Looking For A House In The Hamptons? Now’s The Time To Buy

When most people hear "The Hamptons," the mind immediately wanders to infiniti pools, tennis courts, and sprawling McMansions. When your neighbors are (potentially) Jerry Seinfeld, Sarah Jessica Parker, or Gwyneth Paltrow, bargains aren't typically anywhere to be found. But now, courtesy of The New York Times, we've learned that these days, you can own a piece of Long Island getaway property for almost basement prices.

Thanks to a new trend of home buyers willing to take "fixer uppers" and willing to compromise on the location (read: a bike ride from Nick & Toni's, instead of next door), a vacation home can be yours for under $500,000. The Times regales us with the tales of all kinds of regular folks (Video editors in — gasp — Brooklyn! Landscape designers!) who are now able to afford a taste of the high life. With just a little bit of mowing/sanding/elbow grease, they've been able to turn crappy ol' cottages into their dream homes.

And, although a half a million bucks seems like a ghastly amount to most of us, we have to admit that it actually is a pretty darn good deal, all things considered. Click through to check out some of the pads, and get yourself that much closer to a shoutout on Rich Kids of Instagram. (The New York Times)