Disgraced former television broadcaster Matt Lauer is once more attempting to sell his 14,000-square-foot estate in the Hamptons. The listing comes after Lauer initially put the property up for sale last year, but in a somewhat unusual turn of events the asking price in both instances is the same: nearly $44 million.
$43.995 million to be precise, the exact same price it was listed for in 2019. That's significantly more than the $36.5 million he paid for it in the summer of 2016, when he purchased it from none other than actor Richard Gere. But it's quite a bit less than the $65 million that Gere reportedly wanted for it back then.
The property is a jewel of Sag Harbor, a historic whaling community in the Hamptons. The compound features a main house (known by the lofty name of Strongheart Manor) and two guest houses which all add up together to the aforementioned 14,000 square feet, 12 bedrooms, and 12 bathrooms. The main house was built all the way back in 1902, but as you might guess it's been extensively updated and modernized since then, while retaining much of its turn-of-the-century charm. And as its official listing by The Corocran Group makes clear, charm is far from the only selling point here:
"This energy-efficient and geothermal estate has been totally modernized to the highest standards while most importantly still retaining its original charm and character. The whole property is absolutely magical, some of the interior highlights include a screened-in porch spanning the entire length of the house, numerous entertaining areas, formal living and dining room and multiple fireplaces throughout. There are 2 also completely renovated guest houses, with a total of 12 bedrooms and 12 baths, and other exterior features include a 60′ heated waterfront pool, rolling lawns and flowering gardens, specimen trees, outdoor fireplace pavilion, gym, basketball court and room for tennis. Not a thing was missed and can never be replaced!"
In optimistically putting the property back up for sale at the same price as last year, Lauer is clearly hoping to capitalize on the flood of wealthy New Yorkers fleeing the city for greener pastures in the wake of COVID-19.
You can take a look at Strongheart Manor, once home to both Matt Lauer and Richard Gere, in the video below from Bespoke Real Estate:
