Business

Meet the real estate agent: Sean Nethercott of Brown Harris Stevens

Sean Nethercott

Sean Nethercott’s longtime appreciation for architecture and construction made his decision to enter the real estate field in 2010 an arguable no-brainer. The New Suffolk resident’s background as a business owner further sealed the deal.

“I saw the real estate market as a way to utilize all of my experience and the vast network of contacts I have developed,” said Mr. Nethercott, who has worked as a real estate agent for the past six years and recently joined the Greenport office of Brown Harris Stevens.

Mr. Nethercott, 34, grew up in Riverhead and graduated from Bishop McGann-Mercy High School in 2000. The son of a mason and concrete contractor, he studied construction management at SUNY/Farmingdale. While in college, he accepted an opportunity to be a partner at the now-closed Mattituck restaurant Amazon Grill.

In addition to his real estate career, Mr. Nethercott is a business partner in the Cutchogue operation Peconic Escargot, the East Coast’s only working snail farm.

“I’ve been a bit of an entrepreneur my whole life,” he said.

When he isn’t selling real estate or conducting business for Peconic Escargot, Mr. Nethercott enjoys taking advantage of the North Fork’s many charms.

“I try to get out on the water however I can during the summer,” he said. “Other than that, I like to get to the wineries to see what they have to offer.”

Q: Tell us about your first sale.

A: It was a pretty unique situation. It was an old Long Island Cauliflower Association outpost that had been bought by a couple of sculptors in the 1960s; they converted it to residential and studio space. The property was bequeathed to an art museum after the owners passed. During the final walkthrough, we saw there were two very large crates that looked like something out of an old cartoon. Inside these crates were plaster casts of sculptures that were never made. Long story short, at the request of the museum, we had to destroy them and document the before and after of the demolition of every single piece. I showed up to my closing completely covered in plaster dust!

Q: How do you start your day?

A: Typically, the first thing I do is reach for my iPhone and check for any emails or messages from the night before. After a quick breakfast and walk with the dog it’s into the office to tackle my list for the day.

Q: What advice do you give every client?

A: Keep an open mind and have some flexibility. I have helped many of my buyers see what some might consider a property’s shortcomings and turn them into something spectacular, adding value.

Q: What do you do to learn more about the North Fork?

A: I talk to people who have been around a lot longer than I have. Hearing the old “war” stories is an invaluable way to learn about the North Fork. There is more to the North Fork than a textbook or a side-of-the-road plaque could ever note. A balance of informational sources is important.

Q: Do you have a favorite local restaurant?

A: PawPaw pop-up restaurant in Greenport. [Chef and owner] Taylor [Knapp] is a master at what he does and the food is also an experience. He sources as much as he can locally.

Q: What is your favorite scenic spot on the North Fork?

A: The dock at Old Cove Yacht Club in New Suffolk. It always provides an amazing panorama, no matter the time of day or year.

Q: Who do you admire in the local real estate industry?

A: It’s a three-way tie between Tom Uhlinger, Jill Dunbar and Joanne Wind. All do what it takes to get a deal done while maintaining a certain level of class and integrity.

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Photo: Sean Nethercott, a real estate agent with Brown Harris Stevens, at a favorite spot in New Suffolk. (Credit: Katharine Schroeder)