There are a lot of competitive industries on the East End, but none so intense as the real estate sector. Entering this world where millions of dollars are at stake may seem daunting and although most brokerages support new agents with mentoring and top-of-the-line marketing tools, it is still very difficult to break into the luxury real estate business. We asked some of the marketing departments of local brokerages if they’re seeing any superstars coming up and here’s who they said were the future rock stars of Hamptons real estate.
In this week’s series of Up & Coming Agents To Know, we featured Paulina Keszler of Douglas Elliman.
Paulina Keszler of Douglas Elliman
Paulina, it seems like a natural progression for you to get into luxury real estate, being Michaela Keszler’s daughter! It seems like a really organic way to start your career off. Can you elaborate on what it’s been like?
Yes, having a successful parent in real estate made stepping into the industry a little less intimidating because I have known some of my colleagues for well over ten years. In a competitive market like this, it’s helpful to know some people and have relationships. My mom has taught me so much about what makes her such a great broker. Working alongside her has been an education, and I’m able to implement many of the insightful things I’ve learned from her in my own career. We work pretty much 24/7 but it really helps that we have fun working together. At the end of the day nothing gets you further than hard work, dedication, and enjoying what you do. Nothing is handed to you in this business.
You studied fashion (I did too!) and are also an aspiring screenwriter. How do you think that helps you in terms of how you approach real estate sales and also in representing your buyers?
I have always been creative. Studying fashion at Parsons didn’t only teach me about the ins and outs of fashion, it also taught me about trend forecasting and how to work with people on all stages of a project. I do believe that creativity is just another way of connecting with people, and I think the same is true for real estate. My goal is to know my clients, understand their needs and desires, and match them with a home they’ll love.
You started out in real estate in 2019, and in 2020 you were named Elliman’s Rookie of the Year in the Hamptons. This came in the midst of a truly unprecedented market and uncertain times. How did your real estate business pivot during the pandemic?
I started at Douglas Elliman in October of 2019 and spent the first couple months learning as much as I could. There is a lot of information on the back end that you need to be fluent in before you can really get to business. I spent my first three months shadowing my mom – just observing and trying to absorb any knowledge she had for me. Then Covid hit and suddenly everything changed. My phone started ringing nonstop, and my career took off. My first year quickly became a crash course and I must admit, the fast pace and high stakes quickly made me fall in love with real estate.
Do you have any advice for sellers and buyers right now as we get back to normal?
For sellers, if you have thought about selling in the near future, the time might be now. A historic lack of inventory has really created a sellers’ market. For buyers, I would strongly suggest keeping your eye on the market and creating a good relationship with your broker. Keep communication open, because when something good comes on you have to be ready to move quickly. There are still great deals being made every day for buyers and sellers.
You are passionate about giving back, which is the backbone of our mission statement at James Lane. Can you tell us about Uncommon and how you’re involved?
Uncommon is an organization that makes longterm investments in low-key communities by building innovative, sustainable workspaces to run free education programs in technology. My connection to Uncommon, is that I am one of the founders of the Nicki Keszler Innovation Hub, which was created in honor of my late brother. Nicki was a lover of life, a traveler, an aspiring software engineer and someone who loved giving back and putting a smile on another person’s face. The Hub was built and was placed in Zimbabwe, in a low-income, high-density suburb. We believe that everyone, everywhere should have access to life changing technology education and employment opportunities. We transform recycled shipping containers into state of the art, solar-powered workspaces to run our free technology Bootcamp locally. We bring education, equipment, and infrastructure to the communities we serve to eliminate the barriers our students may face. The goal is to create awe-inspiring learning environments where our students and young adults are encouraged to wonder, create and thrive. Anyone interested in finding out more can visit our website at uncommon.org.
Are there any trends you’ve noted in real estate sales because of the pandemic?
So much has changed since the start of the pandemic in real estate. In the Hamptons, we are now a larger first home market than ever before. People want to live here full time. We are seeing more young families with children enrolled in the schools. The quality of life here is unbeatable, and now that a lot of people have the flexibility to work from home, there is less of a need to live in the city full time. Another thing that has changed with Covid is the idea of South and North of the highway. It seems like privacy and property, especially with tennis, has become extremely desirable regardless of location. With so many people spending more time at home, we also see builders and designers moving away from the open concept style of living and moving more towards traditional layouts and individual spaces. We’ve had many clients make jokes about needing rooms and doors so they could get a break from looking at their families all day. I have also never seen so many vegetable gardens. It seems like everybody has become a farmer!
Did growing up in Germany help to build your global network? Do you work with international clients now in your real estate career?
Yes, being bilingual and understanding the European buyer has been a huge advantage while working with the global market. I went to international school in Germany and it really helped me build up an international network. I still have a lot of strong ties with people oversees who are now looking to buy or rent in the Hamptons.
What do you love most about living and working in the Hamptons?
As far as Hamptons real estate goes my favorite thing is the many different styles of homes I get to see. One showing may be at a modern glass box overlooking the ocean and the next showing is a beautiful village compound built in 1750. This is a place where people go to build their dream homes and I love seeing what that means to different individuals. The most special thing about living in the Hamptons for me is the natural light and the ocean. These are two things that inspire me and fuel me. Another perk is having the debatably best metropolitan city only 2 hours away.
Click here to learn more about Paulina Keszler of Douglas Elliman.
