What Makes A Good Real Estate Broker

When I began my real estate career almost eight years ago, my only goal was to use my earned commissions to donate to the charity I founded. Disasters and hard economic times forced me to become creative to keep the charity running when donations slowed down.

After a year in real estate I joined Halstead Property one of the top private real estate firms in Manhattan.

I knew Halstead had a great reputation, but had no idea that I would be learning from the best in the industry.

Meeting Diane Ramirez, President of Halstead Property and Clark Halstead the company’s Chairman was most impressive. I had no idea that they were both hands on and available to every agent and broker.

Diane Ramirez is well-known for her passion and devotion to the residential real estate industry. She is a 35-year veteran in the industry who together with Clark Halstead founded Halstead Property in 1984. Their vision for the company was a high-end firm that utilized advanced technology combined with old fashioned elegance that covered all segments of the market and was located in the communities that they serviced. Due to their vision, Halstead Property became the first big firm to utilize storefront offices in Manhattan as well as the first to be on the West Side and in Downtown.

Under her leadership, Mrs. Ramirez has strategically grown the firm from its original goal of three storefront offices in some of the most important communities in Manhattan to its current size of 22 offices with nearly 950 agents throughout the tri-state area.

And Clark Halstead, a co-founder of the residential division of The Real Estate Board of New York, Inc., has been one of the most visible and outspoken forces for innovation and change within the industry. He is an acknowledged expert on virtually all matters relating to single-family and multi-family home ownership.

Listening to Diane Ramirez say BREATHE during tough economic times … hearing Clark Halstead say he would go on a listing appointment with brokers if they needed help … having a supportive manager who is there for me and will offer his help with whatever I needed … and learning from him and all of the managers at Halstead the things that good brokers do to succeed… I was no longer in real estate just for the commissions … I became passionate about helping others – passionate about the industry.

I am in real estate because the leadership at Halstead makes me want to succeed. It makes me want to be a better broker. It helped me discover my passion for wanting to help buyers find their dream home and helping sellers get the most return on their investment. Being a Halstead broker has made me want to help my clients even after the deal is closed. Going the extra mile for my sellers and buyers – letting them know I care and letting them know that I am there to help them before – during – and after the sale!

I am extremely fortunate in that I have two passions … working in real estate and helping people and running a charity – making a difference for children.

 

What Makes A Good Real Estate Broker

When I began my real estate career almost eight years ago, my only goal was to use my earned commissions to donate to the charity I founded. Disasters and hard economic times forced me to become creative to keep the charity running when donations slowed down.

After a year in real estate I joined Halstead Property one of the top private real estate firms in Manhattan.

I knew Halstead had a great reputation, but had no idea that I would be learning from the best in the industry.

Meeting Diane Ramirez, President of Halstead Property and Clark Halstead the company’s Chairman was most impressive. I had no idea that they were both hands on and available to every agent and broker.

Diane Ramirez is well-known for her passion and devotion to the residential real estate industry. She is a 35-year veteran in the industry who together with Clark Halstead, she helped found Halstead Property in the fall of 1984. Their vision for the company was a high-end firm that utilized advanced technology combined with old fashioned elegance that covered all segments of the market and was located in the communities that they serviced. Due to their vision, Halstead Property became the first big firm to utilize storefront offices in Manhattan as well as the first to be on the West Side and in Downtown.

Under her leadership, Mrs. Ramirez has strategically grown the firm from its original goal of three storefront offices in some of the most important communities in Manhattan to its current size of 22 offices with nearly 950 agents throughout the tri-state area.

And Clark Halstead, a co-founder of the residential division of The Real Estate Board of New York, Inc., has been one of the most visible and outspoken forces for innovation and change within the industry. He is an acknowledged expert on virtually all matters relating to single-family and multi-family home ownership.

Listening to Diane Ramirez say BREATHE during tough economic times … hearing Clark Halstead say he would go on a listing appointment with brokers if they needed help … hearing my manager say he would help me with whatever I needed … and learning from him and all of the managers at Halstead the things that good brokers do to succeed… I was no longer in real estate just for the commissions … I became passionate about helping others – passionate about the industry.

I am in real estate because the leadership at Halstead makes me want to succeed. It makes me want to be a better broker. It helped me discover my passion for wanting to help buyers find their dream home and helping sellers get the most return on their investment. Being a Halstead broker has made me want to help my clients even after the deal is closed. Going the extra mile for my sellers and buyers – letting them know I care and letting them know that I am there to help them before – during – and after the sale!

I am extremely fortunate in that I have two passions … working in real estate and helping people and running a charity – making a difference for children.

1st Q 2012 Manhattan Market Report

1st Q 2012 Market Report 

Below please find Halstead Property’s 1st Q 2012 Market Report. 

Manhattan Residential Real Estate Looking Better!

Manhattan apartment prices averaged $1,483,591 in the first quarter of 2012, 9% more than a year ago.  A big reason for this increase was a 42% jump in the number of closings over $10 million, which includes a record $88 million sale.  The median price, which measures the middle of the market, rose 4% compared to the first quarter of 2011 to $821,500.  The number of sales rose slightly, with reported closings 2% higher than a year ago.

All sizes of condos saw an increase in average price from 2011’s first quarter, with larger apartments posting the biggest gains.  The average price for all condos of $1,889,560 was 8% higher than a year ago, and was the highest average condo price in three years.  New developments accounted for 41% of all condo closings, up from 35% in the first quarter of 2011.

Co-op prices averaged $1,181,715 in the first quarter, 10% higher than a year ago.  This gain was fueled by three-bedroom and larger co-ops, whose average price jumped 17% from the first quarter of 2011.  One-bedrooms were the only size category of co-ops to post a lower average price over the past year.

Recent revisions to New York City employment data show that the city added significantly more jobs than originally thought in 2011.  Overall, 54,000 jobs were added in 2011 (up from the original estimate of 36,600), 4,800 of which were in the high-paying finance sector.  The New York State Comptroller announced that Wall Street firms paid out $19.7 billion in cash bonuses for 2011, down from the prior year but much better than expected. 

These factors, combined with the improvement in hiring across the U.S. over the past few months, and a surging stock market, has strengthened demand for apartments in Manhattan.  This, combined with a stable level of inventory, bodes very well for the Manhattan apartment market over the next several months.

To read more of the report Click Here

 

Manhattan 4th Quarter 2011 Market Report

Over the past year, a sharp decline in condo sales lowered the overall average and median Manhattan apartment sales prices over the past year. 

Condo closings feel 24% from the 4^th Q2010 accounting for only 40% of all apartment sales.

The economic and financial turmoil that began in the late summer led to fewer transactions than a year ago. 

While there was stagnation in hiring recently, New York’s recovery remains well ahead of schedule.  This combined with a relatively low rate of available apartments has led the Manhattan market to continue to outperform the rest of the nation.

Click Here to read Halstead Property’s Manhattan 4th Quarter 2011 Market Report

NY Winter Restaurant Week Is Back! January 16th – February 10th

Every winter and every summer New Yorkers and its visitors are treated to the most incredible three-course meals at the best restaurants in Manhattan for just $24.07 for lunch and $35.00 for dinner.

In its 20th year NY Restaurant Week offers you 20 Days of dining out from January 16th – February 10th (Monday – Friday.)

View these fabulous participating restaurants and make your reservations early! To learn more and to make your reservations visit http://www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek

If you’re thinking of moving to Manhattan, it’s not only a great way to try out our incredible restaurants, but it will help you relax over a sumptuous meal after browing apartments all day to decide where you want to live.

NYC Restaurant Week Tips:
Research – Get recommendations from friends and search the Internet for ratings. Most of the participating restaurants are the best that New York has to offer.

Reservations should be made in advance. DO Reserve Early – Normally, getting a reservation at these restaurants is difficult. Plan ahead. Reservations early in the week are usually easier than Thursdays or Fridays. Call to see if there were any cancellations as well.

Dress Code – When dining in New York’s best restaurants, dress your best.

Tip Higher – Tipping more than 20% will get you first-class service that New Yorkers expect from these top restaurants.

Get your palette ready for the 21 Club, Artisanal Fromagerie, Bistro and Wine Bar, Aureole Bar Room, Bice, Ça Va Brasserie by Todd English, Cafe Bolud, Chez Josephine, Cipriani Dolci, Club A Steakhouse, David Burke Townhouse, Fives at The Peninsula New York, Indochine, JoJo, Le Cirque, Le Perigord, L’Ecole, The French Culinary Institute, Michael’s, Morimoto, Nice Matin, Nobu, Nougatine at Jean Georges, One If By Land Two If By Sea, Orsay, The Palm Court at the Plaza, Patroon, The Post House, Red Rooster Harlem, Remi, Riverpark – A Tom Colicchio Restaurant, Tao – and many, many more!

Dear Santa from a Savvy NYC Real Estate Agent, Child Advocate and Philanthropist

Dear Santa, 

It’s been a long chaotic day. Dragging myself home in my Jimmy Choo stilettoes, I saw all of Christmas decorations in stores and all of the last minute shoppers scurrying to buy presents.

I started thinking about Christmas and began daydreaming of all the things I’d like to see under my tree this year.

So Santa, here goes:

I’d like to ask you for a silver Jaguar, a fabulous penthouse at 15 Central Park West, mansions in the Hamptons and Santa Barbara, a villa in Italy, a cottage in the South of France, and a trip to Tahiti with George Clooney  … but I think I should be practical and ask you for things that are really important such as (not in any particular order):

Jobs for those who lost theirs, the end of outsourcing and bringing jobs back to the U.S., homes for those without one, free college educations for deserving students who crave an education, affordable health care for those who can pay for it and free health care for those who can’t, a cure for all cancers and other diseases, a congress that agrees with each other and the President, for ALL of our military to come home and stay home, a healthy real estate market with serious buyers and sellers who listen to my professional advice (I’m not telling them to do things just to talk – I’m telling them to do things that will sell their apartments), businesses that thrive and are not forced to close, CEOs who can lead a company without being ridiculously overpaid, a safe and ecology-wise environment, healthy children, parents who love and nurture their children, children who can go to school in a safe, bully and violent-free atmosphere,  a world where kids don’t take their lives because of how others treat them, child predators who live on an island and are never near children, animals who are not harmed, friendly relations with foreign countries, no more disasters, a world with no guns with the exception of law enforcement and the military, no stigmas on child abuse, mental health, dementia and the things that people don’t want to talk about, a world where everyone is friendly with each other like they were after 9-11, no terrorism, and a very healthy economy.

And Santa, could I ask you for just one more thing?

Could I please have a world without the Kardashians and those media hungry housewives from all of these reality shows?

I’ve been a good girl all year long Santa. I hope you can help me!

Happy holidays,

Ross Ellis

BROOKE ASTOR’S APARTMENT SELLS HALF OF THE $46M ASKING PRICE

More than four years after the death of society heiress Brooke Astor, her apartment has sold – at last! With an asking price of $46 million the Park Avenue duplex is being sold.

This remarkable duplex at 778 Park Avenue on the 15^th and 16^th floors reflects the renowned personal style of the late Brooke Astor, philanthropist and doyenne of New York society.

Designed in 1931 by Rosario Candela, New York’s most celebrated luxury residential architect, this home has 4 brilliantly sun lit exposures. The architectural assets lend its charm to this home.  There are 15 large and beautifully proportioned rooms, 10 of which have at least 2 exposures, many with partial views of Central Park. 

French doors open to 6 terraces, and there are 5 fireplaces with antique mantels, elaborate and original moldings, antique parquet de Versailles floors and high ceilings.  The entertaining rooms radiate off a 30 foot long gallery with 18th century oak floors and include a grand living room with fireplace and a wall of bayed windows looking up and down Park Avenue. 

The home’s oversized formal dining room has a fireplace and 2 sets of French doors to a small terrace.  The red lacquer and brass trimmed library was designed by Albert Hadley and is likely the most photographed room on Park Avenue.  This room features a fireplace and 3 sets of French doors opening to a large, square south facing terrace. The private quarters are on both the 15th and 16th floors.  The 16th floor boasts a charming oval study with French doors to a small terrace. The remarkable master bedroom has three exposures including Central Park, a fireplace and 2 sets of French doors to a terrace, this master bedroom is truly enchanting.  Before reaching this incredible master bedroom, there is a guest room and a hallway powder room.

The 15th floor boasts another master bedroom almost identical to the one above, with all the same features, with a smaller 4th bedroom and bath.

The service area has a large servants’ hall, kitchen and pantry with 3 maid’s rooms and a bath with remarkable light and views to Central Park.

This is truly a home of grand style!

In contract at $24,900,000, the apartment still has to close — as a few years ago, a Swiss businessman made an offer on the apartment — but was rejected by the building’s co-op board. Will this new buyer pass the coop board and make this their new home?