Today's Video Headlines: 02/27/27
After more than two decades of ownership, Billy Joel has closed on the sale of his storied Centre Island compound for $28.75 million, setting a record for the priciest residential deal ever recorded on Long Island outside of the Hamptons, The Post has learned.
of the property’s original gatehouse, the full MiddleSea assemblage has now traded for a total $35.75 million — piano not included.After more than two decades of ownership, Billy Joel has sold his famed Centre Island waterfront compound, MiddleSea, for $28.75 million.LA mansion that may have revealed cracks in JLo, Ben Affleck's marriage sees a $15M price cutThe deal follows last year’s $7 million sale of the estate’s gatehouse, bringing the combined total for the roughly 21-acre property to $35.75 million.The waterfront estate, perched above Oyster Bay and long recognized by boaters as “the house on the hill,” had been a deeply personal retreat for Joel since he purchased the core 14-acre property in 2002 for $22.5 million. Over time, Joel quietly expanded the compound, acquiring two adjacent buildable waterfront lots and the gatehouse, ultimately assembling roughly 21 acres.Joel first listed the entire estate in 2023 for $49.9 million while a sweeping renovation was still underway. The listing arrived just before the singer was about to end his 10-year residency at Madison Square Garden.Joel first purchased the core estate in 2002 for about $22.5 million and later expanded it by acquiring adjacent buildable lots.The property initially struggled to find a buyer after it was listed in 2023 for $49.9 million while undergoing a five-year renovation.The overhaul, which stretched more than five years, modernized the 20,000-square-foot red-brick manor from foundation to finishes, while preserving its stately architecture. During construction, the home sat in what one source previously described as “a construction scene,” adding, “As an unfinished property, you can never sell this magnitude of a home.” At one point, the source admitted, “The sale … was going nowhere.” By last spring, the strategy shifted. The property was divided into three parcels: the main residence repriced at $29.9 million, and two separate 3-acre lots — which included the gatehouse — offered at $4.95 million apiece. “The new price reflects the splitting of the two buildable waterfront lots, so the gross price remains the same,” Emmett Laffey, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Laffey International Realty, who handled the listing, told The Post. “When bought this 20 years ago, he bought the main house,” Laffey added. “And then as he lived there, he bought the adjacent two lots, which are buildable lots, and he purchased a gatehouse. Now we’re selling it like he bought it — in pieces. The smartest way to sell this incredible land and property is the way he purchased it.”The sale marks the end of Joel’s long tenure at the landmark North Shore estate, widely recognized by boaters entering Oyster Bay as “the house on the hill.”The repositioning worked. According to the brokerage, global interest intensified, culminating in a competitive bidding war that narrowed to three contenders. The identity of the new owner was not immediately known. “This transaction is more than a milestone, it’s a defining moment for Long Island real estate,” Laffey said. “Ultimately it came down to three buyers in a bidding war, and as it goes, there can only be one who now calls MiddleSea home.” Co-listing agents Lisa Lavelle and Nancy Cuite emphasized the estate’s singular stature within Centre Island, one of the region’s most tightly held enclaves, where generational ownership is common and trophy trades are rare. “MiddleSea is far more than a residence, it is a landmark,” they said. Cuite added, “Everyone always says, ‘You see that house? Do you know whose house that is?’ There is no other home on Long Island like it. It’s that renowned.” At its center stands the renovated manor, with six bedrooms and 11 baths, a soaring 30-foot entry hall anchored by a sweeping marble staircase and panoramic water views from virtually every room.Amenities read like a private resort: a grand ballroom, a temperature-controlled wine cellar, spa facilities, a private bowling alley and expansive entertaining spaces. Outside, more than 1,500 feet of sandy shoreline wrap the property, alongside a tennis court, a pool, a private dock and manicured lawns that slope toward Long Island Sound. A separate guest house, a beach house with its own dock, and an eight-car garage round out the compound. Despite letting go of MiddleSea, Joel has previously insisted he isn’t fully severing ties with his home turf. “Just because I’m selling that house doesn’t mean I’m leaving Long Island,” Joel previously said during one of his shows at UBS Arena in Elmont. “I’m just gonna spend a little more time in Florida like old Jewish guys from Long Island do.” Ex-stripper who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of rape walks free years after killing boyfriend This plant's been called 'nature's Valium' — it can help fight anxiety, reduce stress and treat insomniaMark Consuelos Admits He’s “Often Thought About” Whether It’s OK To Have Sex In Front Of Your DogAfter more than two decades of ownership, Billy Joel has sold his famed Centre Island waterfront compound, MiddleSea, for $28.75 million.The deal follows last year's $7 million sale of the estate's gatehouse, bringing the combined total for the roughly 21-acre property to $35.75 million.Joel first purchased the core estate in 2002 for about $22.5 million and later expanded it by acquiring adjacent buildable lots.The property initially struggled to find a buyer after it was listed in 2023 for $49.9 million while undergoing a five-year renovation.The sale marks the end of Joel's long tenure at the landmark North Shore estate, widely recognized by boaters entering Oyster Bay as"the house on the hill."The home boasts bay views throughout the house.The home features manicured gardens, pergolas and outdoor loggias throughout.
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