4 minute read
“PRINCE OF MONTAUK” DYLAN ECKARDT ON DEALS, LEGACY, AND DOING IT HIS WAY
by Lizabeth Zindel Wells
Known as the “Prince of Montauk,” power broker Dylan Eckardt moves with the energy of a mogul and the instinct of a local. Over the past year, he’s been involved in more than $200 million in bi-coastal listings and sales — including both transactions of a Tadao Ando-designed Malibu estate once owned by a Grammy-winning artist, which changed hands twice in under twelve months for a combined total of $51 million. He’s currently active in Santa Barbara County as well, where he’s marketing a nearly $70 million oceanfront estate on a stretch favored by A-Listers. Whether he’s surfing Ditch Plains or closing deals from Montauk to Malibu, Eckardt is equal parts celebrity dealmaker, concierge, and cultural lightning rod.
There’s a lot of talk about how Montauk has changed.
DYLAN ECKARDT: People think Montauk is turning into Miami. But here’s the thing: these big brands? They buy lobsters from my dad. They take surf lessons with my brother at his surf school, Austin’s Surf Club. They go see my mom for healing sessions. That’s the difference. Bringing in money keeps our families afloat. I’m not selling out — I’m putting my people in the room. I’m multigenerational Montauk. I went to Montauk Public School, then to East Hampton High School. I went from selling my first deal to consulting on $70 million listings in Montecito. It’s not just deals anymore. It’s my legacy. And it’s personal.
You just landed the exclusive for The Tauk. What makes that deal stand out?
ECKARDT: The Tauk used to be Trail’s End — the first restaurant in Montauk. That was my first deal 12 years ago. Since Montauk is my home, I’m also consulting on major hospitality projects across the Hamptons, and now with Bagatelle going into Gosman’s. That whole dock area is about to be the spot again. You can feel it coming.
Tell us about your nickname: “Prince of Montauk.”
ECKARDT: Vanity Fair gave it to me. They ran a big piece on me, in which they called me “the Prince.” But I’ve been called that since I was a kid. I’ve got two little brothers. Then, I read this Machiavelli thing about a guy who called himself a prince, and by the time he crossed France, everyone believed it. Manifestation. So, I said, “Yeah, I’m the Prince of Montauk.”
You’ve worked with huge celebrities. What’s the craziest story you have?
ECKARDT: Mariah Carey called me personally. I thought it was a prank. She said, “I need a 20-room house. The budget is $500,000.” I told her that’s impossible. Then, I called someone I knew from back in the day. Next thing you know, I put Mariah in a private house in Noyack the next morning. I’ve done deals for Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Lakers players — everyone. I never cold call. They call me.
You wear a baseball cap or sunglasses in almost all your photos. Why?
ECKARDT: People say the eyes are the window to the soul — and they’re not wrong. I’m a softie. I’ve got light blue eyes, and I cry watching surf videos. I wear a hat down and shades up because when I walk into a negotiation, I need armor. You look in my eyes, you’ll know I’m still just that insecure surfer kid from Montauk. But I’m also the guy who can close the deal.
What drives you in your real estate work today?
ECKARDT: I want to change the game of real estate. It’s not what it used to be. I believe in this thing that I’m saying a lot now: it’s called collaboration over competition. If everyone works together at the same goal — to create happiness and memories for families to make — and we can sell them those houses and paint that dream for them, then I deliver every day.
How did you pull off going from Camp Hero to closing high-profile deals for billionaires and celebrities?
ECKARDT: At any means necessary. I never took no for an answer. I had a stacked Rolodex. I’ve built this so much that I don’t even list stuff on Zillow. I’m personally attached to every deal I make. I’m telling people: I’ve got a great investment property, here’s how it pays for itself, here’s how your kids retire in Montauk. I pitch passion. I pitch real life. That’s why I win.
princeofmontauk.com | @dylaneckardt
.
