Jeff Heatley
The Guide: The Hamptons
July 1, 2007
The Hamptons, America’s summer playland, is the home of magnificent mansions, pearly white sand beaches and low-key celebrities. Located 80 miles east of Manhattan on the South Fork of Long Island, the Hamptons is composed of charming seaside towns, villages and hamlets, each with its own distinct personality. Through the years, the mix of beach life, nightlife and quaint farm stands that sell everything from fresh-picked produce to homemade peach pie has drawn everyone from Billy Joel and George Stephanopoulos to Jackie O and Jackson Pollack. On a summer day, you might run into P. Diddy strolling on the beach or bump into Paul McCartney pedaling his bike.
Summer rentals are much coveted, whether in the enclaves of Amagansett, Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Hampton Bays, Montauk, Napeague, North Haven, the Quogues, Sag Harbor, Sagaponack, Shelter Island, Southampton, Springs, Wainscott, Water Mill, Westhampton and Westhampton Beach. Although the high season has traditionally been June through August, when society’s charity events are in full swing, the area draws its share of weekenders year-round.
Realtors
Two types of architecture—the traditional Shingle style
cottage, and modern—predominate, and properties typically include one to three
acres of manicured landscape. Oceanfront estates are at a premium; a record $45
million recently was paid for an eight-acre estate on Further Lane in East
Hampton, but a 40-acre property in East Hampton reportedly is under contract for
$90 million. "There are things available in every price range at the high end,"
says Peter Turino, president of Brown Harris Stevens. "And there usually are
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This seven-bedroom home built in 1900 is on the market through
Sotheby’s International Realty’s East Hampton office for $8.9 million. (Click image to enlarge)
Brown Harris Stevens
(631.324.6400, www.bhshamptons.com). This Christie’s Great Estates affiliate
has eight offices in the Hamptons. "We don’t take every listing," says Turino,
adding that the company recently sold East Hampton’s Lasata, once owned by
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’s grandfather, for $25 million. "We represent high
quality in all price ranges."
Sotheby’s International Realty (Bridgehampton, 631.537.6000; East Hampton, 631.324.6000; Southampton, 631.283.0600, www.sothebysrealty.com). Bridgehampton’s Ellie Dees recently sold a Sagaponack home for a reported $9.5 million; East Hampton’s Rylan Jacka sold a home designed by Francis Fleetwood in Amagansett for a reported $6.3 million; and Southampton’s Chip Dineen sold one in the estate section of Southampton for a reported $11.5 million.
Devlin McNiff (East Hampton, 631.324.6100, www.devlinmcniff.com). This 46-year-old firm, owned by Stuart and Lynn Epstein, covers the Hamptons from Amagansett to Water Mill and typically sells properties of $3 million to $7 million. Its highest-priced sale was $12.5 million. "We have strong local knowledge and roots," Stuart says.
Eden Portfolio (Bridgehampton, 631.726.3336, www.edenportfolio.com). Started a year ago, this luxury boutique office, which markets only a handful of properties that start at $3 million, emphasizes its white-glove service that is similar to that offered by luxury car and yacht dealers. "We are working with a charter company to jet potential buyers here," says Isabel von Fluegge, director of marketing and sales. "We are courting international clientele; I speak four languages and others in the office speak at least two. We remain a consistent resource for our buyers. The deal doesn’t end when the contract is signed."
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