“I’ve always been drawn to the Hamptons,” says Ed Patrowicz, an agent with Corcoran who specializes in the local market. “As a teenager, I came out to surf the beaches. In college, I worked at local restaurants over the summer, and later I vacationed here with the woman who is now my wife.” Patrowicz worked in the film industry for 25 years, focusing on editing and post-production. But in 2005, he left the business and decamped from New York City to the East End. He and his wife became year-rounder residents and then parents; they have lived in Montauk ever since.
We sat down with the Hamptons agent to talk real estate, get the scoop on his favorite local hangouts and learn from his experience building and renovating out here.
INHABIT: Can you describe the career path that led you to real estate?
EP: It’s a bit of a winding path, but in college I studied photography and film. I learned I love the process of editing and the production. After I graduated, I decided to move to Hawaii for a year. I ended up staying for 10 and doing film production. After that, I moved back to New York and started my own post-production company with a few friends. Fast forward a decade and I was ready for a change; my wife and I picked up everything up, move out to Montauk, and had a baby. Real estate always felt like something I wanted to explore.
INHABIT: Are there things you learned in production and editing that translate to your work as a real estate agent?
EP: I’ve always looked at being a film editor as facilitating a journey. You start with a project that has a story, but there are many ways to tell it. Your job is to help tell that story in the best way possible. Finding a home is very similar. I see my role as helping people find the home that tells the story of who they are and how they want to live.
INHABIT: You often work with people buying a second home. What makes Montauk particularly suited for weekend living?
EP: They used to call it the “Un-Hamptons. “It’s not as Un-Hampton as it used to be, but it does still have a low-key feel. Especially for people coming from New York, that’s really nice. It helps you decompress and recharge.
INHABIT: What do you love to do in the Hamptons?
EP: I’m still surfing many years later. It’s all about leaving everything behind and just experiencing the rhythm and serenity. My daughter surfs now, too, which is really fun. I have a few secret surf spots, but I can’t disclose them. I also love to dig through Innersleeve Records in Amagansett and add to my vinyl collection. Restaurant-wise, The Dock has great food and a very entertaining owner. I always get the fishwich sandwich
INHABIT: When you first moved out here, you built a home, but now your family is living in a different one. Can you take us through your personal real estate journey?
EP: Back in 2005, none of the homes that we were looking at really moved us. There was always some big drawback. So we built a mid-century-style house. It wasn’t a huge home by Hamptons standards, but it ended up being a little too much house for us. We sold it in 2013, spent a few years living by the beach, and then bought another house that we rebuilt from top to bottom.
INHABIT: How does all that building experience help you as an agent?
EP: Well, almost every home that’s sold now is personalized after the buy. I can contribute to that process during the viewing. We talk about how the floor plan might be improved, what changes are realistic and what probably won’t work.
INHABIT: What kind of advice would you give to people looking to build?
EP: As I found out personally, a house usually goes 25 percent to 30 percent over-budget, so build that into your budget considerations. It’s a long process, but in the end there’s nothing like a home that’s tailor-made for you.
INHABIT: Please complete the following sentence: ‘My home wouldn’t be home without…’
EP: My wife and daughter.
Photography by Erik Melvin.