Epstein islands drop asking price by $15M; allow for separate sale

A pair of Carribean islands once owned by late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that initially asked $125 million as a pair are now asking $55 million each. Continue reading

Luxury home auctions are having a moment. Here’s how to get in on it

Luxury homes that eventually go to auction sometimes come across as the black sheep of listings and require a nuanced approach. Here are luxury agent Aaron Kirman’s top tips for success. Continue reading

What ‘Inventing Anna’ can teach us about vetting colleagues and clients

Humans are wired for connection, but how do you know whether or not you can trust that new acquaintance? Learn how to put them to the test and ensure that you’re building an authentic and vettable professional network. Continue reading

Stop, look, listen: Focus on what sellers are NOT saying at listing presentations

Clients tell you so much, not only with what they say but how they decorate, how they interact with each other and what they don’t say. If you’re not actively listening and asking questions from the beginning, it will come back to bite you later in the… Continue reading

Sotheby’s taps former Compass executive to lead sales operations

Former Compass regional president Kamini Rangappan Lane has joined Sotheby’s International Realty, according to an announcement on Monday. Lane will lead the brokerage’s sales strategy. Continue reading

Things just got real: Ryan Serhant, Bess Freedman spar over reality TV

Brown Harris Stevens CEO Bess Freedman on Thursday dismissed the real estate industry’s turn on reality TV as “horrible” as she butted heads with Serhant during a conference in New York. Continue reading

Compass expands to 30A, brings on Spears Group, more agents

With the move into 30A, the brokerage brings on 20 new agents in the region, who represented over $720M in sales volume in 2021. Continue reading

When mansion prices touch the sky, what does an extra $100M mean?

Hubris and a lack of comparables at the highest echelons frequently collide for inexplicable price differences from one estate to the next. But as with all real estate, location and size still matter. Continue reading