
By Gary Duff for Hamptons Magazine | Read the original article here
With over 12 years of real estate experience and $1.5 billion in real estate sales, Compass' Matt Breitenbach has made a career selling the East End to some of the world's most highest profile buyers. From basketball players Jason Kidd and Kyrie Irving to actor Jeremy Piven and singer Trey Songz, the approach is always client first and personable.
In his latest chat with Hamptons, Breitenbach shares the property-buying secrets that both athletes and celebrities have taken advantage of in the East End and how the Hamptons have become one of the hottest places to invest right now.
On How the Hamptons Have Become a Trendy Spot to Buy
Real estate, much like entrepreneurism, is a very trendy topic right now. People like real estate—including me—because it’s something you can control, it’s a harder asset, it’s tangible, and you can look at it as an investment and revenue stream. If you want your money to make money, this is the place you need to buy property in.
On Why Athletes Have Made the Hamptons Their New Home
The Hamptons are a target market for athletes. It’s a brand now. We used to be so tied to New York City, and I think that umbilical cord is still there, but it’s not as strong as it was. The buyer has diversified. Basketball player Kyrie Irving, who I rented a house to last year, wanted to come here as soon as he finished a press conference with the Celtics; Kevin Durant, when he was getting recruited to the Golden State Warriors, had his meetings in the Hamptons, and although there are parts of the East End that are flashy, he wanted to come out here and clear his head and meet with some teams in an atmosphere such as this. They’ve realized how relaxing it is and how amazing the local population is. There’s a level of privacy and an atmosphere that is congruous to them.
On How Buyers Are Using the East End as an Investment
Some just want to rent a house in the Hamptons, there are others who want to purchase a home for family, and then you have those in the development end, who want to invest in the East End as a vehicle to make money for them. We're working to help make them money and a return on it. Some of those areas mix: a veteran buyer, who may want to purchase a home, might come out here and spot where they could invest, and a renter, who comes to the Hamptons seasonally, might eventually start to see where they could potentially buy property. The more and more these athletes and celebrities are buying in the Hamptons, the more people are realizing how special the area is. The secret is out.
On Approaching the Celebrity Client With Empathy
I try to look at real estate less as a sales transactions and more as a trusted real estate wealth advisor. I try to be empathetic to their situation, to be a source of knowledge, to see what they need, and listen to them. Once they're here, you end up being a concierge as well. They're just people, and they want you to treat them as people.
On Building a Private Marketplace for Buyers
Sometimes people don't want the spotlight that comes with placing a high-end property on the market. There's stuff under-the-radar that we can find or help create. If you have a need and this is what you want, you can come to me. If you need three acres on the ocean and it's not listed, I'm going to try and find it. It's a service advantage for my clients, because we do have these connections in the Hamptons. Sometimes when I'm searching for the perfect property for a client, I get other things in my quiver, which we can utilize too. For buyers and renters that come through our network, we have a multitude of different under-the-radar opportunities. Developing this private marketplace allows our team to gather and organize the correct market material to present to any client and represent them in the best way we can. We're willing to take an out-of-the-box approach to make sure the client is serviced the right way.
On How Compass' Culture is Elevating the Real Estate Industry
The sports and entertainment division culture is amazing. Kofi Nartey, who runs the division, knows everyone by name. Everyone is friendly and collaborative. And it starts with Robert Reffkin's morals and how he's built this company and recruits. Compass wants to get the right people in. What's most amazing about Compass is their streamlined processes, which hold every market to the same standards from here to Los Angeles. No matter where you are, the vetting process for agents is the same. Compass is trying to amplify the skill sets of our agents and in turn, elevate the real estate industry as a whole.