Watch Bess Freedman’s Master Class

Brown Harris Stevens’ CEO reflects on her journey and what it takes to make it as a top agent

Bess Freedman
Bess Freedman

Bess Freedman heads one of the top residential brokerages in NYC. She led the storied white-shoe firm through a rebranding and a merger with Halstead, which nearly doubled its agent count. But she wasn’t always a real estate titan. When she started out, she was cold calling For Sale By Owners just like everyone else.

In our latest Master Class series, Freedman recounts her journey to the top for The Real Deal, starting with how she got her first exclusive listing after convincing a FSBO to become a client.

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So, what do top agents need? Intelligence, Freedman told us — but it comes in many forms. She lays out some of the smarts that new agents need and explains what works and what doesn’t for those looking to take their careers to the next level.

Watch the series here for an inside look at what it takes to make it as a top agent.