REAL ESTATE

INSIDE STORIES BEHIND AREA REAL ESTATE DEALS

From One Designer to Another
After scouring the Hamptons to find a home to suit his style, Tommy Hilfiger decided on the East Hampton Further Lane oceanfront estate of Robert Marc and William Roach, above, for a reported purchase price of close to $18 million. Marc, who has his own high-end line of spectacles and signature stores throughout New York and Boston, reconstructed the 4,700-square-foot house with his partner to be a cutting-edge modern showcase, taking advantage of the views and grounds. Another perk to Hilfiger's new abode is the oceanside pool, which the previous owners installed before current zoning laws made such an amenity a no-no in East Hampton.

First, the Good News
Softness in the local real estate market? "Au contraire," says Allan Schneider ueber-broker Gary DePersia. "Since the beginning of the year, 17 of my exclusives have sold or gone to contract. There's always a busy period until June with clients wanting to be in a home for the summer. Then things quiet down until July. After July 4, the action starts again." He says most of the area's top brokers are doing well this year. "If people can get past things like a recent negative article in Barron's, they'll see that the Hamptons market is quite active." He adds he still has a huge network of prospects who will be busy looking at properties beginning in the next few weeks.