SPACE REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE from left: Christopher LaGuardia, Beate Moore, Steven Dubb, Susan Breitenbach, Kevin Santacroce, and Nick Martin discuss spec houses and new developments in the Hamptons.
Meet the Panelists Beate Moore Sotheby’s International Realty, 2446 Main St., Bridgehampton, 537-6000; sothebyshomes.com Christopher LaGuardia LaGuardia Design Group, 860 Montauk Hwy., 726-1403; laguardiadesigngroup.com Kevin Santacroce Bridgehampton National Bank, 2200 Montauk Hwy., Bridgehampton, 209-7640; bridgenb.com Nick Martin Martin Architects, 2913 Montauk Hwy., Sagaponack, 613-6555; martinarchitects.com Steven Dubb The Beechwood Organization, 200 Robbins Lane, Jericho, 800-616-5774; beechwoodhomes.com Susan Breitenbach Corcoran, 1936 Montauk Hwy., Bridgehampton, 8990303; susanbreitenbach.com
Battle of the build
Let’s talk about new houses. What is happening in the Hamptons market? Steven Dubb: The part that gets overlooked in the Hamptons is that there is a segment of the population that wants to live in the Hamptons but wants smaller living. At Bishops Pond, we built 69 townhomes that were finished the same way that a spec mansion would be finished, but [offering a] lifestyle that people want without a lot of the hassle. Susan Breitenbach: People used to come out and look at houses with a garden. Once you start looking at all this new construction, it has made it a lot harder for some of the older, charming properties. Christopher LaGuardia: The speculative homes we work on are very high-end. They’re $15 million to $25 million. I could never have imagined a speculative product at that
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price point. There is a market for it. Why do you think some buyers gravitate toward new construction? Nick Martin: Time. A lot of people don’t have the time to re-create their dream house here, or the taste, so they’re seeing a number of different qualities and sizes. SB: Sometimes it amazes me, too, that some of these people with all this money don’t care about the land. Who is buying these? It’s amazing. They don’t get that they’re getting maybe not the quality. They don’t understand that maybe one— or five—of the exact house could pop up across the street. Beate Moore: Especially in certain sections of Daniels Lane in Sagaponack. You have four different varieties of modernist houses with some ode to a tradition. They all have failed. They’re not well îî
LaGuardia Design Group created this swimming pool and spa surrounded by a sandstone terrace and featuring a custom fireplace.
photography by tanya Malott (roundtable); courtesy of laguardia design (pool)
Move-in-ready Spec hoMeS are certainly convenient, but are they harMing the character of the haMptonS? a panel of eaSt end real eState expertS debateS the proS and conS. Moderated by Michael braverMan