EXCLUSIVE: Kennedy Heiress’ Cape Cod Home Near Family’s Famed Hyannis Port Compound Finds a Buyer Days After Listing for $1.6 Million

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the oldest living member of the Kennedy dynasty, has already secured an offer for her quaint Cape Cod home—just days after listing the property for $1.59 million.

Kennedy Townsend, 74, who is the daughter of former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and his wife, Ethel Kennedy, initially listed the five-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom dwelling on May 6, later revealing that she had chosen to offload the property because her family hadn't used it as much as she'd hoped.

Now, property records show that the house—which is located just a few minutes' drive from the Kennedy family's famed Hyannis Port compound—is under offer, with the listing updated to reflect that it is now "pending" sale.

It comes just days after Kennedy Townsend expressed her disappointment at being unable to bring her vision for the home to life, explaining to The Boston Globe that she had purchased the property in the hopes of recreating the magical childhood experiences she had enjoyed while visiting the family's Cape Cod estate.

"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.

"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.

The attorney purchased her own home in the area for $1.28 million in December 2023, according to records—paying around $25,000 over its initial asking price.

It is currently unclear what offer she has accepted on the dwelling.

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 comes complete with a casual dining space, ideal for hosting large groups, while the sun-soaked living room boasts its own fireplace for cozier evenings during the winter months. A more 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 firepit in the yard itself looks tailor-made for family game nights or s'mores sessions, and is surrounded by a lush green 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—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 added.

Cape Cod has long been intertwined with the Kennedys, 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 Onassis, 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.