Treat Yourself

Oct 4

Dear Friends and Family,

This October, let's avoid the tricks and focus on the treats — treat yourself in life, in career, and in real estate!

One big trick to avoid is clickbait in reporting on the financial and real estate markets, something that Forbes reported on starting back in February of 2020. The issue has only gotten worse over the past few years. One way to avoid being taken by this trick is to remember that all real estate is **local**. These clickbait headlines tend to report *national* news and often bare statistics without tying them to a specific location.

Even real, statistic-based reporting - like this article by CNBC today where I was quoted - stills requires context. I'm not seeing 35% price negotiability across the board, rather a market rebalancing after 2020 and 2021. Q3 sales volume is down YOY from the inflated 2021 market, but the average and median sales prices are up, with negotiability overall at about 4%.

As I said, “the real sellers are meeting the buyers,” as we find ourselves tracking ahead of pre-pandemic 2019 stats. Stay tuned for the complete Q3 market report to learn more.

If you are in the market for real estate, now is a great time to consider your options. While the financial market and interest rates drive buyer leverage, low inventory (especially luxury inventory) give sellers a leg up. Treat yourself to a real estate advisor you can trust. Next year marks my 40th year of following my dreams, helping my people, and making your home, my mission.

One of the biggest treats of my career is being part of some of Manhattan's most exclusive penthouse transactions. I just listed Penthouse 1N at 400 5th Avenue, a true gem in the NYC Skyline. This one of a kind home features panoramic views from river to river and from street to sky.

While some homes feel like a retreat, it's also important to get out of the house and treat yourself to a true "Spa Day." As the weather gets colder, these luxe spas are a great way to let off some steam... or rather, soak some up. Now that Governor's Island is open year round, there's even a new spa, QC, with unparalleled NYC views.

But self-care is more than physical. It is also important to treat yourself to security and safety. Scamming and phishing tricks are on the rise, with some industries seeing a 400% increase this year. It is time to double down on your cyber security to protect yourself and your loved ones. Check out these tips from the Wall Street Journal on how to stay safe.

Whether it's recommendations of great new restaurants (like the Noortwyck) or a new stoop to trick-or-treat on, I would love to be part of the journey—all treats, no tricks!

All the best,