East Hampton North

Written by Christina Norwood

 

East Hampton North is located on the northern side of Montauk Highway, making it one of a handful of neighborhoods in the Hamptons that doesn’t have direct waterfront access. “You’re further away from the ocean, but you’re surrounded by the woods,” says Michael Petersohn, a licensed real estate salesperson at Brown Harris Stevens who has lived in the surrounding area for 25 years. “So it’s a very different feel. Even though it’s a beach town, you really feel like you’re in the forest.” East Hampton, in general, was the first English settlement in New York, dating back to the 1640s. “A lot of this area was formerly farmland,” says Chris Chapin, a Realtor with Douglas Elliman. “In East Hampton North, the land has been used since the 1700s. Therefore, there are no restrictions on how the land can be used, unlike other parts of the Hamptons.”

 

Lee Hayes Youth Park offers a playground, skate park, roller hockey rink and basketball and tennis courts for children up through 12th grade. LongHouse Reserve is a garden with sculptures and other art installations scattered throughout it, making it a popular place to explore when the weather is nice. A big perk of living in East Hampton North is the proximity to East Hampton beaches, which are between 2 and 3 miles away. East Hampton Main Beach is incredibly popular and features a snack bar and public restrooms, while the newer Wiborg Beach has plenty of sand to relax on and is a popular beginner surfing spot. “There are really good beaches,” Chapin says. “There is no boardwalk, the water is very clean and the beaches are not crowded. It’s relaxing.” East Hampton North is also a short drive from harbors and bays to the north. The closest of these, Three Mile Harbor, is just 3 miles away. Because many of these spots aren’t open to the ocean, Petersohn says, they’re great for sailing, fishing, kayaking and paddleboarding.

 

“The roads are beautiful to drive on; it’s all twisty-turny and gorgeous forests,” Petersohn says. And according to Chapin, some of the homes beyond the trees date back as far as the 1700s and 1800s, many of which are two-story houses on smaller lots — roughly one-third of an acre. Colonial-style homes are common here, but there are also plenty of Cape Cods, ranch-style homes and 1980s contemporary homes. Even saltbox-style houses, Chapin says, had a brief surge in popularity and are scattered in the neighborhood. Wood shingle siding is also very common across home styles here. But Chapin says that what you may see on the outside is not necessarily on the inside. “It will look housey on the outside,” he says, “but on the inside, it will have a cathedral ceiling. It’s very post-modern.” Many residents like their privacy, so where the trees aren’t thick enough to conceal a property on their own, evergreen hedges often line lawns to make outdoor spaces and lap pools feel more private. Chapin also says these evergreens give East Hampton North a distinct look from the rest of the Hamptons. “It doesn’t look suburban at all,” he says. A three-bedroom house that needs updating typically starts at $1 million, though lucky buyers sometimes find fixer-uppers for a little less. Most homes cost around $2.3 million, but they can climb much higher, with a fully updated seven-bedroom house costing $8.5 million. The CAP Index crime score is 3 out of 10. The national average is 4.

 

Nearby East Hampton hosts several events throughout the year, including art and music festivals. One of the biggest events, though, is the Artists & Writers Annual Charity Softball Game, where celebrities form teams to raise money for local charities. Past participants have included Alec Baldwin, Kristin Davis and Matthew Broderick. “You have all these celebrities come out and it’s this big charity day,” Petersohn says. “A friend of mine runs it and you can buy tickets, and it’s like $10 to go watch it. You’re 15 feet away from your favorite movie stars. So that’s a fun thing.”

 

Bostwick’s Chowder House is known for its lobster rolls and fish tacos. Smokin’ Wolf BBQ & More mostly serves takeout, making it a popular choice for a quiet night in. Carissa’s Bakery produces fresh bread and sweets every day in a bright, airy space with huge windows, even winning the 2020 James Beard Foundation’s award for outstanding restaurant design. For high-end dining, East Hampton Grill serves steak and ribs, while Nick & Toni’s offers elevated Italian fare. East Hampton Farmers Market is held every Friday from May through early September, offering fresh local produce, bread and honey. The Red House Market also provides groceries close to home, while Stop & Shop is located in nearby East Hampton. The village is a go-to spot for a day of shopping, as is Amagansett Square, which is 4 miles away. With quaint colonial-style storefronts and boutiques, the mall offers a mixture of clothing shops, eateries and a spa, and Chapin says it frequently has live music.

 

The East Hampton Union Free School District earns an A from Niche. Children attend John M. Marshall Elementary School and East Hampton Middle School, which both have A-minus ratings. The elementary school has a student-to-teacher ratio of 10-to-1, and the middle school’s is 7-to-1. East Hampton High School earns an A and is among Niche's top 10 public high schools in Suffolk County. One of the school's groups, the all-female That’s What She Said Club, teaches its students about women’s empowerment.

 

Montauk Highway, also known as Route 27, runs along the neighborhood’s southern border. The highway leads residents to Montauk in 22 minutes. Just outside the neighborhood, the Long Island Rail Road’s East Hampton Station takes commuters to Montauk in about 26 minutes, while the trip to Penn Station takes just over three hours.