Exclusive, MLS Or Co-Listed, Brokers Around The City Think “Ca-Ching”

As the haves and have-mores scratch, claw, bite and push their way into the top tenth of the top one percent, many breathe a sigh of relief as those at the very top of the labor pool basically single-handedly forestall a monumental housing crash in this country:

There are few things that can gladden the hearts of New York real estate brokers as much as the thought of billions of dollars in bonuses paid on Wall Street, moving from hedge funds and buyout fees to brick and stone, or in some cases, glass and steel, as this uncertain year of wavering condominium and co-op price draws to a close.

After all, the transaction records on file with the city government show that investment bankers, hedge fund managers and other masters of the universe (along with their well-remunerated support people) are a mainstay of the New York real estate market, especially at the upper end.

And so nearly 200 real estate brokers, looking to increase their skills and improve their fortunes, filled a small auditorium in the basement of the Scandinavia House on Park Avenue 10 days ago to hear a panel of their colleagues reveal the secrets of “Gearing Up for the Bonus Season.”

“Almost all of us make more money when they make more money,” said Jeffrey Appell, a senior vice president at the Preferred Empire Mortgage Company, who moderated the panel, to laughter and applause.