Boroughs & Burbs, the National Real Estate Conversation

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This is the one show you need to watch if you want an understanding of the 12 towns of lower Fairfield County. As people move in to Connecticut in record numbers to compete for fewer houses than ever before it is more important than ever to understand the value propositions that each town provides. Some of these towns promise the best public schools in America. Others offer an easy commute. Still others offer green space, fabulous parks and beaches, a quaint New England village or a wealth of diverse restaurants and shopping. And some towns are just more affordable.

This week we ask two veterans of the Connecticut market, managers of the Westport, Wilton, Rowayton and Darien offices of Brown Harris Stevens. John and Robyn manage over 250 agents covering all of Fairfield County. We are very pleased to present John Dicenzo and Robyn Kammerer.

John Dicenzo
With nearly 25 years in real estate, John is Executive Director of Sales for Brown Harris Stevens' Westport and Wilton offices, leading a team of 44 agents, who serve the communities of middle and eastern Fairfield County. 
 
Robyn Kammerer
As the Executive Director of Sales of Darien and Rowayton, Robyn Kammerer works closely with Ned Saunders to direct and manage the two offices with more than ninety agents. 

Did you know:

Darien is New Canaan’s twin with a nearly identical population (21,742), median house value ($1.398 million), school population (4200) and median household income ($208,848). Darien’s schools are ranked #9 in the state and Darien is #13 best place to live. 

Easton is a suburb of 7,607 people on 28.6 square miles (half of which is owned by the Aquarion Water Company) Easton gets an overall grade of A- by Niche with highly rated schools.

Fairfield is the largest coastal town of 59,404 people on 31.3 square miles. There are 5 miles of coast on Long Island Sound.

Greenwich is the largest and wealthiest town on Connecticut’s Gold Coast, 67.2 square miles with a total population of 61,171 people. Money Magazine ranked Greenwich #12 place to live in America. 

New Canaan is a town of 20,357 people and is serviced by its own train line to Stamford and New York City. Niche rankes the schools #2 in Connecticut and #6 best place to live. 

Norwalk is a coastal city of 88,438 people, the 6th most populous in Connecticut, in an area of 36.3 square miles. Norwalk gets high marks for diversity (#4) and as the #7 best suburb for a young professional to live in Connecticut.

Redding is more woods and fewer people, the third fewest population density in the County. The population of 9,158 people live in 3,811 housing units across 32 square miles. 

Ridgefield is a quaint New England town and beautiful Victorian era houses and mature trees line the main street. Ridgefield is ranked by Niche as the #8 best place to raise a family in Connecticut. 

Rowayton is a seaside neighborhood within the city of Norwalk. Houses are close together on small lots. Commerce is limited to a handful of stores and restaurants including the Rowayton Market. 

Stamford is a coastal city in Fairfield County of 52 square miles with a population of 131,000 making it the third largest city in the state behind Bridgeport and New Haven. 

Weston is a quiet, rural suburb with a population of 10,369. Niche says Weston is the #12 best place to raise a family in Connecticut. 

Westport is a town of 27,777 people on the main train line between Norwalk to the West and Fairfield to the East. The schools are currently ranked #1 in Connecticut and it is the #2 best place to live. 

Wilton is a town of 18,062 people on 27 square miles and global corporations such as ASML, Deloitte & Touche, Sun Products, BreitlingSA, Cannondale Bicycle, and Melissa

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Episode #27: Classic Architecture and High-Tech

Before you designing and building your next house you might want to know what you're getting. You'll want to walk through the design and see every detail. That is now possible.  Join us today to see how Wadia & Associates are using technology to bring their ideas to life. We have Peter Michalsky from world-renowned Wadia & Associates on the show. Please join us in a conversation on the technologies that bring classic architecture to life.

A flythrough of this Magnificent Greenwich Lakeside Estate. Click to see the full video.

Since the establishment of Wadia Associates more than 45 years ago, Dinyar Wadia and his dedicated team of designers have earned a reputation for designing and building high-end homes, gardens, and interiors. Over the years, they have helped sculpt the local environment to become an important regional proponent of Classicism. Their skillful design sensibilities have provided a seamless fit of their traditionally-styled homes into the eclectic fabric of Fairfield County, Westchester County, Rhode Island, Southern California, Boulder, CO, and now, Florida. Although avowed New Classicists, Wadia Associates have a pluralistic approach to traditional design that is not rooted in a slavish imitation of the past. More appropriately, it is based upon reinterpreting the past and updating it for the present. And while all of their designs feature the classic proportions and exquisite details of houses from a bygone age, the firm is still able to incorporate all the amenities and needs of a modern American family. As Dinyar is fond of saying, “It is traditional architecture for the modern world.”

Our guest is Peter Michalsky, Head of Marketing and Business Development for Wadia Associates. With over 40 years in the architect and planning industry, Wadia Associates has earned a reputation for designing and building high-end homes, gardens and interiors. When reputation is not enough, to win new business you need a technology edge.

We asked Pete...

Beyond using technology to communicate your designs, how else are you using technology in your projects?

"Regarding tech, we’re also getting a lot of requests for interesting features. We just completed a recessed flat screen on a lift that rises out of the patio for a home on the water in Greenwich. We’re getting ton of requests for completely integrated home kits that incorporate security, HVAC, product automation, etc. We can expand on that with some interesting examples."

"As for VHNW and UHNW, they are changing a bit. They are gravitating to bigger lots up here, with more outbuildings, guest quarters, sports complexes, and compound-like objectives. In Palm Beach, they are asking for more West Indies and Bermuda styles, because every other house is Mizner inspired Spanish/Moorish/Gothic styles and they want to be different. As classicists, we like both but we’re seeing a trend. Everyone wants the indoors and outdoors to blend seamlessly, which has been going on for some time, but it is the first thing they talk about."

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Last week we stayed uptown. This week we'll tour Manhattan's neighborhoods with 2 experts: Jeffrey Goodman hosts the popular "Rediscovering New York" walking tours showcasing the city's great neighborhoods culturally and historically. But, since we are Realtors and care about the implications on real estate values, we'll be asking Michael Goldenberg to break down the numbers district by district.

Jeffrey Goodman, a 4th generation New Yorker in the Columbus Avenue office will highlight for us the most important cultural and historical facts of these famous Manhattan neighborhoods

Michael Goldenberg lives in Greenwich Village and has managed offices on the Upper West Side and SoHo. We want Michael to break down the numbers for us. Who's up? Who's down, and why?

Points that came up for discussion:

1. Infrastructure. How has it shaped neighborhood development?

2. Anchors that make up a neighborhood. 

3. Names matter. Who wants to live in Hell's Kitchen?

4. Zoning. 

6. The public is ahead of the government on law-making. What that means for neighborhoods.

7. Housing stock. Which neighborhoods are still developing and why?

8. Greg Heym's inventory report and how to use it.

9. Urban Digs.

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first aired Thursday, April 28 from 4:00-5:00pm

Michael A. Goldenberg's 25 years in the Manhattan real estate business have been highlighted by the respect and admiration received from his colleagues and associates. As Managing Consultant of Brown Harris Stevens’ West Side office, Michael is responsible for the professional growth of over 160 agents. He brings a varied background in real estate, business, and finance which enlarges his repertoire of tools utilized to champion his brokers’ and agents’ businesses. Michael has a unique and comprehensive understanding of the New York City real estate market. Michael lives in a condominium in Greenwich Village. He is an active member of The Real Estate Board of New York, currently serving as co-chair of the Government Affairs Committee and co-chair of the West Side Committee of REBNY.  He believes that there is no better place to live, work, grow, enjoy, and flourish than New York City.

Jeffrey Goodman. A fourth generation New Yorker with a thorough understanding of his hometown’s evolving neighborhoods and fluctuating real estate market, Jeff is not only devoted, but an expert at helping his clients achieve their goals. He works with sellers to sell their properties for the best possible price and helps buyers fulfill their dreams by finding and securing their new home or pied-a-terre. Jeff also draws on his extensive international travels and the skills he developed over 25 years as an advertising executive to help investor clients find promising investment properties. 

Roberto Cabrera - With 20 years of experience, I have been recognized throughout the industry for achieving outstanding results: Ranked nationally by REAL Trends as one of "America's Best Real Estate Agents” for avg. sales price of $4.350M. Sold a single family Townhouse faster than any other on the Upper West Side over $10M. I live with my wife and daughter on the Upper West Side, the neighborhood I have called home for the past 23 years. I was originally born in Richmond, Virginia and grew up in Maryland.

John Engel - John Engel is a consistently top-producing agent in Fairfield County, Connecticut. John recently won the 2019 Realtor of the Year Award in New Canaan where he is currently the Chairman of the Town Council. John also brings an insight into internet-based marketing that is unsurpassed. Before going into real estate he was the founder of two successful internet businesses

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Episode #24  Hall Willkie and Mary Rutherford: 

He's running the premium agency in New York. She sells the biggest apartments. This week 2 of the biggest names in New York Real Estate reflect on 5th Avenue, Park Avenue & Central Park West, the iconic buildings, and how these neighborhoods are changing. We'll ask them to talk about the market and peer into their crystal balls and give us their best predictions

Mary Rutherford recently sold the penthouse at the Pierre for $44 million. She sold Princess Lee Radziwill's apartment in 2019, David Rockefeller's apartment in 2017 for $32 million and in 2014 she sold Edgar Bronfman Sr.'s penthouse for $70 million. 

Brown Harris Stevens has been famous for selling the really, really fabulous apartments of New York for the last 150 years. Hall Willkie and Mary Rutherford have been major reasons for that success for the last 38 years. Mary started in the business in 1983 and is an example of the super-agent who sells the very best. Hall has been the President of Brown Harris Stevens for 32 years. He manages 1100 agents and has built the largest privately held firm in the New York tri-state market, selling more than $9 billion in real estate in 2019. Therefore, as New York undergoes massive changes as a result of the pandemic and shifting political winds we decided to catch up with these two icons of New York Real Estate and ask them to reflect and to predict.  

Some of what we were wondering when considering

 5th Avenue, Park Avenue & Central Park West:

What was the perception of the major buildings back in the day? 

How have those perceptions evolved?

Talk to us about the great architects and how they impact value.

Emery Roth & Rosaria Candela? 

Is there anything that is unique to either? 

What were their differences? 

Who were other prominent architects? 

How important was ceiling height then and now?

As ceiling heights descended, they reflect a timeline that led us straight into the 1960s at 8 feet. Who thought that was a good idea? Why did that happen? Was it considered chic? Let's talk about the 14 feet ceilings of The Dakota to the 8 feet "white elephants". Staff quarters were very important and an essential part of every large apartment and in the largest apartments there were multiple staff quarters (see 640 Park below). Today it would be rare to see a staff room (or live-in nanny room) in new condo construction design. You are more likely see a completely separate staff apartment and if so, it would only be one apartment, and would only happen at the super luxury level. Will that ever come back into the floorplans of the future? Take 640 Park Avenue – full floor units – 18 rooms 6 baths 4/5 Master Bathrooms 7 servants rooms (yes 7) made up of: - 4 “servant’s rooms” - 1 “butler room” - 1 “second man” room - And a “servant’s hall”

Why is 740 Park so iconic? 

How have the past 10 years had an effect on these properties? 

Lets talk about the restrictive (no) financing policy. 

Is that still necessary? Will it disappear? 

These are just some topics which I think would be fun and interesting to incorporate, but we'll follow this conversation wherever it naturally leads. 

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These "Super Houses"  in the NYC metro area are considered super-premium in virtually all of the rest of the world. These houses are incredibly complicated projects involving design professionals, engineers, and hundreds of workers and craftsmen across more than forty various trades. They can take years to complete and tens of millions of dollars to create. Scheduling delays raise costs and prevent clients from enjoying their investment. Lack of business acumen and experience can allow budgets to get out control for even the wealthiest of clients. Hiring great professionals to manage this complex process minimizes the chances of these issues while maximizing the possibility that creating an stunning home can actually be an amazing experience. We want to know why these two are among the best at what they do. 

- What is custom building versus speculative? 

- Why do people choose to go through this long process? 

- How do you set it up to be successful? 

- How has building at the top end evolved over the past decade? 

- What special things are clients looking for in their custom pads? 

- In the post Covid era, how has the red hot real estate market affected the ability of home and apartment owners to get work done at their homes? 

- How are strained supply chains magnifying this? 

Join us for "Super Houses" Thursday at 4pm on zoom

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Cardello Architects is one of the leading architecture firms in the country and provides residential and commercial architectural services to Fairfield and Westchester counties, as well as states far beyond, including Florida. For over 20 years, the team at Cardello Architects has been designing luxury house plans and creating custom homes to fulfill their clients’ dreams and exceed their expectations. With extensive experience as residential architects, we combine our strong creative spirit and comprehensive knowledge along with an efficient process to provide all of our clients with the perfect architectural design to meet your needs and suit your tastes. Cardello Architects is a full service architecture firm and our commercial and residential architect services range from consultation and design development to bidding and construction administration. We pride ourselves on our professionalism and accountability and always strive to be the ally for you, our customer.

Hobbs Inc. Three generations of experience, an uncompromising commitment to excellence, and exceeded expectations with every custom home built by Hobbs, Inc. For over 65 years Hobbs, Inc. has forged relationships with the most respected architects, designers, craftsmen and suppliers in the industry. Hobbs builds distinctive, custom homes for a discerning clientele throughout Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and the Hamptons. From design to execution our goal is to exceed your expectations while bringing your vision to life.Hobbs, Inc. has an advantage over other builders. As one of the few builders with a dedicated estimating department, we are able to spend the time required to analyze plans and deliver the most thoroughly researched and detailed estimates. The numbers are calculated from multiple subcontractor bids and in consultation with the architect to establish the most efficient and cost-effective way to engineer the project. Typically, this comprehensive process takes about four weeks and results in a complete

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Bess Freedman, CEO of Brown Harris Stevens with 
Matt Leone, Chief Marketing Officer of Brown Harris Stevens on 
The Importance of Branding and the Evolving Business of Real Estate

The real estate business has gone through some massive changes in the last few years and most of those changes start in New York. We have some new brands emerging while some of the industry's oldest and most established brands have only gotten stronger. How does two of the top branding experts in the industry think about these changes? We have been wanting to have this conversation for a year, ever since Brown Harris Stevens and Halstead decided to merge, a decision that came shortly after those firms reinvented its brand with award-winning new looks.

Just a few of the topics we'd like to explore:
- How are the markets BHS operates in performing right now 
- Effective marketing strategies over the last year
- How do you establish consistent brand messaging across five states and then reinforce brand standards across 55 offices and over 2,300 agents?
- Critical mass. How important is it to be a big firm with a global presence?
- The messaging steps of merging two established brands into one
- Brown Harris Stevens was established in 1873. Why is that important when some of our newest competitors were only invented yesterday?

Bess Freedman 
Bess oversees Brown Harris Stevens’ 55 offices and more than 2,300 agents across New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Florida. Under her leadership, Brown Harris Stevens has grown into one of the largest and most successful privately held real estate companies in the United States. She is deeply committed to creating a culture-first firm for the future while staying true to Brown Harris Stevens’ unique history and unparalleled brand. Bess originally joined Brown Harris Stevens in 2013 to oversee business development. She enjoys being a trusted resource and finding creative solutions to every situation, particularly new ways to pitch and market listings, to coach agents through difficult negotiations, and to provide the best technology and tools to elevate the entire real estate process. Her insights are frequently sought out by media including CNBC, Bloomberg, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Formerly Co-President of Brown Harris Stevens, and a Senior Managing Director of the Corcoran Group's East Side headquarters, Bess brings to her real estate career top professionalism, interpersonal skills and negotiating savvy that are well respected by her industry peers and agents alike. A former agent herself, Bess achieved repeated membership in Corcoran’s Multi-Million-Dollar Club thanks to her exemplary customer service, knowledge of the market and results. 

Matt Leone
Matthew Leone brings a fresh, unconventional perspective coupled with an extensive knowledge base of digital marketing and business development techniques to Brown Harris Stevens serving as the firm's Chief Marketing Officer. Matthew oversees a Marketing/Business Development Team responsible for the creative marketing techniques for its agents, unique brand partnerships, technology solutions for agents, and much more. He is passionate about staying on top of the latest trends & integrating innovative solutions into all forms of marketing, branding and business development.

Matthew was previously Halstead Real Estate's Chief Brand and Marketing Officer making them one of the first firms to embrace such forms as video, social media, drones, 3D, VR, wearables, partnerships, and many other ground-breaking approaches. 

Matthew was also recently named to the WSJ CMO Council. He recently served two terms on the Technology Advisory Council for Leading RE  as well as the Inman News Content Advisory Board. In 2018, Matthew was the recipien

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This week we dive in with one of New York's top real estate teams on their particular passions and expertise.

Bo Poulsen's passion for eco-friendly and energy-efficient buildings, combined with architecture and design, has made him a thought-leader in the industry. In fact, Bo's own home sets the standard for Passive House Design as the first freestanding retrofit in the city that will meet Passive House and Net Zero standards. Bo's constant media coverage is attributed to his success in selling the renowned Millay House.

Bo's partner Anna Shagalov is a native New Yorker and possesses a deep understanding of the entire NYC market, Anna specializes in downtown Manhattan, providing unmatched knowledge of the assortment of buildings, individual properties, boards and market conditions. 

The auto industry is racing toward a greener future.  Will the housing industry follow suit?

New York's condo market is off to a great start this year.  We'll want to ask about New York's best buildings and where to find the best deals in 2021.

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The Poulsen Shagalov Team, led by principal brokers Bo Poulsen, Anna Shagalov and Kristin Herrera, have built a foundation of success that stems from the combination of experience, dynamic creativity and driven business approach. Together, they have exceeded $500M in sales and have developed a significant following among a wide variety of clientele. As a top-producing team at Brown Harris Stevens, they have been recognized in the Top 1% Companywide since being established. Their wealth of neighborhood knowledge throughout every market in NYC has given them the edge when it comes to fulfilling their clients' needs. Whether it is a developer, buyer or seller, The Poulsen Shagalov Teamprovides exceptional service and results through their careful guidance, passion, and professionalism. Backed by Brown Harris Stevens' technological assets and marketing strategies, the team has built strong relationships and consistently exceed client expectations. 

Bo Poulsen 

Bo Poulsen's impressive business acumen and unparalleled market knowledge has helped him build an admirable reputation in NYC real estate. His determined, client-centric attitude combined with the enviable ability to anticipate the needs of his clients has led to many record achievements and repeat business. Bo's passion for eco-friendly and energy-efficient buildings, combined with architecture and design, has made him a thought-leader in the industry. He is also LEED certified and is committed to revamping properties to meet Passive House standards. 

Anna Shagalov 

Anna brings an enthusiasm to buying and selling real estate that is rarely found in today's market. Her effective business approach and genuine interest in the goals of her clients become apparent from the first conversation. While she possesses a deep understanding of the entire NYC market, Anna specializes in downtown Manhattan, providing unmatched knowledge of the assortment of buildings, individual properties, boards and market conditions. Anna's affable demeanor resounds in her reputation and there is no one better at getting to know their clients than Anna. Her honed skills help he

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The Best Real Estate Videos in New York City with Mikey Pozarik and Chris Kromer

Video can be a compelling tool to sell property, but most are overwhelmingly intimidated to use it. Let's change that narrative. What are the must-do's and frankly the never-do's? We have Christopher Kromer who takes storytelling to the next level and Mikey "sure, we can do that" Pozarik, a genius behind the camera making videos for innumerable brokers. We will circle this wagon multiple times to see how to best use the medium for all brokers.

About our guests:
👤 Mikey Pozarik is one of the finest videographers and photographers in the business. He is the go-to storyteller for real estate agents who want to tell a better story through video. His client list includes all of the best real estate agents and many of the finest restaurants in New York City. Don't expect a lot of copy on his website, however, Mikey likes to let the work speak for itself. I found 332 of his videos on VIMEO and they are for the most part beautiful, stylized and stylish portraits of New York and the people who make it great.

👤 Christopher Kromer makes a great first impression. He is likable, funny, and very smart. Dig a little deeper and you start to realize that here is a talented young real estate professional who has mastered the fine art of listening — a skill that stands him in great stead in his most demanding chosen field. While Christopher is justly proud of this ability, what he gives in return is a hefty dose of honesty, forthrightness, and professionalism. Whether it's working closely with buyers to help them find just the right home and to negotiate the most advantageous deal, or working side by side with sellers to effectively market their homes to the most qualified buyers, his priority is to provide the utmost level of personalized service to his clients. He worked as a financial consultant with Ernst & Young LLP for three years, a background that equips him well for the intricate and often complicated deals that characterize the tricky waters of the New York City real estate market. He particularly enjoys sharing his personal knowledge and analysis with first-time buyers with whom he continues to build and maintain strong and mutually rewarding relationships. This, he asserts, is the best part of his job! A multi-dimensional human being, Christopher is a former classical pianist who has played at Carnegie Hall. In his spare time, he continues to devote himself to the arts: as an actor, he has created lead roles Off-Broadway; currently, he hosts the television show “Cool in your Code” on NYC-TV, a hip neighborhood “Infotainment” show that explores New York City from the inside out; and devotees of HGTV will enjoy seeing him on their nationally aired special, “25 Biggest Real Estate Mistakes.” 

John Engel in Connecticut and Roberto Cabrera in New York. host a weekly wide-ranging zoom conversation with real estate experts from around our area. We are joined by two special guests each week. The audience is a big part of the back and forth, and is made up of realtors, buyers and sellers throughout the tri-state area.

Thanks for watching.
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