Meet Anthony D’Argenzio, the Creative Behind Zio and Sons

Photos by Zio and Sons

California native Anthony D’Argenzio followed his heart to New York not once but twice: first to Manhattan, and then to the Hudson Valley. The social media sensation turned realtor just finished rehabbing an unremarkable log cabin into the family home of his dreams.

Hudson Valley real estate wunderkind Anthony D’Argenzio is so ingrained in the local scene, you’d think he’d been living here his whole life. Not so. In fact, he grew up clear across the country, in Northern California. But after college, professional opportunities beckoned, and he happily moved to New York City. In 2009, D’Argenzio began a career styling photo shoots for national print magazines and home décor brands. But that was only the beginning. In short order, his creative services company—named Zio and Sons—began evolving into a lifestyle brand offering interior design expertise and products.

Fast forward to 2012, when D’Argenzio and his sommelier wife Hillary began spending weekends in Hudson. The getaways were part business—scouting for his design projects—and part down time. Two years later, the couple decided to invest in a Hudson property as a second home, which became their primary home in 2018.

That purchase inspired D’Argenzio to think even bigger about opportunities to grow and evolve Zio and Sons. His Big Idea: to create an elegant, ever-changing Instagram feed to showcase his evolving aesthetic to past, current, and future clients and followers. He named his account @ThisOldHudson and says it’s for people to discover cool places and beautiful properties; he describes it as “A destination for creativity, inspiration, and exploration, where art happens on the spot.” Scrolling through the images—a thoughtful mix of interiors, exteriors, and ambient shots—reveals a mix of old-world wonder and modern twists.

As @ThisOldHudson grew (now at over 73,000 followers and counting), D’Argenzio found himself increasingly interested in local real estate. He became an associate broker with Houlihan Lawrence, tapping into the power of his online community to help sellers get top dollar for their properties. “My team has since grown, and now we also help buyers looking for unique primary homes, second homes or investments,” says D’Argenzio.

In 2020, the couple realized they craved more space and nature, so they started searching for a weekend home for their family. A 2,000-sq.-ft. log cabin that wasn’t even remotely their style—but was situated on five peaceful acres just 20 minutes north of their Hudson home—had the bones of an ideal retreat. That October, they worked with local contractors and tradespeople to make it feel beautiful and bespoke. D’Argenzio hashtagged the renovation-slash-transformation #ZioCabin, and the process unfolded on Instagram to the delight of his @ThisOldHudson devotees.

In the meantime the duo had also acquired, renovated, and furnished two Hudson Valley properties that they rent out through Airbnb, and they have plans to own and operate more longer-term rentals. “This area isn’t just for weekenders,” says D’Argenzio. “There’s a thriving community of creatives and entrepreneurs that need year-round residences.”

D’Argenzio adds that sustainability needs to be a primary focus. “The Hudson Valley was already on the up and up, but the pandemic was like putting gas on the fire,” he says. “Everything changed overnight. More people. More new businesses.” While he agrees that’s great and exciting, he also points out that growth and infrastructure need to be carefully managed to ensure the region’s long-term success. Also imperative: a bigger pool of people willing to live and work in the Hudson Valley long term. That particular piece, D’Argenzio channels easily. When he first started living in Hudson, it was strictly as a weekender. The more time he spent there, the more he realized: This is home.