Real Estate Roundtable: Summer Reflections

August on the East End can be like the last night of summer. Everyone is trying to soak up the last bit of good weather and cram in all that the Hamptons has to offer. But many have been busy, hard at work in real estate. We asked some of the busiest agents: Can you share a deal or client experience from this summer that reflects the current mood of the Hamptons market?

Ashley J. Farrell
THE CORCORAN GROUP
WESTHAMPTON BEACH

On July 22nd, I listed 17 Griffing Avenue in Westhampton Beach, a village known for its generational ownership and limited turnover. Houses in this area rarely come to market, and when they do, they tend to attract immediate attention. Combined with the already tight inventory across the Hamptons, this listing saw rapid interest. By the end of the week, we had an offer, contracts were out the following Monday, and the home was in contract just nine days after hitting the market. It’s a clear reflection of the continued demand for updated and well-located homes in our region. While the final sale price will be revealed upon closing this fall, it’s safe to say homeowners on the street will be pleased – as their property values are only increasing!

Matt Breitenbach
COMPASS
SOUTHAMPTON

The buyer was from Palm Beach, but was originally from New Jersey, and had been living in New York City for years before the COVID-19 pandemic, then relocated to Palm Beach, so he knew the Hamptons and had spent time here. This real estate lifestyle program is what I call a “reverse snowbird effect” in the Hamptons real estate. All of the New Yorkers who moved to Florida over the last five years, especially on the ultra-high net worth end, are now wintering in Florida and summering in the Hamptons. I think the feeding of buyers and renters from Florida, most specifically South Florida, has hit an all-time high and will continue to increase.

Yorgos Tsibiridis
SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
EAST HAMPTON 

This summer, there has been a renewed interest from buyers and serious activity. I have buyers who had lost interest over the last couple of years due to limited inventory, but they have resurfaced and are ready to purchase. Buyers are very savvy, as they have been looking for a while and understand value. Most buyers want completely turnkey homes. There is also an increased interest from buyers who prefer pre-construction homes so they can customize the build-out to their specifications instead of having to redo things afterward. I have also seen increased interest from international buyers.

Deborah A. Pirro
DANIEL GALE SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
WESTHAMPTON BEACH

The market is now on fire. For how long? No one knows. A chilled, quiet Winter gave way to a smoldering early Spring with increased buyer activity as financial markets settled & days became warm and sunny… We now sit in an active Summer market with definitive, educated buyers and sellers who are either “real sellers” ready to make a deal or those who decide, at the 11th hour with incoming offers, to remove their home from the market. Both scenarios are very real. I have been able to put a few “tough to trade” waterfronts into contract. The buyers, in each scenario, had been looking for a long time, wanted water and found value in the elevation, size and location of these properties. With a shift in financial markets and value in these specific properties, all three buyers reallocated assets to secure these properties. Several additional “younger buyers” contacted me directly, looking to purchase with long-time dreams of enjoying Remsenburg, Sag Harbor and Westhampton Beach with loved ones. Each set of buyers explored one to five properties in a day. Offers were made immediately and negotiations were quick and thoughtful. These buyers were met with sellers ready to make a deal, who saw “value” in their incoming offers. That value for sellers was not simply the strong, appropriate offer price, but the terms, flexibility and overall demeanor of the buyers.

Niko Cejic
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
EAST HAMPTON

This summer, I had a listing that really reflected the unpredictability of the current Hamptons market. It had been on for a bit, and just before the season kicked off, we finally got a strong offer. The buyers were excited, wired the deposit, and signed their side of the contract. Then, out of nowhere, I woke up on a Monday to find they had pulled out and asked for their money back. A month later, another qualified buyer came along — great offer, well-negotiated. It took three weeks of back and forth to finalize everything. We were literally one signature away from a deal. Then the same thing happened: they walked. Two deals falling apart at the finish line in under two months. It’s been a season of hesitation — people are serious, but the follow-through has been shaky. It speaks volumes about the uncertainty and emotional volatility we’re seeing right now in the Hamptons.

Rod Cummings
SAUNDERS & ASSOCIATES
WESTHAMPTON BEACH 

Bottom line is that the premium market is hot. Buyers are at the ready with cash in hand. Take, for example, my listing at 100 Griffing Avenue in Westhampton Beach Village. A gorgeous 2020 build at 7,000 square feet of living space featuring a stunning backyard with all the deluxe trimmings. It was better than a brand-new build, considering the landscaping is abundantly lush and mature. With little inventory and a coveted village address, I launched this listing as a premium product at a premium price and had cash offers in hand within a week. Both my seller client and my buyer client are equally thrilled.

This article appeared in the August 15 2025, edition of Behind The Hedges in Dan’s Papers. To read the full digital edition, click here. For past Real Estate Roundtable columns, click here.