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Added: July 12, 2007, 10:07 am	Share    Print    Email

Project GreenHouse in Springs is eco-friendly. Landscaping by Marders in Bridgehampton. Photo by Project GreenHouse

Once unheard of, then very new, now looking like it's here to stay - what I call the Grand Hamptons Hotel phenomenon. This news from Hampton Homes' industry veterans Barbara Weinman and Jan Robinson, "Seeing lots of weekly and two week rental customers, We are doing quite a few. Why not? So much on the market, prices still seem strong, very few good deals, more activity as of late."

(Everything but room service. And we had heard that sometimes that's offered, too.)

Laura Scott, Prudential Douglas Elliman, Dot Herman's right hand gives an overview of their operation: "Celebrating it's 10th anniversary in the Hamptons, Prudential Douglas Elliman earned respect as a high end player in Southampton and Bridgehampton some time ago. The numbers in East Hampton, however, while impressive, had been built on smaller sales. That's changing." Miss Scott asserts.

She then goes on to tell us how..."Earlier this year young superstar Bryan Midlam, 25, took the Two Mile Hollow oceanfront Liz Robbins listing -- which had languished on the market for almost two years with notable high end experts from other agencies -- and sold it for very near full asking price in just three weeks." Ray Smith from Prudential's Southampton office brought the buyer.

Laura then told us, "Bryan Midlam isn't resting on his laurels, or the nice commission check. He was the point man on Prudential Douglas Elliman's new $23 million dollar listing, waterfront on Hook Pond, which he shares with Managing Broker, Tom MacNiven. High end legend John Golden, also in Prudential Douglas Elliman's East Hampton office, has the $26 million dollar Montauk Oceanfront Peter Beard listing"

Long time Broker and key executive, Paul Brennan, from Prudential's Bridgehampton office suggests an interesting phenomenon, he writes. "...from 2000 on it appears to be the decade of the spec builder. They appear to be driving the market by buying the land, building and selling their 'finished' product. It seems like individualism is out and 'instant' is in..."

Nice to hear from Wainscott's Diana Weir, former East Hampton Town Councilwoman, presently Executive Vice President Long Island Housing Partnership, Inc. Diana sent us on this Newsday piece bringing Project Green House in the Hamptons to our attention. "Built halfway into the earth of East Hampton, [the house is] built to be 90 percent sustainable with eco-friendly design by architect Edvin Karl Strom-sten. Stromsten, 77, spent roughly $500,000 on the house...trying to have him have a zero footprint on the Earth."

Here are the specs: "Project Green House: three-bedroom, two-bathroom house saves energy with a geothermal heating and cooling system and insulation. During the winter, concrete floors and walls absorb heat during the day and release it at night. Glass faces south for maximum winter sun exposure while limiting direct high sun in the summer. Underground north and east walls maintain a constant temperature of 52 degrees, reducing the need for heat and air conditioning. Photovoltaic roof panels provide electricity."

After thanking her, we wrote back to Diana:

On Cedar Street close to Stephen Hand's Path in East Hampton, just such an "underground house" was built back in the 70s (of course with whatever the technology was 35 years ago) when Judith Hope and Ian Marceau and the Group for America's South Fork were introducing the new environmentalist concept to East Hampton. That house has solar panels as well.

Thanks to Bob Cohen of Hamptons Fine Homes who emailed a correction as to an earlier Realty Takes column. The luxury tax is 1% on home a million or more and the Community Preservation tax is 2%. "OK, as you know when you buy a house for a million...$10,000 mansion (luxury) tax, $15,000 Peconic Trust, and if you have a mortgage, approx 2% tax on the amount borrowed...ouch!"

Cheaper and more direct simply throwing a spear into the ground, to make a transaction "a done deal" by South Fork natives in that long ago time before we barbarians from the West invaded. In any case, it is worth a visit to Hamptons Fine Homes website for a very clear description of what it may cost to just buy the darn house out here.

As difficult (and as costly!) as it is to try to find a home in the Hamptons, a former real estate editor Susan Galardi found a home for her children's musical, "Who is Natalie Spoo?", at the Children's Museum of the East End at 376 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike for two performances this summer. They will be held on Wednesday, July 25 and repeated on Wednesday, August 15. Showtime 6:30.

In the summer, East End real estate seems like an even stranger business.

For more information, click here.

Lona Rubenstein is an accomplished author residing in East Hampton. Her new book, "Getting Back in the Game: Finding the Fountain of Youth in Cyberspace" can be found at local booksellers and online at www.gettingbackinthegame.com. For more real estate news and views contact Lona at lonafirst@aol.com.