Category: News + Insight
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Q4 2025 Manhattan Market Report: A Strong Finish Heading Into 2026
As 2025 came to a close, Manhattan’s residential real estate market delivered a notably strong fourth quarter, particularly at the high end. Sales climbed to their highest level since 2022, signaling a clear turning point after a period of recalibration. With New York City’s economy outperforming the nation over the past two years — and…
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Isaiah Ajala on NYC Residential Real Estate: What 2025 Revealed and What’s Next
The New York City residential real estate market in 2025 proved to be a narrative of remarkable resilience and strategic adaptation. While much of the United States grappled with a housing slowdown, New York City frequently bucked national trends, demonstrating a “Great Housing Reset” characterized by stabilizing rates and a shift toward a more balanced…
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The Brown Harris Stevens Advantage
It’s official. As of Friday morning, the Compass–Anywhere mega merger is complete leaving Brown Harris Stevens as largest privately owned real estate brokerage in New York City, and one of the only luxury independent firms across Palm Beach, Miami, Connecticut, the Hamptons, and Northern New Jersey, and the Hudson Valley. Brown Harris Stevens CEO Bess…
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Bess Freedman Breaks Down the Housing Affordability Challenge
Appearing on CNBC to discuss the state of U.S. housing affordability, Brown Harris Stevens CEO Bess Freedman offered a clear-eyed assessment of why homeownership remains out of reach for so many Americans—and what it will take to fix it. “Affordability remains a real challenge in the United States. The average first-time homebuyer today is 40…
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Affordability Is Not a Pricing Problem. It’s a Supply Problem, and Policy Keeps Missing the Root Cause.
Affordability has become the dominant lens through which New Yorkers talk about housing. It shaped the most recent mayoral campaign, and it has been the stated objective of housing policy for decades. Yet despite sustained attention and repeated interventions, the cost of living, particularly rents, has continued to rise. That’s not because policymakers lack intent.…
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What Brown Harris Stevens Leaders and Agents See Ahead for New York Real Estate in 2026
As New York City heads into 2026, the housing market is settling into a familiar but evolving rhythm—competitive, selective, and increasingly shaped by buyers with significant financial flexibility. In Curbed’s recent look at broker predictions for the year ahead, Brown Harris Stevens executives and agents offered an unfiltered view of where the market stands now and where…
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NYC Real Estate Outlook for 2026: Lessons from 2025 and What’s Ahead
As 2025 comes to a close, New York City’s real estate market finds itself at an important inflection point. The past year was defined by recalibration — buyers and sellers adjusting expectations, interest rates remaining elevated, and inventory staying tight across many neighborhoods. But as we look ahead, the narrative is shifting. In a recent CityRealty…
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Is Manhattan Losing Residents? Separating Headlines From Reality
We’ve all seen headlines at various points warning of a mass “exodus” from Manhattan. Over the years, Manhattan has been counted out many times, only to reinvent itself time and again. Claims of an exodus may make for good clickbait, but they don’t reflect what’s actually happening. The reality is far more nuanced. Yes, New…
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The Line: Employment Rose by 64,000 in November
In this week’s Line— our last post of 2025— we celebrate the return of timely government data, with the latest on jobs and inflation. Employment Rose by 64,000 in November Here’s the breakdown on the BLS report: While the higher-than-expected gain in jobs last month sounds great, when you add in the big decline in…
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What Yesterday’s Fed Cut Means for NYC Real Estate in 2026
Yesterday, the Federal Reserve issued a widely expected 25-basis-point rate cut — its third consecutive reduction — bringing the benchmark rate to its lowest level in three years. But while borrowing costs moved lower, the tone was unmistakably cautious. As CNBC previewed ahead of the meeting, this turned out to be a true “hawkish cut”— a…