The SPARK Exchange

Real Talk About the Hamptons Real Estate Market with the East End’s Top Brokers

Buy, Sell or Wait? What’s Next for Hamptons and North Fork Real Estate This Fall

Where the opportunities are now — and what buyers and sellers should know heading into the final months of 2026.

Higher mortgage rates are pressuring buyers and sellers nationally, but the East End has always played by its own rules.

We asked top Hamptons and North Fork brokers what they’re seeing now — and what they expect through the end of 2026.

Patrick McLaughlin — Douglas Elliman, Sag Harbor

The Hamptons has more cash and high-net-worth buyers, so most buyers out here aren’t directly impacted by mortgage rates. But rates still set the temperature of the Hamptons market. They influence confidence, urgency and how buyers perceive value. Buyers are still writing checks — they’re just not writing blank ones.

On the North Fork, where financing plays a larger role, higher rates have a more direct effect on affordability and purchasing power.

The Right Property, at the Right Price

My friend Melissa Cohn (mortgage broker) always says, “Marry the house and date the mortgage rate.” If you find the right property at the right price, you can refinance when rates improve. You can change the mortgage — you can’t go back and buy the house someone else bought.

For buyers, fall could present an opportunity. There is usually less competition after Labor Day, and sellers whose homes have been sitting may be more willing to negotiate.

For sellers, this is not the time to test the market with an aspirational price. Buyers are informed, selective and quick to ignore anything that feels overpriced. A well-positioned, properly priced home will still sell. But the market tells you your price, and sellers need to listen sooner rather than later.

Through the end of 2026, I expect a selective market — not a crash. The high end and cash-driven segments should remain active, while financed buyers will be more cautious.

The best opportunities will be in properties that have accumulated days on market, need cosmetic work, or have sellers with a genuine reason to make a deal.

Mary Slattery — Corcoran, Southampton

I had an extraordinarily busy summer, with a lot of showings and people coming to open houses and putting their toe in the water. That’s typical in the summer, but I’ve always found the period after Labor Day can be even busier. And with prices where they are today, this is a substantial purchase — buyers want to be able to get into a house, really see it and focus on buying real estate.

The people who come out after Labor Day tend to be much more focused. They know what they’re looking for and they’re not just kicking tires.

I’m also seeing a lot of price reductions, and buyers are paying very close attention. I recently reduced two of my listings and received offers on both almost immediately. With the lack of inventory, buyers are watching properties online like hawks — they may be interested in a house but think it’s priced too high, and as soon as they see that reduction, they act.

We need to get sellers out of the pandemic pricing mindset, which inflated everything. I’m not talking about the very high end, which has always been its own market, but the broader market. Pricing properly is incredibly important right now.

Mortgage rates also don’t affect us the way they affect much of the country. About 50% of our deals are cash, and even buyers who plan to finance often waive the mortgage contingency to make their offer more competitive.

Where the Real Estate Opportunities Are Now

I still see opportunities in places like Springs, Hampton Bays and North Sea, where buyers can get more for their budgets and face less competition than in East Hampton, Southampton or Sag Harbor villages. I’m also hearing more buyers say they don’t want to go too far east because of the traffic, so they’re looking at Westhampton and East Quogue. There are good opportunities if buyers are willing to be a little bit of a pioneer.

For sellers, I sometimes ask, “Do you think you’re going to be able to get back in? What are you going to replace it with?” If you love where you are, just fix it.

I’ve been in real estate since 2006, through two financial downturns and the pandemic, and the East End has always been different. We are in a very special real estate market. It’s got its own reality.

Kieran Brew — SERHANT., Bridgehampton

Should you buy, sell, or wait? My short answer: ALL THREE! We’re at one of those unusual times in the Hamptons when the market is ripe for buying, selling or waiting.

For buyers, there are not a ton of options, but there are good houses for sale.

For sellers, there are plenty of buyers around who are ready to pull the trigger. There’s just one caveat: price.

Note to Buyers and Sellers

Buyers: don’t expect bargains — after all, no one comes to the Hamptons because it’s cheap. If you want a good house in a good location, it’s gonna cost you.

Sellers: people are not overpaying — no one comes to the Hamptons with millions to spend on a summer house because they’re stupid.

As far as waiting? There are better choices for sellers than for buyers; and prices always go up — sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.

But you can be sure that any house will trade for more in a few years than it would now.

Mary Terry — Sotheby’s International Realty, Hamptons & North Fork

The East End real estate market continues to demonstrate remarkable strength. Prices are rising, sellers are achieving historically high sale prices — particularly on the North Fork — and days on market remain near record lows.

In my view, real estate on the East End remains one of the most compelling long-term investments you can make.

Where the Value on the East End Lies

Buyers are still finding more value west of the Canal, including Hampton Bays and East Quogue, as well as throughout the North Fork, although that price gap is steadily narrowing. I’m also seeing growing interest in areas such as Calverton and Baiting Hollow, where there are beautiful properties offering tremendous potential.

The urgency is real. Recently, buyers I had shown 12 North Fork properties to returned just a few weeks later — only to discover that six were already pending.

The lesson? If you find something you love, don’t hesitate. As I told my clients, “If you see something you like, pull the trigger. You can always refinance later.”

In this market, he who hesitates is lost.

James Blueweiss — Brown Harris Stevens, East Hampton

I wouldn’t apply the national picture on interest rates to the Hamptons and North Fork one-for-one. Higher interest rates certainly matter, particularly to buyers who are financing, but the East End is a very different market — one still defined by limited inventory, substantial cash and wealth-driven purchases, and an enduring desire to own here.

So, should you buy, sell or wait? My advice is: Don’t try to time the market — time the opportunity.

For buyers, fall can be one of the best times to act. There’s typically less competition after Labor Day, and a property that has been on the market through the spring and summer may now have a more motivated seller. That can create negotiating opportunities that simply weren’t there a few months earlier.

If you find the right house at a price that makes sense, I wouldn’t sit on the sidelines waiting for mortgage rates to fall. If rates eventually come down, you can refinance. You can’t go back and buy a property after someone else has taken it.

For sellers, I also wouldn’t automatically wait for spring. Good properties that are priced correctly are still selling. Buyers today are informed and value-conscious; however, aspirational pricing is increasingly being challenged. The first few weeks on the market matter enormously.

Scarcity, Lifestyle and Long-Term Desirability

Through the end of 2026, I expect the market to remain highly property-specific. Turnkey homes in desirable locations with realistic pricing should continue to command attention, while overpriced properties will sit longer and potentially become opportunities for buyers willing to negotiate.

The Hamptons and North Fork have always been about scarcity, lifestyle and long-term desirability. Interest rates can affect the pace of the market, but they don’t change those fundamentals.

Angela LaGreca

Editor, Co-Founder/Publisher

Angela LaGreca, Editor-in-chief and co-Founder/Publisher of Spark Hamptons, is a four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, producer, writer and comedian/host. Her TV credits include NBC’s “Today,” ABC’s “The View,” and, most recently, the primetime cable news program “Cuomo” on NewsNation. On the East End, she was the Creative Director at LTV, VP Features/Events/Photo Editor at Dan’s Papers, and has performed at Guild Hall, Bay Street Theater and the WHBPAC. Her publishing career began at Modern Photography, where she was managing editor. LaGreca lives in Manhattan and East Hampton and can be reached at angelatvmedia@gmail.com and angela@sparkhamptons.com .