Dressed to the nines and toasting a record-breaking year for the real estate industry in New York, about 250 guests gathered at Swank East 56th Street eatery Harlow to celebrate the magazine’s latest issue and its cover woman, Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle.
Turnberry Ocean Club, Trump Tower Toronto, EverBank, Skyline Properties and Gilad Azaria sponsored the event celebrating Guilfoyle’s cover. Among the industry players in attendance: Cushman & Wakefield’s Bruce Mosler and Bob Knakal; Douglas Elliman’s Yuval Greenblatt, Eva Penson and Neil Siroca; Urban Compass’ Gordon Golub; MNS’ David Behin; HAP Investment Developers Eran Polack; Town Residential’s Wendy Maitland; Brown Harris Stevens’ Bess Freedman and Robby Browne; Platinum Properties’ Khashy Eyn and Daniel Hedaya and Peter Ashe Realty’s Asher Alcobi.
The glitterati of the media world, including legendary New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams, Vanity Fair contributing editor George Wayne, Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt, Gigi Stone Woods and Andrea Tantaros and HarperCollins senior vice president Lisa Sharkey showed up, as did former LLNYC cover star and artist Domingo Zapata.
Guilfoyle recently bought a new apartment at the Beresford on the Upper West Side. Architect Campion Platt, who is working with Guilfoyle to renovate her new unit, also attended.
Knakal, who recently sold his firm Massey Knakal Realty Services to Cushman, had run out of his new, double-sided business cards right before talking to The Real Deal. One side still says “Massey Knakal,” he explained, while the other bears the Cushman name. But when he hands them over to clients, he said, the Cushman side is always on top.
The top broker predicted that 2015 might see fewer transactions, but the dollar amounts for the transactions will be higher.
Guests at the party also bet that 2015 would see a big influx of new inventory.
“Buyers will have more options,” said Town broker Tom Brady.
Warburg Realty broker Jason Haber wondered what effect political instability — a slowing Chinese economy, unrest in Russia — will have on the luxury market.
Overall, though, he forecasted a good year. If supply and low interest rates remain the same, he said, “there’s no downward driver.”
Guilfoyle’s friend Dr. Dendy Engelman, who recently bought a condo in the city, said that although the move had been stressful, she was happy to be a New York City homeowner.
“New York real estate is never a bad investment,” she said. “In a world of few guarantees, you can always bet on New York.”