Cautious optimism. This had been the mood, earlier this year, of many of New York City’s top brokers as they navigated the challenges of low inventory and high interest rates. Then came the stock market convulsions and recessionary fears triggered in April by President Trump’s sweeping tariffs. “Even with financial uncertainties — political instability, layoffs and global tensions — New York’s real estate market remains resilient,” said Steven Cohen of Douglas Elliman, speaking before the market convulsions. “Moving to its own rhythm and continuing to attract discerning buyers and investors — quite a bit of opportunity in the market right now.”
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The volatility Cohen alludes to has since dramatically increased, as has the likelihood of a slowdown in the luxury real estate market. Yet the source of New York brokers’ optimism remains unchanged: a belief that the Big Apple will always find a way to thrive in the long term, no matter the broader economic vicissitudes. “The beautiful thing about the NYC market is that it’s so healthy and always self-adjusts,” says Eleonora Srugo of Douglas Elliman. “Manhattan is an island, after all, so supply will always be limited to a degree. It creates an ecosystem where there is always opportunity for somebody in the real estate market.”
With innovative approaches to marketing and pricing, the agents in THR‘s list of top brokers in NYC and the Hamptons are up to the challenge. Nota bene: All interviews were conducted before the tariff-induced market chaos. Yet elite clients from the worlds of entertainment, finance, industry and art continue to drive the high-end market, and realtors are determined to meet their wishes and wants.
Noble Black
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
With an impressive $417 million in sales in 2024, the Mississippi-born Black of Noble Black & Partners boasts a roster of celebrity clients including Bethenny Frankel, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, and the Joan Didion estate. Currently under contract is 1120 Fifth Ave., the former home of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. “We had our best year ever in 2024,” Black says. “I love the extremes of NYC real estate.”
Serena Boardman
SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
Consistently ranked as the top producing individual broker at Sotheby’s International Realty, enigmatic New Yorker Boardman has sold in excess of $5 billion during her storied career. In 2024, she boasted $403 million in sales volume. With encyclopedic knowledge of NYC architecture and design (in her previous career she worked at Sotheby’s Auction House) and her mastery of off-market deals, she continues to offer old-world service in an increasingly brash business.
John Burger
BROWN HARRIS STEVENS
Rated the No. 1 agent at Brown Harris Stevens’ flagship Park Avenue office, NYC native Burger has repped everyone from Jeff Bezos to Bette Midler. With more than three decades in Manhattan real estate, he also has represented Rupert Murdoch, Conan O’Brien and Tom Hanks in various transactions. Fluent in both Spanish and German, he deals extensively with international clients through the firm’s worldwide marketing relationship with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World — a network of 610 firms in 70 countries.
Jessica Chestler and Ben Jacobs/ The Chestler Jacobs Team
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
Teaming up for $215 million in sales in 2024, Chestler and Jacobs offer white-glove service and a bespoke approach to a clientele that includes Academy Award-winning actors, tech entrepreneurs, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and athletes. “There’s definitely a shift happening — buyers are more discerning, and sellers need to be strategic,” they wrote in a statement to THR. “Pricing correctly from the start is more crucial than ever.”
Carrie Chiang
THE CORCORAN GROUP
“Buyers across the globe continue to realize that NYC is a great place for property investment,” says veteran power broker Chiang, who has been in the business since 1988 and represented celebrity clients including Jim Carrey and Barbra Streisand. “I’m proud that I was able to sell a mix of Billionaire’s Row condominiums and one-of-a-kind townhouses.” In January, Chiang sold one of Stanford White’s last remaining Gilded Age townhomes to an undisclosed buyer, with an asking price of $49.9 million.
Steven Cohen
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
Cohen, whose clients have included the Winklevoss twins, Kim Cattrall and David Rothschild, notched $152 million in sales in 2024. He also reps historical and architectural landmarks like The Brentmore, The Beresford and The Belnord, the exterior of which serves as the titular edifice in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. His video telling the story of NYC townhouse stoops garnered more than 1.4 million views on YouTube.
Tim Davis
THE CORCORAN GROUP
Hamptons native Davis is a legend in the region, with more than $5 billion in career sales volume over 45 years. Boasting sales of $178 million in 2024, Davis held the co-listing for publisher Louise Blouin’s former estate in Southampton, the biggest sale on the East End at $89 million. He started 2025 strong, selling 1320 Meadow Lane for $49.5 million.
Fredrik Eklund and John Gomes
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
For 20 years, Million Dollar Listing star Eklund and his partner Gomes have been powerhouses in NYC real estate, with clients including Doja Cat, Benny Blanco, Joe Jonas, Jennifer Lopez and Sarah Jessica Parker. In 2024, the team tallied $4 billion in sales and broke records for the most expensive condo in Manhattan and the most expensive downtown condo. For Gomes and Eklund, the peaks and valleys in the market are worth it. “My favorite aspect of working in real estate,” Gomes says, “is being able to make the American dream come true.”
Stephen Ferrara and Clayton Orrigo
COMPASS
Ferrara and Orrigo of The Hudson Advisory Team secured $1.2 billion in sales in 2024, making them the No. 1 team at Compass nationwide. In the past year, 38 percent of all West Village townhouse sales were represented by The Hudson Advisory. “We are seeing consistent trades at the upper end of the market and record-setting pricing across core assets,” says Ferrara. “We are also seeing the entry-level market show signs of life, which was particularly quiet in2024.”
Nikki Field
SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
As founder of The Field Team, Field has been integral in bringing global buyers to NYC. “New York real estate in general, and Manhattan real estate specifically, are indeed the very best playgrounds for building out our clients’ global portfolios,” says Field, who scored $335 million in sales in 2024. “Those who collect fine real estate at the same level as fine art enjoy the hunt as much as the results. No two days here remotely resemble each other.”
Cathy Franklin
THE CORCORAN GROUP
For 30-year real estate veteran Franklin, it is the relationships she fosters as a broker that make her job so fulfilling. “I aim to treat everyone like a member of the family,” she says. With $215 million in sales last year, and listings including William P. Lauder’s $25 million full-floor residence at 775 Park Ave., Franklin says “buyers today appreciate turnkey properties and those that offer that ‘only in New York’ feeling. … Proximity to Central Park, iconic landmark views and classic architecture will always hold a timelessappeal.”
Carl Gambino
COMPASS
A bicoastal power player — operating in Los Angeles, NYC and Miami — Gambino had more than $400 million in sales in 2024. A specialist in high-net-worth and celebrity clients, he has recently represented Louis C.K., Joe Jonas and members of the Bronfman family and the Qatari royal family. Currently, Gambino holds the listing for the late Joan Rivers’ iconic New York penthouse for $26 million. And despite his globe-trotting career, New York will always be where Gambino’s heart is: “My family has been here for over a century, and I feel really connected to New York.”
Rachel Glazer
COMPASS
Glazer, whose A-list clients include Kendrick Lamar, has been a top luxury broker for the past 17 years and earned $119 million in sales in 2024. She is starting to see those who fled New York during the COVID era come back, hat in hand. “New Yorkers who moved or were going to move to South Florida have realized it’s not New York,” she says. “Particularly in terms of culture, industry and education (sorry, Florida!).”
Steve Gold
THE CORCORAN GROUP
Selling the City star Gold achieved a sales volume of $850 million in 2024, with nearly 50 transactions exceeding $10 million. High rollers are increasingly eyeing downtown Manhattan, with numerous developments planned below 34th Street. “Areas like Chelsea, the West Village, Tribeca, SoHo and the Financial District increasingly attract the current generation of wealth,” Gold says. Despite market challenges, Gold believes buyers have become accustomed to the less-than-perfect conditions in NYC real estate. “I think people have accepted the current market conditions — low inventory, higher interest rates — as the new normal,” he says.
Michelle Griffith
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
As an independent agent in the NYC real estate market, covering both Manhattan and Brooklyn, Griffith had a banner 2024, accumulating more than $276.6 million worth of sales. With a keen eye for marketing and a passion for brand collaborations, Griffith elevates her listings by integrating high-profile talent — including supermodel Helena Christensen and music icon J Balvin — into promotional campaigns for the properties she represents.
Deborah Grubman
THE CORCORAN GROUP
In 2024, the 30-year veteran broker boasted $154.9 million in sales volume. Grubman has seen an increase in activity since the beginning of 2025, including her January sale of Scott Rudin’s home at 22 Bank St. for $19.75 million. A specialist in elite clientele, Grubman has represented everyone from Hugh Jackman to Rupert Murdoch, David Geffen, Harrison Ford and Tommy Hilfiger. Regarding the future of the market, she remains sunny: “I am always enthusiastic about New York City real estate because it’s truly the best place in the world to live.”
Frances Katzen
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
“The New York City market is remarkably resilient and gaining momentum, presenting incredible opportunities for buyers,” says ace broker Katzen of The Katzen Team. A former professional ballerina, she now approaches $500 million in sales annually. Clients include Naomi Watts, Trinny Woodall, Michael Strahan, Dave Grohl and B.J. Novak. She has sold out some of NYC’s most prized new development projects, including The Charles, 35XV, Chelsea Modern, 34 Greene St., 60 White St. and 64 East 1st St.
Preston Kaye and Gary Cooper
HEDGEROW EXCLUSIVE PROPERTIES
Ace Hamptons brokers Kaye and Cooper — with $200 million in sales in 2024 — are known for their off-market deals. They are currently representing 67 Surfside Drive in Bridgehampton. Listed at $32 million, the estate served as Gordon Gekko’s beach house in Wall Street. “In 2024, we observed a noticeable slowdown in oceanfront transactions in the Hamptons, largely due to a lack of high-quality inventory,” Kaye and Cooper wrote in a statement to THR. “With fresh, top-tier products likely to enter the market … we anticipate renewed activity, particularly in the ultra-luxury segment.”
Deborah Kern
THE CORCORAN GROUP
The undisputed grand dame of New York real estate, with a penchant for art, architecture and historical design, Kern has long been a go-to for NYC blue bloods and cultural elites such as Annie Leibovitz. After selling $1.19 billion worth of real estate in 2024, she kicked off 2025 in style with the March sale of media mogul Byron Allen’s luxurious Central Park South home for $82.5 million.
Kayla Lee
SERHANT
“Property values have been showing signs of growth in Manhattan and even more so in both the Brooklyn and Queens market,” says Lee, who notched $289 million in sales in the past year. “In these outer boroughs, sales of new development projects have been strong as there is a strong demand for ‘shiny and new, amenitized’ condos.” Lee has played a pivotal role in the success of groundbreaking developments like the Huron by Morris Adjmi on the Greenpoint waterfront. This year, she sold and closed on 120-plus units at Huron, achieving a Greenpoint record with the sale of the penthouse for just under $6 million.
Lisa Lippman
BROWN HARRIS STEVENS
“I love that my job is never static,” says real estate dynamo Lippman. “I am always doing different things, meeting new people, seeing new properties and moving around the city.” With $274 million in sales in 2024 and a strong start to 2025, Lippman believes that New York City is edging back from its post-COVID slump. “The restaurants are crowded, and people are genuinely excited to be living here again,” she says. “The only concern I have is the potential impact of some of the federal government’s changes on daily life in the city.”
Michael Lorber and Alexander Boriskin
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
Working as a team since 2019, Lorber and Boriskin had a solid year in 2024 with $285 million in sales. “New York real estate is never boring,” they note jointly. “There’s always a property with a story waiting to be discovered. A townhouse that hasn’t traded hands in a century, a loft that was once an artist’s studio, or an apartment with a history that only a handful of people know. Every listing brings something new, and just when you think you’ve seen it all, the city surprises you.”
Adam Modlin
THE MODLIN GROUP
A top producer and a fixture of NYC real estate, Modlin is on a roll. In 2024, he represented natural gas billionaire Michael Smith in the sale of four Tribeca condos for $60 million. He also represented Real Housewives of New York star Sonja Morgan, who finally succeeded in offloading her Upper East Side townhouse for $4.5 million after years of trying. Call it Modlin’s magic touch.
Lauren Muss
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
Muss is known for her work with everyone from CEOs to entertainers and developers. While NDAs abound, clients this year include musician Harper Simon, interior designer and philanthropist MicaErtegun and PR ace Alison Brod. Though she worries about skyrocketing prices and inventory shortages, she is ready to meet the moment, keen to strategize and problem-solve. “Buyers are very savvy,” she says. “Deals over $5 million have been steady. Deals over $10 million have been plentiful. Buyers are back.”
Holly Parker
COMPASS
Parker, of The Holly Parker Team, continues to be a powerhouse of NYC real estate, with $400 million in sales in 2024, edging her just past $13 billion over her storied career. And in just the first few months of 2025, she’s already racked up $105 million in sales. “What excites me most about 2025 is witnessing New York City spring back to life — returning to the vibrant, iconic place we all adore,” she says. “I can’t wait to see how this revitalization unfolds.”
Zeve Salman and Eric Brown
COMPASS
Kings of the off-market deal, Salman and Brown of Elevated boasted $350 million in sales in 2024, $200 million of which was for unlisted properties. Standout deals included the record-setting sale of a downtown penthouse for $60 million as well as the sale of Peloton founder John Foley’s townhouse in the West Village for $35.5 million.
“New York is the great equalizer,” Salman and Brown say in a joint statement to THR. “Owning here at any level is owning a piece of the greatest and most coveted city in the world.”
Ryan Serhant
SERHANT
Upstart industry disrupter, social media maverick, star of Owning Manhattan and founder of a brokerage house with more than 1,000 agents in nine states, Serhant had a stellar 2024, selling $878 million of prime real estate. Using technology — including AI — to maximize efficiency and visibility is a key to Serhant’s success. “Of the 94 billionaires in my phone, I’ve learned that their greatest asset isn’t their real estate or net worth,” Serhant says. “It’s their time.”
Ian Slater and Michael Koeneke
COMPASS
After just over a year as a team, Slater and Koeneke of Trove Partners are thriving, with $267 million in sales volume in 2024. Wins included their landmark sale of the Hamptons’ waterfront house at 700 Meadow Lane for $112.5 million and the sale of the penthouse at Hudson Yards for $29.5 million. Clients include Connie Britton, Jonathan Van Ness and Bob Harper. “The market in NYC is tipping into the hands of sellers, based on inventory shortages and desire for properties that need no renovation,” the duo tellTHR.
Eleonora Srugo
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
For Selling the City star Srugo, real estate is at the heart of the American dream. “Our industry is capitalism in its purest and most inspired form. It is the framework for upward mobility and allows you to start at zero and expand endlessly,” she says. Her $125 million worth of deals in 2024 include a standout sale for Jennifer Lopez’s penthouse on East 26th Street for $23 million. “New York is the wealth capital of the United States — the stakes are so much higher here.”
Jim St. André
COMPASS
With illustrious clients including Julianne Moore, Ellen Barkin, Jennifer Lawrence and Julian Schnabel, St. André knows entertainment and real estate go hand in hand. He has spearheaded new relationships within the New York arts and culture scene this year, hosting a series of intimate salons and chamber music performances in his most spectacular listings across the city.
“The roaring 2020s feel is in full effect right now,” he says. “Buyers from around the world are coveting the Manhattan experience. It’s a great moment to be in NYC.”
Joshua Wesoky
COMPASS
Wesoky has a reputation as the NYC art world’s broker of choice, with $187 million in sales in 2024 and more than $80 million already this year. Last year, he sold the historic Max Hoffman House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Rye, New York, off-market for the Tisch family for $9.18 million to Marc Jacobs. “Coming from a background in investment finance,” he says, “my clients appreciate the analytical and negotiation skills I bring to what is often one of their largest investments.”
Peter Zaitzeff
SERHANT
Zaitzeff has added to his $4.5 billion career sales total with $295.7 million in the past 12 months. Known as “King of the West Village,” he can claim such clients as Jon Bon Jovi, Ben Stiller, Martha Stewart and David Yurman. His deep connections and strategic approach have led to record-breaking sales, including the highest sale ever recorded below 34th Street — 150 Charles St. #9A for $60 million in 2024. “This year has the potential to be our most successful yet,” he notes.
This story appeared in the April 16 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
