News & Features

Like paddleboards, kayaking, and so on? Then this is the house for you. Access to the protected cove and the bay beyond is just half a block down the street. The house itself is a newly renovated contemporary with simple clean lines inside and out. [caption id="attachment_61971" align="alignnone" width="750"] All photos via Sotheby's[/caption] Both the plot and the house are of a reasonable, manageable size. The plot is 0.58 of an acre, but includes an inviting saltwater pool with deck; there's also a roof deck with attractive views via a spiral staircase. The house is 2500 square feet with four bedrooms and 3.5 baths. Particularly nice is the new white marble kitchen, with a wall of glass doors opening to the deck, and a gray marble bathroom; the master bedroom is also notable, being a good size with sliders to its own deck. Asking price for the property, repped by Patrick Mclaughlin at Sotheby's, is $2.7 million. That strikes us as reasonable for a turnkey house in a hot location. For more, click here. 54 Whitney Road, Sag Harbor

The exterior of this property ought to be in a brochure called Gracious Southampton Living. There are covered porches with wicker furniture, striped awnings, white picket fences, hydrangeas, roses, and rolling green lawns. Of course there's a lovely pool and a tennis court as well as specimen shade trees, fruit trees, and there's even a play set for the kids. In all, there's 3.25 acres of land. [caption id="attachment_61959" align="alignnone" width="750"] All photos via Sotheby's[/caption] The expansive (10,000 square feet) main house is called Mulligan, which is a cute name for a home owned by a pro golfer, in this case Ray Floyd. The interiors are a little fussy and dated, but nothing some wallpaper stripper and paint won't fix. There are five bedrooms in the main house: a large guest suite, three more guest rooms and an expansive master suite with an outdoor deck, fireplace, two walk-in-closets, and master bath. There are two more bedrooms in staff quarters over the garage, which also includes a sitting room and loft. The lower level is finished with a gym, laundry, and wine cellar. Not enough space? The separate guest cottage is itself 6000 square feet with five bedrooms and is nicely appointed with its own outdoor space. The lower level there is also finished. [caption id="attachment_61963" align="alignnone" width="750"] Guest cottage[/caption] Asking price for all this is $25 million, which, considering how much nicely laid out space this property offers, strikes us as reasonable. The property is listed by Sotheby's Harald Grant. We think this would be a great buy for anyone who wants to spend a lot of time with extended family. For more, click here. 65 Captains Neck Lane & 41 Barnhart Street, Southampton

No "modern style" barn here in this house called The Barnyard. No, this house, by architect Preston Phillips, just plain goes for it with gambrel rooves, barn doors and barn red exterior. The interiors, though, are more sophisticated. As they should be, given they were designed by Tony Ingrao, but they still put a smile on one's face with touches of bright, fun color. [caption id="attachment_61947" align="alignnone" width="750"] Photos via Corcoran[/caption] (And we love the Richard Artschwager exclamation point sculpture.) The main floor offers many comfortable sitting areas with differing height ceilings, warm wood beams, stone fireplaces, and glass and metal accents. Upstairs, the warm wood ceilings continue. There are four bedrooms and 4.5 baths in the house, including a luxurious master suite. (Although the master suite bathroom is a little dated with its glass tub and glass vessel sinks.) The house sports 4500 square feet, making it spacious but not gigantic. There's a generous sized plot of 1.87 acres, which includes a trapezoidal shaped pool. (Is it supposed to refer to the exclamation point?) The attractive grounds were designed by Joseph Tyree. Asking price for all this is a fair $5.45 million. The property, listed by Louis Apito and Charles Forthofer at Corcoran, won't appeal to everyone, so we wonder how long it will take to sell. For more, click here. 494 Butter Lane, Bridgehampton

Remember August 2013? Sure you do: Usain Bolt winning, Whitey Bulger arrested, that One Direction movie debuted? (OK, us neither.) In that more innocent time, this property debuted on the market, asking a chortle-inducing $45 million. Why laugh? The house itself was perfectly nice as spec homes go. There's plenty of room with 9000 square feet with eight bedrooms. There's 2.8 acres of land with a tennis court, pool of course, pool house, and even a little beach bungalow, and it's oceanfront. Unfortunately, the land is narrow and the large house is awkwardly sited, and there's very little usable empty outdoor space (the tennis court takes up a lot). [caption id="attachment_61932" align="alignnone" width="333"] Via Corcoran[/caption] There are almost no oceanviews from the house (you apparently have to go on the second floor balcony). Most damningly, there is a busy public beach parking lot next to the house. (Which of course is cropped out in the aerial photo above.) [caption id="attachment_61940" align="alignnone" width="537"] Via Google Earth[/caption] No surprise, then, that no one bought at $45 million....or $35 million...or $30 million. Now the asking price, which has just been cut another $5 million, is $24.75 million, which is more like it. (The property is currently listed by Susan Breitenbach at Corcoran.) Honestly, though, we wouldn't be surprised if the final price were closer to $20 million, which means the developer, who paid $15.4 million, is going to take a bath on the project. For more, click here. 38 Two Mile Hollow Road, East Hampton

Blue hydrangeas, purple wisteria, rambling pink roses: the gardens of the circa-1800 Daniel Osborne House are magical.  The deep lot is almost an acre, with winding brick paths, a 20' by 40' pool, a pergola and a barn style three-car garage. [caption id="attachment_61923" align="alignnone" width="750"] All photos via Sotheby's[/caption] The dignified old colonial home has been beautifully renovated, with 4000 square feet of space, five fireplaces and nice old dark wood floors. Plenty of room for everyone with six bedrooms and 4.5 baths. All this in the village of East Hampton for just $3.5 million. So what's the catch? Yep, here we go again with Someone Has to Live on Main Street. Of course, there are some advantages to living on Main Street, too: walk to restaurants, shops, and the movies. The property, listed by Heather Baris, Richard Baris, and Nola Baris at Sotheby’s, has been on the market for a long time now, gradually dropping in price. What do you think will be that magic number? We gotta say we adore this property, especially the gardens, so we think $3.5 million is pretty close. For more, click here. 109 Main Street, East Hampton  

Condos are truly hot in the Hamptons. Watchcase, Bishops Pond, the Residences at Gurney’s—they’re all selling very well as weekenders and year rounders alike want ease as well as sophistication. They want to spend their precious free time relaxing, not managing their weekend home. Southampton Pointe by Fairfield is the latest development in this vein, but unlike most of the above offerings, the units are available at affordable prices. Plus, the location, at the intersection of Tuckahoe Lane and CR-39 in Southampton, is ideal for people who want to be close to the action yet avoid hours more fighting traffic to points east. [caption id="attachment_61049" align="alignnone" width="750"] All photos via Corcoran[/caption] With units ranging from $1.165 million to $1.25 million, there are four configurations for apartments, with the cheaper option having 1875 square feet and the more expensive 2045 square feet. All of these have three bedrooms and 2 to 2.5 baths. Interior finishes and fixtures appear to be quite good for the price. There are higher-end appliances, lots of white marble, and nicely done closets, for example. Agent Mary Slattery at Corcoran notes, “Standard finishes include appliances such as Sub Zero, Bosch and Wolf. The designer trim package with crown molding and wainscoting is also standard. Buyers have an ability to customize their finishes which is a huge plus.” Outside, there's a gunite pool, pool cabanas, a clubhouse with a fitness room and a great room for parties. Separate garages are available. This complex was a long time coming. Mary  says, “The project took 10 years and 16 public hearings to reach completion. The tenacity of Fairfield's principals Gary Broxmeyer and Michael Broxmeyer is to be applauded.” Why so long? The project, Mary explained, “required a zoning change from highway business to Planned Development District. The Town Board wanted the public to have as much input as possible. The zoning change took seven years.” We asked Mary how sales are going. She says, “Showings are brisk and several units are moving into contract. Selling started at the end of June so we are very encouraged.” Interested? Suffice it to say interest in the Hamptons never seems to wane. Odd as it may be for $1 million plus condos to say, we think Southampton Pointe represents good value these days. For more, click here. 104 Tuckahoe Lane, Southampton Come toast the new Southampton Pointe by Fairfield with Mary Slattery on Thursday, August 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (Tuckahoe Lane at County Road 39, Southampton), with wine and ligh bites from Southampton Social Club and Union Cantina. I'll be there, too—looking forward to seeing you. 

TV chef Rachael Ray has put her Southampton home on the market. The light, bright dwelling is all one level, making it perfect for an older, retired couple. (And nicely decorated courtesy of the Rachael Ray Home Collection!) There’s 3000 square feet with three bedrooms and five bathrooms, and everything is newly renovated. Of course the open floor plan includes a handsome new kitchen. [caption id="attachment_61899" align="alignnone" width="750"] All photos via BHS[/caption] There’s a very generous and private 6.1 acres of land, which includes the requisite gunite pool, a patio with pergola, a pool house and a one-room separate building for relaxing. As for the asking price, we’re not sure. The property, repped by Martha Gundersen of Brown Harris Stevens, is large for the area and backs onto the Southampton Golf Club; yet the property is one of the highest priced in the area. What do you think of the place? For more, click here. 234 Tuckahoe Lane, Southampton  

Lots of moving going on in the local real estate community! First up, real estate lawyer Joseph Salvi has joined Corcoran as Senior Managing Director of the Southampton office. Joseph says, “I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to be a part of the Corcoran family, taking with me my skills as a seasoned real estate attorney and applying them in the realm of brokerage." "Joe's background in real estate and law will allow him to be a knowledgeable advisor for our agents, one who can help them grow their business with smart, strategic decision-making," said Ernest Cervi, Regional Senior Vice President of the East End at Corcoran. "We are very excited to welcome him to the firm." Also joining Corcoran is Natalie Lewis, formerly of Douglas Elliman. Natalie, a graduate of Parsons School of Design, is at Corcoran's Westhampton Beach office. Antonio Bottero is joining Compass's Westhampton Beach office. Antonio was also formerly with Elliman; prior to that, he was a restaurant manager and a music tour and stage manager. Good luck and congratulations to all!

This is the house in all the generic "the Hamptons" stock photos. The house from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Beautiful Kilkare, built in 1879 by shipbuilders, has had only two families call it home in all these years. [caption id="attachment_61884" align="alignnone" width="667"] All photos via Compass[/caption] The house is 5,000 square feet with 6 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, and 9 fireplaces and of course are filled with period charm. There are 2.81 acres of land set on the ocean, and the house is of course in the highly sought after Georgica Association, which is both safe and very private, and offers activities such as sailing on the pond, tennis courts, and a clubhouse. There's a pool, of course, a "zen garden" and a grove of cherry trees. The house probably needs some updating, but even so, we think $55 million is not a bad price at all. (The property is repped by Ed Petrie and James Petrie at Compass and Beate Moore and Frank Newbold at Sotheby's.) Which sounds slightly ridiculous, of course, but one could pay more in East Hampton or Southampton, heck, even in Montauk, and not get a house as lovely, as iconic, and as filled with history as Kilkare. So we say: snap it up, lucky rich person, and invite us to the housewarming. For more, click here. 40 Association Road, Wainscott

Antoine Verglas, the fashion photographer whose nude photo of Melania Trump caused a Twitter fight between President Trump and Ted Cruz, has listed his oceanfront home in Napeague. It along with another parcel are available together for $12.5 million. They're both repped by Carol Nobbs and Timothy Kelly at Elliman. The larger property is 1.5 acres and the second is 1.3, making a generous 2.8 acres. [caption id="attachment_61875" align="alignnone" width="750"] All photos via Elliman[/caption] But are they worth it? It's not easy to say. Both houses are probable teardowns from the 1970s. The larger house, at 2000 square feet, has visible water damage from windows and a skylight; while the smaller house looks to be in better shape and does have a pool in the dunes. Possibly the best thing to do, based on condition of the smaller house, is keep it as a guest house and build new where the larger house is. Possibly build a new, larger pool for that house as well. One of the issues, though, is that the location is the site of the notorious Truck Beach. Whether or not this adds up to $12.5 million is questionable, even for a generous plot of land. What do you think? For more, click here. 61 & 55 Dune Road, Napeague

This 80s contemporary on sought-after Hedges Lane in Sagaponack does, it's true, have a fairly dire front elevation. We suggest a lot of black paint: we often quite like dated contemporaries when the exteriors are black. It looks fresher than white. [caption id="attachment_61860" align="alignnone" width="750"] All photos via Corcoran[/caption] Other than the front, though, this property, repped by Gary DePersia at Corcoran, offers quite a lot for $6.5 million. There's 1.6 acres of land in a mint location, a new gunite pool, a rolling lawn, and specimen trees. As for the house, the listing helpfully states that "if your needs dictate something different, this gorgeous tableau could support a new 9,000 SF+/- foot residence on three floors of living space, pool, pool house and possibly a tennis court." The current house is 3000 square feet, with a total of five bedrooms, including a huge master and a staff suite in the lower level. The house has been nicely redone with a fresh white/gray palette; the funky furniture perfectly complements the architecture. We say: make an offer for the furnishings as well. There's just one issue: Yeah, that really, really needs to go. For more, click here. 625 Hedges Lane, Sagaponack

Even though Montauk real estate seems to be taking a breather as late, Montauk's coolness factor seems just as off the charts as ever. We'll be interested in seeing what happens to this property, which is pretty dilapidated right now, but has tons of potential. It comprises 3.8 acres right on Lake Montauk along with a two-story main house and eleven 1940s cottages. It used to be a rental cottage complex called Bridgeford Cottage Colony, and it's surprisingly still owned by an Else Bridgeford. Now doesn't that look like fun? Sadly, those days are long-gone: today the place looks abandoned, but apparently isn't. [caption id="attachment_61854" align="alignnone" width="750"] Photos via Martha Greene[/caption] Asking price for the property, repped by John D'Agostino at Martha Greene, is $4.995 million, which is about land value. We assume the motel use has been abandoned over the years, so it would be a job to get it back (we're just guessing here); if not, it's possible a local business owner could buy the place and renovate it for employee housing. Or, of course, a private buyer could build a fabulous estate compound as well. It's a nice extra that the property offers a private dock. For more, click here. 31 East Lake Drive, Montauk