Nick Churton from the Houlihan Lawrence London office compares two Ryes and finds an English looking home in Rye, New York, that ticks all the boxes for active family living in a coastal location not far from Manhattan.

The Property: 45 Forest Avenue, Rye, New York

The Broker: Houlihan Lawrence

The Agents: Marianna Glennon

Rye, on the south coast of England is a quaint town with steep cobbled streets of charmingly higgledy-piggledy tile-hung houses and cottages. It was once a port, but the sea, in the form of The English Chanel, forsook Rye hundreds of years ago, leaving it now only with a tidal river and thrilling tales of smugglers and excise men.

Rye in New York, is a different kettle of fish. No smuggling here – as far as I know, although there are, no doubt, one or two tax people – and the sea, in the form of Long Island Sound, still laps the town’s rocky shore.

Likewise, the houses are different. This Rye is a serious New York City commuter town. Getting to and from Manhattan quickly is important to the people here as much of the local wealth is generated in Wall Street, less than an hour away by train.

It is not surprising that living in Rye, New York, is popular – with handsome houses like 45 Forest Avenue to live in. This brick built Georgian style home certainly looks good on the outside, but this is nothing to the interior. I loved the entrance hall with elliptical cantilevered stairway. But I also loved the spacious layout of elegant rooms and the wonderful facilities for an active home life, like a gym and outside pool and tennis court.

If you are looking for Rye and a comfortable family house only a few minutes away from the station and the rocky shore, this is one for you.