Photograph by Todd Pierce
Home All-Stars: Inside Looking Out
January 1, 2006
Conyers Farm, Greenwich, Conn.
In just 45 minutes, financial tycoons can trade Wall Street gray for the rolling greens of Conyers Farm.
Through the guard gate and past the frolicking polo ponies at the Greenwich Polo
Club are some of the most desirable estates in the country. The original
1,500-acre farm was divided into 10-acre lots, but many owners have purchased
two, doubling their property. Just 96 homes dot the landscape of mature trees,
lakes and ponds. "You’d think you were in Kentucky or England," says Elizabeth
Douthit, a broker for Round Hill Partners who often handles estates at Conyers
Farm.
The minimum requirement for homes here is 8,000 square feet, but most start at 12,000, says Douthit, and they often have a guesthouse, pool, poolhouse, tennis court, stables and the occasional par-3 golf hole. Nothing at Conyers Farm is built without the approval of the association, which carefully maintains the neighborhood’s architectural aesthetic. "Setbacks are strict to keep the estatelike feeling, and development is controlled, but that’s what makes the place so valuable," says Douthit.
While property taxes in Greenwich are low, real estate in Conyers Farm is pricey. In August 2004, an 80-acre estate with a main house, guesthouse and 22-stall horse barn sold in less than three months for a record-setting $45 million. One of the most coveted lots, a 21-acre parcel, sold for $17.5 million, making a listing for a 10-acre piece of land currently listed at $4 million seem reasonable.
Those who buy here–including many Wall Street moguls and entertainment honchos such as Ron Howard and WWE’s Vince McMahon–crave privacy, which is enforced by 24-hour manned guard gates and an on-foot security brigade. "Those who are well-known like Conyers Farm because no one hounds them. They can’t get this lifestyle on the West Coast," says Douthit.
Elizabeth Douthit, 203.962.3424, 203.861.0410, www.estate-agency.com
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