FOR SEASONED SOTHEBY'S AGENT CHRISTOPHER FOGLIA, DOING BRISK BUSINESS IN THE HAMPTONS IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE LIFE HE LIVES AND LOVES WEST OF THE CANAL. HISTORY IN THE HAMPTONS I grew up in Queens, and in 1972 my parents built a house in Montauk, so growing up we always ended up spending time in the Hamptons. Now I live in Remsenburg. And I like it because it's quaint and quiet; there's nothing much there except a post office, a few stop signs and only one traffic light. The historic houses in the hamlet have a New England flair. It's a great place for a couple with four kids, four dogs, one cat and a lot of fish in the koi pond. We also have a chicken coop so we can get fresh eggs in the morning. LIFE AND WORK, WEST OF THE CANAL I work in the market west of the canal—West Hampton Beach, Quogue, East Quogue, Hampton Bays—and I put my clients first. I love it here. I do a little of everything— land, new construction, resales—but I specialize in waterfront. In our area there's not much more that can be developed, so there's a limited amount of waterfront inventory that's in high demand. BALANCING WORK AND PLAY It's virtually impossible to create a balance. I have four kids, and that keeps me grounded. Our kids are athletic, so on holidays like July Fourth I spend my time wherever the volleyball nationals are taking place. But my phone is always on and ringing wherever I am. MARKET ANALYSIS The Hamptons market is unlike anywhere else. The only places it's comparable to are other resort areas with access to water. And the people who want to live here are generally not looking for a place to live—they don't want a primary home, they want a second home. When you're working with wealthier buyers, the sense of urgency isn't always there. A transaction can take more time. But some know that they want a compound with everything on it—a pool, tennis court, outdoor kitchen—others just want to be on or near the beach. It's a process to get to know their wants and desires. ON THE TOWN, ON OCCASION We usually do barbecues at home, but off-season we sometimes hit the restaurants in the area. We like sushi and Sushi 1 is fabulous. My wife and I also have a strong bond with the owners; they catered our wedding 25 years ago. Tweed's in Riverhead is also very nice. HOME, SWEET HOME We renovated a saltboxstyle home into a 4,200-square-foot traditional home and clad it with cedar shakes and added a bluestone covered porch and patio. We also did the whole backyard and added a gazebo that I use as an outdoor office whenever I can, a fire pit and a volleyball court in addition to the chicken coop. It also has some benches I built from a maple tree and cedar tree that fell. We wanted to make a place where everyone wants to go, so there's never a dull moment. We love it. To this day I have not found a place I like better. christopherfoglia.danielgale.com Christopher Foglia renovated his Remsenburg home from a saltbox-style home into a 4,200-squarefoot traditional home