Jul 22, 2019 3:57 PM

On the corner of Woods Lane and Main Street in East Hampton Village, a historic mansion sits in full view of passersby, its revered red-geranium-adorned windowsills serving as a familiar welcome to village visitors for decades.

It is East Hampton’s “White House”—appropriately nicknamed for its appearance—and for the first time in 30 years, it’s in search of a new owner. The property is listed for $9.5 million, and is being represented by Douglas Brown and Paul Brennan of Douglas Elliman.

The White House hit the market in May and was initially listed for $12.5 million, Mr. Brennan said Thursday, July 18. In the last week, that price has been reduced to $9.5 million and is now attracting potential buyers, Mr. Brown said.

As of Friday, an interested party was “flying out to see the house,” Mr. Brown said. The house is “iconic,” he added, “you know you’ve arrived in East Hampton when you see the White House.”

And what’s special too, added Mr. Brown, is that the property boasts a 2-acre oasis hidden from street view. In the home’s backyard, a white pool house and attached garage sit adjacent to benches decked in marble. A red 1988 Ferrari with less than 6,000 miles on it is still in the garage, Mr. Brown said. The sports car, which belonged to the home’s last owner, was sold on Friday at an open-house showing. Mr. Brown could not say the purchase price of the vehicle.

A pool, large grass field, gazebo, geranium-lined allée and tennis court are also featured in the back section of the property, completing a yard fit for quiet respite.

“What’s really going to sell this house is the back,” Mr. Brown said. Just from driving by, “not many people realize it has this much land behind it.” Between the front lot and the backyard, the property totals nearly 3 acres.

Though East Hampton’s White House is today a property symbolic of the village, its history isn’t one of typical mansions. In fact, the “White House” wasn’t even always white. Fred Mengoni, the home’s latest owner, purchased the property in 1989, and did significant renovation work—including painting the house white—giving the house its familiar appearance today. Mr. Mengoni, originally from Italy, also decked the interior of the home in marble and planted red geraniums in its windowsills, a tradition that would eventually outlive the owner himself. Mr. Mengoni passed away in February of 2018; Mr. Brown and Mr. Brennan represent the executors of his estate.

Mr. Brown also said that Mr. Mengoni hardly used the property—only around 15 times since its purchase. Instead, he would drive out to the house, bike through East Hampton, sometimes going as far as Montauk, and return to his primary residence in Manhattan.

Though Mr. Mengoni owned many properties, “he loved this one the most,” Mr. Brown said.

The home’s interior totals 7,615 square feet and has seven bedrooms, six full bathrooms and two half-baths.