Opinion: Things Are Costing More In The Hamptons

There only a handful of homes under $1M east of the Shinnecock Canal. If you own a home you are really happy about that. On the other hand if you are young and looking to buy your first home on the east end this situation could be problematic.

The underlying situation older and fixed income folks are experiencing on the east end stems from the results of an epidemic and high inflation over the past few years.

Whether you buy groceries or eat out at east end restaurants you can not help but notice sticker shock when you get your bill. For this writer the bill seems to go up every time.

Same with cable bills, insurance premiums, home/school taxes and phone/internet bills. You now can pay $15 for two fancy large coffees at Starbucks with tax. Or $20 for a Big Mac meal at McDonald’s!

Pizza slices are $5 and actually smaller! Drinks can cost $22 each before tax and tip. For older folks this is a shock.

My favorite is the 3% or more cost of using a debit or credit card restaurants and many other businesses now charge.

All these price situations are not only happening in the Hamptons but perhaps are more noticeable on the east end where a dinner for two at a middle level restaurant costs at least $200 after tip. Heck, $15 lobster rolls are now over $40 with tax and tip.

Ok, for the big dogs all this talk of high prices seems like whining and to an extent it is, but it is also true.

To put this perspective for the “Guilded” folks jet fuel, luxury boat fuel prices are up too! Not to mention the cost of gardeners and staff. Everyone has to fork out more money for baby sitters too!

At the end of the day, you just have to pay more to play the way you always did for less. The sad thing not everyone on the east end is making more money to deal with the phenomenal rising cost situation, although some clearly are; (see east end real estate agents income total for the last three years, but that’s ever that is not trending up like 2020-2021.)

Perhaps something has to give eventually besides older folks giving more for receiving less. However, let it be known the east end has always been expensive compared to the Jersey shore but worth it.