SOLD - The Swindle sells for $7,000,000

In an off-market deal, advertising executive Bob Schmetterer has sold his Martha’s Vineyard beachfront cottage for $7,000,000 (recorded sale price of $6,850,000). 

Photo credit Tyra Pacheco

Located on Chappaquonsett Road, just outside the pretty harbor town of Vineyard Haven with a stretch of private beach and views to the Elizabeth Islands and Woods Hole.  Once a modest fishing shack, “The Swindle” was first listed by Tea Lane Associates in 2015 for $5,750,000.  

Photo credit Tyra Pacheco

The origins of The Swindle name dates back to the 1950’s, and involves two abutting property owners, Actress  Katharine Cornell and Standard oil heir Helen Pratt Philbin.  Coming on hard times, the fisherman who owned a shack between the two, painted it a bright blue hoping one of them would buy it.  Katharine Cornell did and named it The Swindle. Cornell owned the neighboring property “Chip Chop” which was most recently the home of Mike Nichols and Diane Sawyer and was sold in 2023 for $23,000,000.   It is now a luxurious vacation rental property and listed by Tea Lane Associates rentals division.

Read the whole story in our blog article from 2015 here. 

Bob and Stacy Schmetterer purchased the property in 1984 from actress Brenda Forbes, and engaged in complete renovation of the approximate 2000 sq foot cottage to include two bedrooms and two bathrooms in the main house and a one bedroom detached studio named "the Swindlette". With water views from all rooms of the home, there is also a private dock that allows access to Lake Tashmoo.

Jill Hobby Napior was the listing broker. 

Photo Credit Tyra Pacheco