This Georgian Revival in Beverly Broke Home-Sale Records

The second-most expensive home ever sold north of Boston once hosted actress Judy Garland, railroad executive Harold S. Vanderbilt, and composer Cole Porter.

By Erin Kayata· 3/17/2023, 4:53 p.m.

Photos by Matt Surette

How much is a home with private beach frontage worth to you? In Beverly, it’s worth $18.275 million, an amount that is making records in the North Shore town.

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Douglas Elliman Real Estate announced on Friday that 34 Paine Ave, a 28,000-square-foot Georgian revival with 400-square-feet of private beach frontage, sold for $18.2 million, making it the highest sale price ever on a home sold in Beverly and the second most expensive home ever sold north of Boston. The sale of the property, known as “Rock Edge” thanks to the rocky shoreline surrounding it, was closed by George Sarkis, co-founder of The Sarkis Team at Douglas Elliman.

The 11-bedroom, 12-bathroom home was built in 1904 overlooking the water, allowing for stunning views in nearly every room. It was once the home of International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee and “Boston Society Girl” Eleonora Sears. The tennis champion hosted many of her famous friends at her estate, including actress Judy Garland, railroad executive Harold S. Vanderbilt, and composer Cole Porter. According to Elliman, the current seller’s family bought the home from Sears in 1970. Over the last several years, they’ve done a major overhaul of the property with designer Linda Zarifi. The interior of the home today boasts plentiful windows and French doors, which allow for stunning views of the ocean, plus marble finishes and multiple fireplaces.

“While the home has been fully renovated with quality, high-end finishes, it was imperative to the homeowner Charlie Benevento to respect the integrity of the home and incorporate original, historic characteristics such as Tuscan columns on the exterior and top the 16-foot ceilings with restored crown molding inside,” Elliman said in a press release.

While the home renovation is notable, one of the major selling points was the private beach that comes with the three-acre property. The beach is not only directly accessible from the house, but also comes with beach cabanas so you can enjoy the sun without the damage. What more could you want in a record-breaking estate?