From left: Samantha Kleier-Forbes, Michele Kleier and Sabrina Kleier-Morgenstern at their book launch event and the book cover

From the October issue: Late last month, real estate pros came out in force to support brokers Michele Kleier, Samantha Kleier Forbes and Sabrina Kleier Morgenstern as they signed copies of their first novel, “Hot Property.”
In the penthouse suite at the London Hotel NYC, the Kleier women — brokers at family business Gumley Haft Kleier and stars of the HGTV reality show “Selling New York”– chatted with industry big shots like Halstead Property president Diane Ramirez.
As waitstaff passed out Gordon Ramsay-catered appetizers, it wasn’t difficult to picture the glitzy world described in the book, released last month by Harper Collins. The story of fictional real estate broker Elizabeth Chase and her daughters, Kate and Isabel, “Hot Property” is largely based on the Kleiers’ real-life adventures as top brokers for the Manhattan elite.
Real estate is “the ultimate status symbol,” the Kleiers write. “Everyone in Manhattan wants to know what people are spending for their homes and where. In a crisis, people will sooner sell family diamonds, art or furniture than give up their ‘address.’” [more]

The Kleier klan dropped in on “Live with Regis and Kelly” this morning to teach departing host Regis Philbin the tricks of the real estate trade. Where to start? Your typical New York City apartment, of course: Michele Kleier’s $27.5 million listing on the 16th floor of the former Stanhope hotel. Watch the clip above as the matriarch of the self-described “First Family of Real Estate” shows him the ropes of New York City showings. Among her tips: don’t say “entryway,” say “gallery;” “den” is a dirty word — it’s a library here; and we never, ever say “his and hers” anymore (this is New York, after all). Regis flubbed the “his and hers” bit on his first-ever showing, but Kleier said she thinks he’s “trainable” — good news in case he ever needs any cash post-retirement.

The penthouse triplex at 1 Main Street in Dumbo

David Walentas’ famous Clock Tower triplex in Dumbo has been pulled from the rental market less than a week after making headlines as the priciest apartment up for lease in Brooklyn.

The 7,000-square-foot spread, which is still listed for sale for $23.5 million, had been asking $50,000 per month. The Post reported yesterday that listing broker and “Selling New York” star Michele Kleier, of Gumley Haft Kleier, was seeking a renter to sign a two-year lease with an option to buy, but she confirmed to The Real Deal this morning that time has already run out for that opportunity. She declined to comment further on her reasoning, but once again, if you want views of the New York Harbor and Brooklyn Bridge through those 14-foot glass-faced clocks, you’re going to have to buy them. [more]

From left to right: Sabrina Kleier Morgenstern, Michele Kleier and (a pregnant) Samantha Kleier Forbes.

From the May issue: In the current landscape of Manhattan’s boutique real estate firms, it’s all about the haves and the have-nots: those who have reality TV shows, and those who have not.

As real estate junkies know, boutique brokerages Core and Gumley Haft Kleier last year began starring in HGTV’s “Selling New York.” The hit reality show follows brokers as they shepherd wide-eyed clients through cavernous lofts, and badger obstinate sellers into dropping their prices.

Both firms, which were relatively unknown outside of New York before the show, say the exposure has paid off financially. The impact of the hit show seems particularly dramatic for Gumley Haft Kleier, a family-run firm headed by Uptown superbroker Michele Kleier and her husband, Ian, along with their daughters, Samantha Kleier Forbes and Sabrina Kleier Morgenstern. This year, it shot up to No. 3 on The Real Deal’s ranking of top boutique firms, from No. 6 last year. Core took the No. 2 spot and Leslie J. Garfield & Co. ranked No. 1, a spot it’s held since The Real Deal began ranking boutiques in 2009. [more]

The Clocktower triplex at 1 Main Street in Dumbo

After a nine-month hiatus from the market, David Walentas’ Clocktower building triplex in Dumbo is coming back online with a slashed asking price and a new set of brokers. According to the Post, Walentas has tapped the Kleier klan, of “Selling New York” fame, to market the 7,000-square-foot pad for $23.5 million. Sabrina Kleier Morgenstern, one-third of the Gumley Haft Kleier trio that also includes her mother, Michele Kleier, and sister, Samantha Kleier Forbes, confirmed to the The Real Deal that her family is putting the listing on the market later today and plans to hold a launch party next month to spread the word. The 1 Main Street condominium, which originally hit the market for $25 million in 2009, is still potentially Brooklyn’s priciest ever by a landslide, even after the price chop. [more]

The Real Deal dropped by the London NYC Hotel’s penthouse last night for a soiree thrown in honor of Boca Raton’s One Thousand Ocean condominium, the ultra-luxe 52-unit property that debuted last year to an uncharacteristic flurry of sales activity.

After years of uncertainty due to ownership change-ups and battles with neighbors, and in spite of South Florida’s weak condo sales market, developer LXR Luxury Resort & Hotels saw more than $45 million in closings within three weeks of the oceanfront building’s February 2010 launch. Now, with 18 units left to market for between $2.6 million and $15 million apiece, the developer has turned to New York City’s Gumley Haft Kleier for help reaching the crowd up north.

It’s the first official foray into South Florida for the Kleier clan, executive vice president Sabrina Kleier Morgenstern told us at last night’s event, which she hosted with her mother, president Michele Kleier, and sister, executive vice president Samantha Kleier Forbes, and which was filmed for HGTV’s “Selling New York.” It also comes at a time when the boutique firm is making an effort to branch out into the new development arena. [more]

The Real Deal has had an action-packed schedule. We hit up the Charity: Water event at 123 East 10th Street, the largest and priciest home available in the East Village, hosted by Rubicon Property. We stopped by Core’s cocktail party on the 17th floor of 812 Fifth Avenue, which was recently redesigned by architect Joseph Dirand. We also dropped by the Griffin Court condominium in Hell’s Kitchen, where Gumley Haft Kleier was hosting a viewing party of this week’s HGTV’s realty reality show “Selling New York.” Meanwhile, back at the office we were letting our fingers do the walking and got some fun nuggets. Click here for more. [more]

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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From left: 995 Fifth Avenue, Beth Fisher of Corcoran Sunshine, Raizy Haas of Extell Development, and Michele Kleier of Gumley Haft Kleier (building photo source: PropertyShark)

[UPDATE, 5:15 p.m.] Even more “Selling NY” spoilers (involving Bryant Park and Annie Liebovitz) and pictures from last night’s event after the jump. For a slideshow, click here.

There’s drama brewing on the 16th floor of Extell Development’s 995 Fifth Avenue, the former Stanhope Hotel and one of the buildings featured in the new HGTV series “Selling NY,” which kicks off March 18. At least, there will be in front of the cameras, The Real Deal has learned: the show is planning to highlight Extell’s decision to bring in Gumley Haft Kleier to help Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group sell the full-floor apartment in at least one episode this season. Earlier this year, Gumley Haft Kleier’s Michele Kleier and her real estate agent daughters, Samantha and Sabrina, landed the co-exclusive for the 8,360-square-foot unit — Fifth Avenue’s largest and now the only one remaining in the 17-story, 26-unit, gut-renovated building. It is listed for $28.5 million with Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group and will be the site of at least part of the new realty reality show’s season finale, which was filmed last night with a full house of brokers and the press. Comments

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