Charles Rutenberg named fifth largest brokerage firm in New York City

New York, NY Manhattan real estate brokerage, Charles Rutenberg, was named the fifth largest brokerage firm in all of New York City, according to the The Real Deal’s annual ranking of top companies in the industry. Collectively, the major 12 firms, Charles Rutenberg included, had 3,712 listings as of March 27 – a 19% jump from 2015. The value of those listings soared nearly 30 percent to $16.2 billion from $12.5 billion last year. Charles Rutenberg – which has a 100% commission model – increased its ranks by about 10% to 599 agents at press time, and has added even more agents since March 27. As Rutenberg president Stefani Markowitz told The Real Deal, agents are drawn to the firm in part because they can earn more commission. “Agents want to run their own businesses. They’re already branded,” said Markowitz. “They want to have the freedom and flexibility to truly be independent contractors.” Besides the substantial commission, Markowitz last year introduced a full real estate education curriculum built around seminars from industry leaders and specialists to support agent needs. She facilitates team building and encourages collaborative work amongst agents. Markowitz also formed a partnership with Wounded Warriors to fast-track veterans into second careers with the company. Unlike Charles Rutenberg, many other companies on The Real Deal list have, in fact, seen their agent pool shrink, and are focusing heavily on recruiting talented agents and rebuilding internally, as a result. Rutenberg’s real estate agents specialize in Manhattan and the surrounding metropolitan area. The Rutenberg business model is designed to appeal to established agents who are looking to grow their business, while earning maximum commissions. For fast-moving, hard-working entrepreneurial driven agents, Rutenberg provides the smartest deal in town. That's why they are– “Rutenberg, the Smart Brokers.”