Neighboring Remsenburg Homes Find Buyers Within Four Days Of Each Other

In one of Southampton Town’s westernmost hamlets, Remsenburg, cars slow down on South Country Road as motorists passing through appreciate the historic charm of many of the homes.

Two such homes, next door to each other, sold recently after going into contract within four days of each other. Both found buyers a little more than a month after hitting the market, and Ashley Farrell and Nancy Heaney of Corcoran represented both.

The house at 178 South Country Road was built in 1900 and the house at 180 South Country Road was built in 1890, according to Corcoran. They had different owners and sold to different buyers. No. 180 sold for $745,000 after asking $759,000, while No. 178 was last asking $699,000 but sold for $705,000 after a bidding war.

Ms. Farrell, an associate broker, discussed the pair of sales and their quick turnaround between being listed and being sold.

Why did these two both move so quickly?

Ashley Farrell: 180 had been on and off the market for many years prior to our listing it. It was finally priced properly for a quick move and went within 2 percent of asking price. We brought 178 South Country to the market for the first time at under $700,000 with a pool, south of the highway, three bedrooms, finished basement — that’s hard to come by. Price was the main factor in both these listings moving so quickly.

What do the houses have in common and what sets them apart?

Ashley Farrell: The houses were very different from one another aesthetically. Both houses on the surface can be looked at similarly in terms of the years built (1900 for 178 and 1890 for 180), they both have pools, and have nice property (0.6 for 178 and 1 acre for 180). From there, they couldn’t be more different. 180 had a newer feel, it was much beachier, all white and blue, more Hamptons coloring and decor. 178 very much kept the original feel of the home. It was older, but not in an outdated way. It was charming, truly. 178 preserved the original style of the house, while 180 progressed through the decades.

Did both buyers view both of the houses before settling on which to buy?

Ashley Farrell: No, the purchasers of 180 viewed only 180. The purchasers of 178 wanted to view only 178, but I showed them both properties. Both buyers seemed to have a very clear vision about what they wanted and knew which house would be right for them. At almost all the other showings we had, however, we encouraged buyers to view both homes and I believe almost 100 percent of them did. Given they were directly next door to one another, it was an easy walk to and from. This also helped double the exposure for both properties.

Did you have a lot of interest from other buyers, and were most seeking vacation homes or primary residences?

Ashley Farrell: Yes! We had so much interest that 178 went into a bidding war and was bid up above ask. We had some very disappointed buyers who did not win the bidding war. While 180 did not go into a bidding war, there was much activity and still multiple showing requests even in the week heading into contract. Most buyers were seeking vacation homes, although the buyers who ultimately purchased 180 did purchase it as a primary residence.

Are the houses in a historic district or otherwise registered or landmarked as historic homes?

Unclear. Nothing in the history of Remsenburg book or in my conversations with the owners.

Was either house professionally staged?

Ashley Farrell: No, both were photographed and shown with the owner’s furniture — however, Nancy and I physically removed many items from countertops and tables for photos and specifically asked both owners to store what we had moved. It was mainly knickknacks and one large piece of furniture in 180, but 178 had more kitchenware (toaster, blenders, Kitchen Aid, etc.), which the owner graciously offered to put away for a less cluttered feel. This really helped with both homes when showing them — buyers were more easily able to imagine their own belongings in the house and didn’t have to look past tons of clutter and personalization.