The Long Goodbye just got longer

53 Hillside Road, currently asking $4.1 million, was reported pending — all contingencies satisfied — on May 20, was returned to both the “active” and “under contract” lists the same day, June 2nd, but now it is back on the active list today, with an explanatory note that “buyer did not perform”. Obviously not.

This house has been disappointing its builder for two decades now, beginning when he listed it in 2007 for $6.495 million and 965 days later, stopped trying to sell it and rented it out instead. He tried again in 2016 at $5.450 and dropped it as low as $3.995 before giving up again 645 days later in 2018 and rented it once more.

It returned to the market this year in April, and last Friday it seemed that our long, national nightmare was almost over. Not so.