Cape Cod MA, Massachusetts, Video
EXCLUSIVE: Kennedy Heiress Kathleen Townsend’s $1.6 Million Hyannis Port Home Returns to Market as ‘Pending’ Offer Falls Through
Jul
The Hyannis Port home of Kathleen Kennedy Townsend—the oldest living member of the storied family—is seeking a buyer once again, after a “pending” offer on the property appears to have fallen through.
Kennedy Townsend, 74, who is the daughter of former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and his wife, Ethel Kennedy, brought her Cape Cod dwelling to the market for $1.59 million in May. Within days, the listing was updated to show that it was “pending” sale, indicating that an offer had been accepted.
Apparently that deal never closed, with the listing now reflecting that the five-bedroom home is once again available.
It marks another disappointing milestone in the history of the property, which Kennedy Townsend previously revealed she had purchased in the hopes of recapturing the wonderful childhood summers she spent at the Kennedy family’s iconic Hyannis Port compound, which is located just a short distance away.
However, her “dream” of re-creating those memories fell short, she admitted, telling the Boston Globe that it simply hadn’t worked out as she’d hoped.
“I had a dream that I would recreate the youth, the wonderful youth that I had, for my children and grandchildren, so they could come to the Cape; they could sail, they could walk on breakwater, and it would be, you know, wonderful summers,” she shared when the home was originally listed.
“I wanted it to be a place where you could have a number of people enjoy themselves and use the beach and be in a safe place. I had this wonderful dream. … But not all dreams work, right?”
Kennedy Townsend—like many members of the Kennedy dynasty—spent her summers enjoying large gatherings at the storied Hyannis Port estate, which was purchased in 1928 by family patriarch, diplomat, and businessman Joseph P. Kennedy for his wife, Rose, and their nine children, including President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.
Kennedy Townsend originally purchased her own dwelling in the area for $1.28 million, records show, closing on the home in December 2023—having paid $25,000 over the property’s asking price.
While her own Cape Cod property is dwarfed by the family compound, it appears to have been chosen especially by the attorney because of its ability to accommodate large groups.
A large basement space has been outfitted with several beds, while an upstairs room features bunk beds.
“Featuring five bedrooms and five baths, the home provides generous space and a flexible layout suited for both year-round living and seasonal enjoyment,” the listing, which is held by Kathy O’Neil of Sotheby’s International Realty, notes.
A large open-plan kitchen includes a casual dining space, ideal for hosting large groups, while the sun-soaked living room boasts a fireplace for cozy evenings during the winter months. A formal dining room adds another area for large family meals.
However, it is the exterior where the property really shines.
“Located in the desirable Breakwater Shores neighborhood, this split-level residence overlooking the pond offers coastal living with peaceful water views and glimpses of the ocean beyond,” the description continues.
An enormous deck that overlooks the yard and the pond beyond looks like the perfect spot for al fresco dinners on a summer evening, or for enjoying a quiet moment with a cup of coffee while watching the sunrise.
A sizable fire pit in the yard itself looks tailor-made for family game nights or s’mores sessions, and is surrounded by a lush lawn and elegant landscaping.
While some of the interiors appear to need a bit of a refresh, particularly in the kitchen, the bones of the home would make the perfect blank canvas for someone seeking a more modern retreat, with the more traditional elements in the 1966-built dwelling adding a rustic, comforting feel.
What’s more, the property has no homeowners association, meaning that those fees would not need to be factored into a buyer’s budget. This despite the fact that it is, per the listing, “ideally located near shopping, wonderful restaurants, the Hyannis artist shanties, sightseeing boats, and ferries to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.”
“For a family that lives in Boston or Providence, or any place close, it’s just ideal,” Kennedy Townsend told the Globe.
Cape Cod has long been intertwined with the Kennedy family, particularly after JFK used the family compound as the headquarters for his presidential campaign in summer 1960—and even more so after his wife, Jackie Kennedy, fled to the home after he was assassinated in 1963 at the age of 46.
Hyannis Port would be where Jackie crafted the image of Kennedy’s presidency as “Camelot” in the wake of his death, taking inspiration from the late politician’s favorite Broadway musical and telling the media in her first official interview after his death: “Don’t let it be forgot, that for one brief, shining moment there was Camelot.”
The home had been the site of many happy vacations for JFK and Jackie—and it went on to serve as a much-needed retreat for other family members over the years, becoming the site of an annual Fourth of July reunion for many of their descendants.
Each year, dozens of extended Kennedy family members—from RFK’s daughter Kerry and her children with ex-husband Andrew Cuomo to Maria Shriver‘s daughter Katherine Schwarzenegger and her actor husband, Chris Pratt— gather at the property to celebrate the holiday.
