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Join us for Season 4, Episode 156 of the Boroughs & Burbs podcast, titled Being a Successful Buyer's Agent. This week, we sit down with Jon Butler and Eli Karon from Douglas Elliman, two seasoned buyer’s agents with a wealth of experience in navigating today’s competitive real estate market. They’ll share their insights on building client relationships, understanding market trends, and mastering negotiation tactics to secure the best deals for buyers. Whether you’re an aspiring agent or a seasoned professional, this episode is packed with valuable tips and strategies to elevate your buyer representation skills. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the best in the business! Tune in for an engaging discussion!

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Join us for Season 4, Episode #155 of Boroughs & Burbs, titled "Renovate or Re-Build," featuring returning guests Ryan Salvatore and Mary Burr from Burr Salvatore. In this insightful episode, we explore the critical decision-making process homeowners face when considering renovations versus complete rebuilds. Ryan and Mary will share their expert insights on design trends, cost considerations, and the emotional factors involved in each option. Whether you're contemplating a home update or a fresh start, this conversation will provide valuable guidance to help you make informed choices. Don’t miss it!

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Join us for Season 4, Episode 146 of our podcast where we present a comprehensive mid-year market report! Sally Daley from Douglas Elliman in Florida, John Engel from Douglas Elliman in Connecticut, and Roberto Cabrera from Brown Harris Stevens in New York City unite to provide exclusive insights into real estate trends across diverse markets. From Florida's sunny landscapes to Connecticut's suburban allure and New York City's dynamic urban scene, our experts discuss key developments, market shifts, and emerging opportunities. Whether you're a seasoned investor or a prospective buyer, this episode offers essential updates to navigate the evolving real estate landscape.

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What is Downsizing? Downsizing and the Small House Movement.
📝 "The ongoing pandemic has changed the way we live. Many have left the big city, are working from home, and not going out as much. We have all heard about how our homes have to be healthier, more efficient, more flexible, and perhaps a bit bigger to accommodate all of this. Nobody follows these trends more closely than author Sheri Koones, who has written many books on home design, with the latest being "Bigger Than Tiny, Smaller Than Average."
 _____These homes are not as small as the ones in her last book, "Downsize: Living Large in a Small House," which was aimed at a different market at a different time. Can these houses even be considered small, with many running around 1,800 square feet? But the average new American home in 2019 was 2,623 square feet so these are definitely smaller than average, even if a lot bigger than tiny.

The small houses—all 2,000 square feet or less—presented in "Downsize" are owned by people who have made a conscious decision to downsize from a larger home to a smaller home—or who just decided to build small in the first place.

⏩⏩ Join us today, Every Thursday at 4pm, Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351
🔜 🔔 Subscribe now: https://cutt.ly/ozGU5tV​​

👩🏻‍💼 Sheri Koones is a widely respected author who helps readers understand that getting the house of their dreams can be done in an ecologically responsible way.
 Her books explore the variety, beauty, and eco-friendly benefits of prefab homes. Her books have evolved from just profiling the variety of prefab methods in her first Prefabulous book to showing how energy-efficient and sustainable houses can be with Prefabulous + Almost Off the Grid: Your Path to Building an Energy-Independent Home and Prefabulous + Sustainable: Building and Customizing an Affordable, Energy Efficient Home. Prefabulous World: Energy-Efficient and Sustainable Homes Around the Globe explored the beauty and efficiency of houses around the world, from France to South Africa and Japan to Australia.
She has won the prestigious Gold in the Robert Bruss Real Estate Book Awards from NAREE in 2013, 2011, and 2008.

No matter whether you call it downsizing or rightsizing, the trend toward living in a small home is here to stay. In "Downsize: Living Large in a Small House" (Taunton Press, October 29, 2019, $34.95), best-selling author Sheri Koones presents 33 exceptional houses that show how small can be comfortable, practical, energy-efficient—and beautiful.

🧑🏻‍💻 John Engel - John Engel found at http://www.JohnEngel.com. He is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he has been Chairman of the Town Council and is currently a member of the Planning & Zoning Commission. John also brings an insight into internet-based marketing that is unsurpassed. After graduating, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army and spent some time leading a military intelligence platoon on the front lines of the first Gulf War. He currently lives in New Canaan with his wife Melissa and four children. 

🧑🏻‍💻 Roberto Cabrera - Roberto can be found at http://www.RobertoCabrera.com. With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. the sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single-family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side for over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. 

#RealEstateDownsizing #ThinkingOfDownsizing  #SheriKoones #johnengel #robertocabrera #ctbestrealestateagent #ctrealtor #realestateinvesting #

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Ordinarily in September New Yorkers rivalry with Boston is heating up. Not this year. With the Red Sox 16 games back on the Yankees and neither the Patriots, Jets or Giants contending it might be time to focus on real estate and snag that second home on Nantucket you've been thinking about. Boston seems to be on pace to set new records this year despite fears of a national recession. Why? The biggest reason seems to be lack of real estate inventory in a market with strong job growth and continued strong job prospects. Boston may have experienced many of the same problems as New York City during the pandemic with the loss of live entertainment, restaurant, and tourism dollars but like New York is surging past pre-pandemic levels and attracting major new industries such as technology. I think one advantage Boston has always had is the number of universities in the area and the concentration of advanced degrees.

What are the Boston real estate market predictions for 2022 and 2023? With steady job growth, huge gains in home equity, and a large population of millennials now in their peak homebuying years, it is predicted that the demand will stay strong, but sales are likely to be down from historic highs while price appreciation should fall to more modest levels.
Since the last decade (May 2012), the typical home value in Boston-Cambridge-Newton Metro has appreciated by nearly 91.4% (Zillow Home Value Index). Boston has several key advantages: low percentage price growth in 2021 relative to other metros, average loan-to-value rate of only 79 percent, low share of flipped homes and loss of population last year. The Boston housing market is very competitive. Homes in Boston receive 3 offers on average and sell in around 21 days. The average sale price of a home in Boston was $760K last month, up 7.0% since last year. The average sale price per square foot in Boston is $612, down 5.6% since last year.

Lisa Rainis - Manages Boston, the Suburbs and the Islands
Carl Lindvall - of The Holly Parker Team on Nantucket
Jesse Greenstein  - in Boston & Martha's Vineyard
Craig Brody - sells Boston, the Suburbs, Nantucket & Cape Cod
Johnny Hatam - sells the big, fun Yankee Candle listing in Leverett for $23 million

Join us Every Thursday at 4pm, Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351
Subscribe now: https://cutt.ly/ozGU5tV​​

Boroughs & Burbs Past Episodes & Watch the full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn0GRA-Kf96kZyqcZligAocCKCaNoZP8q

B&B 40: BobStefanowski: Critical Issues for Connecticut's Real Estate Economy
B&B 41: Ari Harkov on the NYC & Brooklyn Markets and Running a Top Team
B&B 42: Affordable Housing - Who Needs It? w/ Tony Hwang, Ryan Fazio, Scott Hobbs & Francis Pickering
B&B 43: Benjamin Moore's Color Expert & Top Designers Talk Color Trends
B&B 44: Noah Rosenblatt of Urban Digs on the New York Market
B&B 45: Governor NedLamont. Conversation on Real Estate & the Connecticut Economy
B&B 46 "Tax The Rich, They Won't Move" Migration and Demographics
B&B 47: "Mexico is Hot" 
B&B 48: Zoom On Q1 Market Report for Real Estate in New York & Connecticut - So Hot
B&B 49: Mike Lubin & Matt Cohen on The Post-Covid Market
B&B 50: "Can Housing Keep Rising" Jonathan Miller on Rising Rates
B&B 51: "Designing on a Dime" Sergio Mercado & Jennifer Cohler Mason on Design
B&B 52: The Martha's Vineyard Show with Britt Bast and Cheri Mason
B&B 53: The Vero Beach Show with Sally Daley and Bob McNally
B&B 54:  "Bracing for An Economic Hurricane" with Stephen Lascher & David Perry
B&B 55: Thinking of Downsizing? Small Houses with Sheri Koones
B&B 56: How Will Skyrocketing Oil Prices Affect Real Estate? Eric Meyer and Ira Joseph
B&B 57: California Dreamin' and the Market out West. I

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"Bracing for an Economic Hurricane"
   
     "That hurricane is right out there down the road coming our way. We don't know if it's a minor one or Superstorm Sandy. You better brace yourself," said Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorganChase onstage at a conference just yesterday. What does this all mean? What does it mean for the luxury real estate market? What does it mean for the not-so-luxury real estate market? At what point do rising rates have a material effect on market performance and valuations? Will banks change their lending standards as a result? What canbanks do to continue the flow of home buying?
     What is the true relationship between interest rates, housing prices and the supply of housing? What we'd like to know is how are major banks responding to the change, and will the window of opportunity be closing for some buyers?
     In the 1980's countries such as Japan and Sweden introduced the 100-year intergenerational mortgage in which the borrower pays little more than the interest payments each month. While still rare in America, is it possible that this kind of mortgage could be introduced as an answer to the rising crisis of affordability?
    Co-hosts Roberto Cabrera and John Engel will be asking the regional sales managers of two major lenders these questions.

Stephen Lascher of Wells Fargo Bank Steve is a Sales Manager and a founding member of the Wells Fargo Private Mortgage Banking team in New York. Joining Wells Fargo in 2003 Stephen quickly became a member of the organizations elite President's Club having ranked in the top 1% nationally for the past 16 years. Specializing in new development end-loan financing, condominiums, co-ops and multi-family properties, he has extensive experience with borrowers and developers of all backgrounds and property types – having successfully funded over $2.5 billion in residential mortgage transactions throughout his career. Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Stephen was an associate in the Equity Research Departments at both UBS Warburg and Morgan Stanley.

David Perry of USBank     David M. Perry was recently selected by USBank Home Mortgage to lead the bank's Connecticut office. Perry, who has more than 25 years of financial and industry experience, will lead a team of eight mortgage professionals looking to increase the company's market share in the Connecticut region. Prior to working with USBank, Perry was a market manager with Wells Fargo and with PNC Mortgage. Perry is fluent in Spanish and can assist Spanish-speaking customers as part of his new role.

John Engel can be found at http://www.JohnEngel.com. He is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he has been Chairman of the Town Council and is currently a member of the Planning & Zoning Commission.

Roberto Cabrera can be found at http://www.RobertoCabrera.com. With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 y

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The Vero Beach Show
      Known as the "Hamptons of the South" and as Florida's "Treasure Coast" Vero Beach is a 28-mile island connected by three bridges to the mainland. About 90 minutes southeast of Orlando, and 90 minutes north of Palm Beach, Vero Beach is served by its own airport with 26 direct flights a day (most importantly for New Yorkers to Newark and Westchester County).  There are 15,220 people across 7,505 households of which 16% have children at home. The largest employer is Piper Aircraft in a city known mainly for tourism. And, as of 2021 the city hosts 14 private golf clubs and is the historic home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, "Historic Dodgertown".
     So, why Vero Beach? That's what we want to know. This week we dig in for an in-depth conversation with Vero Beach's top realtor Sally Daley of The Daley Group and top builder Bob McNally of Palm Coast Development to understand the market, where it's been during the covid years and where it's heading.
     As Palm Beach prices skyrocket (average $3.3 million, $1600 per foot) is the same true in Vero Beach ($1.2 million, $504 per foot) or is this a secret waiting to be discovered?
    Are values in Vero Beach one big hurricane away from "correcting" or has building technology improved to the point where we can say these luxury homes can handle it?
    At the end of 2021, some economists were calling the Florida market overheated and overvalued by 40%. But other economists are saying that covid changed everything, that the new work-from-anywhere economy means Florida is no longer only for tourism. Where does Vero Beach see itself in the future?

Sally Daley
     Known for marketing savvy, boundless energy, and an ability to merge creativity with analytics, Sally is consistently among Indian River County’s top producers and has represented buyers, developers, and sellers of properties on the river, ocean, and in between at virtually all price points. In her 15-year real estate career, she has amassed sales well in excess of five hundred and fifteen million dollars. 
     Her dedication to research and data analytics, relentless following of the markets, and her encyclopedic knowledge of the real estate market and Indian River County make her a truly unequaled advocate for her clients. Sally’s data-backed and research-based approach stand-alone in Indian River County.
     Prior to her career in real estate, Sally owned a public relations + marketing firm just north of New York City. Her firm provided services for high-profile clients like Citibank, Hyatt Hotels, Champion Paper, Nine West Shoes, and The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, among others. 
 

     Bob McNally is the CEO at Palm Coast Development. His company is unique in that it combines architecture, interior decors, and construction as the main functions of a full-service integrated business. It has built significant landmark projects and high-end residences in Vero Beach and Stuart, Florida over the past 15 years.
     The McNallys hail from Morris County, New Jersey where Robert was the CEO of a major construction firm that was involved in the acquisition, planning, and construction of major communities involving well over 5,600 homes and 1,000,000 square feet of Class A office space.
     Having been involved in over a billion dollars worth of construction projects the company decided to form an Architecture and Interiors studio so that it could concentrate on custom projects; homes, small communities, mixed-use projects, condominiums, and Class A commercial projects.

John Engel - John Engel can be found at http://www.JohnEngel.com.
Scott Hobbs - Scott can be found at http://www.HobbsInc.com. 

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The Martha's Vineyard Show
Martha's Vineyard has a reputation for being a popular and affluent summer community with fabulous beaches and authentic New England charm. Who is coming to Martha's Vineyard, and why? And how has that changed? As New York area realtors we want to know why Martha's Vineyard is not like other affluent beachy communities like the Hamptons or its island neighbors Nantucket and Block Island.
- Martha's Vineyard is 96 square miles, compared to 70 in East Hampton (including east to Montauk). Block Island is only 9.7 square miles (and 40% of that is protected land conservation.) Nantucket island is 47 square miles.
- 17,000 people call the Vineyard home, but the populations swells to 200,000 in-season. Compare that to 28,000 in East Hampton, and 14,000 in Nantucket swelling to 50,000.
- the median listing on Nantucket is $3.9 million, and so much more affordable on the Vineyard at only $1.9 million in Edgartown and $1.3 million in Vineyard Haven. In East Hampton the median listing is $2.3 million.
- in 1974 Steven Spielberg filmed the movie Jaws on Martha's Vineyard and the island now celebrates with an annual "Jawsfest"
- there are 19 beaches on the island. What percentage of them are public versus private?
​​​​​​​- President Bill Clinton, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton have been coming to Martha's Vineyard since the 1990's.
- President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama used to vacation here at Blue Heron Farm and decided to settle here permanently when they purchased 30 acres in 2019.

​​​​​​​Who are the people who come for the summer, and what do they find there in summer?
How does the community change in the off-season?
How has the pandemic changed the community, and what is predicted?
Tell us about the luxury and exclusive neighborhoods of Martha's Vineyard, and do they attract anyone besides ex-Presidents?

4pm every Thursday.
Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351Or, binge watch all 50 shows on Youtube. Subscribe now: http://bit.ly/399yevL

Britt Bast of MVLandVest in Edgartown     
Britt has been a Real Estate Professional since 2010 and was thoroughly prepared for a career in the Real Estate Industry, having a mother who was a Realtor and a Father who was a residential Home Builder, giving her a well-rounded and extensive pool of experience to pull from within her own family.   Britt is native to Fairfield County, CT and splits her time between there and her office in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard.

Cheri Mason of MVLandVest     Cheri is a Connecticut native that came to the Island of Martha’s Vineyard permanently in 2008. Her corporate sales career started in the mobile computing industry working with Fortune 500 companies throughout the East Coast. Her relationship skills, professionalism and sales ability brought her to LandVest to pursue real estate with the Island’s most reputable firm.

John Engel - John Engel can be found at http://www.JohnEngel.com
Roberto Cabrera - Roberto can be found at http://www.RobertoCabrera.com

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John Engel - John Engel can be found at http://www.JohnEngel.com.

Roberto Cabrera - Roberto can be found at http://www.RobertoCabrera.com. 

Recent Episodes:

B&B 40: Bob Stefanowski: Critical Issues for Connecticut's Real Estate Economy
B&B 41: Ari Harkov on the NYC & Brooklyn Markets and Running a Top Real Estate Team
B&B 42: Affordable Housing - Who Needs It? w/ Tony Hwang, Ryan Fazio, Scott Hobbs & Francis Pickering
B&B 43: Benjamin Moore's Color Expert & Top Designers Talk Color Trends in Real Estate
B&B 44: Noah Rosenblatt of Urban Digs on the New York Market
B&B 45: Governor Ned Lamont. Conversation on Real Estate & the Connecticut Economy
B&B 46 "Tax The Rich, They Won't Move" A Conversation on Migration and Demographics
B&B 47: "Mexico is Hot" What You Need to Know about this Rising Real Estate Market
B&B 48: Zoom On Q1 Market Report for Real Estate in New York & Connecticut - So Hot
B&B 49: Mike Lubin & Matt Cohen, Top Realtors in New York, on The Post-Covid Market
B&B 50: "Can Housing Keep Rising" A Conversation with Jonathan Miller on Rising Rates

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Where Is the New Normal?

The news is very confusing these days. There are many contradictions. We hear talk of a bubble and runaway housing costs are met with Fed tightening and the end of the stimulus. We know Millenials are starting families, experiencing record-low unemployment and rising wages. And yet record inflation, supply chain problems, rising energy prices and rising commodity prices seem to add a level of uncertainty not seen in our lifetime. Oh, and robots will take our jobs, and we could experience world war. So, we are trying to separate the signal from the noise. This week we talk to a man who has been studying housing prices since founding his firm in 1986. We'll ask him which of those headlines matter most to the real estate market, and which of those factors we can largely ignore.

Can Housing Keep Rising?

4pm Thursday. Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351
Or, binge-watch all 50 shows on Youtube. Subscribe now: http://bit.ly/399yevL

Our guest, Jonathan Miller, Founder of Miller Samuel Inc. provides appraisal services on roughly $5 billion worth of property per year in the New York City metropolitan area.

Mr. Miller is the author of a series of market reports considered the "report of record" covering New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Long Island, Boston, Florida, Southern California, and Aspen. His reports are relied on by the Federal Reserve, the IRS, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the NYC Office of Management and Budget, and others.

Related Headlines:

- "A housing crash is unlikely, but a correction could be around the corner," says Business Insider, and  "talk of a housing bubble has intensified amid surging housing costs...a crash is unlikely" https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-crash-unlikely-but-correction-is-probable-2022-5

- "Post Covid, Millennial Buyers Want Larger Homes World Property Journal" and  "Millenials are now in favor of a larger home and home builders are responding" (https://www.worldpropertyjournal.com/real-estate-news/united-states/atlanta-real-estate-news/real-estate-news-national-association-of-home-builders-2022-housing-reports-millennial-housing-preferences-in-2022-jerry-konter-13040.php)

- "U.S. Home Sellers Beginning to Drop Asking Prices," says the World Property Journal and "suggesting that the seller's tight grip on the market is starting to loosen" (https://worldpropertyjournal.com/real-estate-news/united-states/los-angeles-real-estate-news/real-estate-news-redfin-2022-housing-reports-are-home-prices-beginning-to-decline-in-2022-daryl-fairweather-13054.php)

- "Toronto Home Prices Drop Most in Two Years as Rates Slam Market," says Bloomberg, and  "higher borrowing costs start to bite in what has been one of the world's hottest markets" (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-05-04/toronto-home-prices-drop-most-in-two-years-as-rates-slam-market)

- "We're Having this Long-Term and Short-Term Transition to Remote Work says UCONN professor Thomas Cooke in our conversation with him on this show regarding why people are content to stay put. (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1444222/10314347-boroughs-burbs-46-tax-the-rich-they-won-t-move-a-conversation-on-migration-and-demographics)

- "Historic Home Affordability Issues Continue in 80 Percent of U.S. Markets," says Monsef Rachid, "up from just 38% of counties in the first quarter of 2021. Houses spiked 16% while wages rose just 7%. The 26.3% of wages to buy a home...highest point since 2008." (https://www.worldpropertyjournal.com/real-estate-news/united-states/irvine/real-estate-news-attom-data-first-quarter-2022-us-home-affordability-report-home-affordability-index-march-2022-rising-home-price-data-for-2022-rick-s-13049.php)

Roberto Cabrera's New York Market R

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Review of the First Quarter Market Report 
New York and Connecticut 

"Sales in Manhattan continued on a tear, setting records for the third straight quarter as the market catches up with the region. The quarter saw the highest number of sales for a first quarter in thirty-three years of tracking. Overall price trend indicators were higher than in the same period before the pandemic. Bidding war market share rose to the highest level in four years for the fourth straight quarter. Co-op median sales price posted significant annual gains for the fifth consecutive quarter and was higher than pre-pandemic levels. Condo sales were up by more than fifty percent annually to reach the most first-quarter sales in fifteen years of tracking. Luxury listing inventory fell annually for the third straight quarter and remained below pre-pandemic levels. The luxury market saw the second-highest market share of bidding wars in five years of tracking. New development price trend indicators continued to remain well below pre-pandemic levels. New development sales were nearly double year-ago levels, the fourth straight quarter of significant annual increases" says Jonathan Miller at https://www.elliman.com/corporate-resources/market-reports.

click here for Brown Harris Stevens Manhattan Report
https://media.bhsusa.com/pdf/reports/manhattan_1q22.pdf

scroll down for Brown Harris Stevens Connecticut Report
https://media.bhsusa.com/pdf/1Q2022CTMarketReport.pdf

click here for William Pitt Sothebys Fairfield County Report
https://media.bhsusa.com/pdf/1Q2022CTMarketReport.pdf

Each Thursday use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351 
Or, binge watch all 48 shows on Youtube. 
Subscribe now: http://bit.ly/399yevL 
or listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify


Lower Fairfield County at a Glance:

The market remains hot, even if buyer demand continues to far outpace available inventory. Here are some key first-quarter stats for Lower Fairfield County as a whole:  

1,229 – The number of active houses and condos on the market, a 43% drop from the same time a year ago.  

946 – The number of closed houses, the second-most for the quarter since 2007, although also a 29% decrease from the unprecedented high sales volume of the first quarter of 2021.  

395 – the number of closed condos, the second-highest figure for the quarter since 2006.  

101.2% The percent of the list price houses sold for on average, 2.5% higher than the same time last year and the fourth-straight quarter where the average close-to-list price ratio was over 100%. Condo buyers paid on average 100% of the asking price, the highest close-to-list price ratio for condos for a quarter in the past two decades.  

85 – The average cumulative days on market for closed houses, 26% fewer days than a year ago. The average for condos closings was 74 days, 38% fewer days than the first quarter of 2021.  

$1.45M - The average house sales price for the quarter, up 8% from the first quarter of last year. The average condo sale price increased to $500K, the highest it’s been in at least the past two decades.

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In this episode we'll talk to two of Manhattan's Top Agents: Mike Lubin and
Matthew Cohen. What are they are personally experiencing on the ground?
What's different from last year? How might the rest of the year playout? What
are we not talking about now that we will likely be talking about tomorrow?
With wide ranging factors shaping our collective sentiment, from inflation and
rising interest rates to the war in Ukraine and a languid unraveling of
Covid…how is the market evolving?
Please join us……this will be good !

Market Reports?
Check out Jonathan Miller at https://www.elliman.com/corporate-resources/market-reports.

click here for Brown Harris Stevens Manhattan Report
https://media.bhsusa.com/pdf/reports/manhattan_1q22.pdf

scroll down for Brown Harris Stevens Connecticut Report
https://media.bhsusa.com/pdf/1Q2022CTMarketReport.pdf

click here for William Pitt Sothebys Fairfield County Report
https://media.bhsusa.com/pdf/1Q2022CTMarketReport.pdf

Each Thursday use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351 

Or, binge watch all 48 shows on Youtube. 

Subscribe now: http://bit.ly/399yevL 

or listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Send us a text

Every Thursday at 4pm Eastern
Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351 
Subscribe now: http://bit.ly/399yevL

What About Mexico?
  
With more than a million expats estimated to live there, Mexico is far and away the most popular destination for North Americans looking to move abroad. But—with so many places to choose from—where in Mexico should you move? It’s a very large country, after all.

Alexandra Demou is the founding owner of Welcome Home Mexico, a relocation and real estate company based in Polanco, CDMX where she currently devotes all of her time. Alexandra is from NYC. She studied Hotel and Hospitality Management in Greece and in New York. She has a Swiss Diploma and a B.S. from New York University.

More than a vacation destination, Mexico is more than beautiful beaches. Join us today in learning what Mexico has to offer.

Polanco is a very desirable neighborhood in Mexico City. Here, world-famous brands and upscale international restaurants line Avenida Presidente Masaryk, the premier shopping avenue at the heart of this prestigious district. Leafy side streets host Spanish Colonial Revival mansions and luxe apartments. To the north, Nuevo Polanco features modern architecture, including the futuristic Museo Soumaya, with its vast Rodin collection, and one of Latin America's largest aquariums.

Questions For Alexandra:

-Tell us about Mexican nationals who are interested in buying in the US? ----Who are they? Where are they looking? How do we appeal to them? 
-Are there any cultural differences in how Mexican buyers consider real estate transactions? 
-Where are the hot spots for Americans who want to buy in Mexico? Why? 
-Is there any place in particular that New Yorkers are looking? 
-How do you get there? What documentation is needed?
-What, if any, are the restrictions on US nationals owning real property in Mexico? 
-How do Americans buy in Mexico? What is the process? Who are the needed advisors? How do folks find them? 
-Yankees love wood houses, especially Colonials. I would not expect to find many saltbox colonials in Mexico. What are the styles we'll encounter in Mexico? What sizes are most liked? What amenities?
-What is the most desirable in location or style? 
-Is it better to be in a resort or gated community? 
-Is it a mostly seasonal market and is that likely to change? Nantucket will always be a summer community, whereas Florida is in transition.
-What are the transfer taxes, the property taxes? Any difference for American versus Mexican owners? 
-How are properties maintained by absentee owners?

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he was long serving Chairman of the Town Council. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful Internet businesses, Paper.com and e-Media (for which he won the  Entrepreneur of the Year Award). John attended New Canaan High School and Davidson College in North Carolina. After graduating, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army during the first Gulf War. He currently lives in New Canaan with his wife Melissa and four children. John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly Market Report for the 16 towns of lower Fairfiel

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Tune in to Season 4, Episode 145 of our podcast as we delve into the world of luxury car storage! Join Gigi Huang and Johnny Hatem Jr. from Douglas Elliman featuring two luxury homes one with a “car” barn and one with.a custom horse stable to display luxury cars.  Joined by John Buonanno, owner of Black Horse Garage, with an exclusive look at the art of preserving prized vehicles. From state-of-the-art facilities to bespoke services, we explore what discerning car enthusiasts and collectors seek in premium storage solutions. Whether you're a classic car aficionado or simply curious about luxury amenities, this episode promises insider perspectives and expert advice you won't want to miss.

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🧧Ari Harkov on the New York City and Brooklyn Markets and How to Run a Top Real Estate Team Here
Most people know him as leader of a top team in the nation, ranked every year since 2014 in the Wall St. Journal's list of "Best Real Estate Agents" and "Top 250 Teams in the USA". They did 217 deals last year totalling $432 million and $70 million of that was in December! (Maybe Ari is taking a rest on a beach this month?)

Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351 
Or, binge watch all 41 shows on Youtube. 
Subscribe now: http://bit.ly/399yevL

Ari Harkov, co-founder of the Harkov Lewis Team, on the plan for 2022:

"2021 was a big year for our team. We're planning extensive proactive outreach via direct mail, social media (organic and paid), and signage such as bus shelter ads, to reinforce our 2021 team accomplishments and establish our brand in the marketplace. We're also planning to do proactive outreach to developers with new projects and projects that have been languishing on the market, and to grow the number of landlord accounts for our leasing division with proactive outreach to landlords."

Seven Questions for Ari Harkov:

1. You have ambitious marketing plans in 2022 that include traditional and new-media campaigns. How do you decide where to direct your energy?What has been working and what has not? How are you measuring marketing effectiveness to driving new business? 

2. Clients. Who are your clients and how is that changing? How do you qualify prospects and how do you know when you are talking to someone that they are going to be a good fit?

3. Office Space. The Harkov Lewis team just opened up their own office at 451 West Broadway in SOHO. I want to hear more about this.

4. The 24/7 Clock. You were recently quoted saying, "How quickly and clearly your agent delivers information matters. You were quoted as saying "everyone wants you to respond yesterday." Talk to us about the new reality of the real estate business and setting expectations.

5. Negotiating. In a recent NAR survey 80% of home buyers said negotiation skills are "very important" when choosing an agent. Your team negotiated 217 deals last year in a strong seller's market. Tell us about the negotiation process and buyer frustration.

6. Relationships. “Buying or selling a home is a very intimate transaction,” Harkov says. “You should be working with an agent who you like and trust.” In a market that is seen as increasingly impersonal and transactional, how do you develop a relationship with a client and when does it matter?

7. Team Building. There are 16 members on your team. That takes a great deal of coordination and specialization among members. Your team building is what I admire most about Harkov Lewis. You're on a  panel discussion discussing team building (register: Here) att 11am on Thursday. Can you talk a bit about the challenges of managing such a large team, and the benefits of team-building when it works?

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he served as the Chairman of the Town Council. In addition to hosting this podcast on the market each week, John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly market analysis called t

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Affordable Housing - Who Needs It?  Panel w/ Tony Hwang, Ryan Fazio, Scott Hobbs & Francis Pickering
It's a problem everywhere, in the cities and in the suburbs. It's been a challenge for decades but now, in 2022, when inventory is particularly tight and housing costs are rising at unprecedented rates, governments are feeling the pressure to "do something about it". 

Governor Kathy Hochul of New York recently proposed allowing homeowners to transform parts of their residence into a separate living space, similar to an apartment as a way to solve the problem. Her plan was rejected. In Connecticut, developers are taking advantage of 8-30g rules to propose many new affordable housing projects, particularly in New Canaan and Greenwich. Some say 8-30g should be repealed, while others say it's a law that works.    

New legislation is being proposed to require cities and towns to make more affordable housing, while towns say they can solve this locally, and don't want the Hartford dictating policy.

Today we have Connecticut experts who have been studying the issue and hope to gain a greater understanding of current developments and proposals.
 
Our special guests will include:
- Senator Ryan Fazio (Greenwich, New Canaan, Stamford)
- Senator Tony Hwang (Newtown, Easton, Fairfield, Weston, and Westport)
- Francis Pickering from the Western Council of Governments 
- Scott Hobbs from New Canaan's Housing Authority

Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351 
Or, binge watch all 42 shows on Youtube. 
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Coming Up in March On Boroughs & Burbs:

March 17 - Connecticut's Governor Ned Lamont

We'll talk to the Governor about his vision for Connecticut's future, particularly those things that relate to real estate and housing.

April  - The Arizona Show. Paradise Valley and Scottsdale.

Walt Danley Christie’s International Real Estate is one of the nation’s most prestigious and successful luxury real estate firms, specializing in Arizona’s most affluent neighborhoods. President Walt Danley has consistently ranked in the top one percent of real estate agents in the United States every single year since 1977 and continually earns the industry’s highest accolades. I am an admirer. I met Walt ten years ago and I still get copies of Walt Danley's luxury magazine and his agents will eventually sell me a second home.  We have Walt and Chief Operating Officer Dub Dellis on the show.

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"Tax the Rich, They Won't Move"
  
Wait, is that even true? 
Join us for a conversation with University of Connecticut Professor Thomas Cooke on demographic trends, American migration and why people are more content than ever to just stay put. 

Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351 
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“We’re having this long-term and short-term transition to remote work, and people don’t have to move as often,” Thomas Cooke says. “So if you lose your job, and you have a partner and a family and you’re connected to your neighborhood, you can stay where you are and adjust to not have to cut ties with all those things that are important to you.”
 - Thomas Cooke in "What's Next for the Connecticut Real Estate Market?"

Thomas Cooke, PhD is Professor Emeritus of Geography at the University of Connected and a Demographic Consultant focusing on population projections, migration policy, and demographic analysis.

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The 2020 National Movers Study says New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and California saw the highest proportion of outbound migration.

7 Questions For the Professor:

1. The Importance of Demographics. When a big demographic group (boomers) reach a certain age (18 year old men) their buying habits change. This is the reason that motorcycle sales peaked in the early 70’s. Companies like Honda time these trends correctly and make a fortune. Can you give us a case study or two on the importance of paying attention to demographic trends and where we are in the cycle now? 

2. Millenials. I understand that they represent about 35% of the nation and that since they are turning 30 they are suddenly interested in settling down, buying their first house. Let’s talk about the Millenials. How old are they, how many of them are there, and what do they buy? 

3. Boomers. I understand that they represent about 35% of the country and they have all the money. I am under the impression that while TV advertisers are not targeting them as a group Realtors definitely are. Are they buying second homes or are they the ones downsizing, selling the beach house to a GenX’er and staying put. Are they moving to southern states and tax-free jurisdictions to preserve wealth? Describe where the Boomers are in their journey and why? 

4. Moving/Staying Put. You said that people are not moving as often, “this long-term and short-term transition to remote work and people don’t have to move as often”. Talk to us about whether this is a long-term or short-term phenomenon. 

5. Urban/Suburban. They used to say “when New York City sneezes then Connecticut catches cold”. The Connecticut economy has traditionally been dependent on the health of the New York economy. Covid seemed to change that, where the suburbs were the beneficiaries of urban disruption, particularly New York’s. 

6. Schools. You do a lot of work on population projections for towns and schools. In Connecticut the schools have been shrinking. Why? (And where are these kids going?) My town, New Canaan, Connecticut, is known to have good schools and our real estate values are dependent on investing properly in education. We depend a great deal during budget season on getting the number right and predicting accurately the size of each class. Why is it so hard to predict and will towns like Darien and New Canaan continue to defy the experts and grow forever?

7. Tax the Rich. Massachusetts recently proposed to tax the rich. Advocates for the tax say that only a fraction of the rich will move out of state as a result. Is there any evidence that this is true and that the tax is a net winner? What is the effect on Connecticut if both Massach

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Boroughs & Burbs Episode 45:
Governor Ned Lamont & DECD Commissioner David Lehman
Conversation on Real Estate and the Connecticut Economy  

What's the outlook for the Connecticut economy and our real estate market in particular? We just experienced our best year in the last 20 years. Rising prices and record deal-flow. The state has a surplus and is cutting property taxes. But, facing labor shortages, supply chain challenges, the war in Ukraine, record gas prices and 7% inflation we have to ask ourselves can the Connecticut rebound continue? Is the inbound migration, particularly from New York, a long-term phenomenon or simply a Covid bonus? What's the jobs outlook? What does Connecticut have to do to compete?

Our guests this week are Governor Ned Lamont and his most senior Economic Advisor, Commissioner David Lehman, the man who is helping Governor Lamont replace the jobs wiped out by the pandemic and attract new high-profile businesses to the state.

7 Questions For the Governor and Commissioner Lehman

1. Real Estate is an Essential Industry? Early on in the pandemic New York shut down their real estate industry. Connecticut stayed open for business. Who should I thank for naming real estate an essential industry and paving the way for New Yorkers to come out? 

2. Taxes. Realtors know that taxes is a major reason why people move to Connecticut from New York (and Westchester County). Unfortunately we are losing some of our wealthiest to low-tax states like Florida and Texas. As Realtors we’d like to keep those people in-state. They’re good for our economy. What are your ideas on tax policy as a tool for retention?
 
3. Marketing. Governors have become the chief sales people of their states. I heard you were just on a recruiting trip to Israel. What is the pitch for Connecticut? What kind of industries are we looking for and what do we need to do to be competitive? 

4. The Commute. With more people working at least part of the time from home Realtors have seen a shift away from the coast and are able to sell towns that are a bit further away. Places like Easton, Redding, Weston, Ridgefield and Danbury were maybe too far for a daily commute, but things have changed. Has this changed our thinking away from emphasizing/investing in Metro North and I-95 or are our traffic and commuting concerns as important as ever? 

5. The Legislature. The state legislature seems to have a lot of opinions and some of their most controversial ideas are those that strip local control from the towns. Let’s say you rub the magic lamp and the genie gives you three wishes with the legislature. What would you ask for? 

6. Big Idea. Along the same lines, if you could implement one really big idea, the one for which you’ll be remembered, what would it be? 

7. Lessons Learned. Its 2028 and a new pandemic has arisen. The new governor calls and asks for advice. What do you tell him?

Our Hosts:

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience and ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents”. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he was long serving Chairman of the Town Council. 

Scott Hobbs - Scott Hobbs is a regular contributor. Scott is the CEO of Hobbs Inc, a third-generation custom home building company operating in Connecticut, New York City, the Hamptons and Rhode Island.

Russell Barksdale - is a contributor. Russell is the current CEO of Waveny LifeCare Network. They operate one of the finest nursing homes and offer a progression of therapeutic programs, se

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Noah Rosenblatt
CEO of Urban Digs and host of Talking Manhattan on the New York City Market 

Urban Digs is the source for real-time stats on the New York real estate market. Nobody tracks movement in the market like Noah. Given that we are coming out of a pandemic crisis, and war dominates the headlines, what can we expect?

Manhattan Supply is below the levels of the last three years. What market conditions are needed for supply to come back?

Manhattan New Active Listings is rising, as it should, consistent with the last three years.

Manhattan Demand is decreasing, but is above levels of the last three years. How will inflation & interest rates affect demand?

Manhattan New Contracts signed is healthy when compared to the last three years.

Noah Rosenblatt is an industry leader in data insights and technology for professional real estate agents in the New York City residential real estate markets. 

1. Where does Urban Digs get the data? How proprietary is the system?

2. Who subscribes? Who should subscribe? What's the benefit?

3. How do I use the Urban Digs chart room to understand the market? 

4. What are the key charts, the key indicators? Where do you go first? 
How often should I be tuning in to Urban Digs?

5. Talk to us about how the availability of data is changing the industry, and where this is heading. Is this only a New York phenomenon? 

6. What are we seeing in the market now that we are exiting coronavirus but there is great uncertainty ahead. In 2021 we focused on reopening industries, employment numbers, supply chain disruption, stock market volatility, 7% inflation and interest rate fears. How did these factors manifest themselves in the market?

7. In 2022 we have new anxieties related to the war in Europe. While the stock market is only 11% off the highs, people are now talking about 10% inflation, $200 oil, commodity prices and the impact of the war on foreign investment. How will these new factors play out in the New York market and across the market nationally?

The Market Ticker looks at the New York market in a way similar to stocks. Market Pulse? Seller's market, but for how long? What are the key indicators that will predict a contraction in the market?

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he is currently the Chairman of the Town Council. John also brings an insight into internet-based marketing that is unsurpassed. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful internet businesses, Paper.com and e-Media for which he won the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award. He currently lives in New Canaan with his wife Melissa and four children. In addition to hosting this podcast on the market each week, John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly market analysis called the Market Report for the 16 towns of lower Fairfield County. You can find it here.

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The Color Show

"Pale green is here to stay" says Elle Decor. October Mist, a "gently shaded sage" the Benjamin Moore 2022 Color of the Year feels like the natural extension of Aegan Teal, their 2021 Color of the Year. This week we talk to the woman responsible for choosing the color of the year, Andrea Magno, and explore current thinking on color from 4 expert designers: Katie Lydon, Dane Pressner, Carl D'Aquino and Francine Monaco.

The Benjamin Moore 2022 Color of the Year is October Mist, #1495. 

Benjamin Moore:

• Andrea, can you tell us the secrets and the process of how you pick the Color of the Year? What does the color say about society?
• How did you pick October Mist?  How did you pick the name? 
• What was the response? When do you know you got it right?
• Tell me about the Color of the Year event at the New York Public Library. Are you throwing a colorful party and can we call come?

Designers: 

• As designers, what is the process?
• Do you pick the color first and then design around the color?
• What is the most popular color in your projects? 
• Is there one color you use in every project? 
• Are we taking more risks with color since we are all home more? 
• Color is emotional and personal, except for when its all business. Let's discuss how we use colors in our personal spaces and how it makes us feel versus our more serious public spaces or office spaces.
• As society moves beyond Covid, I feel like everyone is celebrating color in their clothing and in interior design. Do you agree? 
• Do you feel like you clients are more open to go out of their comfort zone with color than ever before due to being home more? 
• Katie, what Benjamin Moore color can't you live without? 
• Matte vs Gloss - What are the rules and how are they changing? 
• The magazines say color is back so why are we still seeing white kitchens? And, when is white not white?

Andrea Magno, Director of Color MarketingBenjamin Moore. Andrea says “As the spaces in our homes continue to evolve, we uncover more opportunities to express our individuality and leverage the power of color to design environments that serve different functions and styles,”

Katie Lydon, Interior Designer, Katie Lydon Interiors. Her work has been featured in national and international design publications, including Domino, Elle Décor, Tatler, Metropolitan Home, Lucky, The New York Times, and Town & Country. Katie has also appeared on LXTV’s Open House New York and George to the Rescue.

Dane Pressner, Director of Design, D'Aquino Monaco, addresses his life and career as a creative and curated design process. Joining D’Aquino Monaco in 2007, his appetite for style, fashion and pop culture have brought a unique perspective to the firm.

Francine Monaco Architect , D'Aquino Monaco has created a diverse career combining the practical with the magical to create memorable timeless spaces. Francine is a professor at Pratt Institute's Interior Design department.

Carl D'Aquino  Interior Designer , D'Aquino Monaco, is renowned for his ability to apply modernist sensibility and eclectic taste to contemporary design. Carl is a contributor to the Design Council for the Museum of Art and Design and a consultant to the Global Color Research Panel.

Lisa Ben-Isvy Former Publisher of New York Spaces, Principal LBI Connext PR professional

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Bob Stefanowski Gets Real with Realtors
 
Connecticut's housing market is way out of balance from Greenwich to Bridgeport. We had a very frank, LIVE zoom conversation with quite possibly the next Governor of Connecticut on the critical issues that affect our ability to be competitive, and ultimately play out in our housing market. We list 10 questions below we'll ask Bob on tax policy, transportation, school-choice, crime, state-vs-local control & how he would have handled the pandemic response. 
 
Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351 
Or, binge watch all 40 shows on Youtube. 
Subscribe now: http://bit.ly/399yevL 
 
The 2018 election between Gov. Ned Lamont and Republican challenger Bob Stefanowski, who is again seeking his party’s nomination for governor, was close — 49.4 percent to 46.2 percent. For a state seen as solidly blue in national elections, Connecticut has had Republican governors in 16 of the last 27 years. Note, Connecticut's last three governors all lost an election before they won. So, thinking this might be the next leader of Connecticut we wanted to talk to Bob about the following:
 
1. You only narrowly lost four years ago. Recently you said, “I’m going to be a much better candidate this time.” What did you mean? 

2. Connecticut has some of the highest cost of living in the country. You want to build a “better, more affordable Connecticut”. How can Connecticut do a better job with affordability generally, and making housing more affordable in particular? 

3. Some say Governor Lamont went too far with mask mandates (and 7 extensions of executive powers). Was this necessary? How would you have led the State through the pandemic? 

4. The commute to New York is not as important to homebuyers as it was a few years ago. Many more people work at least part of the time from home, easing the congestion on i-95 and the Merritt. Can it continue and what does this mean for the future of Connecticut? 

5. Realtors will tell you that this shift away from commute-based work is benefitting Connecticut's real estate industry. People can consider homes further away from Manhattan and they considered a lot more towns in their home search. How can Connecticut capitalize on the new normal?

6. For the moment we have a budget surplus. Governor Lamont says he wants to use the surplus to temporarily lower personal property taxes. What would be your plan? 

7. Energy – Connecticut is paying some of the highest electricity rates in the country. What can we do to solve our energy problem? 

8. Schools – Any Realtor will tell you that Fairfield County schools are one of our most important assets. We draw homebuyers out of New York because we invest in great schools and schools in turn support our property values. Talk about the role of education in Connecticut’s future. 

9. What can we do to attract new business to Connecticut? Is there a particular industry Connecticut should be courting? 

10. Infrastructure. What kinds of infrastructure investment must we make for Connecticut to compete in the 21st century?
 
Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan. In addition to hosting this podcast on the market each week, John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly market analysis called the Market Report for the 16 towns of

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"The Price of New in New York"

Manhattan real estate hasn’t just recovered from the pandemic slump, it’s doing better than in the pre-COVID era. This week on the show we talk to the President of new development for Brown Harris Stevens in New York and top economist Laura Tomana on the crazy pace of 2021 and whether it can be sustained into 2022 and beyond.

Stephen Kliegerman expects momentum to continue as Wall Street bonuses roll in and the wealthy get wealthier.

Laura Tomana says buyers look to Dumbo for more gracious floor plans and unblocked city and river views.

In Manhattan new-development contracts tripled in 2021. 1,723 newly developed units went into contract, a 233% increase over the previous year. 

The Upper East Side saw the most substantial boom, with 63 deals inked in new developments in Q3 2021, compared to 21 in 2020 and just five in 2019. 

Chelsea-Flatiron District area (between West 14th and West 34th Streets), is on the upswing where 28 deals closed in Q3 2021, up from nine in 2020 and just two in 2019. 

“The high-end Brooklyn market also stood out, with record sales and cementing new luxury product expectations in an outer borough,” said Stephen Kliegerman. 

Brooklyn new development contracts this year smashed recent years’ totals with larger, more expensive homes leading the charge. New development contracts in 2021 totaled $1.54 billion, a 150 percent increase from last year and 77 percent jump from 2019. 

898 new development contracts were signed in Brooklyn. The average home signed was 1,220 square feet, a five-year high, and price-per-square-foot climbed to $1,680, up 43 percent year over year. 22 percent of contracts were for units with three bedrooms or more. 

Not all neighborhoods fared the same. Dumbo, Brooklyn Heights and Downtown Brooklyn posted 87 contracts in the fourth quarter, more than double the amount signed in the same time span last year. But contract activity declined in Prospect Heights, Park Slope, Flatbush and Prospect Park South. While contract activity slowed in the fourth quarter, that drop is a response to insufficient supply, not demand, according to Laura Tomana, Vice President of research and market analytics at Brown Harris Stevens Development Marketing.

Laura Tomana manages all macro and micro levels of new development research and data trends, provides real-time market intelligence to developers, and is involved in the earliest stages of pre-development. Overseeing all market research and analysis for a variety of projects in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and New Jersey, Laura consults on all aspect of pre-development planning including pricing, floor plan, finish and amenity recommendations to maximize sales velocity and sellout for each project. Her advisory has been key to the success of many important new developments throughout her career, including The Cortland (555 West 22nd Street), One Wall Street, 200 Amsterdam, 99 Hudson, Rose Hill (30 East 29th Street), 42 Crosby Street, and The Fitzroy (514 West 24th Street), Laura’s research has proven an essential decision-making tool for best-in-class global and local developers, including Related Companies, China Overseas America, JDS, Brookfield Properties, and more.

Since 2000, Stephen Kliegerman has been a member of the senior executive team at Terra Holdings holding several key leadership positions. He has overseen more than $15 billion in sales, representing over 10,000 units in the New York City area.  With more than 30 years of experience in New York real estate, Stephen is recognized as a trailblazer in the brokerage community, known for cultivating genuine partnership, integrity and tenured market knowledge. He is widely quoted in globally recognized media as a market authority including; The

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In Fairfield County, Connecticut the builders are betting big on LUXURY condos. The biggest and best of them are Selling For Record Prices, Topping out at $2500 per square foot.  Who is Buying, Why and Will The Party Continue?

The Mill Westport, by Coastal Construction, are 30 luxury residences starting at $1,655,000.

Bankside House, along the Saugatuck River in Westport, is being built by David Waldman

For the first time Ultra-Luxury  condominiums are selling across Fairfield County for more than $1000 per square foot. They range from townhouse to apartment designs and they're going up in Greenwich, Westport, New Canaan, Darien and Rowayton. Let's ask the experts who are building, listing and selling the ultra-luxury product:

Rita Kirby and Bonnie Sztam from WPSIR will discuss their $3+ million sales on Forest St. and at The Gramercy in New Canaan.

Bettina Hegel from Brown Harris Stevens willl talk about $3 million+ sales at The Vue in New Canaan.

Kim Harizman from Compass is representing David Waldman's modern waterfront bet on the Saugatuck River in Westport, Bankside House

Joe Feinleib from Coastal Construction will be on hand to speak about the luxury condos he's building at The Mill Westport.

Paul Stone & Arnold Karp can explain why they chose certain amenities at The Vue in New Canaan (but did not build a pool)

Who is the buyer? What is the profile of the high-end condo buyer in Fairfield County?

What are the features, location, amenities that these buyers require?

Is this a long-term trend or response to Covid?

What have been the development challenges? Are some towns more difficult?

Rita Kirby pf WPSIR
Bonnie Sztam of WPSIR
Kim Harizman of Compass
Arnold Karp of The Vue
David Waldman of Bankside House
Bettina Hegel of Brown Harris Stevens
Rita Kirby pf WPSIR
Joe Feinlieb of The Mill Westport

Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351
Subscribe now: http://bit.ly/399yevL
Thursday, January 27 from 4:00-5:00pm

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. I was originally born in Richmond, Virginia and grew up in Maryland, just one mile south of the Mason Dixon line. After graduating with a degree in Mathematical Economics from Hampden-Sydney College, the 10th oldest school in the country, I spent 5 years in Washington, DC working as a financial consultant. I also studied at The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and I’m a former actor who once moonlighted as a stand-up comedian.

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful internet businesses, Paper.com and e-Media for which he won the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award. John grew up in New Canaan before attending Davidson College. After graduating, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army and spent some time leading a military intelligence platoon on the front lines of the first Gulf War. He currently lives in New Canaan with his wife Melissa and four children. In addition to hosting this podcast on the market each week, John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly market analysis called the

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Episode #37 featuring Scott Hobbs, Tony Fox II and Greg Heym

Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351
 Or, binge watch all 37 shows on Youtube.
 Subscribe now: http://bit.ly/399yevL

We are at a critical juncture in the history of New York, the moment after which New York will remake itself once again. In the final days of the pandemic big bets are being made on the future of office space, retail, work from home and the importance of commuting.

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. I was originally born in Richmond, Virginia and grew up in Maryland, just one mile south of the Mason Dixon line. After graduating with a degree in Mathematical Economics from Hampden-Sydney College, the 10th oldest school in the country, I spent 5 years in Washington, DC working as a financial consultant. I also studied at The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and I’m a former actor who once moonlighted as a stand-up comedian. Many years ago, I authored APPLE PIE - The Real Ingredients for Buying and Selling Your Slice. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he is currently the Chairman of the Town Council. John also brings an insight into internet-based marketing that is unsurpassed. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful internet businesses, Paper.com and e-Media for which he won the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award. John spent his earliest years in Stuyvesant Town (before it was cool) and finished his growing up in New Canaan before attending Davidson College in North Carolina. After graduating, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army and spent some time leading a military intelligence platoon on the front lines of the first Gulf War. He currently lives in New Canaan with his wife Melissa and four children. In addition to hosting this podcast on the market each week, John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly market analysis called the Market Report for the 16 towns of lower Fairfield County. You can find it here.

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​​​​​​​"Good Morning New York with Vince Rocco" was must-hear radio for most of the last decade in New York. The pandemic happened and Vince turned off his mic for two years. Now, he's back, tan, rested and ready with his new show "Talking New York Real Estate" that airs every Tuesday, the fastest growing show in the city.

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State of the Market: Greg Heym & Kevin Kovesci

We'll talk to Greg Heym and Kevin Kovesci, our experts in New York about the effect of the pandemic and the election on the New York and suburban real estate markets. 

These two know where the market is moving and so we expect to have a spirited discussion on:

-Where is the buying opportunity in New York right now?
-Interest rate movements. Where are they headed in 2022 and beyond and will they have an impact on price or is there less correlation than most people assume?
-The lack of inventory. Are there just too many Millenials chasing too few houses and apartments or is the current boom in real estate a function of the money supply? 
-New development trends. (and is anything new also affordable? Is New York affordable for the average Joe?)
-Need for second homes. Is this what is driving the suburban market, and is it a function of the pandemic?
-Decreasing importance of the daily commute. Is this overstated, and what has been the effect on prices?
-Which neighborhoods are hot? Is the UWS back entirely?
-Foreign buyers. Are they back and what are they buying?
-New York sports teams. (Greg always has something to say on this. What do NY sports tell us about New York optimism and is the optimism reflected in the markets?
-Unemployment effect on the market. The latest from The Line
-Stock market effect on the NY market. How do bonuses look this year?What will they do to the Spring market?
-Is NYC fulfilling its promise of being the new tech center?
-New York City's current effect on the suburban markets?
-Coop vs. condo trends. Are coops being forced to loosen up?

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Greg Heym - Chief Economist for Brown Harris Stevens
Greg was our first guest on episode 1 last May and again on episode 8 in October. In May we debated the nature of disruption to the real estate market. Would this be like 911? Would it be like the financial crisis? How long before we could get back to normal? By October there was newfound optimism based on the vaccines being approved, but plenty of anxiety related to the election. Now, with the election behind us we need an update from Greg Heym on the state of the market in New York. 

Kevin Kovesci - Senior EVP and Managing Director of Sales, West Side
Well-known for his keen understanding of the Manhattan market, Kevin is responsible for managing the highly successful Upper West side office. Previously, Kevin managed Brown Harris Stevens' Tribeca and Village offices where he was the driving force in their exponential growth. Kevin Kovesci was formerly Vice President of Coldwell Banker Hunt Kennedy where he headed their Downtown office. His background also includes over a decade of experience as a top-producing broker and sales agent selling primarily on the Upper West Side. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Bowling Green State University, and holds a Master of Science in Real Estate from New York University. 

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About Boroughs & Burbs:

Our weekly wide-ranging zoom conversation with real estate experts from around our area. Hosted by John Engel in Connecticut and Roberto Cabrera in New York.

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he is currently the Chairman of the Town Coun

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Today We Talk About REALLY BIG RANCHES in Montana Selling For Record Prices. Who is Buying Up Ranchland? Why? and Will The Party Continue?

The first thing you need to know about Montana is it's a "No Disclosure" state. That means there is no public record of what the big real estate parcels are selling for. The only way to get that information is to know someone in the business, somebody like Kim Bennett who has created her own personal database over the last 30 years of appraisals and sales. That is why this is such a special show. We have two of the insiders of the Montana real estate industry, the only way to learn about transactions and trends in this up-and-coming real estate market. Our second guest is Keith Gertsen, head of the U.S. Hedge Fund Practice at Citibank who can speak to the trend as a  ranch owner and investor. 

The second thing you need to know is THIS BOOM FEELS DIFFERENT. Montana has been discovered before. The first time was in 1991 when we were introduced to Montana in the movie "A River Runs Through It" and the second time in 1998 with The Horse Whisperer. There was a bit of a run up in prices in 2007 before the financial crisis, but when COVID hit people from all 50 States arrived, inventory fell and prices Rose. 

Kim Bennett has been appraising farms, ranches, and rural recreational properties in Montana and Wyoming for over 30 years and she has been selling rural properties in Montana for the past 20 years. 

Keith Gertsen, ranch owner and investor, currently working on the acquisition of a 26,000 acre cattle and recreational ranch. He started his career as a Wall Street trader and investor, but his interest in beef cattle and breeding coupled with his love of the outdoors and hunting and fishing took him West. Over the last two decades he's bought and sold over 50 large parcels of ranch land starting with a 20,000 acre property in North Dakota before buying his current ranch interests in Montana. He's currently working on the acquisition of a 26,000 acre cattle and recreational ranch in central Montana. He and Kim are working on that assemblage now. 

We talk to Kim and Keith about:

- What is considered a ranch? Is there a minimum size?
- Does it have to function to be considered a "ranch"?
- Who is buying up ranch land and how is that changing?
- How does the market think about cattle per acre, grass quality, mineral rights, water rights, accessibility to an airport or highway or train, and even valuing dinosaur bones?
- How has ranch land appreciated over time? (spoiler alert, 8.8% avg over the last 20 years)
- How has COVID affected the market for rural spaces now that more people are able to work remotely?

Finally, why are we talking about Montana ranches on a show that has been about New York City real estate and the surrounding suburbs? If you haven't seen Montana license plates in the Hamptons, in Greenwich, and in Palm Beach then you aren't paying attention. Montana is the new Nantucket, and we want to understand why? Is this a fad, or is Montana the newest suburb of New York?

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Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. 

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he has been the Chairman of the Town Council for the

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We all think we know a thing or two about pricing. Every buyer, seller, and the real estate agent has an opinion about what the price "should be" based on a combination of our experience, research, and intuition. We think that because we've seen a thing or two we can be trusted. Can we? How much do we really know? Where do we get our facts and what subconscious biases are at work? How much confidence should we have?

Let's face it, pricing is hard and we all make expensive mistakes.

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📑📑 This week on Boroughs & Burbs we are talking to two acknowledged experts on pricing:  Dr. Rob Docters teaches Pricing at Yale University and is the author of over 21 papers on the subject at researchgate.net. He is joined by Jonathan Miller of Miller Samuel, arguably the best real estate appraiser in New York City, called "the demigod of New York Real Estate Stats" and "an incredible real estate analyst, a true Rockstar on NYC metro luxury markets.” We want to know what we don't know about pricing.

We wanted to know about the "Buyer Trust Map" taken from a recent article by Dr. Rob Docters. In the article, Dr. Docters applies recent findings on cognition and trust to business decisions. This suggests that trust is a poor basis for decision-making, e.g.: purchase decisions unless the decision-maker knows how to look for greedy (undesirable) partner attributes. 

Season 2, Episode 5: Dr. with Rob Docters and Jonathan Miller.

🙎🏻‍♂️ Jonathan Miller. Established in 1986, Miller Samuel is an independently owned and operated firm that provides appraisal and consulting services on property in New York City as well as Westchester County, Fairfield County, Long Island, The Hamptons, and North Fork for Douglas Elliman Real Estate. With a certified or licensed appraisal staff that averages approximately sixteen years of experience, Miller Samuel is known for its neutral valuation perspective and professionalism, providing their clients with benchmark insights to enable them to make more informed decisions. Miller Samuel authors more than 100 market reports a year on several U.S. sales and rental markets to better provide transparency to consumers and real estate professionals.

🙎🏻‍♂️ Dr. Rob Docters. Problem Solver, Strategic Initiatives Leader, Strategy Executive and now, the Yale Professor of Pricing. Rob was formerly Head of Market Innovation and Development at Bloomberg, LP focused on the vertical markets. His operating experience includes running consulting practices at E&Y and Abbey, LLP, and being shadow CMO of Telcel at startup (now worth $35B), and Market Manager of a $250M/year segment at Verizon. For the last five years he has been a lecturer in Management at Yale University School of Management, teaching MGT 838 Pricing.

⏩⏩ Join us. every THURSDAY 4pm to 5pm EST. Use the Meeting ID: 921 3593 1351 
⏩⏩ https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsdOyhrTopH9UTQYYoMajmM0ZKBhNrtn8a

🎬 Watch the whole first season on Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn0GRA-Kf96kZyqcZligAocCKCaNoZP8q

 Watch Our Second Season:
🎬 Boroughs & Burbs (S2:E1) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40b-T5Y_wN0&t=84s
🎬 Boroughs & Burbs (S2:E2) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZS3qJeWHbE&t=97s
🎬 Boroughs & Burbs (S2:E3) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sA7D6gZLBI&t=18s


Hope You Guys Enjoy This:
✅ If you enjoy this video, please LIKE, COMMENTS, and SHARE it.
✅ Don't forget to subscribe to this channel for more updates.

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📱 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheEngelTeam...
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Townhouses are considered by many Manhattanites to be “beachfront property.” Townhouses are rare and offer a unique experience. They offer privacy and control of one’s environment, but are there downsides? At the beginning of the last decade, the market for houses was booming, but by 2015 they had peaked, and deflation of their value began...why? Are they back? Houses in Manhattan only make up a small portion of the housing stock; conversely, in Brooklyn they are plentiful. What makes these markets different? How are the houses themselves different? No two seem alike. What’s the difference between a townhouse, a brownstone, and a mansion? The taxes from one house to another seems arbitrary, Why? We will discuss these topics and many more. 

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🙎🏻‍♂️ Terry Naini is a seasoned professional marketer, consultant, and sales broker in Brooklyn & Manhattan. She is often sought after for her breadth of knowledge of the marketplace as well as her strategic approach. Terry's prior training in business management as well as molecular biology have sharpened her ability to think critically and enabled her to effectively advise her clients. "The quiet storm. "Terry's the broker you thought couldn't exist - warm, open, knowledgeable and straight forward." - Adam Freed & Ken Ohashi "Much like a family physician, Terry is our family broker." - Laurie Simmons "The closer." - Glen & Tanya Luchford Terry lives in Downtown Brooklyn with her husband, their two girls, and lovely dog.

🙎🏻‍♂️ David Kornmeier. With over 18 years of experience at Brown Harris Stevens, David Kornmeier is a consistent top producer, ranked multiple times among the top 10 brokers in Manhattan and top 50 nationwide by The Wall Street Journal/ Real Trends. David has established himself as a creative and meticulous broker, closing many complex transactions all over Manhattan. A majority of David’s business comes from repeat clients and referrals. His strong referral network is one of the reasons that David was the youngest top producer in the history of the firm. Sellers and buyers appreciate David’s value-added approach. 

David’s recent notable sales include: 
 - A $47,000,000 Upper West Side Condominium 
 - A $32,000,000 Greenwich Village Townhouse represented the all-time highest price for a townhome in downtown Manhattan. 
 - A $28,600,000 Boutique Hotel in Midtown 
 - A $25,000,000 West Village Townhouse that set an all-time price per foot record of $4,821 per foot for a townhouse in downtown Manhattan. This property is also the 2nd highest price per foot ever achieved for a townhouse in all of New York City. 
 - A $19,500,000 Fifth Avenue Condominium 
 - A $14,500,000 Upper West Side Townhouse is the record sale for the highest-priced Upper West Side townhouse that was not on a Central Park block.

🧑🏻‍💼 Season 2 of Boroughs and Burbs: 3 episodes beginning Oct 7, 2021

🎬 e1: "How's the Market Right Now?" (Lisa Lippman and Rob Johnson) 
🎬 e2: "Am I A Brand?" (Matt Leone and Chris Halstead) 

🧑🏻‍💼 Season 1 of Boroughs and Burbs: 28 episodes total ending May 20, 2021

Hope You Guys Enjoy This:
✅ If you enjoy this video, please LIKE, COMMENTS, and SHARE it.
✅ Don't forget to subscribe to this channel for more updates.

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📱 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheEngelTeam...
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#top_real_estate_agent  #ct #Boroughs_&_Burbs

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We are excited to share with you our weekly wide-ranging zoom conversation with real estate experts from around our area. We were joined by Scott Hobbs of Hobbs Inc this week, and the conversation is always hosted by John Engel in Connecticut and Roberto Cabrera in New York.

📑📑 We talk about:
- what the top agents in New York and Connecticut are seeing and hearing 
- which neighborhoods and towns are poised to take off, which ones could crash 
- where top agents are finding new business as the landscape shifts and we see the new imbalance in the market 

📑📑 You should listen if:
- You are a real estate agent looking to pick up new business and good ideas from top experts 
- You are thinking about moving to New York City in order to take advantage of recent price drops
- You are thinking about moving out of New York City and want the straight skinny on Connecticut, New Jersey, Long Island, and Westchester suburbs
- Your career depends on the real estate market and connecting with top realtors

🙎🏻‍♂️ Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. the sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single-family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. After graduating with a degree in Mathematical Economics from Hampden-Sydney College, the 10th oldest school in the country, I spent 5 years in Washington, DC working as a financial consultant. I also studied at The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and I’m a former actor who once moonlighted as a stand-up comedian. Many years ago, I authored APPLE PIE - The Real Ingredients for Buying and Selling Your Slice. 

🙎🏻‍♂️ #John_Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he is currently the Chairman of the Town Council. John also brings an insight into internet-based marketing that is unsurpassed. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful internet businesses, Paper.com and e-Media for which he won the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award. After graduating, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army and spent some time leading a military intelligence platoon on the front lines of the first Gulf War. He currently lives in New Canaan with his wife Melissa and four children. 

🔜 🔔 Subscribe now: https://cutt.ly/ozGU5tV​​


⏩⏩ Join us. every THURSDAY 4pm to 5pm EST. Use the Meeting ID: 921 3593 1351 
⏩⏩ https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsdOyhrTopH9UTQYYoMajmM0ZKBhNrtn8a

🎬 Watch the whole first season on Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn0GRA-Kf96kZyqcZligAocCKCaNoZP8q

 Watch Our Second Season:
🎬 Boroughs & Burbs (S2:E1) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40b-T5Y_wN0&t=84s
🎬 Boroughs & Burbs (S2:E2) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZS3qJeWHbE&t=97s
🎬 Boroughs & Burbs (S2:E3) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sA7D6gZLBI&t=18s


Hope You Guys Enjoy This:
✅ If you enjoy this video, please LIKE, COMMENTS, and SHARE it.
✅ Don't forget to subscribe to this channel for more updates.

Follow Us On Social Media:
📱 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheEngelTeam...
👤 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jengel199​​​​
📢 Twitter: https://twitter.com/jengel199​​​​
🌐 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jengel/​​

#current_real_estate_market #John_Engel #CT #top_real_estate_agent

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David Genovese and David Waldman, Laura Budd and Tucker Murphy on the "Future of Downtown" in Darien, Westport and New Canaan, Connecticut

We have all read about the bleak future of suburban downtown and particularly retail. "It's too hard to park"  and "The landlords ruined it by raising rents" and "There are no mom and pop shops" and "Amazon killed it" and "It's lost its charm"  More recently the work-from-home phenomenon has led people to wonder about the future of office space. And yet despite these problems our restaurants are having record-setting business, retail vacancy rates are below 5% and workers are returning to the office. Or are they?

Our first two guests are two of the biggest change-agents in Fairfield County. While others may manage more square feet, their projects seek to define the future of two of our most beloved towns, Darien and Westport. These two men are transforming the downtowns while recognizing the challenges of creating transit-oriented development, pedestrian-friendly, with a collection of attractive buildings set around beautifully-designed and well-maintained public spaces in the heart of their respective downtowns – all with just the right mix of curated retail, restaurants and other businesses, and the addition of residential housing and office use. 

Laura Budd and Tucker Murphy are Directors of the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce and for the last decade their jobs have been "to connect the community with commerce". When I want to know what merchants are thinking or where rents are moving, I ask them. So, of course we asked them to help us get the most out of this hour, to get to the bottom of the Future of Downtown.

David A. Waldman is responsible for re-developing and managing over 800,000 square feet of office and retail space, primarily in downtown Westport. David founded David Adam Realty in 1991. His focus has been on maintaining and expanding his portfolio as well as retail leasing in Downtown Westport. He is currently Vice President of the Westport Downtown Merchants Association (WDMA) and heads the Capital Improvement Committee, a group he has been affiliated with since 1998. Previously he has served as President from 2004-2006. David is currently spearheading an initiative to beautify and revitalize the Main Street area. David also sits on the Board of the Plan Implementation Committee (PIC) whose mission has been to revitalize Downtown Westport since 2008. David and his wife currently sit on the board of The Advisory Council to the Campaign to Establish an International Center for Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome. David graduated from Syracuse University, Bachelor of Arts in Child Psychology in 1991. He is also a member of ICSC.

R. David Genovese is adding 116 luxury apartments, 12 units of housing purpose-built for adults with developmental disabilities, 85,000 square feet of Class A office space, and nearly 100,000 square feet of retail, restaurant & fitness space in Darien. David founded Baywater Properties in 2001, following a 12-year career in real estate investment banking in New York and London. Prior to founding Baywater, David served as Co-Head of Real Estate Investment Banking for Credit Suisse First Boston. Previously, David served as a Managing Director in Bankers Trust Company's Real Estate Investment Banking Group. David is an honors graduate of Colby College and The London School of Economics and Political Science. David also received an MBA from The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania. David is currently a member of the Board of Directors of The Human Services Council of Norwalk, the Darien Athletic Foundation and The Real Estate Finance Association of Connecticut. David has served as a member of the Board of Overseers of Colby College, and as a board member of the Darien Technology and Community

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Season 2: Episode 2:  Matt Leone, Chief Marketing Officer gets honest about branding. We ask the person responsible for building a "hip" Halstead brand, and now for reinventing the 150-year old Brown Harris Stevens brand, how does he build a 21st Century brand in an era where...

Every Agent Thinks They Are Building a Personal Brand

If every agent is supposed to be shooting videos, publishing on Instagram, and creatively writing a real-estate blog, where does the agent's corporate brand fit into all of that? Building a brand that makes sense of 2000+ individual agents, each with their own personality, is hard work. What does it take to build a brand representing thousands of very different agents across very different markets in 4 states? How can you be all things to all people? How do we know when the brand is successful versus individual agent success? What did you learn from creating the Halstead brand that applies (and does not apply) when considering the Brown Harris Stevens brand? How does a mostly New York City brand evolve to include high-end suburbs of Manhattan like the Hamptons, Miami, Montclair and Westport? 

Our second guest is Chris Halstead, newly appointed in Connecticut as Executive Sales Director. We want to ask him many of these same questions from the perspective of someone charged with growing the suburban business. Following an initial career track in on the account management side for a leading global advertising agency, Chris transitioned to real estate in 2009, opting to carry the torch and continue to build upon the family legacy. Since that turning point, he has catapulted himself out of the gate and into the swift-paced NYC market. His star rose quickly and his professional acumen has already garnered him a seat at the table reserved for NYC’s “Top 5% Real Estate Producers.”  Now, responsible for the success of over 250 agents in Connecticut, he must  leverage what he's learned to make every one of those agents more successful. Chris, we want to know how does a successful New York agent make the transition to Connecticut? What is the biggest challenge your agents face? How are successful Connecticut agents adapting to a changing market in the post-covid era?

Just a few of the topics we'd like to explore:

- Let's explore corporate branding versus the personal branding of agents.

- How do you establish consistent brand messaging across five states and then reinforce brand standards across 55 offices and over 2,300 agents?

- Critical mass. How important is it to be a big firm with a global presence?

- How do we measure the effectiveness of our real-estate branding?

- Talk about the importance of brand partnerships, such as with the New York Yankees & Audi

- Brown Harris Stevens was established in 1873. Why is that important when some of our newest competitors were only invented yesterday?

Binge watch the whole season on Youtube. 
Subscribe now:

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This is our first show of Season 2 where we talk to Lisa Lippman and Rob Johnson, the top agents in New York and Connecticut to get at the truth behind what just happened in 2021 and where the market is heading in 2022.

The last time we talked to these agents the New York Times was writing about "The Great Collapse of 2020" saying that "rent in Manhattan had fallen to a level not seen since 2010" blah, blah, blah.

Well, a lot can happen in a year. The New York and Connecticut real estate markets have been vastly altered, some say permanently, as we emerge from the pandemic with new attitudes about housing and the economy.

What can we believe? Let's ask two experts in the market.

Lisa Lippman  has 37 listings right now, 5 of them over $10 million. Ranked #1 at Brown Harris Stevens most recently and for the last four years in a row — 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 and consistently in the top 50 Brokers in the USA, she has been a top producing broker for over 23 years.

Rob Johnson has 8 listings right now including the most expensive listing in New Canaan. He has been the top producing agent at Brown Harris Stevens in Greenwich for the last 3 years, as well as the top producing agent in all of Connecticut for Brown Harris Stevens in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

How Do We Make Sense of These Ten Headlines?

1. Here’s where NYC’s real estate market stands right now (NYPost) 
2. Manhattan is not only back, it’s surging to pre-COVID levels (NYPost) 
3. NYC is Still A Buyer's Market [but the pendulum is swinging] (Bloomberg) 
4. Understanding The Record Absorption Of Manhattan's New Development (Forbes) 
5. Listings that linger may present opportunity (NYT) 
6. Buyers, Act Fast And Be Bold: Today’s Real Estate Market Doesn’t Wait For Anyone (Forbes) 
7. After a Years-Long Slump, New York Townhouse Sales Picked up in the Pandemic (Mansion Global) 
8. Hot Manhattan Markets: Influx Of Demand Spurs Deal Activity In Morningside Heights, UES (Forbes) 
9. Rental price trends are stabilizing, causing tenants to lock in longer leases (Crain's)
10. Last Week in Research (Greg Heym - Chief Economist for BHS)

Boroughs and Burbs (Season 1) 

EPISODE 1: Boroughs & 'Burbs (Greg Heym, Steven Kliegerman, Jayme Stevenson, Arnold Karp and Scott Hobbs)

EPISODE 2: Boroughs & 'Burbs (Louise Phillips Forbes and Scott Hobbs) 

EPISODE 3: Boroughs & 'Burbs (Ari Harkov and Eileen Hanford) 

EPISODE 4: Boroughs & 'Burbs on the New York Recovery (Greg Heym, Chief Economist) 

EPISODE 5: Boroughs & 'Burbs focus on The Hamptons and Greenwich (Rob Johnson, Tim O'Connor) 

EPISODE 6: Boroughs & 'Burbs focus on Great Designers (John Barman, Denise Davies, John Douglas Eason, Anjali Pollack) 

EPISODE 7: Boroughs & 'Burbs focus on Palm Beach (featuring Whitney McGurk) 

EPISODE 8: Boroughs & 'Burbs Manhattan and Darien (Mike Lubin, Amanda Spatola) 

EPISODE 9: Boroughs & 'Burbs "Disruption Dislocation and Details" (John Allen, Phil Horigan) 

EPISODE 10: Boroughs & 'Burbs "Evolving Tastes with Christopher Peacock" (Christopher Peacock) 


About Boroughs & Burbs:

This is our weekly wide-ranging zoom conversation with real estate experts from around our area. We are joined by various guests each Thursday at 4pm, hosted by John Engel in Connecticut and Roberto Cabrera in New York.

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Episode #26  Roberto Cabrera & John Engel: 

This week you are our guests. Roberto and John want to talk with all of you about current market conditions. Roberto just released his Market Report for New York City, found here, and we know all of you have opinions and questions for each other about a market in both NYC and in the suburbs that none of us has seen before. Please join the conversation.

John Engel's latest property video has 24,000 views in its first week on YouTube...click here.

Roberto Cabrera's latest market report is now available as a short video...click here.

Today at 4,
Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351 
Or, binge watch on Youtube. 
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register here Thursday, May 6 from 4:00-5:00pm

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. I was originally born in Richmond, Virginia and grew up in Maryland, just one mile south of the Mason Dixon line. After graduating with a degree in Mathematical Economics from Hampden-Sydney College, the 10th oldest school in the country, I spent 5 years in Washington, DC working as a financial consultant. I also studied at The National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts and I’m a former actor who once moonlighted as a stand-up comedian. Many years ago, I authored APPLE PIE - The Real Ingredients for Buying and Selling Your Slice.

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he is currently the Chairman of the Town Council. John also brings an insight into internet-based marketing that is unsurpassed. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful internet businesses, Paper.com and e-Media for which he won the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award. John spent his earliest years in Stuyvesant Town (before it was cool) and finished his growing up in New Canaan before attending Davidson College in North Carolina. After graduating, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army and spent some time leading a military intelligence platoon on the front lines of the first Gulf War. He currently lives in New Canaan with his wife Melissa and four children. In addition to hosting this podcast on the market each week, John Engel produces an easy-to-understand and in-depth monthly market analysis called the Market Report for the 16 towns of lower Fairfield County. You can find it here.

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This is the one show you need to watch if you want an understanding of the 12 towns of lower Fairfield County. As people move in to Connecticut in record numbers to compete for fewer houses than ever before it is more important than ever to understand the value propositions that each town provides. Some of these towns promise the best public schools in America. Others offer an easy commute. Still others offer green space, fabulous parks and beaches, a quaint New England village or a wealth of diverse restaurants and shopping. And some towns are just more affordable.

This week we ask two veterans of the Connecticut market, managers of the Westport, Wilton, Rowayton and Darien offices of Brown Harris Stevens. John and Robyn manage over 250 agents covering all of Fairfield County. We are very pleased to present John Dicenzo and Robyn Kammerer.

John Dicenzo
With nearly 25 years in real estate, John is Executive Director of Sales for Brown Harris Stevens' Westport and Wilton offices, leading a team of 44 agents, who serve the communities of middle and eastern Fairfield County. 
 
Robyn Kammerer
As the Executive Director of Sales of Darien and Rowayton, Robyn Kammerer works closely with Ned Saunders to direct and manage the two offices with more than ninety agents. 

Did you know:

Darien is New Canaan’s twin with a nearly identical population (21,742), median house value ($1.398 million), school population (4200) and median household income ($208,848). Darien’s schools are ranked #9 in the state and Darien is #13 best place to live. 

Easton is a suburb of 7,607 people on 28.6 square miles (half of which is owned by the Aquarion Water Company) Easton gets an overall grade of A- by Niche with highly rated schools.

Fairfield is the largest coastal town of 59,404 people on 31.3 square miles. There are 5 miles of coast on Long Island Sound.

Greenwich is the largest and wealthiest town on Connecticut’s Gold Coast, 67.2 square miles with a total population of 61,171 people. Money Magazine ranked Greenwich #12 place to live in America. 

New Canaan is a town of 20,357 people and is serviced by its own train line to Stamford and New York City. Niche rankes the schools #2 in Connecticut and #6 best place to live. 

Norwalk is a coastal city of 88,438 people, the 6th most populous in Connecticut, in an area of 36.3 square miles. Norwalk gets high marks for diversity (#4) and as the #7 best suburb for a young professional to live in Connecticut.

Redding is more woods and fewer people, the third fewest population density in the County. The population of 9,158 people live in 3,811 housing units across 32 square miles. 

Ridgefield is a quaint New England town and beautiful Victorian era houses and mature trees line the main street. Ridgefield is ranked by Niche as the #8 best place to raise a family in Connecticut. 

Rowayton is a seaside neighborhood within the city of Norwalk. Houses are close together on small lots. Commerce is limited to a handful of stores and restaurants including the Rowayton Market. 

Stamford is a coastal city in Fairfield County of 52 square miles with a population of 131,000 making it the third largest city in the state behind Bridgeport and New Haven. 

Weston is a quiet, rural suburb with a population of 10,369. Niche says Weston is the #12 best place to raise a family in Connecticut. 

Westport is a town of 27,777 people on the main train line between Norwalk to the West and Fairfield to the East. The schools are currently ranked #1 in Connecticut and it is the #2 best place to live. 

Wilton is a town of 18,062 people on 27 square miles and global corporations such as ASML, Deloitte & Touche, Sun Products, BreitlingSA, Cannondale Bicycle, and Melissa

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Join us for our next captivating of episode 144 of season 4 on Boroughs and Burbs as we delve into Portugal's dynamic real estate market with Knight Frank experts Alex Koch de Gooreynd, Marta Espirito Santo, and Sofia Baptista. Discover why Portugal has become a beacon for international investors, with house prices surging by 93% since 2010 and rent prices climbing by 33%. Despite broader eurozone trends, Portugal continues to see property prices rise, marking the 5th largest increase among EU nations. From Lisbon's booming market to the allure of the Algarve region, we explore key insights and trends shaping Portugal's real estate landscape. Don't miss this essential discussion.

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Episode #27: Classic Architecture and High-Tech

Before you designing and building your next house you might want to know what you're getting. You'll want to walk through the design and see every detail. That is now possible.  Join us today to see how Wadia & Associates are using technology to bring their ideas to life. We have Peter Michalsky from world-renowned Wadia & Associates on the show. Please join us in a conversation on the technologies that bring classic architecture to life.

A flythrough of this Magnificent Greenwich Lakeside Estate. Click to see the full video.

Since the establishment of Wadia Associates more than 45 years ago, Dinyar Wadia and his dedicated team of designers have earned a reputation for designing and building high-end homes, gardens, and interiors. Over the years, they have helped sculpt the local environment to become an important regional proponent of Classicism. Their skillful design sensibilities have provided a seamless fit of their traditionally-styled homes into the eclectic fabric of Fairfield County, Westchester County, Rhode Island, Southern California, Boulder, CO, and now, Florida. Although avowed New Classicists, Wadia Associates have a pluralistic approach to traditional design that is not rooted in a slavish imitation of the past. More appropriately, it is based upon reinterpreting the past and updating it for the present. And while all of their designs feature the classic proportions and exquisite details of houses from a bygone age, the firm is still able to incorporate all the amenities and needs of a modern American family. As Dinyar is fond of saying, “It is traditional architecture for the modern world.”

Our guest is Peter Michalsky, Head of Marketing and Business Development for Wadia Associates. With over 40 years in the architect and planning industry, Wadia Associates has earned a reputation for designing and building high-end homes, gardens and interiors. When reputation is not enough, to win new business you need a technology edge.

We asked Pete...

Beyond using technology to communicate your designs, how else are you using technology in your projects?

"Regarding tech, we’re also getting a lot of requests for interesting features. We just completed a recessed flat screen on a lift that rises out of the patio for a home on the water in Greenwich. We’re getting ton of requests for completely integrated home kits that incorporate security, HVAC, product automation, etc. We can expand on that with some interesting examples."

"As for VHNW and UHNW, they are changing a bit. They are gravitating to bigger lots up here, with more outbuildings, guest quarters, sports complexes, and compound-like objectives. In Palm Beach, they are asking for more West Indies and Bermuda styles, because every other house is Mizner inspired Spanish/Moorish/Gothic styles and they want to be different. As classicists, we like both but we’re seeing a trend. Everyone wants the indoors and outdoors to blend seamlessly, which has been going on for some time, but it is the first thing they talk about."

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Last week we stayed uptown. This week we'll tour Manhattan's neighborhoods with 2 experts: Jeffrey Goodman hosts the popular "Rediscovering New York" walking tours showcasing the city's great neighborhoods culturally and historically. But, since we are Realtors and care about the implications on real estate values, we'll be asking Michael Goldenberg to break down the numbers district by district.

Jeffrey Goodman, a 4th generation New Yorker in the Columbus Avenue office will highlight for us the most important cultural and historical facts of these famous Manhattan neighborhoods

Michael Goldenberg lives in Greenwich Village and has managed offices on the Upper West Side and SoHo. We want Michael to break down the numbers for us. Who's up? Who's down, and why?

Points that came up for discussion:

1. Infrastructure. How has it shaped neighborhood development?

2. Anchors that make up a neighborhood. 

3. Names matter. Who wants to live in Hell's Kitchen?

4. Zoning. 

6. The public is ahead of the government on law-making. What that means for neighborhoods.

7. Housing stock. Which neighborhoods are still developing and why?

8. Greg Heym's inventory report and how to use it.

9. Urban Digs.

Use the Meeting ID: http://zoom.us/j/92135931351 
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first aired Thursday, April 28 from 4:00-5:00pm

Michael A. Goldenberg's 25 years in the Manhattan real estate business have been highlighted by the respect and admiration received from his colleagues and associates. As Managing Consultant of Brown Harris Stevens’ West Side office, Michael is responsible for the professional growth of over 160 agents. He brings a varied background in real estate, business, and finance which enlarges his repertoire of tools utilized to champion his brokers’ and agents’ businesses. Michael has a unique and comprehensive understanding of the New York City real estate market. Michael lives in a condominium in Greenwich Village. He is an active member of The Real Estate Board of New York, currently serving as co-chair of the Government Affairs Committee and co-chair of the West Side Committee of REBNY.  He believes that there is no better place to live, work, grow, enjoy, and flourish than New York City.

Jeffrey Goodman. A fourth generation New Yorker with a thorough understanding of his hometown’s evolving neighborhoods and fluctuating real estate market, Jeff is not only devoted, but an expert at helping his clients achieve their goals. He works with sellers to sell their properties for the best possible price and helps buyers fulfill their dreams by finding and securing their new home or pied-a-terre. Jeff also draws on his extensive international travels and the skills he developed over 25 years as an advertising executive to help investor clients find promising investment properties. 

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. I was originally born in Richmond, Virginia and grew up in Maryland.

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he is currently the Chairman of the Town Council. John also brings an insight into internet-based marketing that is unsurpassed. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful internet businesses

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Episode #24  Hall Willkie and Mary Rutherford: 

He's running the premium agency in New York. She sells the biggest apartments. This week 2 of the biggest names in New York Real Estate reflect on 5th Avenue, Park Avenue & Central Park West, the iconic buildings, and how these neighborhoods are changing. We'll ask them to talk about the market and peer into their crystal balls and give us their best predictions

Mary Rutherford recently sold the penthouse at the Pierre for $44 million. She sold Princess Lee Radziwill's apartment in 2019, David Rockefeller's apartment in 2017 for $32 million and in 2014 she sold Edgar Bronfman Sr.'s penthouse for $70 million. 

Brown Harris Stevens has been famous for selling the really, really fabulous apartments of New York for the last 150 years. Hall Willkie and Mary Rutherford have been major reasons for that success for the last 38 years. Mary started in the business in 1983 and is an example of the super-agent who sells the very best. Hall has been the President of Brown Harris Stevens for 32 years. He manages 1100 agents and has built the largest privately held firm in the New York tri-state market, selling more than $9 billion in real estate in 2019. Therefore, as New York undergoes massive changes as a result of the pandemic and shifting political winds we decided to catch up with these two icons of New York Real Estate and ask them to reflect and to predict.  

Some of what we were wondering when considering

 5th Avenue, Park Avenue & Central Park West:

What was the perception of the major buildings back in the day? 

How have those perceptions evolved?

Talk to us about the great architects and how they impact value.

Emery Roth & Rosaria Candela? 

Is there anything that is unique to either? 

What were their differences? 

Who were other prominent architects? 

How important was ceiling height then and now?

As ceiling heights descended, they reflect a timeline that led us straight into the 1960s at 8 feet. Who thought that was a good idea? Why did that happen? Was it considered chic? Let's talk about the 14 feet ceilings of The Dakota to the 8 feet "white elephants". Staff quarters were very important and an essential part of every large apartment and in the largest apartments there were multiple staff quarters (see 640 Park below). Today it would be rare to see a staff room (or live-in nanny room) in new condo construction design. You are more likely see a completely separate staff apartment and if so, it would only be one apartment, and would only happen at the super luxury level. Will that ever come back into the floorplans of the future? Take 640 Park Avenue – full floor units – 18 rooms 6 baths 4/5 Master Bathrooms 7 servants rooms (yes 7) made up of: - 4 “servant’s rooms” - 1 “butler room” - 1 “second man” room - And a “servant’s hall”

Why is 740 Park so iconic? 

How have the past 10 years had an effect on these properties? 

Lets talk about the restrictive (no) financing policy. 

Is that still necessary? Will it disappear? 

These are just some topics which I think would be fun and interesting to incorporate, but we'll follow this conversation wherever it naturally leads. 

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These "Super Houses"  in the NYC metro area are considered super-premium in virtually all of the rest of the world. These houses are incredibly complicated projects involving design professionals, engineers, and hundreds of workers and craftsmen across more than forty various trades. They can take years to complete and tens of millions of dollars to create. Scheduling delays raise costs and prevent clients from enjoying their investment. Lack of business acumen and experience can allow budgets to get out control for even the wealthiest of clients. Hiring great professionals to manage this complex process minimizes the chances of these issues while maximizing the possibility that creating an stunning home can actually be an amazing experience. We want to know why these two are among the best at what they do. 

- What is custom building versus speculative? 

- Why do people choose to go through this long process? 

- How do you set it up to be successful? 

- How has building at the top end evolved over the past decade? 

- What special things are clients looking for in their custom pads? 

- In the post Covid era, how has the red hot real estate market affected the ability of home and apartment owners to get work done at their homes? 

- How are strained supply chains magnifying this? 

Join us for "Super Houses" Thursday at 4pm on zoom

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Cardello Architects is one of the leading architecture firms in the country and provides residential and commercial architectural services to Fairfield and Westchester counties, as well as states far beyond, including Florida. For over 20 years, the team at Cardello Architects has been designing luxury house plans and creating custom homes to fulfill their clients’ dreams and exceed their expectations. With extensive experience as residential architects, we combine our strong creative spirit and comprehensive knowledge along with an efficient process to provide all of our clients with the perfect architectural design to meet your needs and suit your tastes. Cardello Architects is a full service architecture firm and our commercial and residential architect services range from consultation and design development to bidding and construction administration. We pride ourselves on our professionalism and accountability and always strive to be the ally for you, our customer.

Hobbs Inc. Three generations of experience, an uncompromising commitment to excellence, and exceeded expectations with every custom home built by Hobbs, Inc. For over 65 years Hobbs, Inc. has forged relationships with the most respected architects, designers, craftsmen and suppliers in the industry. Hobbs builds distinctive, custom homes for a discerning clientele throughout Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and the Hamptons. From design to execution our goal is to exceed your expectations while bringing your vision to life.Hobbs, Inc. has an advantage over other builders. As one of the few builders with a dedicated estimating department, we are able to spend the time required to analyze plans and deliver the most thoroughly researched and detailed estimates. The numbers are calculated from multiple subcontractor bids and in consultation with the architect to establish the most efficient and cost-effective way to engineer the project. Typically, this comprehensive process takes about four weeks and results in a complete

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Bess Freedman, CEO of Brown Harris Stevens with 
Matt Leone, Chief Marketing Officer of Brown Harris Stevens on 
The Importance of Branding and the Evolving Business of Real Estate

The real estate business has gone through some massive changes in the last few years and most of those changes start in New York. We have some new brands emerging while some of the industry's oldest and most established brands have only gotten stronger. How does two of the top branding experts in the industry think about these changes? We have been wanting to have this conversation for a year, ever since Brown Harris Stevens and Halstead decided to merge, a decision that came shortly after those firms reinvented its brand with award-winning new looks.

Just a few of the topics we'd like to explore:
- How are the markets BHS operates in performing right now 
- Effective marketing strategies over the last year
- How do you establish consistent brand messaging across five states and then reinforce brand standards across 55 offices and over 2,300 agents?
- Critical mass. How important is it to be a big firm with a global presence?
- The messaging steps of merging two established brands into one
- Brown Harris Stevens was established in 1873. Why is that important when some of our newest competitors were only invented yesterday?

Bess Freedman 
Bess oversees Brown Harris Stevens’ 55 offices and more than 2,300 agents across New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Florida. Under her leadership, Brown Harris Stevens has grown into one of the largest and most successful privately held real estate companies in the United States. She is deeply committed to creating a culture-first firm for the future while staying true to Brown Harris Stevens’ unique history and unparalleled brand. Bess originally joined Brown Harris Stevens in 2013 to oversee business development. She enjoys being a trusted resource and finding creative solutions to every situation, particularly new ways to pitch and market listings, to coach agents through difficult negotiations, and to provide the best technology and tools to elevate the entire real estate process. Her insights are frequently sought out by media including CNBC, Bloomberg, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Formerly Co-President of Brown Harris Stevens, and a Senior Managing Director of the Corcoran Group's East Side headquarters, Bess brings to her real estate career top professionalism, interpersonal skills and negotiating savvy that are well respected by her industry peers and agents alike. A former agent herself, Bess achieved repeated membership in Corcoran’s Multi-Million-Dollar Club thanks to her exemplary customer service, knowledge of the market and results. 

Matt Leone
Matthew Leone brings a fresh, unconventional perspective coupled with an extensive knowledge base of digital marketing and business development techniques to Brown Harris Stevens serving as the firm's Chief Marketing Officer. Matthew oversees a Marketing/Business Development Team responsible for the creative marketing techniques for its agents, unique brand partnerships, technology solutions for agents, and much more. He is passionate about staying on top of the latest trends & integrating innovative solutions into all forms of marketing, branding and business development.

Matthew was previously Halstead Real Estate's Chief Brand and Marketing Officer making them one of the first firms to embrace such forms as video, social media, drones, 3D, VR, wearables, partnerships, and many other ground-breaking approaches. 

Matthew was also recently named to the WSJ CMO Council. He recently served two terms on the Technology Advisory Council for Leading RE  as well as the Inman News Content Advisory Board. In 2018, Matthew was the recipien

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This week we dive in with one of New York's top real estate teams on their particular passions and expertise.

Bo Poulsen's passion for eco-friendly and energy-efficient buildings, combined with architecture and design, has made him a thought-leader in the industry. In fact, Bo's own home sets the standard for Passive House Design as the first freestanding retrofit in the city that will meet Passive House and Net Zero standards. Bo's constant media coverage is attributed to his success in selling the renowned Millay House.

Bo's partner Anna Shagalov is a native New Yorker and possesses a deep understanding of the entire NYC market, Anna specializes in downtown Manhattan, providing unmatched knowledge of the assortment of buildings, individual properties, boards and market conditions. 

The auto industry is racing toward a greener future.  Will the housing industry follow suit?

New York's condo market is off to a great start this year.  We'll want to ask about New York's best buildings and where to find the best deals in 2021.

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The Poulsen Shagalov Team, led by principal brokers Bo Poulsen, Anna Shagalov and Kristin Herrera, have built a foundation of success that stems from the combination of experience, dynamic creativity and driven business approach. Together, they have exceeded $500M in sales and have developed a significant following among a wide variety of clientele. As a top-producing team at Brown Harris Stevens, they have been recognized in the Top 1% Companywide since being established. Their wealth of neighborhood knowledge throughout every market in NYC has given them the edge when it comes to fulfilling their clients' needs. Whether it is a developer, buyer or seller, The Poulsen Shagalov Teamprovides exceptional service and results through their careful guidance, passion, and professionalism. Backed by Brown Harris Stevens' technological assets and marketing strategies, the team has built strong relationships and consistently exceed client expectations. 

Bo Poulsen 

Bo Poulsen's impressive business acumen and unparalleled market knowledge has helped him build an admirable reputation in NYC real estate. His determined, client-centric attitude combined with the enviable ability to anticipate the needs of his clients has led to many record achievements and repeat business. Bo's passion for eco-friendly and energy-efficient buildings, combined with architecture and design, has made him a thought-leader in the industry. He is also LEED certified and is committed to revamping properties to meet Passive House standards. 

Anna Shagalov 

Anna brings an enthusiasm to buying and selling real estate that is rarely found in today's market. Her effective business approach and genuine interest in the goals of her clients become apparent from the first conversation. While she possesses a deep understanding of the entire NYC market, Anna specializes in downtown Manhattan, providing unmatched knowledge of the assortment of buildings, individual properties, boards and market conditions. Anna's affable demeanor resounds in her reputation and there is no one better at getting to know their clients than Anna. Her honed skills help he

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The Best Real Estate Videos in New York City with Mikey Pozarik and Chris Kromer

Video can be a compelling tool to sell property, but most are overwhelmingly intimidated to use it. Let's change that narrative. What are the must-do's and frankly the never-do's? We have Christopher Kromer who takes storytelling to the next level and Mikey "sure, we can do that" Pozarik, a genius behind the camera making videos for innumerable brokers. We will circle this wagon multiple times to see how to best use the medium for all brokers.

About our guests:
👤 Mikey Pozarik is one of the finest videographers and photographers in the business. He is the go-to storyteller for real estate agents who want to tell a better story through video. His client list includes all of the best real estate agents and many of the finest restaurants in New York City. Don't expect a lot of copy on his website, however, Mikey likes to let the work speak for itself. I found 332 of his videos on VIMEO and they are for the most part beautiful, stylized and stylish portraits of New York and the people who make it great.

👤 Christopher Kromer makes a great first impression. He is likable, funny, and very smart. Dig a little deeper and you start to realize that here is a talented young real estate professional who has mastered the fine art of listening — a skill that stands him in great stead in his most demanding chosen field. While Christopher is justly proud of this ability, what he gives in return is a hefty dose of honesty, forthrightness, and professionalism. Whether it's working closely with buyers to help them find just the right home and to negotiate the most advantageous deal, or working side by side with sellers to effectively market their homes to the most qualified buyers, his priority is to provide the utmost level of personalized service to his clients. He worked as a financial consultant with Ernst & Young LLP for three years, a background that equips him well for the intricate and often complicated deals that characterize the tricky waters of the New York City real estate market. He particularly enjoys sharing his personal knowledge and analysis with first-time buyers with whom he continues to build and maintain strong and mutually rewarding relationships. This, he asserts, is the best part of his job! A multi-dimensional human being, Christopher is a former classical pianist who has played at Carnegie Hall. In his spare time, he continues to devote himself to the arts: as an actor, he has created lead roles Off-Broadway; currently, he hosts the television show “Cool in your Code” on NYC-TV, a hip neighborhood “Infotainment” show that explores New York City from the inside out; and devotees of HGTV will enjoy seeing him on their nationally aired special, “25 Biggest Real Estate Mistakes.” 

John Engel in Connecticut and Roberto Cabrera in New York. host a weekly wide-ranging zoom conversation with real estate experts from around our area. We are joined by two special guests each week. The audience is a big part of the back and forth, and is made up of realtors, buyers and sellers throughout the tri-state area.

Thanks for watching.
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In this episode, We will talk about New York's Hudson Valley Real Estate Market.  

Stay connected with us to get more informative and trending podcasts about New York's Real Estate Market. Theres a new episode every week.

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The team of Robin Horowitz and Nancy Felcello – When the BBC, the NY Times, In Style or NY Magazine are in search of NYC Real Estate information, be it an overview of current market conditions or relocating high profile clients their first calls are often to Robin and Nancy Horowitz. These charismatic “Irish twins” collectively have over 30 years of experience in the NY residential Real Estate market. Robin is renowned for her incomparable negotiating skills while Nancy can be found burning the midnight oil in a snowstorm with a customer at her side and a key in her hand to a loft they just listed. This combination of intellect and grit with their engaging personalities and captivating presence has made for a formidable team. Robin and Nancy joined forces in 1992 ultimately making a home at Halstead, a Company that provides the inspiration, support, encouragement, and freedom to actualize their potential as one of the most recognized and highly regarded teams in NYC’s Real Estate Industry. During our interview, Nancy suggested I read some thank you notes from recent clients. One excerpt was from a card written by a very private prominent Republican client who probably leans as far right as they do left.” Your integrity, professional guidance, and expertise along with your candor, charm, and wit made a potentially difficult experience an enriching endeavor, but more important your humanity* made you our friends.” This note was my favorite because the sister’s politics pretty closely align with their mother’s, a commanding and influential presence in the Democratic party throughout the 1960s and 1970s. She was a Democratic Congressional candidate and served in various capacities including speech writing and campaign management for Eugene McCarthy, Al Lowenstein, and Paul O’dwyer among others. Like the city they were born in, diversity intrigues these two, they have a way of inspiring confidence and putting everyone at ease. Robin and Nancy reminded me throughout their interview that it is their connection to the people in this city that remains a constant source of enlightenment and enrichment. I think a line I read by one of their client's sums Robin and Nancy up “We have told everyone we know that they won’t find a harder working, more professional team in NYC Real Estate, SEE RMH 

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Moderated by Senator Tony Hwang, Ranking Member in the Connecticut State Legislature of the Planning & Development Committee and featuring: 
-Tom O'Dea, State Representative New Canaan and Wilton
-Kevin Moynihan, New Canaan First Selectman
-John Goodwin, New Canaan P&Z Chairman
-Scott Hobbs, New Canaan Housing Authority Chairman
-Francis Pickering, Executive Director Western Council of Governments (WestCOG)
-Laszlo Papp, former New Canaan P&Z Chairman

Sponsored by CT169Strong.org 

This is Laszlo Papp's letter because it summarizes his views and the views of many of the panelists in last night's panel discussion.

To the Editor:

"Arriving in Connecticut 64 years ago, the first thing I learned was that it was a “home rule state” where every community regulated itself for the benefit of its citizens.

Soon after, I was appointed to the New Canaan Planning and Zoning Commission. I had to face lawyers during depositions. We were sued by a “do-good institution,” but the judge approved the Planning and Zoning ruling as this happened each time we were challenged. Now, many proposals go far beyond what would be considered a Planning and Zoning issue.

This is because some people don’t know the difference between social concern and social engineering Social concern is when the community reviews its regulations on behalf of its citizens, assuring that health, safety, and property are protected without favoritism or discrimination. Social engineering is when rules and regulations are forced from the outside. Those who have lived under socialist regime know well what social engineering means, (and that is) disaster for individuals and communities.

Our representatives in Hartford need to remember how important it is for the community to make decisions for itself. Our Planning and Zoning Commission did this with consideration for affordable housing, transit-oriented development, and most of the other issues people talk about. We need to help and support Chairman John Goodwin in his efforts to create model regulations for the entire state that takes into consideration each community’s historic character."

Sincerely,

Laszlo Papp
(former Chairman of the New Canaan Planning & Zoning Commission in New Canaan for over 20 years)

See also: https://ctmirror.org/category/ct-viewpoints/a-plea-for-a-hold-on-zoning-reform/?fbclid=IwAR0IEcbr34X4MJYIekL9rYy2PeMwwpv-aUoZb6O-M191HwHrhAelMBK6sGQ

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The Pendulum Shifts & Timing is Everything

Since there are NO deals in the Hamptons, focus on Manhattan before the pendulum fully swings back to sellers. Timing becomes one of the most crucial factors. Everybody always asks, “How’s the market?” Because Manhattan is segmented into so many micro-markets, a Tribeca loft versus a midtown high-rise condo versus an Upper West Side townhouse or an Upper East Side studio etc….this question is too vague and has a multiplicity of answers. Generally though, the market’s on fire; demand is outpacing supply. Sellers have become more realistic, which has become an invitation for buyers to join the party. Buyers too have realized there is middle ground; that 50% off sale they anticipated never happened. This engagement between both parties is infectious and has resulted in deals….many deals. Deal volume in February was up over 30% as compared to February 2020 (which if you remember was a pre-covid volume). Activity has been most robust in the lower price points; 70+% of all deals are occurring below $2M and 85% below $3M. The luxury market, loosely defined as the top 5% of all inventory (approx. $5M and up), which had been sluggish, is catching up. We are seeing numbers which reflect far busier times like in 2015 & 2016. 

 Whereas it is still a buyers’ market, the pendulum has shifted direction. Like never before, virtually every metric is in the buyer’s favor. One of my industry colleagues, a head of one of the major firms, said, “If you're not a buyer in THIS market, you are simply not a buyer.” It is my opinion, that the past 8 months have been the single greatest buying opportunity in Manhattan, that I have witnessed in my 23 year career. Never have so many metrics lined up for buyers, all at the same time. Let’s compare where we are now to some of the other great historical buying opportunities during that time. Note: if you are not a buyer, please disregard what I have to say, as I am not pressuring you to buy; however, for those who do want to buy, you will find this interesting. These great buying opportunities most often follow catastrophic events. Let’s take the 4-5 months post-Sept 11th and the 12 months following the collapse of Lehman Bros. in 2008/9. Whereas those were incredible opportunities, consider that in 2001, inventory was still very lean, so the supply-side of “the supply & demand principle” was still tight. And consider that interest rates were 6-6.5%. Right now we are sub 3%. I want you to look at the table in the "Mortgages & Interest Rates" section of this newsletter, to truly understand the impact of even 1 percentage point in interest rates. It's shocking. In post-Lehman Bros. 2008/9 inventory and interest rates were less of an issue than in 2001, as there was more inventory but interest rates were still at 5-6%. The biggest factor then was liquidity. There was no money; people struggled to get financing.

For buyers today, not only is inventory ample (meaning choices), sentiment on the seller’s side has been poor (meaning negotiability) and interest rates are near all-time lows, 3% or less for a 30 year jumbo loan. However, the pendulum on virtually all three of these metrics is starting to change course. Although there is 10% more overall inventory than last year at this time, that number is contracting. Again, not because apartments aren’t coming on the market, but because deal volume is outpacing that incoming supply; it’s essentially musical chairs for Manhattan apartments. While prices have not yet increased, it is precisely this deal activity which is beginning to give sellers a bit more resolve (meaning they are becoming less and less negotiable). And the big one is interest rates; they are slowly rising. This factor will affect the whole marketplace, as it reduces purchasing power. So if you are a buyer, the ge

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Join us for an insightful journey into the heart of Bronx real estate on Season 4, Episode 143! We're thrilled to host Orion Jones from The Real Deal with Sharene Long and De'Janai Brown from Douglas Elliman, diving deep into the trends, challenges, and exciting developments shaping the Bronx market. From investment hotspots to emerging neighborhoods, we'll uncover exclusive insights and expert tips that every buyer, seller, and investor needs to know. Whether you're a local looking to move or a curious listener eager to learn, don't miss out on this dynamic conversation with two leading voices from the New York City real estate scene.​​​​​​​

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This week The Real Deal reports that the "Manhattan luxury market sees another strong week"

Architectural Digest says "New York is Officially the World's Wealthiest City for Real Estate" 

Mansion Global says, "Manhattan's Luxury Market Notches Strongest 3-Week Streak in 6 Years"

And the New York Post said, "Luxury apartments holding steady in Manhattan, folding in Queens"

Is the luxury market back, or is it simply heading in the right direction?

This week we ask two of the top agents in the Manhattan luxury market to unpack these headlines and tell us what's really going on. If anybody is going to give it to us straight, its these two agents. 

You've met Louise Philips Forbes on the show twice before. We love "Weze's" high energy and her broad knowledge of luxury properties from the West Village to the Upper East Side. She runs the #17 team in New York, is currently listing 24 properties including two over $10 million and has another 6 currently under contract. I guarantee if we say something outrageous or just wrong then "Weze" will call us out on it.

Daniella Schlisser is a bona-fide super-producer, currently ranked #52 among all New York agents, with 16 luxury properties including two over $10 million and has another 2 under contract. She's fluent in 5 languages (but we're going to stick to English this week)  Daniella, can you say "New York is back" five different ways?

Daniella G. Schlisser 
For the last 20 years, Daniella Schlisser has been recognized as an industry expert representing some of the finest properties in New York City luxury real estate. Migrating her business to Brown Harris Stevens in 2014, Daniella continues to enhance her reputation for success, consistently earning recognitions such as "Most Deals of the Month" and ranking within the top 15 agents at the firm. Daniella's breadth of industry knowledge and sophisticated style of practice have earned her media attention both locally in The New York Times, New York Post, New York Daily News, CBS, The Real Deal and internationally on television networks such as Austria's ORF and Germany's RTL. A meticulous, high-energy professional, Daniella has earned the accolades, referrals and repeat business that have carved her success. Her extensive experience covering primary, pied-a-terre and investment transactions as well as new development sales representing developers, individual sellers and purchasers alike has proven invaluable to all her clients. She is a personable, multi-faceted individual who relates well with everyone she meets, from longtime Manhattanites to out-of-towners and sophisticated worldwide investors. 

Louise Philips Forbes 
For over three decades, Louise Phillips Forbes has been an industry leader in New York City’s residential real estate market. With career sales exceeding $4 billion, she is considered one of the elite Power Brokers in Manhattan. Louise was named the Residential Agent of the Year by REBNY (the Real Estate Board of New York) in 2020 for her consistent achievements and leadership within the industry. A multi-time winner of Halstead Real Estate’s (now Brown Harris Stevens) esteemed Broker-of-the-Year award, Louise has also been acknowledged many times as the #1 listing broker companywide and currently leads one of the firm’s top sales teams. She has developed a significant following among developers, buyers, and sellers throughout Manhattan. From the Upper West Side and Upper East Side to the West Village, Tribeca and Wall Street, she proudly serves prominent New Yorkers. Louise’s experience in both luxury residential sales and in development projects—over 30 to date—has equipped her with the unique ability to fully understand clients’ needs, navigate fluctuations in the market, and negotiate complicated deals ranging from

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This Thursday we talk to Techrin Hijazi, fresh off both sides of a $10 million Star Island sale followed by her $14 million sale of a Miami penthouse. Then, we get a taste of L.A. with  Gary Gold, a legend in the Los Angeles market who recently set a record in Brentwood at $25.8 million, sold the Playboy mansion for $100 million, and then broke his own record with Chartwell, the Beverly Hillbillies mansion, for $150 million.

Techrin Hijazi – an accomplished, tenacious, and award-winning Broker Associate – is back in Miami and bringing her real estate prowess to Brown Harris Stevens! Aligning herself with BHS’ Jeff Cohen, Toni Schrager and under the leadership of Vivian Dimond, Techrin utilizes her relationship with these real estate visionaries to further connect buyers and sellers globally. Techrin, pronounced "Tishreen," specializes in residential waterfront real estate with a concentration in commercial investments. Recognized for her chiseled negotiation skills, unwavering discretion and high tech, soft touch approach to client care, she is a real estate powerhouse that has made a name for herself. Entering the real estate market as an investor in 1994, she had the intuitiveness to find value in unknown, highly undervalued communities. Today, these properties – on Edgewater Drive and in the Santa Maria Building – are thriving in some of the most appreciated real estate markets. That same insight, coupled with a contagious passion for South Florida real estate and unyielding drive for client success, has become the cornerstone for her thriving career. A Realtor since 2003, she began her career with Sotheby's International Realty, brokering hundreds of luxury and waterfront properties in the most exclusive communities in Miami including Indian Creek, Star Island, and Gables Estates. Nationally recognized for her lead role in TLC's "Million Dollar Agents,"Techrin’s exposure and pipeline of high net worth clients soared following the show’s success. Incredibly passionate and persistent about real estate, coupled with a flair for art appreciation and consultation thanks to her husband and renowned Art Gallery owner, Techrin Hijazi continues to lead the luxury real estate market and is the go-to Broker for buyers, sellers and investors alike.

Gary Gold is a marquee name in luxury real estate and his sale of The Playboy Mansion sets a record as the first residence to sell over $100,000,000 in Los Angeles. This achievement was eclipsed by Gary’s recent sale of the famed Chartwell Estate for $150,000,000. Gary is also one of its most successful trend setting agents. He’s an internationally recognized expert known for his creative use of technology, marketing and publicity to sell some of the finest homes in the world. Gary is further distinguished by the rare ability to secure high net worth, qualified buyers from digital marketing. This success, year after year, continues to produce a steady stream of buyers from not only the Los Angeles area, but throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Gary has sold thousands of estates and luxury properties over the course of his career. High-end developers have consistently relied on Gary’s broad expertise on projects ranging from luxury condominium developments to major estates. He is a sought after speaker, panelist and educator at industry conferences. Gary has been cited as an expert for publications and broadcasts that include CNN, Fortune, Barron’s, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Access Hollywood, CBS Evening News, e! Entertainment Television and The London Telegraph. Gary Gold began his career in real estate over 30 years ago and has been a top producer with Hilton & Hyland since its inception. 

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Please join us this week for "The Creative Show" where we talk to Christina Roughan and Whitney Kraus, two designers who approach the business of design from completely opposite places.

Whitney Kraus designs spaces for a future owners she might never meet. She is part of the new development team planning multi-family projects. Whitney has to predict how design is going to set it apart when it finally comes to market. Her clients build new buildings or renovate old ones and rely on Whitney to know what the buyers of those apartments will want years in advance. 

Christina Roughan in contrast, is about high-end custom design. She knows her clients and designs for them across a great range of properties. She is equally comfortable designing for her client's country estates in The Hamptons, Telluride and Connecticut, apartments and townhouses in NY, LA, and London and personal luxury yachts in Italy as well as high-end corporate and hospitality properties.

Christina Roughan - Roughan (pronounced ROWAN) is the international design firm of acclaimed interior designer Christina S. Roughan. Designing since 1994, Christina’s vast experience and keen eye has enabled her to create warm, sophisticated interiors that are timeless and tailored while remaining friendly and approachable. Christina believes that interiors are to be lived in and reflect the people who reside in the space. “Every interior should be functional while remaining aesthetically purposeful and elegant.” Roughan’s design portfolio is known for deft combinations of texture and subtle color while combining modern traditional accents to create livable, crisp interiors. She has designed interiors throughout the world and her client range is as diverse as their locations. With a reputation for listening carefully to the needs of clients, attention to detail, and discretion, Roughan has become a favorite of international celebrities as well as design editors at Interior Design magazine, House Beautiful, Elle Décor, CT Cottages & Gardens and AtHome Magazine to name a few. Christina lives with her husband and two daughters in a 200-year-old house in Weston, CT, which is, no surprise, in a constant state of renovation.

Whitney Kraus - Director of Architecture & Planning, BHS Development Marketing 
Whitney is responsible for guiding the design vision and execution for all developments. Combining architecture and design insights with project management expertise, she works directly with developers and their design teams to offer project specific recommendations and advise throughout the design and marketing phases. In her role, Whitney recommends potential collaborations with architects and designers, assists in feasibility, zoning, and massing studies; and helps guide direction on unit mix, floorplan layouts, finishes, amenity programming and sales gallery layouts.  Whitney is a registered architect in New York and holds a U.S. Green Building Council LEED-AP certification. She joined the BHSDM team after serving as Project Architect at Selldorf Architects, where she worked on residential developments, high-end private residences, retail, and commercial buildings. She was responsible for development and delivery of drawings in all design phases, daily management of architectural team members, and coordination with consultants and contractors. She oversaw projects for the William Macklowe Company, CBSK Ironstate, Gagosian Gallery, The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, Hauser & Wirth, Yves Saint Lauren, and Aman Resorts. Whitney has a Master of Architecture from Yale University and Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Michigan. Originally from North Carolina, Whitney currently resides in Gramercy Park.