Why Hamptons Oceanfront Is Different From Anywhere Else

A Finite Asset Class

There are approximately 27 miles of ocean coastline on the South Fork of Long Island, from Southampton to Montauk. That's it. No one is making more oceanfront in the Hamptons.

This fundamental scarcity is what separates Hamptons oceanfront from virtually any other luxury real estate market in the United States. In Miami, developers build new waterfront towers every year. In Malibu, the coastline stretches for miles. In the Hamptons, every oceanfront parcel that trades is one fewer available, often for decades or generations.

The Numbers Tell the Story

Consider the trajectory of top-tier Hamptons oceanfront pricing:

In five years, the ceiling nearly doubled. And the floor has risen just as dramatically, and it's increasingly rare to find any oceanfront property under $10 million on the South Fork.

Proximity to Capital

What makes the Hamptons truly unique among US oceanfront markets is proximity. This is the only world-class beach community within a two-hour drive of Manhattan, the financial capital of the world. For hedge fund managers, private equity executives, and tech founders based in New York, the Hamptons isn't a vacation; it's a 90-minute commute.

That proximity creates a buyer pool with virtually unlimited purchasing power. When a $50M oceanfront estate hits the market, the potential buyers aren't retirees stretching their budget. they're active wealth creators for whom $50M represents a fraction of their net worth.

The Off-Market Factor

The ultra-luxury oceanfront segment operates largely in private. Many of the most significant oceanfront properties never appear on Zillow, Realtor.com, or even the MLS. They trade through private networks, relationship-based introductions, and brokerages with access to off-market inventory.

At Hedgerow Exclusive Properties, over $700 million in sales volume since 2020 has been facilitated off-market, nearly a third of the firm's total transactions. For buyers seeking oceanfront, working with a brokerage that operates at this level isn't optional; it's the only way to access inventory that never reaches the public market.

The Key Corridors

Not all Hamptons oceanfront is created equal. The premium streets where the record-breaking trades happen include:

What This Means For Buyers and Sellers

For buyers: Hamptons oceanfront is not a market that rewards patience. Every year you wait, the entry point moves higher and the inventory gets thinner. If you're considering an oceanfront purchase, the time to begin the conversation is now, especially for off-market opportunities that require established relationships.

For sellers: You own one of the most valuable asset classes in American real estate. The question isn't whether to sell, it's ensuring you have representation that understands the true value of your property and can access the global buyer pool that trades at this level.

Barry McGovern is a luxury real estate broker and oceanfront & waterfront specialist at Hedgerow Exclusive Properties, the #1 ranked Hamptons firm by WSJ/RealTrends. For a confidential consultation, call 646-339-0154.