PatchLisa FinnDec. 14, 2018
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"I've proven I'm not a one-hit wonder." Dylan Eckardt speaks about soul-searching, and a stratospheric rise to success in real estate.
Dylan Eckardt, the self-professed "Prince of Montauk," has begun the next chapter in his journey as a real estate broker.
And from all accounts, he's on a proverbial roll: According to Nest Seekers, Eckardt has "been on a multimillion dollar selling streak in the Hamptons."
Most recently, Nest Seekers said, he was hand-picked for a plum exclusive: "The queen of nightlife and owner of the Surf Lodge Jayma Cardoso has selected him to represent her beach bungalow, a shabby chic home in Ditch Plains at 8 Flagg Avenue."
Eckardt, over the past 20 days, has sold more than $4 million in listings, Nest Seekers said. "Cardoso selected him for the work he has done in Montauk, selling more than $50 million total in properties both commercial and residential," Nest Seekers added.
The "one of a kind" Ditch Plains beach house on Flagg Ave. in Montauk, listed at $1.699 million, is a 1,600 sq. foot, fully renovated, chic one-story beach house, built in 2013, featuring central air, four bedrooms, two baths, a finished basement, hardwood flooring throughout, new HVAC and stainless steel appliances and a fireplace, and a beautiful master bedroom downstairs — all just 0.5 miles from Ditch Plains beach, four miles to Montauk Point and two miles to the heart of Montauk Village.
During a phone interview with Patch, Eckardt reflects on this new chapter in his rise to multi-million dollar success in the field.
"I took some time this fall to decide where I want to go with my career," he said. "I've grown a lot professionally — and I'm turning into the man I've always wanted to be. This is my career. I've proven I'm not a one-hit wonder."
He added, "I don't need everyone to like me — but they will respect me. Because when it comes down to it, they know who to contact when they want something sold."
While he's worked with the wealthy and famous, he's growing and expanding his client base, Eckardt said.
In the past 18 days, he's "put two multi-million dollars into contract. One of those houses was on the market for more than two years and went through two different Montauk agents," he said. "I finally approached the owner, who I know, and said, 'Don't judge me on my past, on my mistakes. Judge me on who I am today — and who I am today is someone who will sell your house."
Eckardt made headlines in the past after a Hamptons arrest, but those days are behind him, he said.
"I let my ego get ahold of me for a little bit," he said. "But now, I've grown. I feel the growth in my career —and in myself."
The bottom line, he said, is that he took the time for self-introspection — and to focus on the foray into real estate that's become his life's path. "I'm just a fisherman's son from Montauk who has his ear to the street," he said. "I consider myself a buyer's broker."
Thoughtful and secure in his new realm, Eckardt said: "I'm still the Prince of Montauk, but I'm branching out. It's not just Montauk anymore, it's Amagansett, East Hampton." His new aim, he said, is "to find properties that I feel could be something amazing."
Speaking of the Cardoso property, Eckardt's passion is clear as he speaks of the place his heart calls home. "This is my chance to represent Ditch Plans, my first Ditch Plains beach house," he said. "I live in Ditch Plains. That's my hometown. I am Ditch Plains."
Eckardt was born and raised in Montauk, and spent several years in Malibu, California, before returning home to the Hamptons.
He's a local through and through — his mom worked as a waitress and his father, a lobsterman.
And it's these deep roots and community connections that Eckardt says make him a natural at sharing his vision for an evolving Montauk.
Eckardt, a former professional surfer, has Ditch Plains in his blood and in his very essence. He said the area is the number-one place where families headed to Montauk want to set down roots — and those types of top-of-the line beach houses don't hit the market often, he added.
The Ditch Plains home, he said, has been featured in magazines. "I wish that was my house," he said. "I strive to have a house like this."
The home, he said, lends itself to gatherings of friends, to months in the fall and spring when Montauk is experienced, in all its glory, by locals. It's a place to savor magnificent sunsets and early morning sunrises, he said. "You can make a cup of coffee and walk to the beach before the coffee even cools down," he said. "I have a passion for this project."
He's excited, he said, to share the place where his memories were born, the streets he walked as a boy, with other children. "I want to see kids heading to Ditch Plains with their surfboards behind them. I want someone to appreciate what I had," he said, adding, "Don't let the glitz and the glamour and a few celebrities change the roots of Montauk."
Of his personal evolution, Eckardt said. "I've gone from the Prince of Montauk, an egotistical man, to a real estate agent. I've turned that corner. I'll represent a property that costs $400,000 or $40 million. I take on things that I have a passion for because it's who I am. I don't sell something I don't believe in — it's what makes me succeed."
He added, "I'm not someone who thought I was a rock star, made some money, then blew it." Smiling, he said, "Well, I am a rock star, but I'm also the realest real estate agent there is. And for anyone who judges me, when it comes down to business — I'm the best."
The Ditch Plains gem, he said, is a treasure at an unbeatable price. "In Montauk, you're not paying for a house, you're paying for your deck, your view, your beautiful outdoor space."
The home, he said, is perfectly turnkey and ready for immediate move-in. "You can be getting surfboards under your Christmas tree in this house," he said.
His life to this point, he said, has been a journey — and with his new insight and zeal for his life's path, he's a man sure of what he wants and how to write the next chapter. "The future is endless," he said. "My journey's just begun."