From left: Zhann Jochinke, Klara Madlin, Adina Azarian, Jeff Krantz, Leonard Steinberg, and Lisa Lippman

The Real Deal asked some agents the greatest compliment and greatest insult they have received in connection with their job. Many agents said winning a client or deal was the source of both. Beyond that, agents have received compliments ranging from sentimental messages to a bobblehead doll made in a broker’s likeness, and insults including being called less than a used carpet salesperson. Click here to see some of the compliments and insults brokers have received. [more]

Diane Ramirez, president of Halstead

Halstead Property announced today that it has completed the process of instituting a VOW, or “Virtual Office Web site,” making it the first major city brokerage to do so. According to Diane Ramirez, the president of Halstead, the company has received approval from the Real Estate Board of New York for a VOW, a new type of Web site expected to have far-reaching consequences for the industry. That means that Halstead customers may now search all of the industry’s
listings — provided directly by REBNY — without leaving an individual
Halstead agent’s Web site. In the past, site visitors could see only
Halstead exclusives.

The result of a recent settlement between the Department of Justice and the National Association of Realtors, VOWs are a new phenomenon in Manhattan. Under the terms of the settlement, the Real Estate Board of New York is required by law to provide these listings directly to VOWs who are REBNY members, provided they agree to certain guidelines and pay a fee for an audit by REBNY. This summer, Manhattan got its first VOW, an online brokerage known
as CBS 2 Real Estate Market, located at CBS2REM.com. Halstead is the
first of the city’s major brick and mortar firms to go through the
process of adding VOW capabilities, according to Ramirez, who said the
brokerage was informed last week that it met REBNY’s requirements, and
is now just waiting for the official paperwork. The change comes in
conjunction with new individual agent Web sites the company recently
unveiled.  More

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Manhattan Association of Realtors launches trend group: The
Manhattan Association of Realtors has created a market trends committee
that will discuss and compile trends that association members are
seeing in the market. The group will meet monthly to discuss the market
and create a report on current trends. The founding members of the
committee include Zhann Jochinke of Argo Residential, Kathryn Higgins
of DJK Residential and David Thompson of Klara Madlin Real Estate. TRD [more]