Bedford Estate Sells for $31M, Half of Original Ask

The homeowners of a 214-acre estate sold a Bedford estate for less than half of its initial ask, and just below the county record they sought to break.

Sunnyfield Farm in the Westchester County town sold for $30.7 million, the Wall Street Journal reported. That price point represents a record for Bedford, according to Sotheby’s International Realty’s Krissy Blake, who held the listing. The deal breaks down to about $143,458 per acre.

The owners could have beat the county record by far if they secured anywhere close to landing the $65 million they listed the equestrian estate for back in 2022. But they ultimately sold the home for less than half of that original ask, leaving the $33 million record dating back to 2018 in place.

The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, but is a family that breeds. They plan to keep the estate as a private horse farm. Developers approached about buying the property had a difficult time wrapping their heads around the financial feasibility of a project, Blake told the outlet.

The Nielsens have owned the estate since the 1970s, when they purchased it in partnership with three other families before buying them out; a previous owner was A&P grocery store heiress Josephine McIntosh. The Nielsens bred thoroughbred horses, including two foals sired by Triple Crown holder American Pharoah.

The grounds include enough barns and stalls for more than 80 horses, indoor and outdoor riding rings, a Grand Prix field and upwards of 100 acres of paddocks.

As for the owners’ living situation, there’s a four-bedroom house they will likely renovate or rebuild from scratch. There’s also a guest cottage and three smaller staff homes. The property also includes access to a local trail system and is located adjacent to the 75-acre Guard Hill Preserve.

— Holden Walter-Warner