Yesterday I attended the Professional Women in Construction (PWC) Developers forum where I spoke about development in demanding times. I was on the panel along with J.J. Bistricer, Executive Vice President of Clipper Equity; Ivanka Trump, Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization; and Louise Sunshine, Development Director at Alexico Group. I was honored that they asked me to speak on the panel with other such highly talented and experienced individuals. Ivanka, J.J., Louise, and myself all expressed similar views and we all share in the same sentiment that in today’s challenging economy it is of the utmost importance to deliver quality to your clients, be out there in the field, feel the market, and act accordingly. This will help you survive in demanding times.

Ivanka echoed the same beliefs as I have, that it is important to get back to the basics, focus on the services we provide our clients, maintain the integrity and quality of our brands, and not only continue to build your own client database, but focus on your existing clients. Ivanka and I work in the same building, in the Trump Tower, and during her speech she stated that she knows I am out there in the field working because she never sees me in the office, which is true. Louise Sunshine, a real estate legend in New York City gave a very optimistic speech on the market saying that she felt President Obama has restored a new optimism and sense of confidence in our country. She also stated that The Laurel on the Upper East Side is 50% sold and that she has closed 13 contracts in January alone and is expected to close 40 more in the next few weeks. J.J. Bistricer spoke about his family history in the business and stated that despite a challenging market, Belltel Lofts in also over 50% sold.

I spoke about the value in New York City real estate and that regardless of the economy, New York City remains a sound, solid investment. We all stated that buyers today are looking for value and quality, and if your buildings are built in the right location, by a credible developer and priced correctly they are going to sell.
I’m very thankful to the Professional Women in Construction and Louis Weiss, our gracious moderator, for asking me to speak at this wonderful event. There were over 250 people in attendance – the crowd included a great mix of industry folk including bankers, architects, general contractors, brokers and media. I ran in to some old friends and made some new ones too, a truly great opportunity to speak and network.

NEW YORK – JULY 29, 2009 – JJ Bistricer, executive vice president of Clipper Equity, developer of BellTel Lofts, announced, “BellTel Lofts has just received Federal Housing Administration (FHA) approval for qualified buyers – we are the first luxury condominium in Downtown Brooklyn to receive this FHA approval and are excited that more qualified buyers will be able to access mortgages here.” According to a June 28, 2009 New York Times...   READ MORE