Even after a drastic, $10 million price cut, Alec Baldwin has not been been able to sell his beloved, longtime home on the eastern end of Long Island.
The renovated seven-bedroom farmhouse on eight acres has been on the market since 2022 — one year after the veteran film and TV star saw his personal and professional life implode when he discharged a gun being used a prop that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his Western film “Rust.”
And, yes, the “Rust” shooting is one of the issues adding to the home’s “ick factor,” Realtor.com reported, quoting one of several real estates who sell high-end properties in the Hamptons. The “ick factor” may persist, the site reported, even after a judge in New Mexico ended Baldwin’s involuntary manslaughter trial earlier the month after finding that the prosecution withheld evidence.
Balwin was a polarizing celebrity even before the “Rust” shooting, Realtor.com reported. Following the tragedy, the 66-year-old faced allegations from prosecutors and multiple wrongful death lawsuits that he had been negligent in his handling a revolver that was being used as a prop during a rehearsal for the film.
“The celebrity connection is likely a drawback for most buyers in this case,” Jenny Lenz, managing director of New York City-based Dolly Lenz Real Estate, told Realtor.com.
“Typically, a property associated with an A-list star would command a premium,” Lenz continued. “However, given the negative publicity surrounding (him) at the moment, (his) connection and active participation in marketing the home is probably a detriment and clients have suggested it has an ‘‘ick’ factor.”
The reference to Baldwin’s active participation in marketing the home comes from a rather “forlorn” video he shot earlier this year, in an attempt to attract buyers’ interest in his property, New York magazine’s Curbed reported. In the video, the Long Island native talks about his fond memories of visiting the Hamptons when he was “young” and how he rented, then bought, a couple of homes before settling on the estate he’s now trying to sell.
Baldwin purchased the classic, wood-framed house nearly 30 years ago for $1.75 million and originally lived there with his first wife, Kim Basinger. It then became the preferred home for him, his second wife, Hilaria, and the seven children young children they have together. The family isolated there during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Standing in a barren field near his home, Baldwin said in the video: “I love coming here. I’m always happiest when I come here.”
Baldwin explained how the 10,000-square-foot home had been expanded twice and now comes with a pool and movie theater, Curbed reported. It was first listed in 2022 for $29 million but was re-listed earlier this year for $19 million.
Real estate agents cited other reasons that the house is over-priced — notably its location. It’s not near the ocean, but in farmland on the north side of New York State Route 27, the east-west highway that runs from Brooklyn to Montauk.
For the pool of buyers in the luxury market, the location “is not considered prime,” Lenz said. “While Amagansett is trendy and idyllic, this property is … off the beaten path, yet it’s priced as if it’s on a prime street in East Hampton or Southampton.”
And while the home shows well in listing photos, Lenz told Realtor.com its style is “quite dated” for the current market. “Buyers in this area are looking for more modern styles and either new construction or recently renovated homes,” she said.
Another issue is that 3.2 acres of the 8-acre parcel are “reserved for agricultural use exclusively,” according to Jonathan Yarton, a New York-based agent, who appears on Max’s “Selling the Hamptons.” For some, the agricultural zoning ensures there won’t be neighbors too close by, Realtor.com said. But the zoning also means that a future owner couldn’t build another home on the property.
What seems to be clear from Baldwin’s video is that he probably needs to sell the property — even though he may not want to. As Baldwin revealed in a November 2023 podcast interview with Kelly Ripa, he’s burdened with the cost of supporting a wife and seven children in a high-end lifestyle, The Cut reported. “Nannies, kids, my wife,” Baldwin said, listing the 11 people who need plane tickets when he travels for work.
It’s no surprise that the Baldwins’ lifestyle — which also includes sending their children to a Spanish immersion private school and owning multiple homes — is quite expensive, The Cut said.
Baldwin also has complained that he’s lost work opportunities since the “Rust” shooting and he’s probably facing astronomical legal bills, both to fend off his multiple civil lawsuits and to defend himself at the criminal trial. Baldwin’s high-profile criminal defense team included celebrity attorney Alex Spiro, who once was reported to charge JP Morgan Chase, $2,025 an hour for work on a fraud case.
But Baldwin could eventually find short-term financial relief from participating in a reality TV series that he and Hilaria have announced. For “The Baldwins,” the couple will invite TLC cameras into their home to follow them as they parent seven young children. In the long-term, Baldwin could see a pay-out from authorities in New Mexico. Last week, he and his lawyers moved to sue prosecutors and police in Santa Fe, New Mexico, warning them of “future litigation” over their actions in the “Rust” shooting investigation and trial.
