The Hamptons just crossed a line that not even the most bullish brokers saw coming this fast. According to the latest Douglas Elliman and Miller Samuel report, the median sales price in the Hamptons hit $2.34 million in the fourth quarter of 2025. That is a 34 percent jump from the same period last year, and a new all-time record for the market.
It is not just the median. The average sale price climbed to $3.76 million, and the number of homes selling above $5 million hit a record 82 transactions in a single quarter. More than 70 percent of all sales closed above the $1 million mark.
What Is Actually Driving This
The short answer: Wall Street money and an extremely tight supply of premium inventory. Bonuses for 2025 were expected to be the highest on record, with the strongest growth since 2021, according to the Office of the New York State Comptroller. That wave of liquidity is landing directly in the Hamptons housing market.
"Wall Street had a really good year, and that's being reflected directly in Hamptons prices," said Jonathan Miller, CEO of Miller Samuel, the appraisal firm behind the report.
But there is an important nuance here. Much of the median price surge is not pure appreciation. It reflects a dramatic shift in the sales mix. Lower and mid-range transactions are stalling under pressure from elevated mortgage rates, while the luxury tier is booming with all-cash deals. When a higher share of total sales come from the most expensive homes, the median naturally rises.
"It's not price appreciation, but a shift to the higher-priced home sales," Miller noted.
The Ultra-Luxury Tier Is on Another Level
The top 10 priciest deals in the Hamptons accounted for $579 million in transaction volume during 2025. That is up from $327 million in 2024, a staggering 77 percent increase at the very top of the market.
The year also produced the most expensive single-lot residential sale in Hamptons history: the 70-71 Cobb Lane compound in Water Mill, which traded for $121.5 million. Other notable closings included a $58 million sale in Bridgehampton (tied to a Boston Celtics co-owner) and a $50 million off-market oceanfront deal, also in Bridgehampton.
Douglas Elliman's Martha Gundersen, who listed a $57 million Bridgehampton property that closed last fall, described the buyer profile at this level: "They sold a company, own a company, are CEO of a company that is a financial institution that does really, really well."
Inventory Remains the Bottleneck
Supply is the other half of this equation. Premium, oceanfront homes remain scarce. Many owners who bought during the pandemic at lower rates have no incentive to sell and trade into a higher rate environment. That scarcity is keeping upward pressure on pricing, particularly for the best-located properties.
Brokers report that the 2026 summer rental and sales season is already off to an aggressive start, even with freezing temperatures and heavy snow still blanketing the East End. Gary DePersia of Corcoran in East Hampton noted that most of his high-end rental inventory is already spoken for.
"People are looking and renting early this year," he said, adding that one waterfront Hamptons property rented from July through Labor Day for close to $1 million.
Where This Goes Next
The Hamptons market has now posted four consecutive quarters of growth, and there are few signs of a slowdown at the top. Florida transplants are increasingly buying Hamptons homes as summer escapes, California buyers are entering the market, and Wall Street compensation continues to flow.
For the broader market below $2 million, the picture is more complicated. High mortgage rates continue to sideline first-time and mid-range buyers. But for the cash-rich segment that defines the Hamptons, the trajectory is clear: demand is outpacing supply, prices are setting records, and the 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in years.
Photo: Lumin Osity / Unsplash
