Though Msgr. Charles Guarino may be enjoying his eternal rest, the business of real estate down here grinds on. The estate of Charles A. Guarino recently sold the priest’s property at 25 Farragut Road in Montauk for $915,110.
The original listing in September 2015, four months after Msgr. Guarino’s passing at age 73, had an ask of $1,295,000. It’s easy to understand why. The 1,617-square-foot, cape-style home had 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a deck, an eat-in kitchen, a fireplace, and most important, sat on 1.2 acres that allowed for very lovely hill-top views from the second-floor deck. A little tongue-in-cheek, the listing copy described the property as “a little bit of heaven [that] allows ultimate privacy.”
Msgr. Guarino was a familiar local figure, especially during the years he served in the Most Holy Trinity Parish in East Hampton and St. Peter the Apostle Church in Amagansett. Previous postings included the Church of Saints Philip and James in (where else?) St. James and St. Agnes Parish in Greenport. In addition, because of studies and various appointments by Vatican officials, Msgr. Guarino spent a good amount of time in Rome. He happened to be in the Eternal City in March 2013 and could participate in the celebration of the election of Pope Francis, the present and 266th pope of the Catholic Church.
The residential real estate scene in Montauk has been rather quiet of late. This can’t be said of its neighbor to the west. During one week last month, five transactions ranging from $1 million to $5,625,000 were reported in Amagansett. Overall on the East End, it remains to be seen if after a somewhat restrained summer there will be a post-Labor Day sales bump.