Ninety miles outside Manhattan lies Hyde Park, a small town privately tucked near the Hudson River. Hyde Park, with its rolling hills and picturesque surroundings, is also rich in history. It is where affluent socialites and businessmen built their homes during the 1800s, when the Industrial Revolution was booming. Four-time U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt also had an estate here, a colonial cottage that sits by the Hudson River. Some of these huge, stately houses still stand today, all in their perfect conditions.
Today, Hyde Park remains an upscale neighborhood. In a report by Financial Times, celebrities and individuals looking for a second home prefer Hyde Park over other areas, mainly because of its privacy. With a population of only 21,000 people, it offers more exclusivity than the Hamptons. Actors Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, and Liam Neeson have residences here.
Surprisingly, the median price of homes in the town is fairly reasonable. In a listing on Mayfair International Realty, $260,000 can get you a four-bedroom family house on a 1.5-acre lot. $1 million can get you a property twice the size.
A seven-bedroom house called as "Ledgewood on Hudson," built in 1790, is listed for $5.57 million. According to Financial Times, the grand, historical home has a library, formal dining and sitting rooms, a pool, and a tennis court.
Part of the allure of the town's realty market is their large plot sizes. Paula Del Nunzio, an estate agent with Brown Harris Stevens, told Financial Times, "Buyers who want seclusion can find a property with 50 or even 100 acres at prices you simply could not find anywhere [else] this close to Manhattan. And many of the properties have tennis courts and equestrian facilities and that's attractive for buyers looking to build a family compound."
