New York is an extremely diverse state in terms of income, lifestyle and property values. The average median home in New York state is $450,431, up 4.9% year over year, with a median of 38 days to pending, according to Zillow. That encompasses a wide swath of real estate: In New York City, home values now average around $727,695, while in Kings County, New York, on the southwestern tip of Long Island, the median home price is $814,963, down 1% year over year; and in the capital city of Albany, the median home is $280,732, 6.6% year over year.
New York City itself is a draw for many people who want access to amenities like nightlife, public transportation and nearby jobs. With only 10% of homes there sold over asking price and 48% sold under asking price, Rocket mortgages has deemed New York City a buyer’s market in February 2024.
But whether you’re looking to live in New York City proper or elsewhere in the state, it’s essential to find the right real estate company to help you with your home search. Here are the top real estate firms serving New York:
1. Alexander Team — Official
2. The Hudson Advisory Team — Compass
3. Alexa Lambert — Compass
4. Shaun Osher — CORE Real Estate
5. Cathy Franklin — Corcoran
6. Hedgerow Exclusive Properties
7. The Carrie Chiang Team — Corcoran
8. Serena Boardman — Sotheby’s International Realty
9. The Harkov Lewis Team — Brown Harris Stevens
10. The Lesser Team — Leslie J. Garfield & Co. Real Estate
Alexander Team — Official
Founded by Oren and Tal Alexander, the Alexander Team provides white-glove service for buyers and sellers interested in newly developed luxury homes. The Alexander Team earned $1.3 billion in sales in 2023. In partnership with real estate broker Official, 12 of its licensed real estate agents service New York City neighborhoods including Lower Manhattan, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Tribeca, Chelsea and Gramercy.
The Hudson Advisory Team — Compass
Specializing in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Hamptons, the Hudson Advisory Team offers a comprehensive range of services including sales, rentals and new development marketing. Founders Clayton Orrigo and Stephen Ferrara lead the team of more than 30 licensed real estate professionals who pulled in more than $935 million in sales in 2023. The firm also has partners across the country, including South Florida, Aspen, Colorado, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Alexa Lambert — Compass
A broker at Stribling & Associates for over 25 years before it was purchased by Compass, Alexa sells some of the highest-end properties in Manhattan, but her reach includes customers and properties in varied price ranges. Compass Real Estate has 16 officesin New York City, 19 offices in Westchester and Hudson Valley, six in The Hamptons and 12 on Long Island.
Shaun Osher — CORE Real Estate
Shaun Osher founded CORE in 2005. The company employs approximately 40 licensed real estate agents who specialize in 23 neighborhoods within New York City. As CEO, he has been responsible for more than 30 projects and $6 billion in sales. A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, Osher graduated from The New School and began his career in 1994.
Cathy Franklin — Corcoran
With over $5 billion of luxury co-op, condo and townhouse sales, Cathy Franklin is a 30-year real estate veteran who has consistently ranked among Corcoran’s top real estate agents. Franklin recorded over $600 million in sales volume in 2023. Corcoran is committed to serving its original markets in New York City, the Hamptons and South Florida, but the company is expanding to new markets across the country.
Hedgerow Exclusive Properties
Hedgerow Exclusive Properties is a real estate and marketing firm with 17 licensed real estate agents. Operating from Bridgehampton, New York, it had a sales volume in excess of $500 million in 2023.
The Carrie Chiang Team — Corcoran
A native of Shanghai, Carrie Chiang was raised in Hong Kong and spent time in Brazil before moving to New York in 1988. In addition to her experience trading the city’s prestigious condominiums, Chiang has sold more than 100 townhouses and more than $10 billion in real estate. She brokered a $100 million deal with a Hong Kong-based consortium that enabled the construction of the Riverside Boulevard community on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
Serena Boardman — Sotheby’s International Realty
Before she began her career in real estate, Serena Boardman was employed at Sotheby’s Auction House and then at LuxuryFinder.com. She started with Sotheby’s International Realty in 2001. Since then, she has sold in excess of $4 billion dollars of property. Boardman works in the co-op, condominium and townhouse markets both on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side and Downtown, focusing on the sale of top-tier properties, but also working with a variety of price ranges. The majority of Boardman’s sales are in the $5 million to $15 million range. Sotheby’s services 81 countries and territories and operates 1,000 offices worldwide, eight of them in New York.
The Harkov Lewis Team — Brown Harris Stevens
Founded by Ari Harkov and Warner Lewis, The Harkov Lewis Team has a staff of 19 with 13 licensed real estate agents. The firm focuses on Manhattan’s luxury market and sold more than $400 million in 2023, according to RealTrends. Affiliated with Brown Harris Stevens, the team focuses on the Manhattan and Brooklyn real estate markets.
The Lesser Team — Leslie J. Garfield & Co. Real Estate
As managing director of the Lesser Team, Matthew Lesser has led his team to be townhouse experts within Leslie J. Garfield & Co. The Lesser Team covers Manhattan and Brooklyn, having expanded into Brooklyn nearly 10 years ago with partner Ravi Kantha, who joined Serhant Real Estate in 2024 with other members of the Lesser Kantha team. The Lesser Team sold more than $400 million in 2023, according to RealTrends.
How to Find a Real Estate Agent Near You
Whether you’re looking for a home in New York City or another part of the state, it’s essential to find the right real estate agent. You may want to search for a real estate agent with one of the companies above, or get recommendations from neighbors and friends. Teaming up with the right agent is an important step in the homebuying process, so take the time to ask the right questions and weigh your choices.
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The Top Real Estate Companies in New York originally appeared on usnews.com
Correction 02/16/23: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated how long Brown Harris Stevens has been in business.
Update 03/08/24: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
