Long Island City is Broker City on weekends. Fistfights are a bonus.
Elliman brokers take in the Manhattan skyline at dusk, Powerhouse Condos
Yes, it’s a well known fact that LIC is a real estate haven these days, what with all the condo development… Suits and brokers have been a fixture around here for years now, and despite the troubled and confusing times of the NYC real estate market, LIC hasn’t even felt a hiccup, if this weekend’s broker extravaganga is any evidence.
On Thursday night, Elliman hosted ‘A Night in LIC’ at their three condo developments on Friday night (Foundry, Powerhouse, L Haus), and LIC was buzzing with buzzed brokers being pedalled around in Bicy-taxi’s. In fact, the Bicy-taxi’s were a fixture on Long Island City streets all weekend, carting around brokers and eager buyers all over Hunters Point. Or just to the Elliman marketed developments, perhaps.
The new mode of transport in Hunters Point, Long Island City
It was also reported to liQcity this morning, that two LIC brokers came to actual fisticuffs on Vernon Blvd yesterday in the middle of the gorgeous last-day-of-summer afternoon… perhaps a deal went awry? In any case, welcome to the new Long Island City.
real estate is all local, but sales have been slow and I don’t expect them to take off anytime soon.
Man, I would have paid to watch that. Those guys are jerks (for the most part). They’re one step worse than a car salesman and just as useless.
LIC brokers slugging it out for real? I’d love to know the back story on that one…
who was it? the ex nest seekers broker and his former associates??? just sounds to funny to be true……
Lets face it - LIC is full of trust fund babies and wheeler/dealers now. Welcome to the NEW LIC indeed…
To #6 Speak for yourself. Like anywhere else, there is a mix of all kinds of people, and that includes all kinds of people in the “new” people, too.
I like the rickshaws. Very appropriate for LIC, cutting edge symbol of New York City, the new Calcutta.
Are they too small for the operators to sleep in, I wonder?
I hope that smug broker got his face slapped around. I would have bought a condo just to see that.
It’s about time that some of these brokers started to take one another out. I think there are more of them then there are cockroaches in this town now. They are just as annoying too.
Wasn’t me! I can’t stand those parties.
LIQ- that’s a real teaser- how about spilling the beans!
I could take a wild guess.
I saw the fight on Sunday, and yes I think one of them is a nestseekers broker. tsk tsk.
Im with #6. LIC has changed and in terms of business maybe for the better, but in terms of people… I’m done with all the brokers plaguing the neighborhood. For instance there is a new brokerage opening on vernon blvd. we still hardly have restaurants, virtually no stores, but how many real estate offices? And then yeah, all the trustfund banker kids and uber rich buying the condos…I don’t see how they contribute to the community at all? They just run in and out from Manhattan. I don’t like the new LIC. I like CHANGE, but I know good change from bad.
#13 the uber rich live around Central Park. The people moving to LIC are middle to upper middle class that are professionals or own their own business. They are hardly undesirables and they are contributing to the neighborhood. Try walking into all the new and old establishments and you will see them spending their money there. I guess you would rather see gangsters and pimps move in so things stay cheap and this way we could \keep it real\.
are you discriminating against gangsters and pimps? They are people too. They need a neighborhood to live in. No #14, my point is really about all the brokers. and as LIQ called them, suits. I think they are sucking the soul out of LIC. Fine, the people are alright. But what’s wrong with building smaller, more modest scale buildings? Why is it all fancy condos.
Brokers getting into fist fights? I think the pressure of not making any sales is finally getting to them.
The “middle class” cannot afford these condos.
#15 Brokers are people too (especially the cute broker ladies) and they should have the right to live in our hood as well. :)
Yes I dislike gangsters and pimps in my hood I only like them in Grand Theft Auto.
There are some bad and some good like with any group. I for one have fell in love with the neighborhood and have been waiting to move in for a long time now but I hope to help the neighborhood evolve. Anyone think having a street fair would be a good idea?
I wonder how things are going to change with the economy…
More broker fistfights.
Rockrose’s The View have dropped prices b/c not one single apartment has sold. *Not* *one* *single* apartment!!!
But these dumbass brokers will lie and tell you the market is holding steady. And sales there aren’t great, but they’re moving along. No they aren’t. A building hasn’t sold out in LIC in years and now with Wall St. a mess, things will get better?
I look forward to lots more broker fights.
the View wasn’t going to sell out before the credit crisis. $1000/sq. ft. and up for a building that has its amenities across the street? I don’t think so. Rockrose completely misjudged the price for the neighborhood. Would not want to be one of the folks who paid $900/sq. ft. in 5SL.
There is definitely one very cute broker lady that walks around LIC. yowzah!
I would be very careful when you here promises as to when your apartment will be ready.
#22 is wrong. At least half a dozen condos at the View have sold.
The average price is over $1000SF. I know this is a fact.
There are so many authoritative opinions on what this neighborhood needs, coming from people that are not putting their money where their mouth is and opening a new restaurant or store of some kind. You can complain about an office coming to Vernon rather than a new service that the community needs but putting down a company for building a company for themselves is not the answer. If “we” do not need another office, then open up a boutique or butcher or bakery and contribute to the neighborghood rather than talk about what “you” don’t want. Having 2 Real estate companies is probably enough for now but if you want something new, do something about it.
#26, that goes double for those like #15 who wants smaller, more modest scale buildings. Put up your money and find a way to make the numbers work otherwise quit complaining.
#26 I so agree with you on that. Easy to complain, and look how wonderfully the Cerbone family responded to all the new people in LIC with Manducatis Rustica. That’s the way to do it, rather than complaining. And as far as the real estate office that’s opening up, it is run by two people who have moved here, have committed to being part of the community, and one is raising a family here, too. They are filling a service, because other people want to live in LIC, too and need help. It was different before there were so many apartments here, Cresthaven was all we needed. I think it’s fine, and I am especially glad that if we have to have a real estate office opening it is run by people who live here, rather than people coming from Manhattan to make money off LIC.
I can vouch for #25- he knows what he is talking about.
I’ve seen the new Pricing for “The View”, and it’s much better.
Besides, you can’t eat at Shi every night if you live there.
As for retail, I’d like to see a butcher, a baker, a cobbler, and a movie house.
26, and 27, not all of us are bakers or run construction companies. I wish we weren’t in Iraq. Does that mean I should run for president? Don’t be ridiculous.
People have legitimate wishes for the types of businesses they want in their neighborhood and how they want their neighborhood to look. If you conducted a poll of everyone in LIC, lower buildings and “real” shops would come out on top. Who the hell wants some lame real estate office on our main drag?
There’s no way around it, #30, go to any small town anywhere, and they always have a few real estate offices on the main drag–Long Island (pick a town, even the really small ones), New Jersey (pick a town), anywhere. Just think about it. I visit friends in small town Whitestone, Queens and there are like 5 real estate offices on the 2-block main drag. If you have ever left LIC, try and remember what small towns you have been to look like. Guaranteed you remember several real estate offices in a short few blocks.
I want taller building and cigar bars. That’s what I’m voting for.
^^ LOL. good one!
The widespread backlash against all brokers has got to stop. In every industry there are scammers, and non-scammers alike. I know the people of the new brokerage, if you spend any time on the block you’ll probably know them too… there are good brokers and bad brokers. I love what’s happening to Vernon. If you notice, it’s mostly local people opening up local businesses. I think the big corps, with a few exceptions, are still skeptical about LIC. And understandably so, since they rely on heavy volume… but here we are getting handcrafted food and service from locals who know the people and the terrain well.
Without plugging my company, I’ve got a new motto for my brokerage
“We don’t start fistfights in the streets”. But seriously, the fight in the street is embarrassing. At least as far as I know, the new firm has no fistfighters and I wish them luck.
#30- By some recent metrics, you are probably qualified to run for president!
#30- There are some smaller condos going up: The Prestige and a couple four story buildings at 5th and 47 Road and 51st between 5th and Vernon.
Like I’ve said a thousand times before; organize. In the case of wanting certain businesses here, complaining does no good. A well run community organization with large numbers of members, can reach out to find and attract the types of businesses needed for the neighborhood. Any business that thinks they are capable of grabbing a piece of the Hunters Point pie, will set up shop and do it without regard to anyone’s wishes, likes or dislikes.
If you want something bad enough, you will make the effort to get it, otherwise you really didn’t want it that much to begin with.
That’s my take on it.
Charlie.
#34 agreed…there is good and bad in every business. If you know anything about working the real estate side of things you’ll see how hard it is for those guys to make money and build a network of people to actually build a long term business. Many them have been waiting yrs to get paid on apartments they sold a long time ago.
They are not all bad; its important to find one who is resourceful, and knowledgeable with yrs of experience. I’ve got one I used for yrs!
The new brokerage is run by 2 guys that have moved here and plan on planting roots in our community. If you have a chance to get to know them, they want nothing more than to be a part of LIC in more ways than just finding people condos. They have expressed a desire for finding new business owners to fill the empty stores onVernon as well as getting involved in the community hearings and everyday life of our town. The store that they are in was also an apartment that they have converted with their own hard work and a lot of detail from what i could see when I peeked in the other day. :)
I live in the same building as one of them and you couldn’t find a nicer guy. Is really, really into raising his new baby here and putting down roots in the community. I wish them good luck, and I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more from them than just condos.
The brokers are breeding?
the good brokers are breeding.
Just because the new brokers on vernon are trust fund babies who had their parents buy them a luxury condo in LIC doesnt mean they get instant street credibilty here in LIC.
Wow, I never thought I’d see the day where brokers are spoken of , with the same disdain as lawyers and used car salesmen.
I guess broker jokes are next.
Charlie.
define middle class please
I guess we’ll have to see how busy the next few weekends are…
& I wish someone would post who the brokers were!
no names please. thank you.
why not? what’s the big deal? It’s just dumb brokers fighting. And yes, brokers are like used car salesman. I’m surprised really that we still have them… it’s not like it’s rocket science to sell your house.
Powerhouse is at it again: They are not known for being forthright and in the beginning certainly not curious. Old habits die hard. I learned from a neighbor who is in contract to purchase that this week her bank turned down her mortgage application down because Powerhouse had only sold 30 PERCENT, when they have been telling everyone that they met the 50% threshold. I thought it was time for me to take another look at the progress, so I stopped by the new onsite sales office yesterday. It was closed. Sunday morning it was closed too. I found on their website that it is now only open Sun 12-3 and Tuesday 5-7. That seemed odd but I made time and came back at 12:30, only to be told that their Open House is BY APPT ONLY! Ha! And of course I was told with attitude! What was a lavish sales office in the building next store is now onsite in a one bedroom. Before I left I asked what percent sold they are and she said “just under 48%.” The whole thing is just odd…same as it was from the beginning. If they had my deposit I would be heavily medicated at the moment!
hahahhahahha. brokers fighting on vernon. I love it.