Kyle Rosko Walks Us Through Chic Estates And The Real Estate Scene Out East!

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For juicy real estate intel Out East, look no further than Kyle Rosko and Marcy Braun of the Eklund Gomes team at Douglas Elliman. Ahead, Rosko dishes on record-breaking Montauk manses, historic Sag Harbor Village gems—and how surfing fits into his work hard, play hard M.O.

What’s the market looking like this summer? It’s been a much more active selling season than we’ve seen in a while, and we’ve done some high-level transactions that have closed. We just broke the record for most expensive sale not on the water in Montauk, ever, with 18 Maple, for $17 million; we broke our own record by more than $3 million! It’s the biggest transaction in Montauk this year, and we also had the second-highest transaction of the year in Montauk.

Congrats! What else are you cooking up lately? We’ve been successful with strategic content and marketing. I’m having the most fun with video creation, where I surf in front of the houses I see. I’m getting excellent feedback, and real transactions are happening as a result of social media and our marketing efforts. A couple of my videos have 100,000-plus views. One of my videos has more than 500,000 views; the reach has been tremendous. I’ve personally been averaging between 350,000 and 600,000 views per month on my social media page, which is pretty crazy considering I have around 13,500 followers. That’s good engagement, and reaches a lot further than my own personal bandwidth. It’s super exciting to watch those stats and see real, actual feedback from people all over the world. I think I’ve had so much success in my marketing efforts and branding because that’s my lifestyle. It’s not like I have to pretend. It’s literally my exact lifestyle. I live in the neighborhood; I surf in front of these houses every day.

What are some current listings you’re especially excited about, and why? Just got a new listing at 40 Deforest and 42 Deforest, two oceanfront new-construction projects in Ditch Plains, the neighborhood I live in. So I represent the two highest-listed oceanfront properties in the history of Ditch Plains. I’m in the middle of shooting and strategizing content to be surfing in front of those two houses, which will create a great narrative and bring these properties to life. There’s nothing else that’s oceanfront and new development in that area, and hasn’t been for ages. These are the first two new homes since Stanford White’s Seven Sisters oceanfronts—and those were new in the 1920s!

Any other Montauk standouts? 22 Maple Street was developed by the same architect, Piero Lissoni, and has identical square footage as 18 Maple, which sold for a record $17 million, but 22 Maple is available for 14.975 million, so it’s $2 million less. You couldn’t build this house—minus the land’s value—for the amount we’re asking for it. There are pools on both levels, a rooftop deck, just these unbelievable amenities.

Aside from Montauk, any other haute houses of note? Sag Harbor Village has been performing incredibly well. I have a house in Sag Harbor Village that’s a gorgeous little jewel box—three bedroom, two bathroom, little slice of heaven, 212 Madison. It’s the quintessential Sag Harbor cottage and has been renovated. It’s beautiful; I want it so bad. If I didn’t already have a house in Sag Harbor Village, I would buy this house.

What are buyers looking for lately. Are there any major trends you’re seeing? People are looking for storytelling and character in their homes. This whole new development movement was strong for many years, and now we’re finding people’s sensibilities are turning toward nuanced details that are interesting—something telling a story, where the materials were sourced from, where an artifact in the house came from, stuff like that is meshing with people, as opposed to just the cookie cutter, white, bright look. It’s refreshing to see that demand back in the market.

Do you have any secret traffic-beating routes? Yes, and I will never share them, but they work, because you understand the traffic patterns and the blocks. I’d rather be driving than stopped; I’d rather be taking a scenic route, and the beauty of a quiet street in that hectic moment in the summertime, and I still get to beat the traffic by 20 minutes going east to west.

What are you listening to while you’re en route? I’m usually on the phone, but I wish I could play music! I love house music, classical, and jazz, depending on where I need to be with my temperament. With house music, it’s like, let’s go, let’s hit these 12 appointments today!

Where are you eating Out East nowadays? I’m a creature of habit! You’ll find me at Crow’s Nest many nights a week, that’s basically my home away from home. I order three things, and I’m always trying to just bring someone to share it with me. I get the ricotta appetizer to start, then the cowboy steak and scallops entrées. That’s the perfect order for two people.

All images: Courtesy of Kyle Rosko

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