Billy Joel Sells Long Island Mansion for a Record-Breaking Price, but It’s Still Way Less Than He Wanted
Billy Joel might have had humble Long Island beginnings, but there is absolutely nothing humble about the recent sale of his Oyster Bay estate. The sale of the home is record-breaking for the New York island’s North Shore. Still, Joel let the home go for something of a bargain. The property changing hands ends the music legend’s lifelong attachment to Oyster Bay.
Billy Joel makes history with the sale of his Oyster Bay estate
Long Island’s most famous resident is making good on his promise to move out. After decades as a North Shore staple, Billy Joel has parted ways with his famous estate, Middlesea. The iconic artist is breaking records while he is doing it, too. Last week, Berkshire Hathaway announced that the Oyster Bay compound that once belonged to Billy Joel had officially been sold for nearly $29 million.
The property, which includes a 20,000-square-foot main house, a beach house, and a guest cottage, sits on acres of beachfront property. The private sand, acres of land, and multiple entertaining spaces make it the area’s most luxurious property. The sale is also the biggest in the North Shore’s history, outside of the Hamptons, of course.
The new owner got a bargain anyway
While the sale of Billy Joel’s Oyster Bay estate broke records for sale prices outside of the ritzy Hamptons, the new owners still got a bargain on the sprawling mansion. The $28 million price tag might have broken records, but it’s actually nowhere near what Joel originally wanted for the home.
The famed musician has put the property up for sale multiple times over the years, asking $49 million for it in 2023. The listing was removed without an offer, only to return to the market in March 2025, priced to sell at $39 million. Joel still didn’t get any takers, though he had better luck with an associated guard house. According to the New York Post, the property’s gatehouse sold for $7 million in May 2025. The price was dropped at least twice before it found a buyer.
Where does Billy Joel live now?
While Joel has left his Oyster Bay estate behind, the “Piano Man” icon isn’t straying terribly far from the water. According to La Voce di New York, Joel has been spending much of his time hopping around Florida. The decision to spend more and more time in the Sunshine State might seem odd to some, but it’s totally on-brand. Tens of thousands of Long Island natives migrate to Florida each year for retirement. Lower taxes, better weather, and amenities geared toward older adults drive the migration.
In recent years, Florida has also earned a bit of a reputation as a destination for the ultra-rich. Miami and West Palm Beach are the fastest-growing wealth hubs in the United States. Joel is in good company in the state in terms of wealth. Florida has over 600 residents with net worths of over $100 million, including more than 100 billionaires. Jeff Bezos is one, for example. Bezos, however, prefers Miami, while Joel is partial to the Palm Beach region, it seems.
