As promised last week, here is the South Fork 2007 report by Town & Country Real Estate CEO, Judi Desiderio. "2007 was a much better year for Hamptons' real estate than 2006.The big winner on the South Fork, with gains across the board, was Amagansett. In fact, Amagansett saw the greatest increase in Total Sales Volume with a 79 percent leap from $132 million to $236 milliion - impressive!"

"The price range of $2 million to $3.499 million, which suffered in 2006 in several markets, came back with a vengeance in 2007. In that price range Southampton Area (which includes North Sea) jumped 109 percent, East Hampton Area (which includes Wainscott) jumped 85 percent, Amagansett up 79 percent, Montauk and Sag Harbor Areas (which include Noyac and North Haven) up 100 percent and 110 percent, respectively. In fact, in All Hamptons Markets Combined the $2 million - $3.49 million price range out performed all others with a total 53 percent increase from 182 in 2006 to 278 in 2007."

Property listed with Town & COuntry Real Estate.

Judi continued, "A closer look at All Hamptons Markets Combined and one clearly sees activity level in Number of Sales rose nine percent, Total Sales Volume jumped 30 percent, and the Median Sale Price increased 21 percent to $1,040,640. Back in 2005 the Town & Country Year End Report posted $800,000 as the Median Sale Price - proving once again the stability of East End real estate - the #1 hedge against inflation in my professional opinion."

Our readers would like to review veteran analyst George Simpson's (Suffolk Research Service) latest findings, as well.

Interesting that now there have been two opinion pieces in last month's weeklies, knocking the East End real estate industry wholesale. Nothing good to say? Hard to believe there is nothing positive. It's a tough, strange, and competitive business, but I do not believe the industry has cornered the market on bad guys. I remember those 'West of the Canal' brokers who formed groups to help out local charities while working seven days a week and taking care of their families. Don't you guys out there have something to say about the nature of the business, bad and good?

For a more current right-now market reaction, this is in from Tom MacNiven managing broker, Prudential Douglas Elliman, East Hampton - "I am noticing a distinct ramp up in sales on the low end, starter homes for both full time residents and summer folks ($450,000 to $800,000 range). Is it the higher limits on FHA loans? Is it forclosures/lis pendens/short sales/good deals? I'd say it's all of the above."

Hamptons Luxury Homes is well into their recently formed Hamptons Green Alliance, writes Frank Dalene, vice president of Hamptons Luxury Homes and president of Telemark Inc. "The purpose of the Hamptons Green Alliance is to provide pragmatic educational tools, leadership and be a resource to the public in the area of sustainable green building practices. Our goal will be to work towards providing the information required to build zero energy homes and carbon neutral homes."

In addition to Telemark, Inc., the charter members of the Alliance from the press release: "Connected Hearth, a supplier and installer of intelligent security and automation systems that allow homeowners to monitor and control their homes' security, heat or air conditioning, indoor or outdoor lighting and any other system remotely through the Internet. Delfino Insulation Company, Inc. is a supplier and installer of energy efficient insulation systems, as well as a provider of foundation waterproofing, manufactured fireplaces, closet systems, and cultured stone. Flanders Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. is a company that designs, engineers and installs complete efficient comfort systems for homes. Sun Stream USA is a full service renewable energy product and service provider, which designs and installs state-of-the-art solar electric, solar hot water, solar pool heating, wind powered and geothermal systems for residential and commercial clients. Treewise is the leader in 100 percent organic ecological landscape management programs. They work with landscape designers, planners and architects to establish sustainable systems that support the life, beauty and health in the landscape."

(Say Frank, Realty Takes readers would still love to know who bought 104 Gin Lane?).

Another Winner! Senior Vice President at Prudential Douglas Elliman in East Hampton, Josiane Fleming, born in Lausanne, Switzerland and raised in Montreux, fluent in French, English and German, was just named the winner of The James Wray, Jr. Memorial marketing award from FIABCI USA (The International Real Estate Federation) for having the most outstanding marketing presentation of all FIABCI members in the United States. In East Hampton, Fleming is Robin Kaplan's partner in the Fleming-Kaplan team.

So people win recognition, markets do what markets do, "green" has taken on additional meaning in the industry, when you're out there you get criticized (that's a rule!), and East End Real Estate is a very strange business.