charles rutenberg realty...anybody heard of them?

As I understand it, Rutenberg is sort of a RE/MAX model -- instead of agents splitting their commissions with the house (the way it works in almost every firm in NYC) the agents keep everything they bring in minus some sort of base commission or fee (at RE/MAX it's a monthly "desk fee" that can run hundreds or thousands.)

In theory, this business model should draw in more experienced agents, because you have to be doing enough deals to cover your base costs.

In practice, I haven't swung by the firm, so I don't know who's there -- except I know Kathy Braddock and Paul Purcell, both Elliman alumni who I know from my old journalism career, are involved.

More on them here: http://www.braddockandpurcell.com/who_we_are.php

Hope that helps.

ali r.
{downtown broker}