On the Market: One of the Most Expensive Homes in New England

Head down 95 South to check out this $100 million 60-acre private island for sale on Connecticut's Gold Coast.


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Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

19 Great Island, Darien, CT
Price: $100,000,000
Size: 13,170 square feet
Bedrooms: 10
Bathrooms: 8 full, 2 half

With the third highest rent prices in the country ($2,660 for the median price of a one-bedroom as of March) and the median sale price for a single-family home landing well over $600,000, Boston is one of the more expensive places to live in the country, never mind the region. But there is one other spot that gives us a run for our money: Fairfield County, Connecticut, AKA  “The Gold Coast,” a nickname some of the towns in this area picked up thanks to their affluent residents and pricey real estate. Shockingly, it’s here and not Boston that you’ll find the listing which currently holds the title of being the most expensive in New England: Great Island.

According to Douglas Elliman, the brokerage behind the listing, this property is not only currently the most expensive home for sale in the region, but the largest private island offered for sale on the East Coast. For a cool $100 million, you can be the next owner of the island, which offers 60 acres of land and over a mile of unfettered access to the Connecticut shoreline with your own private white sand beach. It’s located in Darien, a picturesque and ritzy coastal town named one of the richest in the country (where the median home listing price is $1.7 million), so it’s not exactly a surprise you can find a home of this price here.

According to town property records, the land is currently owned by the descendants of William Ziegler, a baking soda magnate. Ziegler built the house as a summer estate in the early 1900s  with the help of architect Rafael Guatavino, who worked on Grand Central Station, according to the listing. Since Ziegler’s death at the estate several years after it was built, the property has remained in the family. It was first listed for sale in 2016, per the Darien Times, when the family asked for $175 million for the estate, which includes a 13,000 square foot Italian villa-style manor, a guest house, a caretaker’s cottage, a seaside cottage, and an 1800s farmhouse. After not getting any movement, the family knocked down the price a few more times to get it to the $100 million point it’s at today to try and reel in the right buyer.

The lucky person who can shell out the millions it takes to get this home will also enjoy a deep-water dock that can accommodate their yacht. Convenient! For the equestrian, there’s an 18-stall granite stable, indoor and outdoor riding rings, numerous paddocks and riding trails, plus your own private polo field so you don’t have to deal with the crowds at the local matches. If you’re interested, act fast! The Darien Times also reports the town of Darien voted to enter into negotiations to buy part of the property for public use. So if you don’t mind the small issue of a potential bidding war with one of the wealthiest towns in America, act now to own a piece of local real estate history.

For more information, contact Jennifer Leahy, DECT130 – Douglas Elliman of Connecticut, elliman.com.

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Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

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Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

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Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

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Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

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Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

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Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

Photos courtesy of Douglas Elliman

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