Rebecca has always been a visionary. Whether changing how we wear cashmere to casual fashion when she created TSE Cashmere in the ‘80s, or reimagining Asprey to be relevant again, or promoting Ralph Lauren as the American lifestyle brand we all recognize today, Rebecca has always had a sense of what is happening now and next.
She is now bringing that same sense, with a solid business background, to selling real estate on Shelter Island, which she believes is “the next Nantucket” in terms of real estate growth. Rebecca has always had a brain for real estate. As a young college graduate, she got her RE license and listed her parents’ house for sale, without their knowledge. “I just get real estate,” she says and wherever she travels, from Harbor Island to St. Barth’s to Tuscany, she gets a feel for the market and finds the value there.
Which is why she is so adamant about Shelter Island as an investment opportunity. Rebecca understands the Hamptons market after decades on the South Fork buying, redesigning and selling her own homes, and knows that Shelter Island still offers a chance to find properties not only near the water, but on it. Having worked in London in private equity, she also understands return on investment and can find opportunities for investors, builders and homeowners alike. “I’m never going to put someone in a house that they can’t get out of.”
She also sees Shelter Island as a special place to live as a full-time resident. “It’s hard to believe that we can live like this, with a dock and a boat, the sunsets on the bay, the swans on our lawn. It’s so relaxing and dreamy.” Most of all, she says, “Shelter Island is still real. The beauty is that it’s not perfect.”
Working with clients, she asks a lot of questions, then connects them with opportunities. “I love contributing to someone being in the right house. I imagine their life in the property and help them to see it. It’s like I open a window for them.” She also believes that investing in a house is “a huge chunk of anyone’s portfolio” and thinks clients need someone who understands that responsibility as much as architecture, design and engineering.
Rebecca’s enthusiasm for Shelter Island is contagious. When you’re with her and witness her design and finance backgrounds come together in a visual and down-to-earth way, be prepared to fall in love with Shelter Island. “When you step off the ferry, there’s a weight off your shoulders,” she says. “You just know this is where you want to be.”