Who are the best small brokerage firms?

My firm, DG Neary, is Chelsea-based and generally strong downtown -- Village/SoHo. Fox Residential is very similar to us on the UES. Gumley Haft Kleier is excellent, specializing in Park and Fifth co-ops -- so in some sense it depends, where are you looking to buy or sell?

ali r.
{downtown broker}

Ali: The Fox people I have encountered on the UWS have not impressed me at all.

Interesting West81st, you'll notice that I mentioned them as an UES firm -- I wonder if your experience with them is telling about them as a firm, or just indicates that they're far from their stomping grounds -- to tell the truth, I still don't have anyone I refer to on UWS.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

Ali: The closest thing to a UWS neighborhood broker is probably Klara Madlin. Wohlfarth is a player here, and FKG has a significant neighborhood presence. There are a lot of little niche players too, often focused on one or two buildings. I wouldn't endorse anybody as a one-size-fits-all solution, though Klara does seem pretty down-to-earth and menschy.

Of course, all of the major houses have a big footprint on the UWS, and all have excellent brokers here, as well as terrible ones. Personally, I think the broker is more important than the company, but it's clear that each firm sets a tone and a business style, and tends to attract compatible agents.

For West Village and environs, Soraya M. at Avinash. One of the truly honest and honorable brokers in the field with incredible knowledge of local buildings because of her long experience with managing buildings in the area.

Kylewest, I had always wondered who your broker was! A second vote for Soraya; I've been on the other side of a deal from her and she was fantastic.

West81st, someone mentioned having had a good experience with Sharon McIntosh on the UWS the other day, but I've never worked with her. I think of Klara (who I know and love from my press days) as more Harlem, though I think her focus has moved south as the uptown market has cooled.

ali r.
{downtown broker}