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A House for One That Has Room for Many
When a woman made her weekend place on Long Island her full-time residence, she had it redesigned to fit her new life, and to allow for lots of friends to visit.
When Susan K. Reed bought a house in North Haven, N.Y., in 2002, she viewed it as a fun escape from her primary home in Brooklyn.
“I had never really been to Long Island, but I came out to visit some friends and it was just so beautiful,” said Ms. Reed, now 68.
Situated just north of Sag Harbor and a short ferry skip south of Shelter Island, North Haven impressed her with its relaxed, beachy vibe. So it almost seemed like kismet when she noticed that the small house next door to her friends’ home was on the market.
“It was a quiet ranch house, with zero design,” probably built in the 1970s from a catalog, Ms. Reed said. She bought the 1,400-square-foot home for $450,000 and began visiting every weekend she could.
But the more time Ms. Reed spent in North Haven, the more she loved being there. After concluding her run as editor in chief of Golf For Women and O, The Oprah Magazine, she moved on to writing and consulting on books, which afforded a more flexible lifestyle.
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