To be a luxury sales agent in the Hamptons takes a certain kind of stamina that many don’t possess. The hamlets are far apart, there is a constant flow of soul-crushing traffic on a daily basis that no longer disappears off-season, and there’s the eccentricities of customers and clients. So it always awe-inspiring to learn of agents or brokers that find the time to create alliances or organizations throughout their daily endeavors that give back. Nicole Tunick is one of those humans, and has created the Hamptons Womenpreneurs Collective. We caught up with Tunick to learn about her history of building homes on the East End to then building her real estate business with style and grace.
Nicole, you have such an interesting background. How did you first get started with your real estate career?
Real estate was a happy accident. When I met my boyfriend, now husband, Zachary, he was already a broker. We decided to purchase and renovate a house together in Sag Harbor. The whole process was amazing to me. So that was it, I was hooked. I got my real estate license and started to work real estate on the weekends with him. That was nearly 18 years ago.
What brought you and your husband to choose Douglas Elliman as your brokerage?
After many years of commuting into the city and only seeing each other on weekends we thought it was time to live together full time. Through a friend, Zachary was introduced to Howard Lorber, Executive Chairman of Douglas Elliman, and to Paul Brennan, who was an Elliman manager in the Hamptons at that time. They were both inviting, and it felt like a good fit, so we went to work in the Bridgehampton office. It quickly became a happy marriage. We came to appreciate the terrific brand and marketing support we received at Elliman which first helped us to build a name and identity for The Tunick Team and which continues to convey our style and help differentiate us in the marketplace. Plus, the brokerage just has phenomenal reach. We love the global connectivity we have through Elliman.
What regions do you consider yourself an expert on?
We have brokered deals from Westhampton to Montauk. However, our main focus is Southampton to East Hampton.
Could you tell us about the Hamptons Womenpreneurs Collective that you recently helped launch?
Through networking, I met a great woman named Fran Girimonti-Tonon. She invited me to a small lunch with a group of women who wanted to get together and bring awareness to women in the workplace and in the community. I went to what was supposed to be an hour lunch and three hours later, six women: Fran Tonon, Maggie Delany, Geri Weiner, Shannan Pollack, Noe Brown and myself came up with a mission statement: We can accomplish more together. Not just for women but for a community.
Before lunch was through, we had also outlined a platform, assigned tasks and picked a date for our first event. We held it at a private residence in Southampton, and the profits from the event went to support Oceanie Sailing Foundation, an amazing non-profit sailing school that provides traditional sail training lessons and nautical-themed education programs to middle and high school students in the Tri-State area. Their programs are designed to improve leadership, social, and interpersonal skills as well as self-confidence, through team building experiences and sailing. It was a great success, and after we completely sold out this first fundraising event, we realized we could really make some noise!
We are six women with very different skill sets and experiences, but we share a common vision and when put together we truly are stronger than one person. We keep in touch as a network and plan to reconvene after the holidays to start planning for our next event, hopefully for early summer.
That’s amazing! You and your husband often collaborate with another incredible power duo, the superstar design team of HGTV talent Ricky Paull Goldin and lifestyle expert Gretta Monahan. Together you’ve had great success in the market, buying, beautifully renovating, and selling homes. How did this partnership come to be and what makes it work so well?
Ricky and I have known each other for over 25 years. We had lost touch for a long time, and he had gone on to become a daytime TV star on “All My Children” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” then a design pro on HGTV. About 10 years ago, I was showing a house for sale, and I heard his voice in the other room. I walked in and was staring at him — I was so surprised! His partner, Gretta, who is also a beloved TV personality and lifestyle expert, was looking at me like, “Oh no! Not another weird soap opera groupie!” But it was great to reconnect, and as a group, we all hit it off and started to see each other socially. Zachary and Ricky are kindred spirits. They are both so visually talented and aspirational, and they play off each other’s strengths. Gretta and I are both creatives, but we are the more grounded ones. As Gretta often jokes, we are the “CE-NO’s.”
One night over dinner, Zachary advised Ricky to stop renovating his own home and do a project. We helped them find a house pre-Covid and they did their first successful flip. We have been off to the races ever since.
Zachary and I bring our expertise to advise on the cost of renovation, where money is best spent, and pricing for the new home. We use Douglas Elliman’s marketing and public relations acumen to help guide us, and in the past two and a half years we have sold six properties as a team. Three of those went over-ask, and the others at or within striking distance of ask. Ricky and Gretta have impeccable taste and style. They fully designed and staged these homes, and remarkably, all of them have been sold turnkey with the furniture either included or with a separate agreement. I always encourage clients to buy the furniture package. Why mess with perfection?
We love how you’re in the building space as well as real estate which is such a natural combo. What is this dream team working on next?
Currently, we are marketing 392 N. Magee Street in Southampton for sale. This is one of my favorites. It is in an area with easy access to the village and beaches and only an hour and a half from New York City. Ricky and Gretta also have three other homes in the pipeline which will be completed for 2023. It’s exciting! It’s a partnership that works well because we all want to see each other be successful. We love to celebrate our success, but we are there through good and bad times. We are more family than friends and we really trust each other.
How does your past experience as a real estate developer inform your role today as a sales agent?
I have learned so much about what goes into building a house from Zachary. I think as a woman I surprise a lot of people with that knowledge. I can explain everything from the foundation to the systems of a home. So, for me it’s not just selling a “pretty house” it’s about giving my clients as much information as I can so they can make a choice that they are comfortable with and be satisfied with their home for years to come.
Is the team still deeply involved as a developer and what style of homes do you most enjoy building?
Yes – we are always on the lookout for a new project. Zachary and I see beauty in almost everything. We love old homes but appreciate the clean lines of modern living. Last year, with partners, we completed 18 Kendalls Lane. The original home was from 1780. The plan was never to remove as much of the original home as we did, but once construction began, it was clear the structure was in tough shape. So, the new plan was to rebuild it in its original footprint to look exactly as the old house looked, while the inside was completely chic and modern with all the comforts of today’s standard of living. The historic rebuild of this beautiful estate was a complete, three-year labor of love. We were thrilled to see it set a record sale for the North Sea area of Southampton, trading over $7 million.
That’s incredible! With all the changes happening in the market, do you think the news on mortgage rates will affect such an affluent region such as the Hamptons?
There is no doubt that mortgage rates will have an effect on the market. However, I don’t think we are going to “bottom out.” The super expensive deals have always traditionally been cash. There will be no change there. For the other side of the market where mortgages are more common, you will see a slowdown. Yes, this will also bring opportunity. I anticipate you will see more homes come to market, giving buyers more to choose from.
Are there any Hamptons neighborhoods to keep an eye on?
Absolutely! Two areas that I think are amazing and still presenting opportunities are Southampton North and Springs. I would say run, don’t walk. The redevelopment there is amazing.
What brought you to the Hamptons exactly? Did you summer here?
I grew up on Long Island, so we didn’t need to drive to the Hamptons. Tobay and Jones Beach were minutes away. As a family we would do day trips to Sag Harbor or go apple picking. When I moved to New York City in my twenties, I started to go east for weekends to escape the city. Then I met a guy at a party in Sag Harbor and married him.
How did the pandemic affect your business? Do you think you’ve changed the way you work since?
The pandemic was one of the craziest roller coaster rides ever. Obviously, we had and still have more clients than houses. People were willing to buy ANYTHING. That is not how Zachary and I wanted to represent ourselves and our clients, so being on top of new listings and knowing the market was exceptionally important. I think the pandemic made us better brokers.
What are ways that you relax and unwind?
I love to cook and entertain at home. I feel like that is where you have the best conversations. I love a good dinner party. Outside of that, it would be to get out on the water and enjoy and amazing Hamptons sunset.
In honor of our holiday issue, what’s your favorite holiday to host?
It is and always will be Christmas. I have so many wonderful memories of my parents making it feel extra special for me and my brother. Zachary and I have a blended family and it’s still a special time for us to all be together. Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, I think it brings out the little kid in all of us.
To learn more about Nicole, click here.
