Number of signed contracts for Manhattan home sales (Source: UrbanDigs.com)

The number of signed sales contracts for Manhattan condominiums and co-ops has declined every month since July, forecasting a drop in closed sales volume for the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012, according to Jeffrey Jackson, chairman of appraisal firm Mitchell, Maxwell & Jackson.

The most widly publicized figures from recent Manhattan market reports indicate an increase in sales activity in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter. Prudential Douglas Elliman, for example, said that sales transactions rose 17.2 percent over the previous quarter, while the Corcoran Group found a 6 percent quarter-over-quarter increase. [more]

From left, Corcoran’s Pamela Liebman and EVP of sales Tresa Hall gave out the annual company awards to Robby Browne, Leighton Candler, Dennis Hughes, among others

The Corcoran Group held its annual Manhattan and Brooklyn awards ceremony Tuesday, with Robby Browne, a senior vice president and associate broker, taking top honors as Salesperson of the Year. The event was held at the Nokia Theater in Times Square with guest speakers Real Estate Board of New York Chairwoman Mary Ann Tighe and New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer. Corcoran CEO Pamela Liebman and Executive Vice President of Sales Tresa Hall presented the awards. In addition to Browne, winners included Carrie Chiang, who was named East Side Salesperson of the Year, Sherry Matays, who was recognized as West Side Salesperson of the Year, Fabienne Lecole as Carnegie Hill Salesperson of the Year, and Julie Pham as Chelsea Salesperson of the Year. Lisa Fitzig was named Manhattan Rookie of the Year and Dennis Hughes was rental agent of the year for Manhattan. Leighton Candler received the Deal of the Year award, though as of press time the company remained mum on the deal in question. For a picture from the ceremony, click here. This week, Corcoran also released its 2009 annual list of the top performing agents on the East End. TRD
[more]

Douglas Heddings of the Heddings Property Group at Charles Rutenberg Realty; Tamir Shemesh at Prudential Douglas Elliman; Michael Signet at Bond New York Real Estate; Fabienne Lecole at the Corcoran Group; Leigh Zaph at Manhattan Homes; Shebrelle Hunter-Green at the Corcoran Group; and Rena Goldstein at Halstead Property

The Real Deal asked a number of residential real estate agents what the strangest thing is that they’ve seen at an open house. The responses ran the gamut from breast feeding to naked people to a dog taking a house tour. Here is a sampling of what the agents have encountered:

Douglas Heddings, associate broker and founder of the Heddings Property Group at Charles Rutenberg Realty: How about a five-year old breast feeding? Here are some less shocking examples: A drying rack full of panties in a living room, a toilet seat that was taped closed so that open house attendees could not use the facilities, of course the [Upper West Side] robbery [of an open house Heddings was hosting] that was highly publicized and a spray painted wall saying “monkey nipple” on a teenager’s bedroom wall, which the seller refused to remove. Click here for more. Compiled by Lauren Elkies
[more]

The Real Deal has ranked the top listing agents of the week based on the highest priced residential deals filed with the city.

[more]