The most expensive residential sale in town history began with a soccer jersey.
John Raus — an agent with Berkshire Hathaway — and his wife were at the Compo Beach playground, with their young children.
He saw a girl wearing an Arsenal shirt. He’s a fan of the London team, so he chatted with her parents.
One thing led to another — including an introduction by them to the couple who would eventually buy 5 lots on Beachside Avenue.
The $54 million total price encompasses plenty of history. The properties at 120 and 122 Beachside Avenue were once owned by Phil Donohue and Marlo Thomas.
122 Beachside Avenue
The one at 26 Beachside — adjacent to Burying Hill Beach — was previously owned by Harvey Weinstein. In 2012, it was the site of a fundraiser for President Obama.
The presidential motorcade at Harvey Weinstein’s Beachside Avenue house, in 2012. (Photo/White House pool)
All the properties are waterfront, on Long Island Sound.
128 Beachside Avenue
The seller last month was the Bentley family. The buyer’s names have not been disclosed.
However, Raus says, “Westport couldn’t be getting a better family to join this community. They are very humble, very easy-going.”
They will use their properties — 13.2 acres at 120-128 Beachside (including homes, a pool and tennis court), and 3.3 acres at 26 Beachside (where the old Weinstein house was demolished 5 years ago) — for their extended family.
Westport will get something else: $135,000 in conveyance taxes.
The state of Connecticut gets even more: $1.185 million.
The Leslie Clarke team at Compass represented the Bentleys for the sale of 120-128 Beachside Avenue. Compass realtor Deirdre Andreoli represented the Bentleys for 26 Beachside Avenue.
(“06880” covers the Westport waterfront — literally and figuratively. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)