David Wine (left), formerly of Related and Robert Levine of RAL

Recently departed Related Companies vice chairman David Wine has launched a new company, Trio Partners, with Robert Levine of RAL Companies and Pamela Samuels, a former managing director with Extell Development. The company will focus on real estate development and investment, while providing “an extraordinary range of real estate expertise,” Wine said. “Today’s business climate has made the real estate marketplace immensely more challenging,” Wine added, noting that he believes the company’s diverse offerings will make it competitive. While the company has immediate plans to begin condominium development in the Northeast, a statement from Trio says they expect to expand nationally in the next year. TRD

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HGTV’s new realty reality show, “Selling New York,” premiers tonight at 9 p.m., promising to showcase the “top of the real estate food chain.” The show follows Gumley Haft Kleier’s Michele Kleier and her broker daughters, Samantha Kleier Forbes and Sabrina Kleier Morgenstern, as well as Core’s Shaun Osher, among other brokers from each firm as they maneuver their way through some of the city’s most high-end real estate transactions. In honor of the debut, The Real Deal did some digging to find out which of the city’s prized properties are slated to be featured this season. Among them: a four-bedroom loft at the Chelsea Mercantile listed for $22.45 million, the 25 Murray Street loft for which former Giants star Michael Strahan is asking $1.85 million, a $17 million landmarked townhouse at 109 East 69th Street, and a 2,295-square-foot spread at highly-anticipated One Brooklyn Bridge Park (see slide show of many of the homes above). Click here for more information about the residences expected to appear in the upcoming season.
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New York City condos are seeing unseasonably high buyer interest, with buildings like RAL Companie’s One Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Rushmore reportedly seeing more interested buyers in part because buyers feel the market has stabilized. After a new sales team, the Developers Group, took over at One Brooklyn Bridge Park Oct. 1, 20 new contracts were signed, with more than 100 visitors coming to look at the waterfront development each week, according to the Daily News. At the Rushmore, which has reportedly been experiencing buyer backouts, Extell Development said that 12 apartments have gone into contract over the past two months and that 11 more are in negotiation. Gary Barnett, Extell’s president, told the Daily News that buyer sentiment has improved, which is helping to move units. “The overall market has picked up, people have a better feeling that New York real estate is starting to steady,” Barnett said. “There is no new inventory, and buyers who have been looking know a good opportunity.”

Elizabeth Stribling and Ian Levine

Stribling & Associates has formed a property management alliance
with Spandrel Property Services, a property management firm and
affiliate of developer RAL Companies & Affiliates, the firms
announced this week. Spandrel will be able to solicit property management business from
Stribling’s high-end brokers, said Ian Levine, Spandrel’s president,
who is also COO and CFO of RAL. RAL developed One Brooklyn Bridge Park,
for which Stribling is the exclusive sales and marketing broker. Elizabeth Stribling, Stribling’s founder and president, said since her company does not have a property management division this
arrangement benefits her firm because her sales agents can better meet
client needs. Stribling & Associates can refer clients who are looking for a
property manager to Spandrel, Stribling said. Often, building board
members ask for property manager recommendations, she said. [more]