For five years straight, every Tuesday and Thursday, Real Producer PJ Antonik showed up on camera—sledgehammer in hand and camera crew in tow—giving viewers a raw, behind-the-scenes look at the realities of building homes on the South Shore. 

What started as a self-funded side project turned into an Emmy-nominated hit—and a powerful business engine. Heart of Oak, the independently produced home renovation show aired on NECN redefined how a builder could build a brand.

With 56 episodes under his toolbelt and a social following that grew from 2,000 to 15,000 in just two years, Heart of Oak wasn’t just about showcasing craftsmanship. It was about storytelling, transparency, and trust.

“I don't really see myself as an on-air personality,” PJ says. “You ask yourself, are people really watching this? Because you don't know. But then I realize, people actually know who I am. But I could care less about the ego part. For me, I'm just happy people enjoy what I spend all that time producing. That's all I cared about.”

The show turned PJ into a semi-celebrity on the South Shore, but his journey to that point wasn’t a made-for-TV montage—it was hard-fought and hands-on.

Raised between Harwich on Cape Cod and Greenwich, Connecticut, PJ grew up steeped in the trades. His father was a carpenter in one of the wealthiest zip codes in America; his stepfather, a heavy machine operator on the Cape. Summers and weekends were spent on job sites, learning the nuances of building from the ground up.

A gifted athlete, PJ trained as a competitive rower for nearly a decade, even chasing a spot on the national team. He studied Communications and Film at Hofstra University, minored in Music Production, and picked up side gigs in acting and modeling in New York City. After college, he hustled real estate deals in Greenwich and Westchester, mastering the fine art of landing FSBO clients before the market crashed in 2008.

That crash was a turning point. He returned from Australia, where he’d been competing, to find his business gone. A back injury ended his rowing dreams. He and his wife Lizzy—also a rower—moved back to Massachusetts and he stepped into the corporate world.

But the call to build never left him.

In 2014, while working full-time in sales and marketing, PJ took on his first house flip in Hingham. It was a grind—weekdays on the road, weekends on the job site—but the payoff cleared his student debt and lit a fire. One flip turned into four, and before long, Oak Development & Design was born—named for his daughter, Oakley.

Since then, PJ and his team have completed over 40 homes, including an upcoming $12 million spec home on Nantucket set to hit the market this month.

What sets PJ apart isn’t just his eye for design or his builder’s chops—it’s his ability to merge the worlds of real estate and construction. “I realized it was silly not to represent myself,” he says. “I was losing out on so much margin.” 

That insight led to the launch of Oak 360 Realty, a brokerage designed to keep the value in-house and streamline the client experience.

His dual role—developer and real estate agent—is rare, and it’s powerful. “My business is different than a standard agent’s,” PJ says. “I blend the two together.” Now working with William Raveis, PJ landed on the 2025 Real Producers list thanks to sales of these high-end transactions, such as his Martins Lane build in Hingham.

Clients don’t just get a realtor—they get a contractor who knows every nail, beam, and budget line. Take, for example, a recent listing in Milton. The home needed work. PJ and his crew personally stepped in, repaired and repainted it within a week, and got it sold. Fast.

Occasionally, a lead for a prospective new build will morph into representing a buyer of an existing home instead.

Still, there are challenges. “Sometimes people don’t want to tell the guy who built the house what they really think,” he laughs. “I’ve had to bring in other agents just to host open houses.”

While his craftsmanship and business savvy are undeniable, it’s Heart of Oak that made PJ a household name—and he’s not done yet.

After stepping back from the show to recharge, PJ is now developing a new national home renovation series focused on helping families rebuild after natural disasters. The idea was born after the North Carolina floods earlier this year—PJ packed his truck with donated supplies from his network and headed south, moved to help however he could. If sponsorship goals are met, filming begins this fall.

Back at home on Hingham’s Main Street, life with Lizzy and their two kids—Oakley, 10, and Jack, 8—is grounded and full. “We’re big skiers,” PJ shares. “And we love camper van trips. A couple years ago, we rented one in Salt Lake City and traveled to Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, and Jackson Hole. This year we’re headed to Colorado.”

When they’re not adventuring out West, gardening or raising backyard chickens, the Antoniks can usually be found field-side. Jack plays baseball, lacrosse, and soccer, while Oakley is just as busy with gymnastics, softball, lacrosse, soccer, and soon, volleyball. “It’s nonstop,” PJ admits with a grin. “Between all the kids’ sports, we’re constantly on the road.”

From flipping his first house to filming a show that inspired thousands, PJ Antonik has built and sold more than homes—he’s built a brand rooted in integrity, hustle, and heart. And if Heart of Oak was just the prequel, his next installment promises to be a showstopper.