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Yes, of course, the hilarious asking prices make headlines, but there are plenty of properties available at a much more down-to-earth ask. Such as this one, located in Lazy Point, a quiet area of mostly water and sea birds. For $1.3 million, you can clam, windsurf, kiteboard, and SUP right from your front yard.

“But Hot Sheet,” I hear you say. “In the real world, $1.3 million is quite a lot of money.” Yes, but if you want to be in the Hamptons, you have to pay a premium. “But Hot Sheet,” you continue. “I see lots of sold properties in the area that cost much less. What gives?” That’s because in much of Lazy Point, the residents own only their buildings and have to pay ground rent to the town of East Hampton. This property includes the land.

Of course, the house is modest–but that’s much of the charm of the area. It’s just 900 square feet with two bedrooms and one bath; not a lot of room but it’s all nicely updated. There’s also 0.23 of an acre of land.

Interested? Contact Krae van Sickle and Lylla Carter at Saunders. And go enjoy a peaceful, quiet summer.

• 82 Shore Road [HRE]

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Ah, Sagaponack. While the hamlet is often ranked number one for expensive real estate in the United States, it also might be the most agricultural Hampton, where a farm field could overlook the ocean. Thus, it is only fitting that a 1.1-acre hobby farm on tony Daniels Lane would include a chicken coop that has won architectural awards. Architect magazine wrote of it, “The coop’s simple rounded form is clad in aluminum shingles whose folded edges cast shadows that change throughout the day. The ends of the coop are cedar siding. The eight residents benefit from radiant floor heating.” And of course, only in Sagaponack would a tiny hobby farm ask $9.95 million. It’s repped by Dana Trotter at Sotheby’s.

We adore this place. In addition to the chicken coop, there are numerous garden beds that produce organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and honey. (Any gardener would covet that outdoor slate sink.) Of course there’s a gorgeous gunite pool, with poolhouse gym, and the former barn has been converted into a chic guesthouse.

The farmhouse, built circa 1896, was renovated in 2014, fortunately keeping many period features. We think it’s a little over-renovated, but most people aren’t purists for old houses as we are, and the interiors are really pretty fabulous. Contemporary, so will appeal to everyone.

Now for the $9.95 million question: is it worth it? Who cares? It’s fabulous.

• Ultimate Farm Chic Compound [DT]

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This estate, which used to be a farm, has been one of our favorite listings over the past few years. The house, built in 1902, is in the Arts and Crafts style, which is our passion, and many of the furnishings reflect that. Peep all the Stickley in the photo below.

The rustic twig furniture, above, also complements the Arts and Crafts style.

The property first hit the market in 2017 asking $23.45 million. At the time, the property comprised 16 acres, including a five-acre parcel with the owners’ private art museum on it. That was sold separately in 2019. Now the property includes 10.5 acres and is asking $10.75 million. It’s represented by Enzo Morabito at Douglas Elliman.

This seems like a bargrain to us. A lovely old house, all that land (waterfront on Quantuck Bay), pool, tennis and two guest houses? Slam dunk for anyone with the taste to appreciate it.

• 607 Main Street [E]

 

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Good news, rich folks! You can tell Ken Griffin to eat your dust by buying the property next door to his on Meadow Lane. Sure, Griffin’s purchase of Calvin Klein’s place at 650 Meadow Lane made headlines last year; he paid $84.4 million. But now you can pay more than twice that much for 700 Meadow Lane! Who’s the real estate king now, huh?

Owner Marcia Riklis (we remember her father Meshulam Riklis for being the one-time husband of Pia Zadora) made headlines back in 2015 offering the property for $2.5 million for the summer. It’s actually quite a special place, of course, though we remember the decor of the rental being kinda dumpy. (The dining room looked like a low-budget steakhouse joint.)

Now it’s been nicely staged.

So what do you, Rich Person, get for your $175 million? Eight acres on the ocean, with 500′ of oceanfront. (Not that piddly seven acres Griffin got.) A huge pool, tennis court and basketball court (650 Meadow has none). Land on the bay side as well, with a dock for your boat. A rather lovely traditional house–we may dis the decor but the house itself is a classic summer house, pretty much the opposite of the glass box next door. The house is about 15,500 square feet, with 11 bedrooms, 12 full and 4 half bathrooms, and there’s an attached caretaker’s cottage. Of course, the listing is repped by Bespoke, who we admire for being able to sell these mega-estates so well.

Is $175 million a crazy price? Yes. Obviously Ms. Riklis likes to make a splash in the news by asking huge prices. The former Calvin Klein property is a trophy in a way that this one isn’t. We think a nice round $100 million is a more realistic starting point, but hell, the fun thing about Hamptons real estate is that it’s basically crazy, so if the Bespoke folks can pull this off, good for them.

• Mylestone at Meadow Lane [B]

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Ah, remember 2011? Ten years ago now, and also when this property hit the market. Waterfront, plenty of land, deepwater dock, on the toniest street in North Haven, 10,000 square foot Lutyens style house: all this for just $40 million. Well, it didn’t sell for several years; the interiors may have been baronial but the price was ducal. Finally, in 2014, the place sold for a recordbreaking, news-making $31,567,350.

Now, without being on the market again, the property has changed hands for $14.3 milllion. According to the Real Estate Report, the seller was Triple Jay LLC, while the buyer was 19 Robertson Drive LLC. Intrafamilial? Someone got a deal.

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It’s time to make up a bunch of awards and hand them out to the most deserving people, places and things in the worlds of Hamptons real estate! That’s right; it’s time for the first ever Hot List.

In December, we asked you for nominations for the folks in Hamptons real estate who really went above and beyond for everyone in the business–fellow agents, buyers, and of course sellers. We got quite a few responses: thanks to everyone who took part. The winners are those who received the most nominations.

One person got quite a few more votes than anyone else. Congratulations to Patrick Mclaughlin of Douglas Elliman, about whom one person wrote “Simply THE BEST.” Todd Bourgard, Douglas Elliman’s Senior Executive Regional Manager of Sales for the Hamptons, said of him, “One of the things I admire about Patrick is his commitment to bring diligence, expertise and transparency to each transaction. Professionally and personally he values the reputation he has earned and he seeks to impart knowledge to those he works with, both clients and colleagues. He is an expert communicator, an ardent animal lover, and an advocate for numerous charitable causes, all of which make him a valuable and integral member of the East End community that he loves.”

“Philip Judson always goes the extra mile and I am highly impressed,” went another nomination. Philip, who is an agent for Brown Harris Stevens, told us, “”After spending 30 years in the fashion industry in NYC I switched careers and moved full time to EH and got into RE, a move that I wish I had made sooner. Not that I regret my time in fashion, more that I realize how much I love the East End and all the beauty it has to offer. And I love the satisfaction of helping people navigate what is one of the most important decisions in their lives.”

One nominator wrote, “Sara Goldfarb was moving mattresses on closing day–so her purchasers could move in to their new house on the scheduled time. The seller’s broker was nowhere to be found. The seller’s broker said “we’re brokers, not movers”. But Sara did what had to be done to get the closing done. Bravo.” Another commented, “As I told Sara Goldfarb, I was just looking at my soon-to-be house and I am so grateful to her for making it happen. I’m so happy I got to her know and so fortunate that we met. She went to bat for me to get a house (another higher offer on the table) and sellers chose me because of the way she handled the situation.” Good work, Sara! The Douglas Elliman agent told us, “As my clients know, I make it a point to go beyond just the transaction as I want to make sure they have what they need to make their house a home. I love to refer my local contacts and connections, and it’s such a great feeling to help not only my clients but also the local individuals and businesses. That is worth every late-night phone call, furniture moves, or ‘crazy’ moment that it takes to get a deal done.”

Kalen Raynor, Westhampton Beach Sales Manager at Daniel Gale/Sotheby’s, told us,”I am honored to be selected for the Hamptons Hot List! Real estate in the Hamptons has been a passion of mine for the last twenty one years. As someone who was born and raised here, I understand the true beauty the Hamptons has to offer and I enjoy helping buyers and sellers achieve their Hamptons dreams. What I love most about the Hamptons is that each town offers a truly different feel and together it makes for a wonderful place to live. Whether you enjoy boating, beaching, camping, hiking, surfing, the Hamptons has it all. ​”​

John Vitello, who’s with Brown Harris Stevens, says, “There’s truly no place like the Hamptons. The energy, the sense of community and the peace it offers is unlike any other place in the world. The most rewarding part of working with my clients is knowing I’m helping them move into a new chapter of their life while making their Hamptons dreams come true.”

 

 

 

Yet another BHS broker, Jane Babcook, is our final Hot List agent for 2021. She says, “I want to say Thank You for being named to the Hot List. These have been trying times and took its toll on many of us. I realized when that we were in such desperate need of help this March, our brokerage community unified. It takes a village and we got through what I have never experienced in my 23 years of this business. It’s important to help each other out when we can, and I would say the East End rescued a lot of fleeing NYers! Cheers to 2021!”

 

 

Congrats to all the winners!

But that’s not all. We wanted to highlight some of the best comments regarding other agents. “Brian Hagadorn is just 27 but in his five years in real estate has proven to be one of the kindest most helpful people to me (an agent) and to his clients and customers. He treats everyone with professionalism and kindness.”

“Chris Covert at Compass has a great disposition and is amazing at follow through. Takes a good broker to sell a $4.5+ million dollar house to a customer who only saw it once and is now in California.”

“John Brady, Saunders, is great to work with and always accommodating to show his listings. John is a ‘no drama guy.'”

Thanks to everyone who makes this a great community to work in!

In a hot real estate market, condo sales coming along well, too. Gurney’s Residences in Montauk are all sold out, and there are just a few condos left in Sag Harbor’s Watchcase. Over in Southampton Village, the long-aborning The Latch 20-unit condominium project is half sold out already, all off floorplans.

And why not? There’s five acres of land right within walking distance to everything in the village. The property was formerly the Village Latch Inn, which was originally the Grand Annex to Southampton’s Irving Hotel in the early 1900s. The new condos have exteriors that blend well with the historic style of the old buildings and the mature trees, yet are airy and modern inside. Of course there’s also a clubhouse with a high-end fitness center and a large pool.

The Beechwood Organization, which purchased the inn in 2016, is offering units ranging from $2.6 to $7 million. $7 million buys the historic and fully restored Terry Cottage, a single-family home in its own acre of land. The cottage belonged to the Irving Hotel owner, Terry Irving, and is thought to be designed by Stanford White. The main Latch building, also by White, will contain two condo units, and the rest are new builds. There are ten of the A type townhomes. 15A, for example, offers four bedrooms, four baths, and two half baths in about 5000 square feet of space and is currently priced at $4.025 million.

Interested? Hard-hat tours are currently available.

• The Latch [Beechwood]

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Well, you can’t say the owners aren’t serious about selling. This property hit the market in June asking $10.95 million; now, it’s down to $8.3 million. We do like sellers who are realistic about cutting prices if a property doesn’t trade, even in a hot market, so kudos to them.

Kudos, too, because this is a gorgeous property inside and out. (One of these days, we’ll post about disappointing interiors. Happens so sadly often. Not, surprisingly, the other way round.) We love the way the designer/owner uses wallpaper and pattern–subtly, on accent walls, not to overwhelm the rooms. The design manages to be fresh and unstuffy, yet interesting, with playful accents as in the fun kids’ bunkroom.

Repped by Michaela Keszler and Paulina Keszler of Douglas Elliman, what does the property offer for your 8-and-a-bit large? 2.3 acres of land in two plots (overlooking five acres of reserve). A house and studio built in the 60s and then connected and refreshed a few years ago with almost 3500 square feet of space, along with a separate studio/playroom and laundry area. Of course a lovely pool and the possibility of building yet another house on the separate lot. We think it’s perfect as is.

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According to sources, who are never wrong, Ziel Feldman, head of struggling HFZ Capital, has sold his 1.5-acre oceanfront spread on Dune Road in an off-market deal. Not too surprising since Feldman also put his New York penthouse up for sale in November (asking $39 million). Gary Cooper of Hedgerow Properties reportedly brokered the deal.

The property, at 187 Dune Road, includes 1.54 acres of lane along with a house that “looks like a midtown skyscraper” (according to our source).

So there you have it. This will certainly change the 2020 top-10 priciest list, if true.

Updated to add: Page Six reports the buyer is Michael Rubin.

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It’s time to make up a bunch of awards and hand them out to the most deserving people, places and things in the worlds of Hamptons real estate! That’s right; it’s time for the first ever Hot List. Today’s subject: the largest sales of 2020.

Hot is the word for Hamptons real estate this year, thanks to the Covid virus. That’s not news. But to illustrate the difference between 2019 and 2020, consider: the top home sale last year was $39 million for 263 Surfside Drive, Bridgehampton. That deal would only get to number 6 on this list. Meanwhile, the top sale this year was more than twice that amount. This year’s biggest sales add up to $450.55 million, up 48 percent from the $303.5 million for the top 10 in 2019. Why “so far”? Many deals will be closing this week, so stay tuned.

As for region, good ol’ Billionaires’ Row in Southampton reigned supreme, with four entries on the list for Meadow Lane. No entries from upstarts Bridgehampton or Sagaponack this year.

1 $84.4 million, 650 Meadow Lane, Southampton

Was it something we said, Calvin? Or maybe Mr. Klein got an offer he couldn’t refuse. Billionaire hedge funder Ken Griffin continued his buying spree by coughing up a truly stunning price. That said, the property is also stunning, with a gorgeous modern house, several outbuildings and seven acres of oceanfront land. Interesting that Calvin had neither a pool nor a tennis court.

Of course this property has a long and notorious history–it was formerly the du Pont estate, which was eventually purchased by the infamous Barry Trupin (a distant relative of this writer), and turned into the Southampton-matron-pearls-clutching Dragon’s Head. Calvin Klein then razed that house, to the disappointment of no one, and built the current house.

2. $67 million, 15 West Dune Lane, East Hampton

3.4 acres fronting on Wiborg Beach was the attraction here. But there’s also a 8,000-square-foot house designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, with an oceanfront pool. Not enough space? Don’t fancy your cousin’s creepy kids peeing in your pool? There’s also a 6,000-square-foot guesthouse with its own pool.

3. $45 million, 26 & 32 Windmill Lane, East Hampton

Just off Further Lane is this 6.7 acre property, with two lots, right on the ocean. The main house is a comparatively piddly 5,000 square feet, so we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a teardown. A 12,500 square foot house could then be built.

4. $40.9 million, 1050 Meadow Lane, Southampton

This 3.4-acre property boasts 535 feet of oceanfront and also a dock on Shinnecock Bay. The 9,000-square-foot house was constructed by Ben Krupinski Builder and decorated by Steven Gambrel. It has 6 bedrooms and 9.5 bathrooms.

5. $39.5 million, 1400 Meadow Lane, Southampton

An ultra-modern 11,000-square-foot new build adorns this three-acre plot. Not fancy enough? There’s also a 2,870-square-foot marble terrace, a tennis court and an infinity pool overlooking the ocean.

6. $38 million, 24 and 28 Gin Lane, Southampton

Two parcels that were formerly part of Wooldon Manor sold in Februrary. There are some old buildings, but they’re going to be torn down. The buyer can then add a new place up to 15,000 square feet, with, of course, the requisite pool and tennis.

7. $36 million, 1116 Meadow Lane, Southampton

This too, we think, is a deal for the land. The house itself is odd and suffering from the 1980s. But hey, 3.6 acres on Meadow Lane and 200 feet of oceanfront is nothing to sneeze at.

8. $35.75 million, 27 Drew Lane, East Hampton

Hedgie Barry Rosenstein finally unloaded his older (2007) oceanfront property. Of course you remember when in 2014 he spent $137 million on the former Browne estate. This property had been on the market since 2017 and first asked $70 million.

9. $35 million, 317 Murray Place, Southampton

This house, in the Murray Compound, is styled like a French chateau. Because hey, why not. It’s 9,000 square feet with four bedrooms (four?) and 5.5 baths. Fortunately, there’s 200 feet of ocean frontage and a 2.8-acre lot.

10. $34 million, 55 Coopers Neck Lane, Southampton

Originally asking $40 million, this property is not oceanfront. There’s a 12,400-square-foot gambreled new build sporting all the rich-folks bells and whistles, with 11 bedrooms and 12 baths, as well as 4.5 acres of land. Too small? There is also a 6 bedroom guesthouse on the property. Bored? There’s a two-lane bowling alley, not to mention the usual home theater and indoor and outdoor pools.