REBNY to honor residential real estate community at the 37th REBNY Residential Deal of the Year Benefit & Celebration on April 30, 2026

Manhattan, NY The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) will honor standout professionals in the city’s residential real estate community at the 37^th REBNY Residential Deal of the Year Benefit & Celebration on Thursday, April 30 at Guastavino’s in Midtown. The annual event, which supports the REBNY Residential Member in Need Fund, brings together industry leaders to celebrate exceptional deals, lifetime achievement and service to the profession.

Created in 1994, the REBNY Member in Need Fund provides grants to residential brokers and agents facing unexpected illness or hardship. The Residential Deal of the Year Benefit & Celebration raises funds to support these members. This iconic event brings leaders and agents across brokerage firms under one roof to support and celebrate a meaningful cause. Tickets and more information about the event are available here. 

This year, REBNY will present Bess Freedman of Brown Harris Stevens with the Henry Forster Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement. As chief executive officer, Freedman leads more than 2,300 agents across 39 offices, overseeing one of the nation’s most prominent privately held real estate firms. Since becoming CEO in 2018, she has driven the firm’s growth while championing industry-leading workplace policies and social impact initiatives. Her influence across both the business and broader community exemplifies the spirit of this prestigious lifetime honor.

Beth Gittleman of Compass will receive the Residential Agent of the Year Award, which recognizes an agent who demonstrates exceptional leadership and commitment to clients and the community. With more than two decades in New York City real estate, she is known for her work with sellers, developers and buyers, as well as her leadership within REBNY and contributions to the Member in Need Fund. Her results-driven approach and industry involvement distinguish her as a leader in the field.

The Eileen Spinola Award for Distinguished Service will be awarded to William Abramson of Buchbinder & Warren for his significant contributions to the REBNY community. In addition to his service on REBNY’s Residential Rental and Retail Committees, Abramson holds civic leadership roles, including co-chairperson of the Union Square Partnership and treasurer of The Village Alliance. His longstanding commitment to public service and industry engagement reflects the core values of this distinguished award.

In addition to these individual honors, the event will feature the announcement of the First, Second and Third Place Residential Deal of the Year Awards, along with the Rookie of the Year Award — all to be revealed live during the celebration. David Price will serve as the evening’s master of ceremonies.