HOW TO BUY NEAR WATER WITHOUT SPENDING $140,000,000…. PLUS COULD YOU GET CREDIT FOR THAT AMOUNT?

$140,00,000 and there is NO neighborhood block party?!

In the unlikely case your cocktail conversations have been focusing on such trivial matters such as terrorism, global warming or even Donald Trump.. instead of Hamptons real estate,  you might not have heard the  interesting news.   Entrepreneur Chris Whittle has put his East Hampton home on the market for a bargain price of $140 Million dollars.   While I’m not sure if the house comes furnished at that price or if he’s leaving the toaster oven, there are some who’d rather write a check with a few less zeros for their Hamptons home by the water.    So if you love the smell of salt air in the morning, where do you go without spending a fortune?   Luckily, Hamptons Chatter is here to guide you with a proverbial divining rod for some homes near water that won’t break the bank.  Because I’d rather spend my extra $140 million dollars on something more sensible like an I-tunes gift card, I’ve explored other options with slightly less intimidating price tags.

Amagansett Dunes – It’s like the nicest parts of the Jersey Shore and it’s not in New Jersey.  Causual summer living (think flip flops and t-shirts 24/7) and a quick stroll, skip or even levitation to beautiful ocean beaches is the real draw here.  While the lots can be small and not everyone has a pool, this is all about the beach.  Look to spend about 1.1 to 1.5 million for a comfortable home in the area.

Amagansett Dunes: Elliman.com H34948

Waterside Communities (Pine Neck, Whalebone Landing, Southampton Shores, Northampton Colony) –  Located about 10 minutes outside of Sag Harbor village off of Noyac Rd., these areas are all about community.    Community bay beaches, community docks and community club houses are a few of the features that attract buyers to this area.   The sunsets on Noyac bay are also spectacular and the icing on the cake.  Yet, for some folks the neighborly feel might seem a bit intrusive or suburban.   Look to spend about $1.0 million to get into the neighborhood and as much as $10,000,000 for one of the current waterfront listings.

Shinnecock Hills – Spectacular views and the fact it’s nestled between the villages of Southampton and Hampton Bays is only part of the big draw in this community.    One of the biggest draws for the growing popularity of this area is the time saving factor during those crazy weekends when Route 27 looks like a parking lot.     Considering you can get a waterfront with view for around $2.5… that’s a savings of $137,500,000 if you were thinking about that “other” waterfront.

A few more areas you might find worth visiting are the Redwood section of Sag Harbor, close to the village and with views and great water for the boater.    There is also Lions Head and Clearwater Beach areas of East Hampton.   Community beaches, views of the sound and some deep water docking are the big draw for this area located outside the village of East Hampton.    It also has several of the best waterfront dining spots in all of the Hamptons including Bay Kitchen and Harbor Bistro right in the hood.    Yes, I know there are other areas that are certainly worth mentioning but these few are the ones that I think are a good bang for the buck.   I’m only one guy without an editor and this ain’t my full time gig, so don’t get your panties in a bunch folks.   If you want another neighborhood mentioned in a blog, feel free to go write it!  I mean that in the nicest way possible! Sort of.

Meanwhile, it doesn’t matter if you’re buying a big ticket house or a little cottage, if you want to get financing from a bank… you better have good credit.  So how do you know if you have good credit?   Luckily credit expert Andrea Kent took some time out of her day to give Hamptons Chatter a quick tutorial on understanding your credit.

If you would like to contact Andrea for more information or about credit repair… you can e mail her at akent@primenationalny.com

UPDATE:  Sorry last weeks finalist for the $500 holiday gift certificate goes to the staff at Baron’s Cove who submitted their holiday tree for the Hamptons Chatter holiday contest.  If you want to enter the contest, send your photos to Hamptonsholiday15@gmail.com.  Finalist will be anoounced each week with the grand price being announced on December 1st.    And no, you can’t send me a picture of someone else’s tree!

The tree at Baron’s Cove – Sag Harbor!

 

 

MORTGAGE UPDATE WITH MC HOME LOANS MELISSA COHN… PLUS, COULD YOU USE SOME EXTRA DOUGH FOR YOUR HOLIDAY COOKIES? -UPDATED!

While we all know there are a multitude of factors currently affecting the housing market, one of the most closely watched and discussed factors right now is of course interest rates.    What’s going on and are they any changes coming in the foreseeable future?   Luckily I got the inside scoop from one of the most recognized and respected experts in the mortgage industry.  Melissa Cohn is the founder and President of MC Home Loans and recently I had the chance to sit down with her to discuss what we can expect to see in the near future.

It may be 60 degrees outside but the calendar says NOVEMBER… so that has me asking the question to all of you.
Ho .. ho..Ho? Available at Tipsyelves.com
Are you ready for the holidays?!    Yeah, I know it may be pushing it…. but the Radio City Christmas Spectacular is already pimping tickets so why can’t Hamptons Chatter jump on the band wagon?   Well if you’re not ready maybe this will make you start to get in the holiday mood!   If you’re looking for a little extra cash for that holiday party, I’m here to help.   Send me a photo or short video of your holiday (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Festivus) decorations/display OR even outfit and you’ll be eligible for a $500 gift card to a buy some extra egg nogg or drinks at that special restaurant to celebrate the holidays.   I’m accepting photos of homes, offices and even cubicles.. sweaters, hats or even shoes…. but remember they have to be yours!   Once you send me the photos, I’ll be checking my list and announcing 3 finalists each week between November 30th and December 18th.   The grand winner will be announced December 21st right here on the blog.    So how am I judging this thing?   Well, I’ll pick the weekly finalists and it will be a combination of views on this blog and a team of my secret elves to decide the winner.   Sorry, no members of my family or office are eligible and you’ll need to be over 21 years old to enter. By submitting the photo, you’ll be authorizing me to publish your photo on this site and verifying it’s yours and you have all rights.    I don’t know why I have to say all that but it just seems like the right thing to do.     So, rather than inviting your friends to the house for Hickory Farms Beefstick, Cheetos and Mateus wine, take them out for a night on Hamptons Chatter.     This contest is also limited to residents of the Hamptons…. there will also be an out-of-towners category with a little prize yet to be determined.     So get ready to deck those halls and trim that tree… and make a buck to boot!  SEND YOUR ENTRIES TO HAMPTONSHOLIDAY15@GMAIL.COM!  Let the hunger….er… holiday games begin!

A SUPER SUPERMARKET! PLUS, WHERE’S THE “CAN” FROM OUT “CANDIDATES?” YEAH, I KNOW THIS HEADLINE IS TERRIBLE!

No longer just coming soon.. now arrived!

Sometimes my inspiration for this blog comes from the strangest of places.   This particular posting is coming from a very unlikely muse, Marilyn Hegerty who is the restaurant reviewer at the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota.   At 85 years old she became an internet sensation with her earnest and insightful review of The Olive Garden which burst onto the Grand Forks culinary scene late last year.    So, if Marilyn can review The Olive Garden why can’t I review the latest entry into the East Hampton scene?You got it, I’m talking about the new Stop and Shop Supermarket on Newtown Lane.*

(*could also be substituted with the Stop and Shop nee Walbaum’s in Southampton)

After a lengthy wait for Stop and Shop to open in East Hampton*, the moment has finally arrived.  My visit occurred the other day on a busy Tuesday afternoon.    After a long day at the office, I figured a late shopping excursion would be both fashionable and just what the doctor ordered.   Apparently my doctor thinks shopping is good for me.
The parking lot was bustling with eager patrons as I arrived and while there were limited spaces.   Luckily,  the flow in and out of the store was so constant that it was only a few mere moments before I was able to find an ample space of my very own.   I could feel the excitement as I approached the SELF OPENING front doors that where both swift and convenient for a distracted shopper.
I was greeted as I entered into the market by smiling and friendly employees who were smartly dressed in purple and dark blue uniforms surrounded by lush, opulent and tempting looking produce. The lighting was bright and cheery and the aisles were clean and spotless, a definite improvement over the old Walbaum’s.   I asked one of the managers if they had any gluten free pasta to which he cheerfully responded, “of course in our new organics section!”   They have an or
ganics section!  I then knew I made the right choice to give this Stop and Shop a chance!
Finally with my pasta in hand I made my way to the check out aisles.   It was a pleasant surprise for me to now find many aisles opened with real human cashiers, also smartly dressed in purple with blue aprons.    The line was fast moving and the staff also told me about the savings I could receive if I filled out a form for a “preferred customer card.”   How lovely… I’m preferred and they just met me!
All in all, it’s the largest and best lit super market now operating in East Hampton.   It attracts vistors from out of town as well as people who live in East Hampton.    It’s a welcome addition to the community and will hopefully get better as they learn the preferences of the community.  So I have to heartily recommend Stop and Shop for your grocery shopping in our humble little hamlet.
Generic election sign .. so I don’t make and MORE enemies!

Speaking of our little hamlet, the election is finally over!   Now, I know it’s never a good idea to discuss politics I think it’s fair to express my general outrage over the littering…. and I do mean littering of signs everywhere. People always complain about real estate signs but these paper ones are wayyyyy worse.  Besides we can put the same sign every two feet!   If it were up to me, I would actually fine the candidates $10.00 for every sign they leave out after today.   Its bad enough my mailbox was full… and I mean full… like
more stuffed than if Frontgate, Orvis and Restoration Hardware both did  a double mailing for Christmas.  Oh the trees that had to die for such negative and prolific propaganda!   I’m glad it’s over and I now have room for my catalogs!