New York state has more than 78,167 active real estate agents. Given how important agents are to the transaction, here is a list of the Top Real Estate Brokerages and Brokers in New York you NEED to know!
Top Real Estate Brokers in New York: At a Glance
| Top New York Brokers | Best For | More Than 10 Years of Experience | More Than 100 sales in the last 12 months | Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derek Greene | 💲 Sellers looking for maximum savings 🌟 Sellers looking for Stellar Customer Reviews 📃 Sellers looking for Fast Listing Changes 🖥️ Sellers looking for Cutting-edge Technology | ✅ | ✅ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (136 reviews) |
| Richard Leasure | 🤵 Customers who Need In-Person Support | ✅ | ✅ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (9 reviews) |
| Nancy Kenedy | 👍 Best for Negotiation Skills | ✅ | ✅ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (151 reviews) |
What Are Real Estate Brokers?
Real estate brokers and real estate agents are used interchangeably, but they vastly differ in definition. A real estate broker is a licensed real estate professional in their own right who’s also a licensed real estate agent. A real estate broker is differentiated by the fact that they can start their own firm and hire real estate agents to work with.
How to become a licensed Real Estate Broker in New York?
For a real estate agent to become a licensed real estate broker in New York,
- They need to have at least two years of experience as a licensed real estate salesperson or at least three years of experience in the general real estate field or a combination of the both.
- Pass a qualifying examination administered by the Department of State and have satisfactorily completed both the qualifying salesperson course of 75 hours and an additional 45-hour real estate broker course as approved by the Secretary of State.
Average Real Estate Broker Commission in New York
The average real estate broker commission in New York is 5% to 6%. This commission is split evenly between the listing and the buyer’s agent. Below is the breakdown of how the average real estate broker commission is divided:
6% Real Estate Commission
- 3% Listing Agent Commission
- 1.5% Listing Agent Commission
- 1.5% Listing Broker Commission
- 3% Buyer’s Agent Commission
- 1.5% Buyer’s Agent Commission
- 1.5% Buyer’s Broker Commission
So, effectively, the real estate broker commission in New York is lesser because it is split between the buyer’s agent and the broker. It is possible that the buyer’s agent may be a licensed real estate broker. In that case, they earn the full 2.5% to 3% broker commission.
Reviews: Best Real Estate Brokers In New York
Derek Greene
BEST ON TECHNOLOGY
Listing Fee: $399
4.9/5 (136 reviews)👨⚖️ About: Derek Greene is a broker and founder at The Greene Realty Group. He offers top limited service MLS listings as well as assistance with for sale by owner transactions. He is associated with Houzeo and uses the platform for his real estate transactions.
🏡 Sales Volume: $27M from 32 transactions on Houzeo
✨Ala carte services: His other services include marketing flyers, price assistance, e-contract review, lawn signs, and online showing scheduling.
🏆 Expertise: Buyer Agent, For Sale By Owners, Listing Facilitation, Seller Agent, Consultation
Green Realty Group
🏡 About: Founded in 2005, Green Realty Group is an MLS listing service that works on an upfront flat fee with no commissions. They mainly serve New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Cape Cod & Islands, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Long Island, Vermont
✨ Services: They offer services ranging from open house assistance, contract review, market analysis, and ongoing broker consultation. You can upload 30 photos, post virtual/video tours, advertise open houses and broker tours, features, legal form and disclosure packages, etc.
Houzeo.com
Houzeo is America’s #1 Flat Fee MLS listing service.
💰 Save Thousands on Commission: Houzeo’s plans are typically a small flat fee of $399. This will save you thousands! If your buyer is unrepresented, you save the buyer agent commission as well.
📣 Maximum Exposure: Listings get syndicated to the MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, Trulia, and hundreds of other websites. Houzeo also has nifty social media sharing tools. No other platform gives you this much exposure.
📱 Cutting-edge Technology: Houzeo is the most powerful real estate website. Its advanced features include:
- IntelliList Listing Management System: Lets you manage your listing 100% online.
- Houzeo Showings: Manage showing appointments online.
- Houzeo Offers: All offers are summarized online. You can view and compare offers, or counter any offer. In a multiple-offer situation, you can also call for highest and best offers.
- Buyer Search: Buyers can contact you directly on Houzeo.com instead of going through a real estate agent.
- Houzeo Settlement Agent Platform: Guides you to your closing.
» Learn More: How To Sell A House By Owner in New York
- 135+ positive reviews on Zillow
- Over 3565 listings
Derek Greene has a rating of 4.9/5 on Zillow.
Derek Greene covers the entire state of New York.
Richard Leasure
Best for Customers who need in-person support
43 years of experience
5/5 ( 9 reviews)About: Richard Leasure is a New York REALTOR and Associate Broker at Howard Hanna Pittsford – Monroe Avenue.
🏆 Expertise: Buyer’s Agent, Listing Agent, Relocation, Commercial Real Estate
🏡 Sales: 125 transactions in 2021
Howard Hanna Pittsford
Established in 1957 by Howard and Anne Freyvogel Hanna, with a single office in Pittsburgh, the family-owned Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is now the #1 family-owned and operated broker in the country.
» Learn More: Seller’s Guide to Handle Multiple Offers
- Ranked #1 Agent in Rochester for Individual Sales in 2020
Richard has a rating of 5/5 (out of 9 reviews) on Howard Hanna.
Wayne County, NY
Yates County, NY
Monroe County, NY
Ontario County, NY
Orleans County, NY
Livingston County, NY
Nancy Kennedy
Best Known for her Negotiation Skills
37 years of experience
5/5 (151 reviews)About: Nancy Kennedy is a real estate agent from Westchester known for her negotiation skills while going above and beyond for the clients. She surpassed $1B in career sales in 2019 and is a top real estate agent in Houlihan Lawrence.
🏆 Expertise: Buyer’s Agent, Listing Agent, Relocation, Short-Sale, Property Management
🏡 Sales: 123 transactions in 2021
Houlihan Lawrence
For 125 years, their team of real estate experts has been the market leader in New York City’s northern suburbs. They have the largest regional and global network with long-standing international connections and partners in over 65 countries.
» Learn More: How To Negotiate Real Estate Commission
- Broker Associate for Houlihan Lawrence, Westchester’s largest realtor with the greatest market share and market exposure.
- #1 Associate for Houlihan Lawrence
- #1 Associate in the entire Multiple Listing Service in Westchester-Putnam Counties
- #1 In Westchester County, #5 in New York State & #109 in the Nation by Wall Street Journal: Top Thousand Realtors Nationwide in 2018
- #28 to the nationwide The Wall Street Journal Top Thousand US Realtors list nationwide in 2016.
- $1 Billion in Career sales achieved in 2019.
Nancy Kennedy has a 5/5 (151 reviews) on Zillow.
Westchester County, NY
Pleasantville, NY
Thornwood, NY
Mohegan Lake, Lake Mohegan, NY
Mahopac, NY
Shrub Oak, NY
Armonk, NY
Mount Kisco, NY
Buchanan, NY
New Rochelle, NY
Tarrytown, NY
Briarcliff Manor, NY
Peekskill, NY
White Plains, NY
Lake Peekskill, NY
Ardsley, NY
Town of Cortlandt, NY
Dobbs Ferry, NY
Hastings on Hudson, NY
Jefferson Valley, NY
Millwood, NY
Montrose, NY
Yorktown Heights, NY
Granite Springs, NY
Hawthorne, NY
Amawalk, NY
Chappaqua, NY
Town Of Greenburgh, NY
Town of Scarsdale, NY
Croton-on-Hudson, NY
Town Of Ossining, NY
Town of Mamaroneck, NY
Difference between a Broker, REALTOR®, and Real Estate Agent
A real estate broker is a licensed real estate agent with additional training and licenses to employ other real estate agents in their brokerage firms. In contrast, a real estate agent is only licensed to assist a real estate transaction, and cannot hire other agents or open a brokerage firm.
Realtors are real estate professionals who are members of the National Association of REALTORS®(NAR), the largest trade association in the U.S. Bound by the NAR’s Code of Ethics, Realtors promise to be transparent, honest and uphold their clients’ best interests in all transactions.
There are thousands of licensed real estate agents and brokers across the nation, with varying levels of service quality, so it is ideal to hire a local real estate broker when selling a house for the first time.
Selling a house by owner may seem like a daunting process but technology tools like Houzeo.com have digitized the contingencies like listing paperwork and made the process seamless.
The best part – you don’t pay the traditional 6% real estate commission! You can use the 100% online platform to list your house, manage home showings, and counteroffers for a flat fee.
How to Find a Real Estate Broker In New York?
By being methodical about it.
Consider the basics of real estate transactions and evaluate costs, time, and efforts.
National brands offer nationwide coverage but service quality may not be guaranteed in each office. You will be yet another lead in the marketing funnel while a Flat Fee Realtor is assigned for your listing.
In contrast, if you choose a local real estate broker, you could save on the time and effort substantially. Real estate commissions, however, still remain questionable and depend on the work done by the real estate broker.
If you are radical enough to adventure selling a house quickly for sale by owner, then flat fee MLS listing services like Houzeo are a great way to save time, and the 100% online platform makes the comprehensive listing paperwork seamless.
🏡 FSBO SOUNDS INTERESTING? Check out our guide to selling your house as an owner.
Best Brokerages in New York: At a Glance
| Companies | Key Highlights | Customer Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Houzeo | 📱 Most Advanced Tech 💲 Maximum savings 🌟 Stellar Customer Reviews 📃 Fast Listing Changes | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (2,410 reviews) |
| Douglas Elliman | ✨ Best for Luxury Properties | ⭐⭐⭐ (12 reviews) |
Reviews: Top Real Estate Brokerage Firms in New York
Houzeo
BEST ON TECHNOLOGY
Listing Fee: $399
4.9/5 (2,410 reviews)Houzeo is not a brokerage.
About: Houzeo is a tech company that thrives to ease the real estate transaction process for American home sellers. More than $ 3.5 billion worth of properties were listed on Houzeo.com in 2021.
Houzeo provides an unbeatable combination of maximum savings, cutting-edge technology, and 5-star customer support.
Houzeo is the most popular and competitive platform for sellers looking for full-service affordable real estate companies that will give maximum savings with minimum real estate agent interaction. Also, Houzeo is considered to be the best Flat Fee MLS and FSBO provider in the US real estate market.
💰 Save Thousands on Commission: Houzeo is an advanced tech platform that allows home sellers to list their homes on the MLS for a small flat fee, working with a listing agent who doesn’t typically charge a commission. This saves you almost 50% of the agent commissions right away.
⚡ Package Customization: You can customize the packages as per your requirements and even opt for services like contract review, pricing assistance, professional photography, and more as per the requirement.
📱 Enjoy Cutting Edge Technology: Home sellers, after registering, get access to an exclusive seller dashboard where they can receive, review, and compare offers. The platform also allows features like contract updates, counteroffers, home showings, lockbox, yard signs, and more.
⭐ 5 Star Reviews: With superior reviews on Google and Trustpilot, Houzeo is also the most advanced For Sale By Owner (FSBO) platform in the United States.
🎈 Coverage: Houzeo has a nationwide presence
🏆 Best For: Zero hidden fees, MLS exposure, 100% automated process, Listing within 8 business hours with Houzeo Concierge, Buyer leads directly shared with the seller, Counteroffer feature, and Affordable full-service packages` No other real estate company comes close to offering such features.
When home sellers list via Houzeo.com, they can leverage the Houzeo Advantage.
Let’s look at the “Houzeo Advantage”:
- IntelliList Listing Management System: Lets you manage your listing 100% online.
- Lightning Fast Listing & Changes: Houzeo is 100% online. Listing can happen in under 60 minutes and any MLS listing changes are updated quickly.
- Houzeo Showings: Manage showing appointments online.
- Houzeo Offers: All offers are summarized online. You can view and compare offers, or counter any offer. In a multiple-offer situation, you can also call for the highest and best offers.
- Buyer Search: Buyers can contact you directly on Houzeo.com instead of going through a real estate agent.
- Houzeo Settlement Agent Platform: Guides you in ensuring the successful closing.
- Digital Transaction Management
- Houzeo ID Secure
- Pro Directory
- Houzeo Buyer Lead Manager
- Houzeo Mobile App: All features are at your fingertips with Houzeo mobile apps for iOS and Android.
📲 Interested to list with Houzeo? Houzeo is 100% online so you can finish the paperwork in less than 60 mins with a few clicks. Start NOW!
Houzeo has a customer rating of 4.9/5.
Houzeo is available nationwide.
Douglas Elliman
Best For Luxury Properties
#12 in largest brokerage firm
3/5 (12 reviews)About: Douglas Elliman Realty, LLC is a full-service real estate brokerage firm that has approximately 105 offices in New York, Florida, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Massachusetts, Texas, Nevada, New Jersey, and International markets 6,947 real estate agents.
🏆 Accolades: #1 Brokerage with most homes sold on The North Folk in 2021,
🏡 Sales Volume: $51B from 32,281 transactions in 2021
Douglas Elliman
Douglas Elliman employs more than 7,000 agents and has 113 offices in New York City and across the country. Douglas Elliman leads the New York real estate market by sales volume and ranks as one of the nation’s largest independent residential real estate brokerages by the same measure.
» Explore: 7 Best Real Estate Brokerages
MyDouglas: Douglas Elliman has a cloud-based technology platform called “MyDouglas”, a single sign-on portal that is customizable and mobile-compatible and integrates all of the agent’s resources into one user-friendly suite.
MyDouglas portal will also serve as an integration platform with the brokerage’s partners like Notarize, Docusign, and VideoBolt
StudioPro: The company’s proprietary tech platform powered by CRM platform Rechat and originally known as Elliman Studio, includes a customer relationship management (CRM) system, digital transaction management, and custom marketing templates for agents
Douglas Elliman has a 3/5 (out 12 reviews) rating on Yelp.
Hudson Valley, NY
Long Island, NY
The Hamptons, NY
The North Fork, NY
Westchester County, NY
How to Choose the Right Real Estate Brokerage?
For Home Sellers
Approximately 89 percent of homeowners use the services of a real estate agent or broker when buying or selling a home, making the selection of the most qualified agent critical to a successful real estate transaction.
| Parameters | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Inquire | When choosing a real estate broker or agent, inquire about their knowledge of the local market and your property type. |
| 2. Marketing strategy | Question the marketing strategy, methods of communication, references, and connections a broker has with other real estate professionals before making a decision. |
| 3. Full-time Professional | Make certain to hire a professional who is available on a full-time basis. |
| 4. Guidance | Ideally, a realtor will be able to guide you through the process of searching for and purchasing a house. |
| 5. Local Realtor | Local realtors who work for themselves should not be dismissed. They may have more intimate knowledge of a community, than a large real estate company |
» How to Sell My House Fast New York: Discover Best Ways to Sell Your NY House Quickly
In addition to the questions listed above, there are several other factors to consider when hiring a real estate agent or brokerage.
Availability of Real Estate Agents or Brokerages: While there are competent part-time agents who sell properties, you must hire someone who can show your home at a time that is convenient for you.
Offer Suggestions: Other desirable features attract buyers in an area like pools, screened-in porches, etc. Pools, screened-in porches, and other desirable features are known to attract buyers to the area. They will advise on which rooms or features to emphasize or de-emphasize.
Similarly, ask the agent if there are any improvements you could make to the house to make it more desirable. The best agents will often make these suggestions without your input.
Local Real Estate Brokerages: Hire or retain a local expert. These agents will also be aware of the typical selling and listing prices in the area.
Other than that, ask a local brokerage or your friends and family if they know anyone who has sold many homes or businesses there. Also, other ideas include looking through local real estate publications to see which agents have the most listings.
For Home Buyers
In contrast, an inexperienced agent may make things more difficult for you (and your wallet) than they need to be during the home buying process.
There is a specific set of abilities that distinguishes the best real estate agents from the rest when it comes time to buy a house. Is there a list of these abilities? Let’s find out
| Point to Remember | Description |
|---|---|
| 1. Good Communication | Look for an agent who is a good communicator and can answer all of your questions about the home-buying process. |
| 2. Reliable Experience | When interviewing real estate agents, be sure to not only inquire about the length of time they have been in the business of buying and selling homes, but also inquire about their specific experience. |
| 3. Strong Local Market Knowledge | Each market is unique. In order to navigate the nuances of your local market, you'll need a real estate agent who is familiar with local market trends and patterns. Choose a real estate agent who has a track record of quickly placing buyers in homes (and getting them a great deal, too). |
| 4. Positive Reviews | Online reviews are a great resource when choosing a realtor. Read as many reviews as you can before choosing a real estate agent, and look for past clients who have only positive things to say about their experiences. |
| 5. Personal Rapport | Ultimately, you want a realtor you like. You'll be spending a lot of time together, so choose someone you enjoy being around and who truly understands your needs. |
Find Your New Home in New York With Houzeo
With thousands of property listings, Houzeo.com is one of the biggest property listing sites in the US. Find condos, townhouses, co-ops, and other types of homes for sale in New York on Houzeo.
» Need More Clarity? Read these exclusive Houzeo reviews and learn why the platform is the best in America’s competitive housing market.
Final Word
Selling or buying a house is a highly valued experience in every individual’s life. Choosing an inefficient brokerage or the broker may mar your overall experience and can cause grave financial losses.
Also, while selling your house you will have to shell out a 6% agent commission. But this still would not guarantee good customer service.
To save yourself from this problem you can choose Houzeo.
| 💻 Houzeo’s tech-centric broker partners charge just the upfront flat fee, and no commission for all DIY plans (except in minimum service states) |
| 👩🏻💻 Offers typically are routed to the brokers. Houzeo’s Offers Platform allows your broker to present the offer to you instantly |
| 💰 Houzeo Offers Platform allows sellers to Counter an Offer and Request Highest & Best Offers Online |
| 📱 Houzeo Showings is available both on Houzeo’s website and on the Houzeo mobile app (learn more) |
| 🕛 Available only on weekdays up to 1 pm, and only in select MLS’. After you’ve purchased the Gold or Platinum plans, email support@houzeo.com with the subject line “Expedited Listing Request: “. Service is free for Gold and Platinum plan customers |
Eager to Know How Houzeo Works?
Check out the following video for all the details you need:
FAQs
Who is the top broker in New York?
The top brokers in New York
1. Richard Leasure
2. Nancy Kennedy
3. Derek Greene
Who are the biggest real estate brokerage in New York?
Douglas Elliman is one of the biggest brokerages in New York.
How much does a real estate broker make in New York state?
The average salary for a real estate broker in New York State is around $116,460 per year.
