Most expensive Nassau home sales of 2024
A sprawling 93-acre estate, a Fox News personality’s waterfront retreat and a mansion tied to a 1978 murder topped Nassau County’s most expensive home sales in 2024, according to a Newsday analysis of data from Manhattan appraisal firm Miller Samuel.
The most expensive sale, a $21 million Old Westbury estate called Erchless, commanded the highest price tag for any home in the county since at least 2000, the analysis showed.
All 10 of the top sales in the county were located north of Jericho Turnpike along Nassau County's Gold Coast. While the North Shore's estates haven't recently generated the eye-watering prices of Manhattan's Billionaire's Row or Southampton's oceanfront, the gap narrowed in 2024 with the sale of Erchless. That property would have tied for ninth among the priciest Hamptons deals of 2024.
"To have that kind of space and still be within commuting distance of New York City is rare and commands a premium price," said Jonathan Miller, an appraiser and CEO of Miller Samuel.
The North Shore has re-emerged as an attractive destination for ultra-luxury buyers, particularly those who want more bang for their buck in terms of land, said Shawn Elliott, president of the ultra-luxury division of Nest Seekers International in East Norwich, who listed two of the top five priciest deals.
"Twenty-five years ago, the North Shore Gold Coast was the place to be. There was nothing better," he said. "Then, people got very comfortable living in New York City and the Hamptons. Then COVID came, and people started to appreciate 2-acre properties."
Here are the 10 priciest home sales in Nassau County of 2024:
The record-breaking sale of this Georgian-style estate came with the rare opportunity to buy 92.7 acres in the middle of Nassau County.
The property, named Erchless after a Scottish castle, is renowned as much for its carefully maintained grounds as it is for its 1935 manor home.
"When we would take people on a tour of the property, we would go on a golf cart," said Lois Kirschenbaum, an associate broker at Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty in Greenvale. She said that was needed to explore the property's arboretums and gardens.
Erchless has four greenhouses, a stable with a turnout paddock and several barns, according to listing information.
The estate is known for its gardens, which were designed decades before the home was built, by landscape designer Umberto Innocenti and Philip Goodwin, designer of the original Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. It is particularly renowned for its rhododendrons, thousands of which were imported from England over the past century and cultivated on the property. Its plants have been displayed at the New York and Brooklyn botanical gardens.
The home had been owned by the Phipps family since 1901. Howard Phipps, a philanthropist and horticulturalist, lived there with his wife Harriet until his death in 1981. The seller was Howard Phipps Jr., Newsday previously reported. The estate was owned by Little Erchless LLC, according to property records.
The original owner's father, Henry Phipps Jr., was a business partner of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie.
The home itself, with 15 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, was well-maintained, Kirschenbaum said, with all of its mechanical systems, including an elevator and central air conditioning, in working order.
Maria Babaev, an associate broker at Douglas Elliman who represented the buyer, told Newsday last month her client had lived in Old Westbury before the purchase and was "a health care mogul and a real estate developer."
She said the buyer, who she declined to identify, bought the property for personal use.
However, Kirschenbaum said the next owner would have options to develop the property.
The last sale of this size in the county — when homebuilder Toll Brothers purchased 30 acres and the St. Ignatius Retreat House in North Hills in 2021 for $38.4 million — had a higher price tag but Miller said he viewed that deal as a land sale rather than a residential transaction.
This Versailles-inspired limestone palace in Old Brookville is known as Maison des Jardins, according to listing information. It spans 22,000 square feet.
The 8-acre estate, made up of sprawling lawns and gardens, is located down a quarter-mile, tree-lined driveway. The eight-bedroom, 15-bathroom mansion has two wings, a large chef's kitchen, a formal dining room and a series of wood burning fireplaces and chandeliers, listing details show.
Jason and Rudi Friedman, of Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty, listed the property and declined to comment on the sale.
Fox News host Sean Hannity sold this seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom waterfront mansion on Centre Island, finding a buyer within a week of listing the home, Newsday previously reported in June.
The 5.76-acre property has 500 feet of frontage on Oyster Bay Harbor as well as an 81-foot dock, said listing broker Shawn Elliott, of Nest Seekers International.
"Having that in your backyard in Centre Island is priceless," Elliott said. "There might be 99 homes on Centre Island and less than 10% of them have a deepwater dock, or spud barge, and I think that's what led to a bidding war."
Elliott declined to disclose the buyer, who was represented by agent Marianne Angelletta at Peter H. Benson Real Estate in New Hyde Park.
The nearly 10,700-square-foot home includes a gourmet kitchen with marble countertops as well as a breakfast nook with water views. The primary suite includes two walk-in closets and a bathroom with a soaking tub and steam shower.
Outside, there is a resort-style swimming pool, a tennis court and a par 3 golf course, according to the listing.
This recently rebuilt home on 5.1 acres in Upper Brookville offered buyers all the latest amenities to entertain their friends and family without the stiffness of some of the Gold Coast's historic estates, said listing agent Kieran Rodgers, of The Agency in Huntington.
The seven-bedroom, 10-bathroom mansion has a full bar, a gym and a 500-bottle wine room. In the backyard there is a heated pool, a detached pool house and an outdoor kitchen, according to the listing.
"All the other properties that were similar in price needed major renovations," said Rodgers.
The house "checks the boxes of the accommodations these new buyers are looking for. They want the separate pool house. They want the 'entertainment feeling' house. They do not want the house that has a ton of mahogany and a very old, stiff-looking feel with chandeliers."
The nearly 7,200-square-foot Colonial underwent a renovation starting in 2020 by its then-owner Jason Giessel, president of construction firm RC Structures, Newsday reported in July. Giessel told Newsday at the time he spent more than $7 million to redevelop the property.
Sharon Tract, an agent at Douglas Elliman in Roslyn, represented the buyer in the deal. The buyer was a Glen Head-based trust, according to public records.
An indoor pool, visible through large windows in this home's double-height foyer, is one of the highlights of this 11,000-square-foot mansion in Upper Brookville, which overlooks the Mill River Club golf course.
The seven-bedroom, 13-bathroom home, located on 5¼ acres, has a library with custom millwork featuring exotic woods, such as mahogany and Brazilian cherry, Newsday reported in August.
There's also a one-lane bowling alley, a spa and a home theater, according to listing details. Outside, there's a tennis court and an additional pool with a waterfall feature.
The seller had spent $5 million to renovate the home before the sale, including a $500,000 kitchen renovation, according to Elliott, who listed the house. The property found a buyer, who was represented by agent Toni Cefalu at Signature Premier Properties in Huntington, within a week of hitting the market.
"Homes that are immediate gratification sell very quickly," Elliott said.
This 4-acre home within the Harbor Acres community overlooks Hempstead Harbor.
Built in 2004, the six-bedroom, seven-bathroom home has a dock and a pool, listing details show. Maggie Keats, associate broker at Douglas Elliman in Port Washington, listed the home and declined to comment on the sale.
The 6,500-square-foot Colonial has three fireplaces, records show.
This 10,000-square-foot waterfront mansion on Long Island Sound has views of the city skyline and Throgs Neck Bridge.
The nine-bedroom, seven-bathroom split-level home has a lower level that overlooks its backyard pool as well as sunset views, according to listing details from Lise Elgressy, a broker at La Vie En Rose Living in Great Neck Plaza, who also brought the buyer to the deal.
The home had come on the market nine times in the past 12 years, according to Zillow. It was first listed for $15 million in 2012.
The buyer planned to knock down the home and build anew, Elgressy said.
"Many times locations are great and people want to live here, but water definitely became an issue," she said. "So the fact it's elevated was really good, and I believe that's why my buyer decided to move forward with the deal."
The 1.1-acre property is located just south of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
This six-bedroom estate, known as Eventide, sits above Mill Neck Creek and has 512 feet of waterfront.
The carriage house-inspired home on almost 5.2 acres has broad sunset views, according to the listing from Cottie Maxwell Pournaras, associate broker at Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty.
Inside, the home features detailed millwork, a chef's kitchen, a library, an office and two multi-purpose loft studios, listing details show. Amenities include a gym, game rooms and a heated pool. There's also a covered veranda with a fireplace.
The home was built in 2004 and was updated in 2023. "The 9-foot-plus ceilings enhance the living spaces giving each room a more gracious feel with an expansive view to the beautiful outside setting," Maxwell Pournaras said.
Eventide previously sold for nearly $6.8 million in 2021.
Maxwell Pournaras said the luxury market was buoyed last year by sellers becoming more realistic and adjusting their prices to find buyers. "The buyers began to see real value in these luxury properties, which could never be replicated for these prices."
This Colonial home, with roots dating to 1848, is located on 1 acre on Long Island Sound with Manhattan skyline and Throgs Neck Bridge views.
The nearly 5,600-square-foot home, with five bedrooms and five bathrooms, is at the end of a cul-de-sac just north of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and not far up the shoreline from the Sinclair Drive home that also sold last year. The backyard includes a pool and a gazebo.
The sweeping water views are what drove the price, with the buyer planning a renovation for the home, said Nazy Ben Yehuda, an agent at Edna Mashaal Realty in Great Neck Plaza, who listed the property.
"It was more value for the land because this was a magnificent waterfront that you could see the bridge," Ben Yehuda said, noting properties on the west side of Kings Point tend to have higher elevation.
The seller was Martin Abrams, according to public records. Abrams is the CEO of Mego Corp., a Great Neck-based action figure manufacturer, that was founded in 1954 and relaunched in 2018. The buyer was KPW Property LLC.
This brick Georgian Manor, known as Sunninghill Estate, built in 1928 and located on 27 acres, comes with a notorious past.
In 1978, its owner Lawrence Lever was shot and killed in front of his wife during a burglary by two men, including so-called "Dinnertime Bandit" Alan Golder, who was arrested in 1980 and sentenced to 15 years to life for the murder as part of a plea-bargaining agreement. Golder alleged an accomplice shot and killed Lever, Newsday reported in 1981.
Golder was released in 1996, and, a decade later, was extradited from Belgium and convicted of a string of Connecticut burglaries.
The home was purchased last year by Flushing-based Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society, a local affiliate of a Canada-based Buddhist organization.
"Over time, these [Gold Coast] properties have been subdivided or repurposed but what's great about this sale is it's going to be kept together," said Nancy Cuite, an associate broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Laffey International Realty in Roslyn, who listed the property.
The 10,000-square-foot home has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, as well as six fireplaces, according to listing details. There's an eight-car garage, with additional living space above, as well as a guest cottage.
The property includes a quarter-mile trail, a pool with a pool house and a tennis court. Both the pool and the tennis court required renovation to be useable, according to the listing.
With Caroline Curtin
A sprawling 93-acre estate, a Fox News personality’s waterfront retreat and a mansion tied to a 1978 murder topped Nassau County’s most expensive home sales in 2024, according to a Newsday analysis of data from Manhattan appraisal firm Miller Samuel.
The most expensive sale, a $21 million Old Westbury estate called Erchless, commanded the highest price tag for any home in the county since at least 2000, the analysis showed.
All 10 of the top sales in the county were located north of Jericho Turnpike along Nassau County's Gold Coast. While the North Shore's estates haven't recently generated the eye-watering prices of Manhattan's Billionaire's Row or Southampton's oceanfront, the gap narrowed in 2024 with the sale of Erchless. That property would have tied for ninth among the priciest Hamptons deals of 2024.
"To have that kind of space and still be within commuting distance of New York City is rare and commands a premium price," said Jonathan Miller, an appraiser and CEO of Miller Samuel.
The North Shore has re-emerged as an attractive destination for ultra-luxury buyers, particularly those who want more bang for their buck in terms of land, said Shawn Elliott, president of the ultra-luxury division of Nest Seekers International in East Norwich, who listed two of the top five priciest deals.
"Twenty-five years ago, the North Shore Gold Coast was the place to be. There was nothing better," he said. "Then, people got very comfortable living in New York City and the Hamptons. Then COVID came, and people started to appreciate 2-acre properties."
Here are the 10 priciest home sales in Nassau County of 2024:
1. $21 million: Post Road, Old Westbury
This 92.7-acre estate in Old Westbury sold for $21 million in the priciest sale in Nassau County in at least 20 years. Credit: Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty
The record-breaking sale of this Georgian-style estate came with the rare opportunity to buy 92.7 acres in the middle of Nassau County.
The property, named Erchless after a Scottish castle, is renowned as much for its carefully maintained grounds as it is for its 1935 manor home.
"When we would take people on a tour of the property, we would go on a golf cart," said Lois Kirschenbaum, an associate broker at Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty in Greenvale. She said that was needed to explore the property's arboretums and gardens.
Erchless has four greenhouses, a stable with a turnout paddock and several barns, according to listing information.
The estate is known for its gardens, which were designed decades before the home was built, by landscape designer Umberto Innocenti and Philip Goodwin, designer of the original Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. It is particularly renowned for its rhododendrons, thousands of which were imported from England over the past century and cultivated on the property. Its plants have been displayed at the New York and Brooklyn botanical gardens.
The home had been owned by the Phipps family since 1901. Howard Phipps, a philanthropist and horticulturalist, lived there with his wife Harriet until his death in 1981. The seller was Howard Phipps Jr., Newsday previously reported. The estate was owned by Little Erchless LLC, according to property records.
The original owner's father, Henry Phipps Jr., was a business partner of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie.
The home itself, with 15 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, was well-maintained, Kirschenbaum said, with all of its mechanical systems, including an elevator and central air conditioning, in working order.
Maria Babaev, an associate broker at Douglas Elliman who represented the buyer, told Newsday last month her client had lived in Old Westbury before the purchase and was "a health care mogul and a real estate developer."
She said the buyer, who she declined to identify, bought the property for personal use.
However, Kirschenbaum said the next owner would have options to develop the property.
The last sale of this size in the county — when homebuilder Toll Brothers purchased 30 acres and the St. Ignatius Retreat House in North Hills in 2021 for $38.4 million — had a higher price tag but Miller said he viewed that deal as a land sale rather than a residential transaction.
2. $20 Million: Private Road, Old Brookville
This Versailles-inspired mansion on more than 8 acres in Old Brookville sold for $20 million in December. Credit: Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty
This Versailles-inspired limestone palace in Old Brookville is known as Maison des Jardins, according to listing information. It spans 22,000 square feet.
The 8-acre estate, made up of sprawling lawns and gardens, is located down a quarter-mile, tree-lined driveway. The eight-bedroom, 15-bathroom mansion has two wings, a large chef's kitchen, a formal dining room and a series of wood burning fireplaces and chandeliers, listing details show.
Jason and Rudi Friedman, of Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty, listed the property and declined to comment on the sale.
3. $12.69 million: Centre Island Road, Centre Island
This seven-bedroom Centre Island home previously belonged to Fox News personality Sean Hannity. Credit: Studio 910pb
Fox News host Sean Hannity sold this seven-bedroom, nine-bathroom waterfront mansion on Centre Island, finding a buyer within a week of listing the home, Newsday previously reported in June.
The 5.76-acre property has 500 feet of frontage on Oyster Bay Harbor as well as an 81-foot dock, said listing broker Shawn Elliott, of Nest Seekers International.
"Having that in your backyard in Centre Island is priceless," Elliott said. "There might be 99 homes on Centre Island and less than 10% of them have a deepwater dock, or spud barge, and I think that's what led to a bidding war."
Elliott declined to disclose the buyer, who was represented by agent Marianne Angelletta at Peter H. Benson Real Estate in New Hyde Park.
The nearly 10,700-square-foot home includes a gourmet kitchen with marble countertops as well as a breakfast nook with water views. The primary suite includes two walk-in closets and a bathroom with a soaking tub and steam shower.
Outside, there is a resort-style swimming pool, a tennis court and a par 3 golf course, according to the listing.
4. $10 million: Wolver Hollow Road, Upper Brookville
This recently rebuilt Colonial sold for $10 million and has a heated saltwater swimming pool and detached pool house. Credit: Kieran Rodgers
This recently rebuilt home on 5.1 acres in Upper Brookville offered buyers all the latest amenities to entertain their friends and family without the stiffness of some of the Gold Coast's historic estates, said listing agent Kieran Rodgers, of The Agency in Huntington.
The seven-bedroom, 10-bathroom mansion has a full bar, a gym and a 500-bottle wine room. In the backyard there is a heated pool, a detached pool house and an outdoor kitchen, according to the listing.
"All the other properties that were similar in price needed major renovations," said Rodgers.
The house "checks the boxes of the accommodations these new buyers are looking for. They want the separate pool house. They want the 'entertainment feeling' house. They do not want the house that has a ton of mahogany and a very old, stiff-looking feel with chandeliers."
The nearly 7,200-square-foot Colonial underwent a renovation starting in 2020 by its then-owner Jason Giessel, president of construction firm RC Structures, Newsday reported in July. Giessel told Newsday at the time he spent more than $7 million to redevelop the property.
Sharon Tract, an agent at Douglas Elliman in Roslyn, represented the buyer in the deal. The buyer was a Glen Head-based trust, according to public records.
5. $9.85 million: Chestnut Hill Drive, Upper Brookville
This Upper Brookville mansion overlooks the Mill River Club golf course. Credit: Josh Goetz Photography
An indoor pool, visible through large windows in this home's double-height foyer, is one of the highlights of this 11,000-square-foot mansion in Upper Brookville, which overlooks the Mill River Club golf course.
The seven-bedroom, 13-bathroom home, located on 5¼ acres, has a library with custom millwork featuring exotic woods, such as mahogany and Brazilian cherry, Newsday reported in August.
There's also a one-lane bowling alley, a spa and a home theater, according to listing details. Outside, there's a tennis court and an additional pool with a waterfall feature.
The seller had spent $5 million to renovate the home before the sale, including a $500,000 kitchen renovation, according to Elliott, who listed the house. The property found a buyer, who was represented by agent Toni Cefalu at Signature Premier Properties in Huntington, within a week of hitting the market.
"Homes that are immediate gratification sell very quickly," Elliott said.
6. $8.05 million: Harbor Acres Road, Sands Point
This Sands Point home that overlooks Hempstead Harbor sold for $8.05 million last year. Credit: Homedia Group
This 4-acre home within the Harbor Acres community overlooks Hempstead Harbor.
Built in 2004, the six-bedroom, seven-bathroom home has a dock and a pool, listing details show. Maggie Keats, associate broker at Douglas Elliman in Port Washington, listed the home and declined to comment on the sale.
The 6,500-square-foot Colonial has three fireplaces, records show.
7. $7.8 million: Sinclair Drive, Kings Point
This Kings Point home with a prime view of the Throgs Neck Bridge sold for $7.8 million last year. Credit: Lise Elgressy
This 10,000-square-foot waterfront mansion on Long Island Sound has views of the city skyline and Throgs Neck Bridge.
The nine-bedroom, seven-bathroom split-level home has a lower level that overlooks its backyard pool as well as sunset views, according to listing details from Lise Elgressy, a broker at La Vie En Rose Living in Great Neck Plaza, who also brought the buyer to the deal.
The home had come on the market nine times in the past 12 years, according to Zillow. It was first listed for $15 million in 2012.
The buyer planned to knock down the home and build anew, Elgressy said.
"Many times locations are great and people want to live here, but water definitely became an issue," she said. "So the fact it's elevated was really good, and I believe that's why my buyer decided to move forward with the deal."
The 1.1-acre property is located just south of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.
8. $7.75 million: Horseshoe Road, Mill Neck
This six-bedroom home in Mill Neck, which has more than 500 feet of waterfront, sold for $7.75 million Credit: Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty
This six-bedroom estate, known as Eventide, sits above Mill Neck Creek and has 512 feet of waterfront.
The carriage house-inspired home on almost 5.2 acres has broad sunset views, according to the listing from Cottie Maxwell Pournaras, associate broker at Daniel Gale Sotheby's International Realty.
Inside, the home features detailed millwork, a chef's kitchen, a library, an office and two multi-purpose loft studios, listing details show. Amenities include a gym, game rooms and a heated pool. There's also a covered veranda with a fireplace.
The home was built in 2004 and was updated in 2023. "The 9-foot-plus ceilings enhance the living spaces giving each room a more gracious feel with an expansive view to the beautiful outside setting," Maxwell Pournaras said.
Eventide previously sold for nearly $6.8 million in 2021.
Maxwell Pournaras said the luxury market was buoyed last year by sellers becoming more realistic and adjusting their prices to find buyers. "The buyers began to see real value in these luxury properties, which could never be replicated for these prices."
9. $7.6 million: Sunset Road, Kings Point
This Kings Point home with roots dating to 1848 sold for $7.6 million. Credit: Homedia Group
This Colonial home, with roots dating to 1848, is located on 1 acre on Long Island Sound with Manhattan skyline and Throgs Neck Bridge views.
The nearly 5,600-square-foot home, with five bedrooms and five bathrooms, is at the end of a cul-de-sac just north of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and not far up the shoreline from the Sinclair Drive home that also sold last year. The backyard includes a pool and a gazebo.
The sweeping water views are what drove the price, with the buyer planning a renovation for the home, said Nazy Ben Yehuda, an agent at Edna Mashaal Realty in Great Neck Plaza, who listed the property.
"It was more value for the land because this was a magnificent waterfront that you could see the bridge," Ben Yehuda said, noting properties on the west side of Kings Point tend to have higher elevation.
The seller was Martin Abrams, according to public records. Abrams is the CEO of Mego Corp., a Great Neck-based action figure manufacturer, that was founded in 1954 and relaunched in 2018. The buyer was KPW Property LLC.
10. $7.51 million: Cedar Swamp Road, Old Brookville
This brick Georgian-style mansion on 28 acres sold for $7.5 million last year. Credit: Dynamic Media Solutions
This brick Georgian Manor, known as Sunninghill Estate, built in 1928 and located on 27 acres, comes with a notorious past.
In 1978, its owner Lawrence Lever was shot and killed in front of his wife during a burglary by two men, including so-called "Dinnertime Bandit" Alan Golder, who was arrested in 1980 and sentenced to 15 years to life for the murder as part of a plea-bargaining agreement. Golder alleged an accomplice shot and killed Lever, Newsday reported in 1981.
Golder was released in 1996, and, a decade later, was extradited from Belgium and convicted of a string of Connecticut burglaries.
The home was purchased last year by Flushing-based Great Enlightenment Buddhist Institute Society, a local affiliate of a Canada-based Buddhist organization.
A Newsday story from December 1978. Credit: Newsday
"Over time, these [Gold Coast] properties have been subdivided or repurposed but what's great about this sale is it's going to be kept together," said Nancy Cuite, an associate broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Laffey International Realty in Roslyn, who listed the property.
The 10,000-square-foot home has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, as well as six fireplaces, according to listing details. There's an eight-car garage, with additional living space above, as well as a guest cottage.
The property includes a quarter-mile trail, a pool with a pool house and a tennis court. Both the pool and the tennis court required renovation to be useable, according to the listing.
With Caroline Curtin
Jonathan LaMantia covers residential real estate and other business news on Long Island. He previously covered the business of health care for Crain's New York Business.
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