Realty Check

Hot Sales and Listings with a Dollop of Hamptons Gossip.

Yay, Norman Jaffe! 

An impressive home on Quantuck Bay in Quogue by the late Norman Jaffe has been listed for $18 million. Repped by Douglas Elliman’s Enzo Morabito, the property is on two lots on Seascape Lane, boasting five acres. The house itself is 7,850 square feet. There are 700 feet of bulkheading on the bay, plus two docks, one stationary, one floating, as well as pool, tennis, and even a putting green.

Built in 1984, the home displays all the typical features of Jaffe in his prime as an architect: stark geometric forms expressed through copious amounts of wood and natural stone.  

Boo, Norman Jaffe!

Over on Meadow Lane, Southampton, the owner of a Jaffe residence designed in 1978 wants to demolish it. The original owner, Orest Bliss, says that when the house was built, it was widely disliked by the village, and his certificate of occupancy states that he must maintain the landscaping so that the house cannot be seen from Meadow Lane.

Opinions have changed about the house, and now preservationists are pleading with the village not to permit the demolition. Bliss says that house has been extended and renovated so much over the years, it’s no more than half what Jaffe designed, anyway. At press time, no decision has been made.

Rubin Checks Out

Howard Rubin, a former money manager for George Soros, whose investing was featured in the bestsellers “Liar’s Poker” and “The Big Short,” and estranged wife Mary Henry have sold their Water Mill property for $9.5 million. 

The six-bedroom, 3,500-square foot house, on Mecox Bay, is set on 2.14 acres, and includes a dock on the bay. There’s a lengthy gunite pool and spa out back, along with a small pool house and tennis court. The property, repped by Susan Breitenbach and Cutter Koster at The Corcoran Group, was originally listed in December 2018 for nearly $15 million and closed in March.

Sandringham Sale

Meegan Darby at The Corcoran Group recently sold 19 Landsdowne Lane, in Southampton’s prestigious Sandringham Beach community. The sale price was $5.05 million, nearly 6% above the original asking price. The transitional 6,500 sq. ft. home on over one acre was sold designer furnished by Elsa Soyars Interiors. Properties in Sandringham have deeded access to a private neighborhood beach on Shinnecock Bay, with access to Old Fort Pond for mooring a boat or launching kayaks and paddle boards.

Someone Is Buying Bioscleave?  

Knock us over with a feather. Or knock the house down with a bulldozer, more likely. Apparently the ten-years-on-and-off-the-market Bioscleave House on Springy Banks Road in East Hampton is in contract. Originally asking a derisible $4 million in 2011, the price on the house promising eternal life dwindled to $975,000 — land value — by this year. 

Besides the bonkers colored house with wavy floors and stripper poles, the 1.1 acre property includes a 1960s A-frame designed by Carl Koch. Obviously we’ll be very interested in the fate of this property. Eternal life? Not for this building, we’re assuming.

Whoa — a 50% Price Cut

Why all the long faces, residents? Campbell Stables on West Pond Drive in Bridgehampton has sold after five years and some enormous price cuts. Last ask for the 16.5 acre farm, with 2.6 acres of agricultural reserve, was $20 million. Five years ago, the property hit the market for $40 million. Last year the price was $35 million. The property includes five barns and other structures, but no dwelling, although plans for a 12,000-square-foot house, plus tennis and a pool, have been approved. Repped by Tal Alexander and Sara Goldfarb of Douglas Elliman.

Doings Across the Canal

The long-stalled Ponquogue Manor condo project may be lurching towards C of Os. On the site of the former Allen’s Acres motel in Hampton Bays, the project was delayed by bankruptcy and the pandemic.

The development began in 2004, with 21 condo units in four buildings with dock slips along the canal. 11 units would be waterfront and 10 others on the landside, with two one-bedrooms, 11 two-bedrooms and eight three-bedrooms.

The project was sold in August 2020 for $17.23 million by court order. However, Southampton Town’s condo conversion law requires that some of the units must be available for rent since the development is in a business zone. How to effect these rentals are up to the town’s planning board. The new owner, an LLC, has been told that it may be able to start selling units soon, when the town makes its decision about rentals.

On the higher end, houses on Dune Road in Quogue, East Quogue and Westhampton Beach are selling for enormous sums. A huge house on the ocean in Quogue sold in just days for $18.5 million. Enzo Morabito at Douglas Elliman had the listing for the 80s style, eight-bedroom, 16-bath, 13,200-square-foot dwelling at 244 Dune Road. 

Another huge house, this time in a traditional style, is in contract at 83 Dune Road in East Quogue. Meredith Murray, Robert Murray and Amanda Murray at The Corcoran Group listed the 7,300 square-foot, 10 bed, 12 bath house set on 2.4 acres of land. The property offers 167 feet of ocean frontage, a guest house, pool, pool house and tennis. Last asking price is $19.495 million.

The record, however, for a property west of the canal was set just last December, when an oceanfront in Quogue sold for $22.5 million, the highest price ever, according to listing agent Robert Canberg at Compass. The 10,700-square-foot house sold for a million and a half above the ask.

Ch-Ch-Changes

Rod Cummings joins Saunders & Associates. Bringing a rare enthusiasm and expertise to his Hamptons real estate practice, Rod’s passion for residential and investment properties was developed over his years of working in the fashion industry and the field of human psychology. His knowledge and experience in the local market, combined with his negotiating skills has brought him repeat business and long-term professional relationships. Profoundly loyal to his clients, Rod offers concierge services to deliver a unique and total experience when shopping for or selling Hamptons real estate. He currently resides with his family in the beautiful hamlet of Quiogue and is based in Saunders’ Westhampton office.

The Luxe Advisory Team at Compass, with 24 years of combined experience and over $250,000,000 in gross sales transactions, services all price points and areas from the Moriches to Montauk. Antonio, Samantha, Mariana, and now Mollie Scruggs and Amanda MacDonald, couple their hands-on personal approach with cutting edge technology and marketing expertise.

A broad network reach in the luxury primary and secondary sectors and diverse skill sets have earned the team their clients’ trust to deliver exceptional service for a wide range of real estate needs. Powered by Compass’ superior technology, tools and presence, clients can expect to receive first-class service.