A Perfect Partnership

Martha Gundersen and Paul Brennan of Douglas Elliman

While the current trend in the bustling, competitive world of East End real estate is the creation of “Teams,” the perfect duo of Paul Brennan and Martha Gundersen, with their combined 70 years of industry experience, conduct their sales more as a strategic partnership. Even their territorial expertise is a perfect fit, with Paul owning Wainscott to Southampton, and Martha from Amagansett to Wainscott. 

The two met almost five years ago at a property sale on Highland Terrace in Bridgehampton that they had handled for famed interior designer and architect James Michael Howard. Martha had been working for a rival agency, and Paul was a well-connected veteran agent at Douglas Elliman. 

By the end of the event, they’d exchanged numbers because they both knew there was something special in the way they communicated. Within months, they embarked on a partnership at Elliman that quickly grew, with both securing coveted listings and analyzing market trends to set optimal prices. 

It’s recently come full circle this year, as Paul and Martha again worked together on another iconic estate from the celebrated designer James Michael Howard, putting a stunning $25 million-dollar East Hampton home quickly into contract with an A-list actor and family.

While some real estate agents chase the latest trends, Paul and Martha have mastered the art of timeless elegance. Specializing in properties that define class, taste, and distinction, the duo has become well known for their discretion when handling high end sales, and for carefully protecting the identities of the buyers and sellers, both before and after transactions. 

In today’s new high tech, competitive world of online searches, listing portals, banner advertising and the like, Paul and Martha have maintained their position at the top of the go-to list the old-fashioned way. As Martha puts it, “We believe in personality and ethics before paperwork.” 

Martha, with her discerning taste and classic style, has a gift for making anyone feel comfortable navigating a home transaction, whether they are seasoned investors or first-time buyers. She brings to the pairing a comprehensive knowledge of the marketplace, sharp negotiating skills, and an elite roster of clients from all over the globe. Paul, with his decades of connections in affluent and influential circles, including among art collectors, entertainers, fashion designers, and global CEOs, possesses an old-world charm. He can speak passionately about local architecture, quoting everyone from Vitruvius to Frank Lloyd Wright.

Together, they are a perfect blend of warmth and intellect, class and knowledge. Having been born locally, Paul knows the ins and outs of the complex regulations of East End property ownership and Martha shares an extensive understanding of zoning and the different communities. 

So, when you are driving around our beautiful East End towns, you may be passing homes of the rich and famous whose sales have been arranged by Martha and Paul. As Paul puts it, “there’s not a piece of dirt on the East End we don’t know.”