In the Hamptons, rigid pricing is now the dividing line between homes that sell and those that sit on the market for months. Buyers have slowed their pace, and properties listed above market value are staying unsold far longer than in recent years. Patricia Oakley and Brian Leicht of Saunders & Associates say the fast, competitive market of the pandemic era has given way to a cautious environment where pricing discipline is essential.
Buyers Reject Overpriced Homes
The Hamptons market has moved away from the bidding wars and quick sales of 2020 and 2021. Buyers are now taking their time, comparing listings, and refusing to pursue homes they believe are overpriced. Oakley notes that buyers are no longer in a rush and will pass on properties that don’t align with their sense of value. “If they see something’s overpriced, they’re not moving on it,” she says.
This shift has created a clear divide between homes priced realistically and those testing the market with inflated prices. Leicht highlights a recent example at 41 Deerfield Road in Water Mill. Priced at $3.195 million — well below many neighboring properties — the listing immediately drew significant interest, including a buyer who drove from New York City to see it before returning for a noon meeting. Leicht attributes this response to the property’s competitive pricing. “We’re getting a lot of attention for it,” he says.
The home offers features in demand today: open reserve views, an accessory apartment, and classic Hamptons style. Yet Leicht emphasizes that the decisive factor was the price. “We priced it correctly, which is key,” he says.
Overpricing Leaves Listings Stagnant
The impact of overpricing is evident in how long homes are taking to sell. Properties that once moved within 1 to 4 weeks are now sitting on the market for months. “We’d see stuff 10 days on the market, 30 days on the market,” Oakley says. “Now we’re seeing 170 days on the market. 200 days on the market.”
Longer marketing periods do more than delay sales — they can create a stigma around a property. When a home sits unsold for months, buyers may assume there are hidden problems, even if the only issue is the price. This perception makes it harder for sellers to attract serious offers over time.
Some homes that had lingered have recently sold, but only after a buyer decided the property was worth the asking price or the seller lowered the price to meet market expectations. Oakley notes that “some inventory that was sitting is now selling,” often because of a price reduction or a buyer who sees unique value.
Sellers Must Negotiate or Wait
With inventory remaining tight, new listings are often matched by properties going under contract each week. Some sellers believe they can hold firm on ambitious asking prices. But buyers are better informed and less willing to compromise. Oakley says sellers who want to close deals must be open to negotiation. “If they’re a real seller, they are negotiating,” she explains. Sellers who ignore market signals or price their homes above comparable sales are likely to see their homes linger on the market.
Buyers are also more selective about which homes they pursue. Oakley and Leicht observe that buyers want most of their wish list fulfilled before making an offer. They will wait until a home meets their criteria and is priced fairly. The sense of urgency that drove the market during the pandemic is gone, even as inventory remains limited.
Leicht describes the current market as one where buyers are “kind of just waiting” for a property that checks their boxes and is priced appropriately. When such a listing appears, they act quickly. Otherwise, they remain on the sidelines.
Pricing Strategy Drives Buyer Interest
The listing at 41 Deerfield Road demonstrates how accurate pricing can drive immediate buyer interest, even in a cautious market. The property’s location on farmland with open views matches a preference that has grown more prominent in recent years. Leicht notes, “People love to be on farmland with open views. They like that open space feel.”
But location alone is not enough. What set the property apart was its price relative to the competition. Buyers today have access to detailed sales data and conduct thorough research before making offers. Pricing that reflects actual market value — rather than a seller’s aspirations — is what draws serious buyers.
Leicht and Oakley report that buyers are not making low offers on overpriced homes in hopes of negotiating a deal. Instead, they focus on properties that appear fairly priced from the start and ignore listings that seem out of line with the market. As a result, overpriced homes sit until sellers bring their expectations in line with buyer reality.
Traditional strategies, such as listing high to leave room for negotiation, no longer work in the Hamptons. Buyers treat the initial list price as a signal of how serious and realistic a seller is. Homes priced above what buyers consider reasonable are quickly filtered out of consideration, not used as a starting point for negotiation.
Discipline Defines Today’s Market
The current environment rewards sellers who understand the market and price accordingly. Buyers are patient, armed with data, and willing to wait for homes that meet their needs at a price they consider fair. Sellers who cling to pre-pandemic pricing strategies or ignore market feedback can expect months of waiting with no serious offers.
As buyers remain cautious and selective, only homes that combine desirable features with realistic pricing are moving quickly. Discipline in both pricing and negotiation has become the key to success. The days of automatic bidding wars are firmly in the past.
