The mysterious disappearance of a luxury Hamptons beach cottage, nearly 100 years old and abutting an ultra-exclusive golf course country getaway, has been solved.
A British real estate mogul pulled off the secret, off-market purchase of a $12 million “fairy tale” country-style cottage that was built in the early 20th century and overlooked the tony Maidstone Club in East Hampton.
But instead of moving into the charming five-bedroom “relic,” with exposed beams inspired by the English arts and crafts-style country homes, the buyers tore it down one February day.
“One day they [the neighbors] woke up, and the house was gone!” said Douglas Elliman top broker Paul Brennan, who repped the buyer and seller with fellow Elliman broker Martha Gundersen.
The buyers, sources said, are Laura and Nick Capstick-Dale, who are currently listed on the Sunday Times Rich List 2024 at around $614 million. The Capstick-Dales bought the home via the Jaroff Revocable Trust.
The plan, sources told Gimme Shelter, is to build a larger, traditional “dream” home almost double the size, on prestigious Further Lane.
When reached in the Atlas Mountains outside Marrakech, Morocco, Nick Capstick-Dale confirmed the news.
“We had been looking for a home overlooking the Maidstone with ocean and sunset views for some time. It’s our favorite view in the Hamptons, and we also wanted to be close to the village, having had a home on Egypt Lane for 14 years,” he said, adding he’s spent a total of 20 summers in East Hampton. “The homes that overlook the Maidstone Club are generational and seldom come to the market, so we feel really lucky.”
The home will be built by Ben Krupinski Builders, which crafted their previous Egypt Lane residence — and will be some 11,500 square feet.
Capstick-Dale added that they are buidling their “forever home, hence tearing down the existing home to build a new one that suited our lifestyle with three children. We are building a traditional house that will hopefully blend into the landscape like it had been there always, something we care deeply about.”
The stealth off-market deal is the talk of the East End. The Captstick-Dales’ new neighbors include New York Jets co-owner Robert Wood (“Woody”) Johnson IV, who was ambassador to the UK from 2017 to 2021 and also a member of the Maidstone Club.
“They are staying in the area because they know it is as close to the British countryside as one can get on this side of the pond,” a source said.
The seller was the Mary Kay Jaroff Trust. The land, which adjoins the Maidstone Club, boasts stunning sunset views of Hook Pond and the ocean.
The former home was 6,000 square feet while the new home will be nearly double the size — all on 1.16 acres with landscaped gardens, sources told Gimme. They add that the new home will be a “tasteful, traditional-style shingle gambrel that will blend seamlessly into the surrounding grand estates.”
The home quietly went into contract in 2024 and closed last November “all without a whisper,” Brennan added. “The end result will be stunning.”
