A waterfront house in Hampton Bays sold for $3.7 million, the highest residential sale price in the hamlet in recent years, an area where trades pale in comparison to those east of the Shinnecock Canal.
“This sale is likely to change values of homes in Hampton Bays. Certainly, in the immediate neighborhood, where nothing has sold for anywhere near the price,” says Jennifer Reiner of SERHANT., who was the listing agent.
The 2,750-square-foot house at 8 Gilbert Road was built in 2011 and sits on three-quarters of an acre with views of the Shinnecock Bay and a path that leads to a private beach. The $3.7 million deal closed on Feb. 5, 2025.
Hampton Bays does tend to see the most affordable prices on the South Fork. As of January, according to Redfin, the median home price in Hampton Bays was $862,500, which marks a 9.21% decrease from the previous year.
But waterfront, no matter where it is at a premium. And while this recent sale price definitely stands out, it is certainly not the highest on the record, though which sale holds that distinction is not clear.
A 5,500-square-foot residence at 17 Ludlow Lane sold in early 2023. The Multiple Listing Service and Douglas Elliman, which brokered the deal, say it traded for $5.925 million, though deed recordings show it sold for $3.3 million.
Either way, the house serves as a good comparison for 8 Gilbert Road, given they were sold just two years apart and both boast waterfront locations.
The house at 17 Ludlow Lane features five en suite bedrooms plus a half bath, as compared to 8 Gilbert’s three bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms, with only one being an en suite. There are first and second-floor primary bedrooms at 17 Ludlow Lane, but no bedrooms on the first floor at 8 Gilbert.
The property at 17 Ludlow Lane also features big ticket amenities — a large gunite pool, a two-car heated garage, and a 136-foot brand new dock. Though the home at 8 Gilbert Road is in great condition and was built to endure severe weather, it offers none of those features, Reiner explains.
The agent believes this shows that prices are indeed rising in Hampton Bays.
“Although it is an impeccable waterfront home with sweeping bay views from both floors, a home with the specs of 8 Gilbert never sold for anywhere near the price, specifically in the neighborhood as well as in all of Hampton Bays,” Reiner says.
The property at 8 Gilbert last sold in 2007 for $1,115,000 when a much smaller house was located on the property. It was torn down and construction on the new home began in 2010 and completed in 2011.
“While Hampton Bays continues to gain popularity, the sale is somewhat of an anomaly, possibly a reflection of the Hampton Bays market as a whole,” Reiner says.
While sale prices are often significantly lower in Hampton Bays than elsewhere in the Hamptons, property taxes are “higher dollar per dollar,” Reiner says that there are deals available, as “waterfront is available at a great discount to waterfront throughout the rest of the Hamptons.”
She says, “With very little waterfront inventory overall, this sort of sale could be a trend.”
Past Big Hampton Bays Sales
In 2018, the sale of the house at 132 Newtown Road, on the western side of Hampton Bays, set a record when it sold for $5.7 million. Called “Shorebluff,” the nine-acre estate sits on 225 feet of the Peconic Bay shoreline. Three structures were included on the property, including the main home, built around 1897, and a guest house. It has been spotted in films including The Forgotten featuring Julianne Moore and Margot at the Wedding featuring Nicole Kidman.
Other high-end sales in Hampton Bays’ history include 22 Lynn Court in 2007 at $5.35 million. The gated 1.7-acre property sits on Shinnecock Bay and features open views of the Atlantic Ocean, Shinnecock Inlet and Meadow Lane. The 7,000-square-foot, shingle-style home features views from all main rooms and terraces. The lot also offers a pool, a dining pavilion, a three-car garage, a pool house, a two-bedroom guest house and bluff stairs to a permanent dock.
The house at 19 Cedar Lane sold for $3.7 million in 2011.
More recent sales include, “The Peninsual House” at 26 Elder Avenue in 2020 for $4 million, and 17 Cormorant Drive, which traded for $3.9 million in 2022. The restored 1886 house at 26 Elder Avenue offers 4,600 square feet with modern amenities. There is also a pool house and a carriage house on the property, just shy of an acre. The house at 17 Cormorant Drive, near Cormorant Point, features 7,500 square feet of space with panoramic water views of the Shinnecock Bay, a bayfront gunite pool and access to open water.
Also in 2022, a five-bedroom, three-bath Victorian on a one-acre lot on Shinnecock Bay sold for $3.5 million. The 3,006-square-foot home at 13A Lighthouse Road is set on just under one acre, which includes a garage, pool and stairs to the beach. Having been built in 1911, the five-bedroom home was more than than 110 years old when it sold and had been fully renovated.
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