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Writer's pictureSerj Markarian

Why clients have been using BHS for 150 years


Brown Harris Stevens celebrates 150 years in business in Manhattan at Metropolitan Club in Upper East Side

Last Wednesday, Brown Harris Stevens (BHS) celebrated its 150-year anniversary at the Metropolitan Club with well-deserved fanfare for a significant milestone. While the food and entertainment were superb, I was most taken in by a timeline—projected on the wall—of major events in BHS’ history beginning with when it was founded in 1873 up to present day. Incidentally, the same year BHS was founded, Central Park had just been completed.


What a remarkable journey for any organization and certainly a true testament to BHS’ longevity and resilience—successfully surviving the highs and lows that impacted our city and country over the span of one-and-a-half centuries. Personally, it was a proud moment for me to be part of something so significant for BHS and the City of New York. Our CEO Bess Freedman reaffirmed in her remarks to the crowd that evening what we already knew, “…one thing that hasn’t changed over time is that we are one-hundred percent focused on our agents.”


One of the reasons BHS brokers are successful is we are supported by an unmatched management support system. The intricacies and complexities of NYC real estate can at times present a challenge for even the best agents in the industry. This is why BHS invests in maintaining a top-tier support staff from sales directors to office managers to our incredible marketing team, all supported by one of the best administrative teams I’ve ever seen.

In fact, I’ve had clients comment on the vast and knowledgeable resources that are expeditiously always made available to us. Some of my clients have been particularly impressed with the synergy between our marketing team of 30 professionals and more than 1,000 BHS agents. On top of being backed by a reputable brand, our agents and our clients benefit from a personalized marketing strategy that gives us the ability to tailor a custom and effective marketing plan for each of our client’s unique needs.

The other key component driving our success is the accessibility to weekly, monthly and quarterly reports by our in-house economist, Greg Heym. These reports, along with agent briefings on the state-of-the-market and impromptu office meetings triggered by breaking economic and/or world news that could impact the market, ensures our agents are always informed. Our state-of-the-art technology systems also assure that accurate and up-to-date market data is available at our fingertips.

While I could continue on about why Brown Harris Stevens has remained one of the most successful brokerage firms in a competitive and increasingly saturated market for 150 years, I think the key takeaway is that buyers and sellers who work with us have immediate access to a vast and trusted network of unparalleled industry resources. I don’t talk about our firm as often as I should, but this recent, momentous milestone celebration prompted me to dedicate this week’s email to THE New York City brokerage firm synonymous with luxury real estate—Brown Harris Stevens.


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