By Nancy Kane
The Summer looks out from her brazen tower, Through the flashing bars of July. English poet Francis Thompson may have written these lines over a century ago, but they seem apropos of this year. While East Enders venture out again, cautiously, our homes will always be our castles, with midsummer the most glorious time to celebrate some of the best residences on the market.
They say location is everything, and The Latch Southampton Village has that in spades. The lush 5-acre-plus property was the site of the former Village Latch Inn. ”Exteriors of two historic buildings, The Latch and Terry Cottage, are being restored to their original, late 19th- and early 20th-century grandeur as designed by Stanford White,” says Steven Dubb, principal of The Beechwood Organization, and developer of the property. With this homage to the past, Beechwood is building 20 luxury homes and villas, and a clubhouse with a high-end fitness center and outdoor pool. Four villa residences range in pre-construction price from $1.75 million to $2.4 million, and feature two or three bedrooms and two or three baths. Each residence has its own garage and driveway; the layouts are spacious and open with luxurious finishes and top-of-the-line appliances. Fifteen five-bedroom, 3.5 bath townhomes, on two levels plus a basement, are priced pre-construction from $3.2 million. The largest home at The Latch, the restored Terry Cottage (at pre-construction $5 million), features five bedrooms, 5.5 baths—plus the option of a finished basement for two additional bedrooms—as well as a two-car garage. All this, a stone’s throw from the village shops and a bike ride to the beach.
Right across town on Elm Street, Mary Slattery of Corcoran Group has a beautiful listing, new to the market and priced at $2,895,000. A meticulous restoration of a village classic, originally built in 1890 and completely renovated in 2014, the five-bedroom, 3.5 bath home offers the best of Old World charm and modern convenience. On the lower level, a gym, home theater and wine cellar accommodate modern family living, while the main floor features restored front and rear parlors, a library/den, a formal dining room, a powder room and a renovated, modern cook’s kitchen. A sunroom looks out onto a gunite pool, outdoor dining area and pergola-filled garden.
Matt Lauer’s former home is on the market, listed with Douglas Elliman’s Braun Rosko team—Marcy Braun, Kyle Rosko and Susan Hovdesven—asking $3,950,000. Set on the waterfront in Southampton Shores, the three-bedroom, two-bath cottage with detached garage has a back deck with bulkhead and dock. These are the stunning harbor sunset views homeowners dream of. The house is move-in ready, with permits and variances in place to build a 7,000-square-foot new home when the mood strikes. Existing approvals allow for an additional three levels, four fireplaces, a custom-designed kitchen, seven en-suite guest bedrooms, and a waterside pool, making this a special opportunity—as is, or as you like it.
Farther east, in Sagaponack, right on Sagaponack Main Street, sits a picture-perfect historic farmhouse (currently on the National Register of Historic Places) offered at $5,800,000 with Michael Schultz at the Corcoran Group. Close to nature preserves, vineyards and restaurants, and minutes from the beach, the four-bedroom, two-bath farmhouse built in 1910 was once the residence of the keeper of the Marconi Tower—the first wireless sending and receiving station in the country. Renovated in 2000, the home features a formal dining room and open kitchen; the master bedroom on the second floor includes a balcony overlooking the property. There is also a guest house. An extensive, fenced-in yard with gunite pool and bluestone patio sets the scene for perfect outdoor living.