Richard Gere’s house in the Hamptons — a waterfront compound called Strongheart Manor — spent years passing between two very recognizable names before landing in the headlines for its price tag. The estate sits on Actors Colony Road in North Haven, a quiet enclave just outside Sag Harbor, and it’s the kind of property that tells a bigger story than most celebrity real estate does. That story starts with a silent-film actor in 1902 and ends, for now, with Matt Lauer.
Gere bought the land in pieces between 2005 and 2008, spent years building it out, then listed it for $65 million in 2013. It took three years, and a string of price cuts before Lauer closed at $36.5 million.
Here’s how it happened, and what makes the property worth that kind of money.
The History Behind Richard Gere’s House in the Hamptons
Who built Strongheart Manor?
The main house on the property dates back to 1902, built for Robert Edeson, a stage and silent-film actor of the era. Edeson was known for the parties he threw there, and locals say that reputation is exactly why the street ended up named Actors Colony Road. So the “actor’s retreat” identity of this stretch of North Haven predates Gere by more than a century.
How Richard Gere ended up owning it
Gere didn’t buy Strongheart Manor in one transaction. Between 2005 and 2008, he acquired three separate parcels that together make up the estate, paying a combined $11.3 million. It wasn’t a single splashy purchase so much as a slow assembly of a private compound, parcel by parcel, until he had the full 6.3 acres he wanted.
What Gere changed about the estate
Once he had the land, Gere spent years renovating and restoring it, working with Southampton-based builder Bulgin & Associates to update the property while preserving its early-1900s character. The work included:
- Expanding and modernizing the main house
- Adding two fully separate guest houses on the property
- Installing a 60-foot heated gunite pool
- Building an outdoor fireplace pavilion with a stone patio
- Constructing a tea house on an island in a private pond
- Adding a basketball court
- Winding lavender-lined stone pathways through the grounds
- Upgrading the estate with geothermal, energy-efficient systems
The result was a compound that felt more like a small, self-contained village than a single house, which is part of why it eventually commanded such a high asking price.
What’s Inside Strongheart Manor
Size and layout
The main residence is a shingle-style home of approximately 12,000 square feet. Some sources cite figures as high as 19,000 square feet, which likely reflects the total footprint of the compound, including the two guest structures rather than the main house alone. The estate offers 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms across the main house and guest accommodations combined — plenty of room to host a full extended family without anyone tripping over each other.
Inside, highlights include a screened-in porch, several entertaining areas, multiple fireplaces, and a chef’s kitchen with top-level appliances and expansive prep space.
Grounds and amenities
Strongheart Manor sits on 6.3 acres, and the compound includes:
- Two self-contained guest houses
- A tea house on its own island in a private pond
- A 60-foot heated gunite pool
- A basketball court
- An outdoor fireplace pavilion and stone patio
- Manicured gardens and lavender-lined stone pathways throughout the grounds
The waterfront setting
This is where the property earns its price tag. Strongheart Manor has 300 feet of direct frontage on Peconic Bay, with views out toward the Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island. There’s a deep-water dock — reported at up to 240 feet — plus a private beach. The geothermal systems installed during renovation were a genuinely forward-thinking move for a century-old estate at the time, reducing the compound’s operating costs while modernizing its infrastructure.
Why the Sale Took 3 Years
Gere first listed Strongheart Manor in 2013 at $65 million. That price didn’t move the market. Over the next three years, the asking price dropped repeatedly:
| Year | Asking Price |
|---|---|
| 2013 | $65 million |
| 2014 | $56 million |
| 2015 | $47.5 million |
| 2016 | $36.5 million |
That’s close to a 44% cut from the original ask. Once the price landed at $36.5 million in 2016, serious offers finally came in, and the deal closed with Matt Lauer as the buyer. The widely reported sale price was $36.5 million, though town property records list the combined transaction across the three parcels at closer to $33.75 million — a gap that likely reflects how the individual parcels were recorded rather than any discrepancy in the deal itself.
Matt Lauer’s Purchase of Richard Gere’s Hamptons Estate
In 2016, then “Today” show host Matt Lauer bought Strongheart Manor from Gere. Lauer already had deep Hamptons roots — he owned a 40-acre horse farm, Bright Side Farm, in Water Mill — and reportedly sold off a Sag Harbor home and a smaller Hamptons property around the same time, consolidating his real estate into the North Haven estate instead.
Both men were also going through divorces around the time of the sale: Gere’s marriage to Carey Lowell ended in 2016, and Lauer’s marriage to Annette Roque would end a few years later. Lauer and Roque went on to list Strongheart Manor themselves in 2019, asking $44.8 million, before it eventually sold again for $40.9 million — proof that this particular stretch of Actors Colony Road keeps changing hands among people with famous names attached to it.
What Makes This Corner of North Haven So Desirable
North Haven sits just across the causeway from Sag Harbor, which gives residents easy access to a walkable downtown, restaurants, and galleries while still keeping a level of privacy that’s hard to find elsewhere in the Hamptons. It’s quieter than East Hampton or Southampton, but close enough to everything that the trade-off rarely feels like one.
For a waterfront estate like Strongheart Manor, that combination — direct bay frontage, a private dock, and a five-minute drive to an actual town center — is exactly what drives price per acre this high across the North Haven peninsula.
Where is Richard Gere living now?
Since selling Strongheart Manor, Gere has shifted his real estate focus north. He and his wife, Alejandra Silva, have primarily resided in upstate New York, where he owns a 35-acre horse farm in North Salem, in Westchester County. The move fits a broader pattern among former Hamptons homeowners who eventually trade the East End for more rural, inland properties with comparable acreage and considerably less public attention.
Gere no longer owns a residence in the Hamptons.
Richard Gere’s house in the Hamptons went from three separate land purchases totaling $11.3 million to a $65 million listing, and finally to a $36.5 million sale to Matt Lauer after three years on the market. Along the way, it picked up a tea house, two guest houses, a private dock, and enough history to fill its own real estate column. Whether it changes hands again, Strongheart Manor’s mix of century-old bones, modern upgrades, and 300 feet of Peconic Bay frontage is likely to keep it near the top of any list of notable Hamptons estates.
FAQs
Does Richard Gere still own a house in the Hamptons?
No. Gere sold Strongheart Manor in North Haven to Matt Lauer in 2016 for a reported $36.5 million. He has since focused his real estate interests on a horse farm in North Salem, New York, and no longer owns property in the Hamptons.
How much did Richard Gere sell his Hamptons house for?
The widely reported sale price was $36.5 million, though town property records list the combined transaction across the three parcels at closer to $33.75 million. The estate was originally listed at $65 million in 2013.
How big is Strongheart Manor?
The main house is approximately 12,000 square feet with 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. The full compound, including two guest houses, spans 6.3 acres with over 300 feet of direct Peconic Bay frontage.
Who owns Strongheart Manor now?
Matt Lauer purchased the estate from Gere in 2016 and later resold it after listing at $44.8 million, with the sale closing at approximately $40.9 million. Current ownership details are available through Suffolk County property records.
Where does Richard Gere live now?
Gere primarily resides on a 35-acre horse farm in North Salem, New York, in Westchester County. He no longer owns property in the Hamptons.
