Luxury Real Estate News and Information | Landvest Luxury Real Estate

Sep

The Sporting Life and Brookline Real Estate
By LandVest

This blog entry is brought to you by Terrence Maitland (tmaitland@landvest.com) who has been assisting buyers and sellers of Brookline, MA Real Estate for over 20 years. Terry has found homes for buyers that were not yet for sale, and has achieved a portfolio of record sales in Brookline and Boston environs.

For the Sports Minded, Brookline Real Estate Offers a lot More than Good Schools and an Easy Commute.

The Town of Brookline, Massachusetts, is well known as the location of The Country Club, the celebrated golf course that has been the scene of many a dramatic golfing event since its founding in 1893. Even the absence of a proper name for the club carries a certain royal air; it is after all The Country Club, suggesting, perhaps with a certain royal haughtiness, that there are no rivals for its claim to golfing fame. In 1913 a 20-year-old former club caddie named Francis Ouimet stunned the world of golf by winning the U.S Open in a dramatic playoff against two seasoned players. The Ouimet victory stirred the American imagination and sparked a phenomenal growth in the game and in the construction of courses. More recently The Country Club was host for the 1988 U.S. Open and the Ryder Cup, contested in 1999, that featured an electrifying deciding match between the teams from the United States and Europe.

But The Country Club is not Brookline’s only claim to sporting fame. It so happens that Brookline is home to sporting royalty, as many of the executives who own or operate the region’s professional franchises have chosen to make Brookline their home. Among the baseball executives who have chosen a short commute to Fenway Park are principal Red Sox owner John Henry, Red Sox President Larry Lucchino and General Manager Theo Epstein. Epstein didn’t have far to move when he bought a house in Brookline about a mile from Fenway Park. Other team owners who call Brookline home include Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, who has hosted some elaborate ring-distribution parties at his Chestnut Hill estate following the team’s three Super Bowl victories. Patriots President Jonathan Kraft lives a few blocks away, also in the Chestnut Hill section of Brookline.

For those who would aspire to the sporting life but aren’t about to buy a team or play a professional sport, LandVest has several real estate offerings with sporting opportunities for the new owners.

Classic Brookline Estate, 333 Lee Street in Brookline

A magnificent listing, Classic Brookline Estate, currently for sale at 333 Lee Street, Brookline, includes a phenomenal indoor pool and exercise complex that is accessible above-ground or via an underground gallery. The pool is regulation size (with 75-foot lanes) that is ideal for exercise, and training for swimming or triathlons. The adjacent exercise room offers a host of equipment, and the complex has a steam room and sauna for use after exercise. A house that LandVest recently sold in the Fisher Hill section of Brookline also boasted an elaborate sports complex with an indoor swimming pool and an indoor basketball court, not to mention an outdoor basketball court. For those who wouldn’t mind a project, LandVest has a current listing The Hood Estate, at 395 Warren Street, Brookline, that includes an indoor badminton court that, frankly, doesn’t get a lot of use these days. But it’s an imposing building, one that might be adapted as in indoor sports court or gymnasium.

The Hood Estate, 395 Warren Street in Brookline includes an indoor badminton court which may be adaptable to other indoor court sports or gymnasium

In fact the indoor sports court is shaping up as one of the next “must-have” amenities on some of the larger estates. LandVest is aware of one such complex under construction at a private residence in Brookline at this moment, and it will boast a pool, exercise area and basketball court. Another buyer is searching for a parcel of land in order to build a house and sports court that is already designed by a top architect. So the sports court is coming soon to the estate area, giving the owners an opportunity at the sporting life.

For More information on Brookline Real Estate contact Terry Maitland tmaitland@landvest.com or visit Brookline Real Estate for Sale

For more information on Terry Maitland visit: Terrence Maitland’s Bio Page

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Aug

Top Towns to View Fall Foliage & LandVest’s Accompanying Real Estate Picks
By LandVest

Walpole, New Hampshire, Rated #11 for Fall Foliage (Rice Mountain view)

In preparation for the fall season, Yankee Magazine named the top 25 towns in the Northeast for viewing fall foliage. Tourism professionals and Yankee Magazine journalists nominated the towns for consideration and then rated each of them according to scenery, vistas, scenic drives, color intensity, orchards, parks, tourism amenities, along with shops, hotels, and restaurants. The Northeast is a desirable place to own real estate, whether it be a primary residence or vacation home. The foliage is a desirable attribute of the area and is not to be missed.

(more…)

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Aug

Middlesex County, MA Real Estate Market Watch First Half, 2000-2010
By LandVest

High-End Real Estate Market Watch, First Half, 2000-2010 – Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Monument Street Estate is one of many LandVest Listings in Middlesex County

Middlesex County has a long history of being an attractive place to buy real estate in Massachussets. Its close proximity to Boston combined with a variety of real estate offerings make it no surprise that it contains one of the wealthiest towns in the United States (Weston, MA) and that it is within the top 50 most populous counties. Middlesex county includes the towns of Belmont, Cambridge, Carlisle, Concord, Lincoln, Newton, Winchester and the aforementioned Weston.

Active Listings and Sales, $2,000,000+, First Half, 2000-2010
In Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the first half of 2010 the inventory of high-end listings grew to nearly record levels (183 listings vs. a peak of 192 in 2009). First half high-end sales peaked in 2005 (60 sales) and 2007 (61 sales). The past three years have seen considerably less activity in the first half: 47 sales in 2008, 27 sales in 2009, and 40 sales in 2010. The uptick seen in the first quarter seems to be sustained in the first half, although slightly behind 2008. A recent flurry of activity at LandVest suggests that this improvement is real. Towns with high-end sales in the first half of 2010 are Belmont, Cambridge, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Newton, Wayland, Weston, and Winchester.

Highest and Average Sale, $2,000,000+, First Half, 2000-2010
First half sale prices peaked in 2004-2007 at the $6,000,000 to $7,000,000 level with an anomalous $10,000,000 sale in 2008 in Weston. In 2010, the top sale in the first half was $6,500,000 in Chestnut Hill (Newton). Average first half sales prices are generally more stable in the range of $2,600,000 to $2,900,000 over the past ten years. In the first half of 2010 the average sale price was $2,761,349.

Days on Market, Sales, $2,000,000+, First Half, 2000-2010
Days on market for first half high-end sales have varied dramatically over the past 10 years. In the first quarter of 2010, properties that did sell sold quickly, while in the second quarter days on market have increased. Average days on market for the first half were 216 vs. 258 in 2009 and 186 in 2008. Despite the continued uncertainty in the market, special properties expertly presented and well priced are selling.

Sales by Town, $2,000,000+, First Half, 2000-2010
Nine of the 54 cities and towns in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, had high-end sales in the first half of 2010. Over the period 2000-2010 Weston is the leader with 126 sales followed by Newton (102), Cambridge (71), Concord (47), and Lexington (34). On a population-adjusted basis, Weston is also the leader by a 4-fold margin followed by Concord and Lincoln tied for second place and Winchester in third place.

The LandVest High-End Market Watch is a periodic review of select high-end markets in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the Adirondacks. Market data is collected from Multiple Listing Services and does not include private listings. LandVest makes no representation as to the accuracy of the data and therefore is not responsible for any actions taken as a result of use of or reliance on this information.

For additional information about LandVest’s real estate consulting, appraisal, and brokerage services, please contact:
Robert R. Borden III, President
Ten Post Office Square | Boston, MA 02109 | rborden@landvest.com | 617-357-8992

This Winchester Lakefront property in Middlesex County is available for sale.

For information about selling or buying real estate in Middlesex County, please contact Stewart Young at syoung@landvest.com or 617-357-8930

View Boston Area Select Sales

To view available real estate in Middlesex County, visit www.landvest.com or click Boston area real estate for sale

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Aug

Cape Cod Real Estate Market Watch, First Half, 2000-2010
By LandVest

High-End Real Estate Market Watch, First Half, 2000-2010 – Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Wings Neck Waterfront, one of two, LandVest listed, Pocasset homes for sale

Cape Cod is internationally famous as a summer resort area and is increasingly popular for retirement living. It features miles of beaches, natural attractions, historic sites, art galleries, and four star restaurants and hotels. Outdoor activities include world class yachting, coastal and deep-sea fishing, numerous public and private golf courses, and a wide variety of other informal summer sports. The Cape is just 75 miles from Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts and T.F. Green Airport in Providence, Rhode Island. Executive jet services are available at the Hyannis airport and there are several other smaller airports.

Cape Cod is divided into four regions: Upper Cape, Mid Cape, Lower Cape, and Outer Cape, each including several towns and villages. Upper Cape towns include Bourne (which includes the Wings Neck area of Pocasset), Sandwich, Falmouth, and Mashpee. Mid Cape towns include Barnstable (which includes the village of Centerville) , Dennis, and Yarmouth. Lower Cape towns include Harwich, Brewster, Chatham, and Orleans. Outer Cape towns include Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown.

Active Cape Cod Real Estate Listings, $2,000,000+, First Half of 2000-2010
On Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the first half of 2010 the inventory of high-end listings grew to historic levels (248 listings vs. 210 at the same point in 2009). First half high-end sales almost doubled compared to last year (24 sales vs. 17 at the same point in 2009). The peak for first half sales was 44 sales in 2006. 2009 sales were the lowest since 2002. It is interesting to note that the first quarter 2010 performance was lagging 2009 (5 sales vs. 8 in 2009), but a surge in the second quarter resulted in an additional 19 sales vs. 9 in the second quarter of 2009. LandVest is seeing a burst of energy across its markets in the second quarter of 2010 and we are cautiously optimistic that the reminder of the year will see increasing activity in the high-end market.

Highest and Median Sale, $2,000,000+, First Half, 2000-2010
First half sale prices peaked in 2006 with a sale in Osterville at $12.5 million that remains the record sale for Cape Cod. In 2010 the top sale to date was $5.8 million for a property in Centerville that was on the market for an astounding 2,180 days starting at $9,800,000. The next two highest sales were $5 million in Chatham and $4.4 million in Osterville. The median value for high end sales in the first half of 2010 was $2.8 million matching the previous record in the first half of 2006.

Days on Market, $2,000,000, First Half 2000-2010
Days on market for high-end properties sold during the first half of 2010 grew substantially to 589 days compared to 226 days for the first half of 2009. This increase seems skewed by the sale of the property in Centerville, although there were several other properties selling after 3 years on the market. In the past three years, the average days on market for sales in the first half of the year ranged from 226 to 264 days.

Sales by Town, $2,000,000, First Half, 2000-2010
For the past few years the high-end market on Cape Cod has broadened as the perennial top markets have been perceived as being too expensive and as buyers have bid up the prices of special properties in other towns. This year the market seems to be contracting. Cape Cod towns with high-end sales in the first half of 2010 include the leader, Barnstable, (with 7 of the 12 sales in the village of Osterville), followed by Chatham (7), Harwich (2), Falmouth (2), and Orleans (1). In 2006 at the first half peak, 13 of the 15 Cape Cod towns had high-end sales.

The Playhouse is a 6.2-acre estate in Centerville, MA and is available for sale.

View Cape Cod Area Select Sales

To view available real estate on Cape Cod visit www.landvest.com or click Cape Cod Real Estate for Sale

For information about buying or selling real estate on Cape Cod, please contact Stewart Young at syoung@landvest.com or 617-357-8930

For additional information about LandVest’s real estate consulting, appraisal, and brokerage services, please contact:
Robert R. Borden III, President rborden@landvest.com or 617-723-1800

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Aug

NAUTILUS ISLAND, A PRIVATE ISLAND AT THE ENTRANCE TO CASTINE HARBOR IN MAINE IS FOR SALE, AND IS TODAY’S PICK FOR BEST PLACE TO LIVE
By LandVest

This 37±-acre, entire island offering with over one mile of rocky coastline is steeped in history, full of modern appeal, and saturated in Maine flavor.

37-acre Nautilus Island in Brooksville Maine

Amenities abound from accommodations to recreation. Beginning with the traditional Maine coast water provisions of lobster, clams, mussels and oysters to the islands new organic gardens and hardy vineyard, this island is sure to tantalize both gourmand and back-to-basics tastes.
The 6-bedroom main residence is complete with an infinity pool, heated spa and stone piazza entertaining area

Located on the islands highest point, the completely renovated c1882, 6-bedroom main home offers spectacular sail-laden, ocean views and is rich in architectural detail including a grand staircase, tiled fireplace, and built-in corner cabinets.

View of Sailboat from the Nautilus Island Veranda

The piazza on the Island’s main house takes full advantage of panoramic Penobscot Bay views including Islesboro and Camden Hills.

The main home is flanked by a stone piazza, infinity pool and entertaining area to one side and a putting green and serenity perennial gardens to the other. Just down the path is a tennis court that overlooks the Castine Harbor.

View from Organic gardens of century old farmhouse

View of the century old Farmhouse from the organic gardens

View from Organic Gardens of Nautilus Island Guest Cottage

Newly relocated and renovated harborside guest cottage

The newly renovated and charming guest cottages are steps from the boathouse bar which is equipped with a 22- foot granite bar, a kitchen area, and stone fireplace.

The converted boathouse bar on Nautilus Island

The Nautilus Island Boat House Bar

The 2-story barn sits sturdily at the head of the vineyard and currently serves as a rustic game room, work-out area, workshop and storage area. The sugar shack adds further use to the aesthetically pleasing island maple trees by converting its sap into what some refer to as liquid gold. A pier, moorings, most furnishings, ground equipment, and a 23′ boat complete this exceptional offering.

View from Vineyard of Nautilus Island Barn

The sugar shack on Nautilus Island in Castine Harbor

The Nautilus Island Sugar Shack

Steeped in History… In 1779 Nautilus Island, strategically located at the mouth of Castine Harbor as it meets Penobscot Bay, became entrenched in the twenty-two day, British-American military engagement now known as the Penobscot Bay Expedition. Four years after his famed midnight ride, Paul Revere served as commander of a fleet of ships that took sail from Boston with a mission to secure land surrounding the Penobscot River. Revere was responsible for taking Nautilus Island from the British during an evening raid; however this was one of few victories in the ill-fated expedition. The British later took the coastal area including what is now Castine and kept the area in hand until the war’s end.   Prior to this entry into American history, Nautilus shows evidence of having been home to the Penobscot Indians. The island remained under the protection of one family for over 130 years and has recently undergone a four year renovation project.
The quintessentially quaint, Coastal Maine town of Castine serves as port and offers year-round cultural events. Dennett’s Wharf   (home of Castine’s best lobster roll) is the gateway to Nautilus Island. Castine is also home to the Maine Maritime Academy educational facility and their State of Maine exploratory ship.   Castine, Maine is approximately 460miles from New York City, 250 miles from Boston and 330 to Montreal and 40 to Bangor International Airport .

Lasting Memories… The stone fireplace in the boathouse bar begs for a story telling gathering after a day of ocean fun, or perhaps, a quiet respite after a frenzied stint on the mainland. Here, with cocktail in hand, book in the other, Castine Harbor views ablaze in sunset reflections, water lapping at the pilings below, distant buoys gently clanging, the dinner call of seagulls circling the island, a relaxed breath of fire-warmed salty air soothes the soul and cures the ails of off-island harried life.

Sunset on Nautilus Island

For more information on Nautilus Island, or for more information about buying or selling Maine Real Estate please visit the Nautilus Island website or contact John Saint-Amour jsaintamour@landvest.com
Click to view more Maine Island Real Estate for Sale
Click to view more Maine Waterfront Real Estate for Sale

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Aug

Midcoast Maine Real Estate Market Shows Improvement
By LandVest

MIDCOAST MAINE REAL ESTATE ANALYSIS, JANUARY – JUNE 2010

This entry is brought to you by Terry Sortwell (tsortwell@landvest.com) and Shannon Thompson (sthompson@landvest.com), who assist and advise real estate buyers of fine homes and estates throughout mid-coast Maine.

The midcoast Maine real estate market in the first half of 2010 has improved over 2009. An analysis of MLS data of coastal and island communities from Boothbay real estate to the Blue Hill Peninsula real estate reveals there have been 16 sales of residential properties priced above $1,000,000 in the first half of this year. There were 8 sales in this range in the first half of 2009 (and 10 sales in the second half). In comparison, in 2006 there were 47 sales above $1,000,000. On the heels of the European financial crisis amid renewed concerns and confusion about the global economic recovery, the real estate market remains illiquid and unpredictable. Demand is still down, inventory of current listings is growing, and days on market are increasing. Generally speaking, buyers are purchasing properties when they find something with the exactly the special attributes they’re seeking, and they are extremely sensitive about pricing. Properties with a significant land component and lots of privacy, priced competitively for today’s market, are those that are getting the most attention and ultimately selling. Our four most recent midcoast maine real estate sales, in July, June and May, are all examples of this trend, offering 16, 21, 34, and 160 acres of land, respectively. Our sense of optimism about the long-term picture for coastal Maine real estate remains as strong as ever. While luxury real estate markets in other parts of the country are severely affected by bank-owned properties driving prices down, ours is not. We continue to believe the next couple of years will be a period of transition, with the market slowly stabilizing, as more buyers and sellers reach agreement and sign contracts. With every sale, buyers and sellers alike have a little more data on which to base decisions, and that knowledge helps fuels the confidence needed to keep things moving forward toward a more balanced market.

For more information on buying or selling real estate in the Camden, Maine area contact Terry Sortwell at tsortwell@landvest.com

Camden Maine Real Estate for Sale

Coastal Maine Real Estate for Sale

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Jul

Wings Neck, Cape Cod Real Estate For Sale –Public Open House at 169 South Road, Pocasset / Bourne, MA
By LandVest

Seldom are there properties available on the oft-sought and highly desirable area of Wings Neck, the quintessential Cape Cod summer community in Pocasset, MA. This particularly rare offering of an original large waterfront “Cottage” within the Wings Neck Trust, consists of 5.06± acres and 366± feet of waterfront on Buzzard’s Bay.

Wings Neck Waterfront For Sale

The turn-of-the-century Shingle-style residence has spacious common rooms with handsome architectural details and spectacular southerly water views. There is 9,326± square feet of living space with 12 bedrooms (nine with expansive water views) as well as a two-story carriage house.

Located within the Wings Neck Trust area of Pocasset on Cape Cod, MA

Trust amenities include two association beaches, association tennis and dock, sailing club, and extensive conservation land. Interested real estate buyers are invited to attend the

Open House 12:00 – 3:00 on Sunday, August, 1st, 2010

or by appointment by contacting:

Stewart Young
617-357-8930 or emailing syoung@landvest.com

Wings Neck is a 400-acre peninsula, (view Google map) which extends into Buzzards Bay at the western entrance to the Cape Cod Canal. A section of Wings Neck is privately held by the Wings Neck Trust and only accessible to Wings Neck Trust Members. The Wings Neck Trust was formed in 1902 as a means for acquiring approximately 350 acres of land on Wings Neck. Most of the land was later sold to individual homeowners, and approximately 70 acres were retained by the Trust in “Conservation Restriction.” The Trust later added amenities such as tennis courts and a sailing club as a perk to those who belong to the Wings Neck Trust Association. Also on Wings Neck is the Wing’s Neck Light Cape-Cod style lighthouse which was built in 1849.

The Wings Neck Waterfront property is approximately 60 miles from Boston, and 240 miles from New York.

To view more information on currently available Wings Neck Real Estate for sale visit: LandVest Wings Neck Real Estate for Sale

Wings Neck Real Estate for Sale: Wings Neck Waterfront, 169 South Road, Pocasset, Cape Cod, MA

Waterfront Real Estate on Wings Neck in Pocasset on Cape Cod

Wings Neck Waterfront Cape Cod, MA

Wings Neck Real Estate for Sale: Wings Neck Contemporary, Pocasset, MA

Wings Neck Contemporary, Pocasset on Cape Cod, MA

View additional Cape Cod, MA Real Estate listings

View Waterfront Real Estate in Massachusetts

If you are interested in learning more about waterfront real estate on Cape Cod, or are interested in buying or selling properties on Cape Cod, contact LandVest Real Estate Broker, Stewart Young syoung@landvest.com

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Jul

Camp Trevallyn, a classic Adirondack Great Camp located in Paul Smiths NY featured in The New York Times
By LandVest

Camp Trevallyn, located in the Adirondacks in Paul Smiths, New York and currently for sale, was featured in Today’s New York Times in the Luxury Waterfront Real Estate section.

Classic Adirondack Great Camp on Upper St. Regis Lake for Sale

Camp Trevallyn, located in the upper St. Regis area of the Adirondacks is a quintessential Adirondack Great Camp, and is now being offered for sale for the first time since the 1920′s. This exceptional real estate offering, consists of over 11 acres of varied terrain in a very private setting with 2,500 feet of shoreline on Upper Saint Regis Lake. The camp (with 2 fully functioning camps, is surrounded by towering mature White and Red Pine trees with walkways connecting the buildings, boathouses, tennis court and guest dock. The property enjoys southern exposure and distant mountain views. While modern ammenities have been added, what made this area attractive to New York and Boston socialites of the late 1800′s and early 1900′s survives today. Pristine beatuy, traditional outdoor recreation; water sports, boating, fishing, hiking, tennis and skiing. A perfect family retreat or corporate get-away.

One of many tranquil gathering areas within a classic Adirondack setting

The camp was built by a man named Barney in the early 1900’s and has been held in one continuous ownership since John B. Trevor bought the property in 1930 from the well-known Adirondack builder, Ben Muncil. In rebuilding the camp, Mr. Trevor used local architects Feustman and later, Frank J. Forster, who was responsible for the way the camp looks today.

Camp Trevallyn Boat House on Upper St. Regis Lake in the Adirondacks

Camp Trevallyn is located in Paul Smiths, NY on Upper Saint Regis Lake. The lake is located in the famous “Tri Lakes Area” of the Adirondack Mountains in the town of Brighton near the Village of Paul Smiths. (see Google map) Surrounded by Adirondack forever-wild wilderness, Upper Saint Regis Lake, along with Lower St. Regis and Spitfire Lakes, became famous in the late 19^thcentury as a summer playground and retreat. These lakes are the site of many grand old summer “cottages” and Great Camps, including Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Camp Topridge. The lake is part of the original ‘seven carries’ canoe route from Paul Smith’s Hotel to the Saranac Inn. It is also the original home of “Idem-class” racing sailboats, originally built in 1900, the oldest class of actively racing one-design boats.

Camp Trevallyn Adirondack Great Camp is one of the areas oldest surviving great camps

Camp Trevallyn is accessible via Heron Lane (#18) off of Route 30 (4.5 miles from the Lake Clear Junction) as well as by water from the private dock at Upper Saint Regis communal private docks. The property is within 10 miles of the Lake Clear airport / Adirondack Regional Airport.

For more information on Camp Trevallyn, contact Vinny McClelland by phone, 518-576-2297 or via email: vmcclelland@landvest.com

For additional Adirondack properties such as Hamilton Lake or Camp Pot Luck, or Adirondack family compounds, Adirondack Great Camps, Adirondack corporate retreats, for sale click link: Adirondack real estate for sale

For additional extraordinary real estate located in the most desirable areas of New England visit www.landvest.com

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Jul

Seapuit, The Transformation of the Second Oldest Golf Links In The US Into Some Of Cape Cod’s Best Real Estate
By LandVest

This post was brought to you by Stewart Young (syoung@landvest.com). Whether it’s an elegant Greek Revival in Lincoln, a 130 acre farm in Medfield, or a waterfront summer estate on Stage Harbor in Chatham, Stewart advises buyers and sellers of some of the most distinctive properties in Massachusetts with a focus on the Metro West area of Boston and Cape Cod.

Seapuit Club in Osterville has become the site of some of Cape Cod's best real estate

Seapuit Club is now the site of some of Cape Cod's best real estate

The Seapuit Club, located in Osterville, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod operated from 1896 to 1942 and is reputed to have been the second oldest golf links in the United States. The property consisted of about 1,000 acres in Osterville and Marstons Mills. The golf course was 3001 yards long with 9 holes rated as a par 36. In 1926 the daily greens fee was $1.50, raised to $2.50 on the weekends. A seasonal membership cost $35.

1926 Seapuit Golf Membership Rates

The Seapuit Club Inn provided lodging and fine dining from 1898 to 1925. The Golf Club House at the ninth green provided registration and men’s and women’s lockers and at the third green Bernard Hinckley operated an oyster bar that also served martinis, maybe even during prohibition.

The "Head House" located on the 9th Green

Supporting operations included Seapuit Bay Farm that housed horses, cows, and chickens. There were several cranberry bogs that were harvested into the 1950s. The Seapuit Nursery operated as a commercial nursery up to 1985.

The transformation of Seapuit occurred in the early 1970s when the Davis family engaged LandVest to develop a master plan for residential development of the property. The plan was not a conventional subdivision. Careful inventories of the landscape were followed by the identification of key sites that would feature the bogs, marshes, woods, fields, and especially the water and inland vistas that made the property so unique. LandVest’s marketing campaign was also carefully planned and orchestrated with a slow release to the market over several decades. In the end, by 1990, about 50 lots were sold leaving extensive land in conservation.

Today Seapuit maintains a special sense of place. One of the most special properties in the neighborhood is located at 250 Smoke Valley Road in Osterville, MA and is listed by Stewart Young of LandVest is now under agreement. This waterfront retreat offers complete privacy, a pastoral setting with views toward Prince Cove and conservation land, and a deep-water dock with three floats. The Cape Cod-style residence provides three bedrooms and there is also an exceptional waterfront boathouse with one bedroom and a waterside deck.

Ostervile Waterfront Retreat - Former site of Seapuit Golf Club

For additional information on the Seapuit Club, click the link to a recent article in Cape Cod Life:

Remembering Osterville’s Seapuit Golf Club

For more information on Cape Cod Real Estate contact Stewart Young via email syoung@landvest.com

To view exceptional Cape Cod Real Estate for Sale, visit LandVest.com or click Cape Cod Real Estate

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Jul

Lanse Robb of LandVest – North Shore, MA Brokers Record $9.2 Million Sale
By LandVest

Record Real Estate Sale (Highest Residential Real Estate Sale in 2010 in MA) Marks a Recent Run of High End Activity on Boston MA’s North Shore.

LandVest Real Estate Broker Lanse Robb, brokers sale of the Wyck Estate, in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA

The highest residential real estate transaction in Massachusetts in 2010 was brokered by LandVest – North Shore, MA Real Estate Broker Lanse Robb, with the recent sale of the magnificent Wyck Estate, a 7.8-acre oceanfront estate located in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA for $9.2 million. The carriage house of the Wyck estate was sold separately by Robb earlier this spring for $2.225 million, making the combined sale for the entire property $11.450 million. According to MLSPIN.com, there has been only one other sale above the $5 million mark in Massachusetts this year which took place in Barnstable.

The Wyck Estate is the centerpiece in a series of high-end real estate sales brokered by Lanse Robb, including 357 Hale Street in Beverly, MA and 35 Proctor Street in Manchester-by-the-Sea. In all three sales the buyers were procured directly by Robb. Recently dubbed “the Rolls Royce” of North Shore Brokers by North Shore Magazine,

The Real Deal - Lanse Robb featured in North Shore Magazine

Robb already has surpassed the $25.08 million mark in sales of high-end properties in 2010, with an average sale price of $3.5 million. Included in those transactions are the highest residential real estate sales in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Beverly, and Hamilton Massachusetts.

Boston’s North Shore has long been a desireable location for those intersested in buying exceptional waterfront real estate, and equestrian properties and many of its town’s make Boston Magazine’s Best Place To Live list. Manchester-by-the-Sea where the Wyck Estate is located was voted as the Gold Standard. “The North Shore of Boston boasts an amazing concentration of extraordinary properties, and the Wyck Estate has long been considered the jewel in the crown,” said Robb. It was recently chosen by the Week Magazine as one of the best properties on the market with a slate roof, and has been written up by the Wall Street Journal and Robb Report as an extraordinary property. “Despite the economic malaise, we have achieved a series of high-end sales, setting town, county and state records. Wise sellers understand that the inflated prices of the market’s height are behind us, yet they can still count on us to sell their properties at prices that are setting records in today’s marketplace. In our current climate, high-end buyers are looking for spectacular homes that offer value and investment. It is a measured marketplace, one where value trumps pure luxury.”
The Wyck Estate, a replica French Chateau located on Manchester’s desirable Smith’s Point, was built circa 1900 using the finest imported materials and craftsmanship. The home’s exterior consists of Tapestry brick imported from France and carved Indiana limestone; twenty-eight stone carvers were brought to the site to ensure absolute authenticity. The opulently detailed interior includes a formal entranceway, carved of Caen stone from France, a magnificent dining room paneled in extremely rare Circassian walnut from Russia, and floors of green Conamora marble from Ireland. The result of this magnificent effort is an antique treasure as stunning as any to be found in France.
LandVest invested heavily in marketing to ensure the property was well exposed to a wide audience of affluent buyers and invested significant time in ensuring everyone within the LandVest network, and Christies Great Estates affiliates (LandVest is a New England affiliate of Christies Great Estates which allows the property to be exposed internationally through the world wide network of Christies Great Estates as well as exposure thoughout the extended network of Christies -the leading global art business/auction house) and the North Shore brokerage community was aware this North Shore signature listing was for sale.

Lanse Robb has been a broker for more than 22 years on Boston’s North Shore. Lanse Robb is known by some in the North Shore as a rain maker, combining keen market insight, tenacity and a unrelenting commitment to delivering the highest service and value to his clients. He can be reached at lrobb@landvest.com.

View Boston’s North Shore Residential Real Estate for Sale

View Extraordinary Real Estate for Sale in Massachusetts

View New England Waterfront Properties for Sale (Oceanfront)

View New England Waterfront Properties for Sale (freshwater)

View New England Equestrian Properties for Sale

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