BUYER AWARE
Accidental real estate broker Michael Schultz turned a hobby into a “quietly successful” career.
“OTHER GUYS PLAYED GOLF. I LOOKED IN THE EAST HAMPTON STAR AT THE REAL ESTATE SECTION.” — michael schultz
ACCIDENTAL REAL ESTATE BROKER MICHAEL SCHULTZ TURNED A HOBBY INTO A “QUIETLY SUCCESSFUL” CAREER. BY EMILY WEITZ
Michael Schultz was working in fashion and design when he bought his first Hamptons home in 1985. Three years later, “a broker came to me and asked if I’d thought about selling,” he recalls. “I said, ‘No, I love my house.’ ” But when he learned it had nearly doubled in value, he thought again—and realized that East End real estate could be a lucrative sideline.
“Other guys played golf or tennis,” Schultz says. “I looked in The East Hampton Star at the real estate section. I kept trading up.” By the time he left the retail business in 2005, he had six houses in the Hamptons and two in Florida, properties he would renovate and resell. Finally, in 2007, he decided to take the next step and become a broker. Having been with the Corcoran Group for 10 years now, he’s well-known on the local scene. “I became quietly successful,” he says, “and people noticed.”
But “quietly successful” is an understatement. After selling 11 homes for a total of $29 million, Schultz was named Rookie of the Year by the Hamptons and North Fork Realtors Association. He’s remained a buyer’s broker, often tapping his well of friends and acquaintances in the New York fashion world and getting them into East End homes. “I am passionate about the Hamptons and why people should buy here,” Shultz says. “I don’t sell houses. People buy houses.” He’s just here to help them. The Corcoran Group, 51 Main St., East Hampton, 631899-0254; corcoran.com