The Real Deal New York

A new Palm Beach-based brokerage is planning to open a Manhattan office this summer. The Next Step Realty aims to help recent college graduates transition from home to apartment, by pairing 20-something clients with like-minded, similarly aged agents. The company currently has 35 brokers in 17 different U.S. cities including Boca Raton, Miami and New York City. The firm’s co-founder Blair Brandt said that the company is predicated on the idea that finding post-college abodes can be a daunting and often-avoided task. “When the transition of ending college and entering the new world is upon students, the last item on the agenda is the obligation to find housing, especially in a city that is unfamiliar and new,” Brandt said. “We put you directly in touch with a young, accomplished real estate broker who specializes in your leasing needs and will take care of the entire transaction for you.” TRD