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East Hampton and Amagansett: High-Profile Residents Living Along a Pristine Coastline

Amagansett is less formal, while East Hampton boasts large, gated estates

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An available Amagansett home designed by iconic modernist architects Bates Masi.

Douglas Elliman
An available Amagansett home designed by iconic modernist architects Bates Masi.
Douglas Elliman

The Hamptons might be known around the world as exclusive beach towns, but how do they differ from one another? Just in time for Hamptons-buying busy season, we’re taking a look at the towns you need to know about and what’s available in each of them.

First up: East Hampton and Amagansett.

The township of East Hampton is made up of several smaller hamlets, and the idyllic hamlet of Amagansett is one of the true standouts. Both areas are the last stops south of the Montauk Highway on the South Shore of Long Island, and each has its own unique charm.

More:Big Spenders Returned to the Hamptons This Summer

But there are similarities, too. "The easy access to New York, beautiful vistas, natural light, and tranquility calls to visitors from all over the globe," said Karen A. Benvenuto, associate broker with Brown Harris Stevens. "The resale value in both areas is consistently strong, and homes here are always in demand."

"Amagansett is what the Hamptons used to be 20 years ago... it’s more low-key and less built up," said Susan Breitenbach, a Hamptons specialist and real estate broker with the Corcoran Group.

But in the Hamptons, low key doesn’t mean it’s lacking in high-profile residents. Neighbors with weekend beach homes here include Stella McCartney, Scarlett Johansson and Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.

The dining scene is quieter and less "scene-y" in Amagansett than East Hampton; locals pop by the Amagansett Farmers Market, Hampton Chutney and the Lobster Roll for a quick bite in or to grab provisions for a picnic on Indian Wells Beach.

More:Tour a Contemporary East Hampton Home With Classic Style and Notable Neighbors

Other favorites include Tuscan-inspired Sotto Sopra on Main Stress for happy hour or dinner and the Meeting House for elegant American cuisine. After dinner, catch headlining bands and beloved local acts on an intimate stage at the live music venue the Stephen Talkhouse.

As for see-and-be-seen locales in East Hampton, Bay Bar Kitchen is just right for a sunset cocktail, Nick & Toni's is a celebrity favorite and Dopo La Spiaggia is the newest hot spot. Locals get their arts fill at Guild Hall, a cultural community center established in 1931, with a thriving education program and an events calendar filled with concerts, benefit parties and art exhibitions.

Despite sharing the same stretch of pristine coastline as Amagansett, neighboring East Hampton has a very different character, a community with "large gated estates with well-known streets like Lily Pond Lane and Further Lane," Ms. Breitenbach said. "The town is also a bit more formal and built up. It’s the Fifth Avenue of the Hamptons with well-known stores like Tahari, Tiffany and Ralph Lauren, plus a movie theater."

With residents such as Alec Baldwin, Russell Simmons, Laurie Anderson and Martha Stewart, it certainly shares star power with Amagansett.

Of course, location is everything when it comes to Hamptons real estate. "A ‘south of highway’ designation is prime," Ms. Benvenuto said. "Proximity to village shopping and beaches is always in high demand. Areas north of the highway (especially the Springs or Northwest in East Hampton and Bell Estate in Amagansett) offer larger parcels or more affordable waterfront."

So what’s the going rate? Median prices vary per hamlet in East Hampton. Ms. Benvenuto cited that the Village of East Hampton is on the high end at about $5 million, and in Amagansett the median price is $1.5 million. The median price in other areas of East Hampton is under $1 million.

Recent notable sales include a 6.5 acre waterfront estate on Lily Pond Lane which sold for $110 million in 2016, and the true record breaker in recent years was a property on Further Lane that went for a jaw-dropping $147 million in 2014.

Whether looking for a classic waterfront estate or a contemporary beach retreat, following are listings in Amagansett and East Hampton for those in the market for prime Hamptons property:

Amagansett

The Corcoran Group

Address not disclosed$10.9 million

This 6,000-square-foot beach house with over 250-feet of ocean footage sits high on a dune just East of Amagansett with views of both the ocean and Napeague Bay. The custom-built home has six bedroom suites, a media room, ample entertaining spaces, a kitchen overlooking the ocean and a bar area adjacent to the living room. There are a number of covered porches for relaxing and taking in the water views. Step outside to the heated gunite pool and deck with a spa, or wander down the walkway that leads directly from the house to the beach.

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Douglas Elliman

159 Atlantic Ave.$9.495 million

Iconic modernist architects Bates Masi designed this home built in 2016 to echo the dune grasses, pine trees and surf surrounding it. Just steps from the Atlantic Ocean, the focus of this home is on fluid indoor and outdoor living spaces with multiple decks for panoramic views and a pool that appears to be level with the tree tops. This two-story house has five bedrooms, as well as a guest cottage with kitchen and living room space. The most significant neighboring building is the Amagansett Life Saving Station, a local landmark for over a century, and a source of design inspiration the home.

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Brown Harris Stevens

39 Indian Wells Highway $8.995 million

This 8,000-square-foot, seven-bedroom new build is a blend of traditional architecture and modernist lines. The communal spaces are airy and light filled, and the finished lower level has two guest bedrooms, a large recreational area, media room, and a gym. The landscaped grounds have a heated gunite pool with spa and pool house. This estate is located in the heart of Amagansett Lanes, and is close to village shops and restaurants as well as popular Indian Wells Beach.

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The Corcoran Group

43 Sandpiper Lane$6.995 million

Built in 1990, this contemporary beach house was recently renovated in a palette of whites and blond woods. A quick walk to the Atlantic Ocean, this two-story, seven-bedroom house is light filled and maximizes the ocean views. There are two fireplaces, a pool with deck and access to a community tennis court.

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Sotheby's International Realty

18 Dennistoun Drive$2.695 million

This multi-level four-bedroom home is a new build by Hamptons Design in the Broadview Association section of Amagansett. Vaulted ceilings, walls of glass, bleached hardwood flooring and a stone fireplace give it an airy, beach-inspired feel. On the manicured grounds there is a spacious deck, a flagstone patio with a pool, and private access to the 16-acre Broadview preserve beach and dock.

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East Hampton

Brown Harris Stevens

100 & 90 Briar Patch Road$140 million

Built in 1931, this colonial revival style estate designed by architect Arthur C. Jackson is a classic with one one of the most enviable addresses in East Hampton. Completely renovated in 1990 by architect Peter Marino, there is an exquisite Georgian Revival six-bedroom house and an additional four-bedroom house built in 1990 designed by Mr. Marino. Situated over 11.2 acres on exclusive Georgica Pond, it also has private water frontage and enormous grounds with open lawns, mature sycamore, maple and linden trees, trails and a private pond habitat to local swans, egret, and heron. The outdoor sundeck with views of the water surrounds a 60-foot swimming pool and hot tub, and there is also a secluded tennis court and changing cabana.

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Christie's International Real Estate

121 Further Lane$38.995 million

This grand 1917 Hamptons estate designed by architect Arthur C. Jackson was named Lasata or "Place of Peace." It’s best known as the summer home to the Bouvier family throughout the 1920s, and it has changed families only a few times over the past century. The elegant compound near the beach is set on over seven gorgeous acres, and was impeccably restored in 2007. There are 10 bedrooms in the main house, a one-bedroom guest house, two-bedroom pool house and a three-car garage building.

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The Corcoran Group

38 Two Mile Hollow Road $29.95 million

Further Lane is one of the most enviable addresses in the Hamptons, so it’s the perfect spot for this extraordinary estate designed by the architecture firm AML and built in 2013. The oceanfront retreat set on three acres has a sprawling 8,000 square feet of open living space, eight bedrooms, nine bathrooms, five fireplaces, and a top-end chef’s kitchen and a separate guest’s quarter as well. Outside, there’s a beachfront bungalow, infinity edge pool and spa, and the private Har-Tru tennis court with covered sitting area, changing room and bathroom.

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Brown Harris Stevens

7 West End Road$28.5 million

This compound has two charming properties built in 1963 and designed by postwar architect Alfred A. Scheffer. There is the six-bedroom main house and a sweet beach cottage perched high on the dunes overlooking Georgica Beach. The 3.6 oceanfront acres are landscaped with beautiful gardens and oversized pool.

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The Corcoran Group

31 Two Mile Hollow Road$17.95 million

Custom designed by Lawrence Randolph and built in 2000, this traditional cedar-shake clad home is a Hampton’s classic. Plus, this private retreat with a gated entrance is just 400 yards from ocean with deeded access. The interiors are comprised of 8,500 square feet of living space, a state- of-the art kitchen, a double-height great room, six bedrooms, an elevator, and a finished lower level with rec room with a gym. Step outside to the heated pool with spa and pool house, tennis court, and expansive stone patios and decks for taking in the ocean views.

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