Legendary pianist Billy Joel reveals why he’s selling his $49 million Oyster Bay

Billy Joel, the iconic pianist behind timeless hits like Uptown Girl and Vienna, has officially put his sprawling Long Island estate on the market for a staggering $49 million. But after two decades of calling this Oyster Bay retreat home, what lies behind his decision to move on?

The artist recently took the stage at UBS Arena in Elmont for a New Year’s Eve concert and seized the opportunity to address inquiries about his opulent mansion being put up for sale. In May last year, the singer/songwriter decided to put his 26-acre waterfront estate for sale and for the first time opened up about his decision.

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Billy Joel reveals why he’s selling his $49 million long Island mansion

The waterfront estate is a true sight to behold, with a 20,000-square-foot main home that boasts five bedrooms and eight baths among other facilities. It is set on 26 acres. While conversing with the crowd Billy was heard saying “Just because I’m selling that house doesn’t mean I’m leaving Long Island. I still have a house on Long Island.”

He emphasized that he would not be leaving Long Island and that he would instead be staying longer in Florida. He jokingly mentioned “I’m just gonna spend a little more time in Florida like old Jewish guys from Long Island do,”

The Grammy winner paid an astounding $22.5 million for the property in 2002. He admitted recently that the selling price had increased considerably. The Uptown Girl singer reportedly made a lighthearted comment about how expensive his home is, suggesting that “nobody” would want to purchase the opulent Middlesea mansion.

Billy Joel’s retirement plans

While he approaches 75, Billy Joel, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, has already announced the conclusion of his record-setting Madison Square Garden residency in 2024. Whether this represents retirement or new beginnings remains to be seen.

“It’s hard to believe we’ve been able to do this for 10 years”, Billy addressed a press conference back in June. He further elaborated “I’m now 74. I’ll be 75 next year. It seems like a nice number.”