New York native and world-famous musician Billy Joel made waves in 2023 when he first listed his long-held, waterfront Long Island estate in its entirety for a whopping $49 million. The lavish Centre Island compound overlooking Oyster Bay Harbor just closed for $28.75 million, though its now missing a piece.
While the buyer scooped up the property at a discount, this major transaction has become Long Island’s priciest sale ever outside of the Hamptons, according to the New York Post. After dropping that kind of cash, it’s a safe imagine that the buyer is in a “New York State of Mind.”
Of course, the “Piano Man” singer has poetically referenced both the property’s coastal setting and his love for music, cheekily naming the property “MiddleSea.” Last spring, MiddleSea’s 5,565-square-foot gatehouse and five acres sold separately for $7 million, according to The Post. With both sales, Joel has raked in $35.75 million in total, down from the initial $49 million ask.
For such a staggering sum, the property is the epitome of timeless Gold Coast luxury and is accessible via land, sea, or air. Yes, it has its own helipad and dock.
The main residence, a 20,000-square-foot brick manor, is accompanied by a three-bedroom beach house and a three-bedroom guest house. Inside, a grand foyer with 30-foot ceilings and black-and-white floors sets a posh tone. Beyond that, the new owner can look forward to the mansion’s five bedrooms, formal living spaces, two swanky kitchens, bowling alley, wine cellar, spa, and ballroom. Outside, the elegant, country club-like grounds boast a pool, beach access, a gazebo, and gardens. Joel owned the coastal expanse for more than two decades, having purchased the original 14 acres in 2002, then adding more parcels.
“The sale of this ultra-luxury waterfront estate was a defining moment for Long Island real estate,” shares Lisa Lavelle of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Laffey International Realty, who represented the listing along with Nancy Suite. It’s also a chapter, or album, closed for the high-profile seller.
