would make a great weekend getaway for a NYC single person. It's filled with reclaimed items, including a hundred year old barn door and old windows and wood. The kitchen features a funky Big Chill fridge, open shelving and subway tiles, while the floors are pine. There's a wood burning stove that can even heat the cottage in the winter. Some of the walls are shiplap, for even more interest. Basically, there's nothing to do and everything you need here. There might be room for a pool but we're not sure; there's 0.36 of an acre so theoretically a small pool should be possible, should the new owner want one. Asking price is just $550K. Given that anything under a million tends to sell quickly these days and given how cute and charming the place is, we bet it won't last. The property is repped by Julie Crowley at Saunders. For more, click here. 38 Lincoln Ave, Southampton

It's that time again! A wonderful time for local golf lovers, and some extra traffic for everyone else to complain about! Yes, the US Open is shortly to open at Shinnecock! If you're a golf lover looking for your Hamptons home, take a look at some we have found for you, at different price levels. For the Tiger Woods-level buyer, there's Three Ponds Farm in Bridgehampton. Putting green--ha! That's for the Poors. At Three Ponds Farm, rated the best golf home in the United States, you'll play on your own USGA-rated golf course by Rees Jones, with a 19th hole clubhouse and pro shop. There's also a grass tennis court, elegant pool with pavilion and spa, loggias, formal gardens, orangery, 7000 specimen trees, and of course, three ponds. And don't forget, "a unique fish house." Price is "upon request," and is supposedly around $60 million. Asking $39.5 million is Twin Peaks in Southampton Village (above), a new build with every toy one can possibly imagine, including a rooftop putting green. And never fear, "There is ample space for a golf hole to complement the rooftop putting green." Phew! Of course there's a gorgeous pool, fire pit, sunken deco turf tennis court, and a pool house that's way nicer than most people's houses. The house itself is a generous 15,000 square feet with eight en-suite bedrooms. Your own billiards room and bowling alley are included too. Don't want to practice at home? We hear ya. The next property, called Mulligan in Southampton Village, belongs to Ray Floyd, who won the US Open in 1986 and liked the area so much he built this property. The grounds don't include a putting green because Floyd is a member of Shinnecock Hills, which is nearby. Price is $14.25 million, which is an enormous discount over the $25 million the property had been asking. For that, you get 2.75 acres of charmingly landscaped grounds, including a pool and tennis, a classic 7800 square foot house, with servants' quarters over the garage, and bragging rights. If your pocketbook is more am than pro, 38 Fairlawn Drive in Montauk is for rent, asking $125K for MD-LD. The property offers "spectacular views of Montauk Downs golf course," which is often considered a hidden gem of a course. When not enjoying the view, you can swim in the pool or entertain in the light, bright, open floor plan.