Deep Local Roots and a Panoramic Perspective on East End Real Estate

Lisa Bass has deep roots in the East End community and has been selling Hamptons real estate for 26 years. She recently shared with us some of her insights into Hamptons real estate.

How long have you been involved in Hamptons real estate? And how did previous experience prepare you for this work?

I’ve been selling real estate since 1994.  I was my mother’s assistant, Michelle Labbat Shulman at Allan M. Schneider & Associates in East Hampton. 

I was also a hand model in NYC when I first started working as an assistant in real estate.  Paying attention to detail, patience and tenacity has helped me navigate through my years of selling real estate.  My late husband, Joel Bass, was a local contractor for decades here in the Hamptons, so I developed knowledge first hand of identifying excellent design and construction practices.

What changes have you seen in the market here?

Vast changes have been made since the early 90s.  One of my first sales was on Georgica Pond on Georgica Association Road for $3.2M in 1995.  Today, prices here can easily reach 10 times that price. Over the course of almost 30 years, we’ve seen more construction happening, but the commitment to land preservation, beauty of the open farm fields, clean air and beautiful beaches have remained, for which I’m grateful.

What’s your business like right now – sales? Rentals? 

Customers of mine just closed on a sweet house in the Village of East Hampton.  It’s perfect timing to make a few renovations before placing it on the market for next summer season.   Inventory for sales is low, as we know, though demand is high, and we are seeing a strong rental market already for next season.

Which areas do you cover and which is/are most active now?  

I’ve sold from Quogue to Montauk and have accomplished referral deals in NYC and Palm Beach County. Currently, I’m focusing on Southampton Village, surrounding hamlets, the North Fork and Montauk. I’m also helping a client who sold earlier this year in Montauk, relocated to Florida, and I am now helping find a tenant for their newly built home in Palm Beach Gardens.

What are your buyers looking for? 

 Location, clean without much work needing to be done, with a pool, is a majority of what my buyers are looking for.  Target price ranges from under $1M to $10M.

What’s the best piece of advice you could give a buyer now? A seller?  

Buy it!  Hold onto it!  Enjoy it!  And to a seller, now is a great time to sell!

What do you like to do in the Hamptons outside the office?  

Take my walk down to Little Plains Beach, pay my respects. I send videos to my boys who are off at school in California and Connecticut. It’s our foundation, location. I also support local charities, especially Heart of the Hamptons and other food pantries through Saunders’ annual Thanksgiving Food Drive – there is great need in our local communities.

Do you have a favorite restaurant? A favorite place to go?  

My favorite restaurants are Jobs Lane Ristorante, La Parmigiana, Plaza Café, Saaz, Yama Q, Candy Kitchen, Pierre’s, 1770 House, Rowdy Hall, Harvest House, and of course, our all-time favorite take out is Round Swamp!  Guess you can tell I like to eat!

Community involvement – any charities or groups you’d like to mention that you support/are involved in?  

Recently there was a tragic passing of a colleague’s husband at a very young age.  They are due to have their first baby boy very soon.  There’s a memorial fund set up for her called Stephen Babinski’s Memorial Fund via GoFundMe.  Also, Heart of the Hamptons, Southampton Hospital Foundation Thrift Shop, Lucia’s Angels, and Ellen’s Run.

Is there anything else that you’d like to talk about?

I could talk forever about the East End.  It’s the best place on earth to live.

Click Here to View all of Lisa Bass’s listings and sales history