broker recs'

Thanks for your comments. Let me clarify a bit: I understand NYC is nto like other markets in terms of need for buyer broker. I've also heard that Brooklyn residential real estate is not typically listed on MLS. I'm not looking to 'sign on' w/ an exclusive broker. In fact I'm interested in multiple neighborhoods and want to contact the 'go to' firm for each neighborhood. I've been relying on NYT, property shark and craigslist, and frankly it's been labor intensive and inefficient.

Posted by: rein08 at December 28, 2007 9:45 PM in response to broker recs'

Any and all listings that exist in Brooklyn will be covered by NY Times. That has been my experience. Just to cover my bases, I also search the websites of the small firms that specialize in specific neighborhoods, although, they also advertise on NY Times. If they don't, it's because the properties on their own websites are no longer available, and it's a bait & switch. With NY Times you should be 99.9% covered--all the "go to" firms that are legitimate advertise on it.

Posted by: guest at December 29, 2007 1:54 AM in response to broker recs'

You don't get what people who've been through this are telling you - there is no one (or two, or three, or four) go to firms for each neighborhood. The go to firms for you are whichever ones (and there will be many) that have listed an apartment (or house) you are interested in.

What, you think the broker process in NY exists to make the work for buyers less labor intensive and more efficient? Please...you'll soon see it is just the opposite. (They could do a Multiple Listing Service, as in other places, they just don't want to...you, the buyer, aren't their primary concern, and neither is the seller they purportedly represent.)

Posted by: guest at December 29, 2007 5:34 PM in response to broker recs'