“Standing on business” is a very Gen-Z internet term, but it has an age-old meaning. To stand on business is to stand by your morals, not cave your opinions to the whims of others and the trends. It’s a respectable trait, and one Bess Freedman—CEO of Brown Harris Stevens—emulates. As an icon of the industry,…

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Above, Bess Freedman Brown Harris Stevens announced that CEO Bess Freedman will receive the Henry Forster Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Real Estate Board of New York’s (REBNY) 37th Residential Deal of the Year Benefit & Celebration. The Henry Forster Memorial Award honors REBNY members who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, integrity and contributions…

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Homebuyers, You Must Fight Back!

Thursday, March 12th, 2026

There is a serious effort underway by Compass, the country’s largest real estate brokerage, that threatens transparency and access for everyone involved in the home-search process. They call it a Private Listing Network, insisting that limiting exposure of a home to a small internal audience will help fuel demand. In reality, this is a gimmick…

The post Homebuyers, You Must Fight Back! appeared first on RISMedia.

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Above (L-R): Jackie Louh, Lisa Sturtevant, Bess Freedman, Christina Pappas, Carrie Little, Michele Harrington and DeAnne Golden (upper row). Anam Hargey, Wendy Forsythe, Marisela Harper, Athena Peterson and Brenda Maher (lower row). During RISMedia’s 5th Annual Rocking in the New Year event on Jan. 8, a cohort of female leaders from across the industry shared…

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The Future of Real Estate Is Still Human

Thursday, February 26th, 2026

The AI tornado has everyone talking. Will it take my job? What is going away and what will be left? In the real estate brokerage business, good agents understand that they are not ticket takers, but high-level trust builders who guide people during happy, sad, tragic and everyday moments. For example, one of my close…

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With the first month of the new year nearly behind us, real estate professionals are buckling down as they find their stride and set the tone for the months ahead. Coming off another tough year, brokerage leaders are moving quickly in order to take advantage of a gradually improving market.  But where do the biggest…

The post Taking 2026 by Storm: How to Win in Today’s Shifting Market appeared first on RISMedia.

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Above, Bess Freedman. Recently, while traveling, I went to the gym at a little hotel. When I walked in, there was a small counter offering protein bars, trail mix, Gatorade and water—all available on the honor system. A simple sign read: “Please take what you want, leave your name and room number and we will…

The post Reflecting on 2025: Rebuilding Trust in Real Estate appeared first on RISMedia.

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The past few weeks, I’ve heard from more than a few friends and colleagues and even relatives outside of New York: “Are people really leaving? How bad is it? Are you moving?” It’s an understandable sentiment given the flood of national headlines suggesting that New Yorkers are once again packing up for Connecticut or Florida,…

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After another tough year for real estate, brokerage leaders are ready to turn the corner and hit the ground running in 2026 to take advantage of a gradually improving market. Brokers and agents can learn what’s on the minds of the nation’s top industry executives by tuning into RISMedia’s 6th Annual Real Estate’s Rocking in…

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