Meet the Member, Laurent Circu, Real Estate Associate Broker, R New York

Recently we had the pleasure of speaking with Laurent Circu, Real Estate Associate Broker at R New York. Keep reading to learn more about his experience, approach to the New York Market and his advice for fellow members:

FACC: R New York describes itself as a broker-centric real estate agency and part of your mission statement reinforces the desire to allow the broker greater freedom and more success in running their own business. Concretely for you, how does this environment enable you to provide the best service to your clients?

LC: Before being part of R New York I worked 11 years with Douglas Elliman where I used to be their #7 out of thousands of agent and where I got the title of Senior Vice President. After I moved to Charles Rutenberg LLC which got rebranded R New York and now became the #5 real estate brokerage firm in Manhattan. The structure of R New York to my opinion is more human, more boutique, you can always approach and discuss with a manager. This being said I would like to add a pure common sense figure: "You can be graduated from the best ever medical school, this doesn't mean that you will become a great Doctor... What will make you become a great Doctor is what you carry within yourself, such as the Love for the People..." 

FACC: Can you tell us more about your professional background?

LC: I worked almost all my life on a commission basis income. I started to work in France in Limoges as a salesperson with Norwich Union a British life insurance company, company where I won the title of the best agent in France several times. I received my awards in Paris and Rio de Janeiro. I used to be trained weekly under a sales method called Krauthammer. Then I worked as a salesperson for a developer building buildings in Lyon, I was living in Lyon and Paris at the same time, driving more than 125,000 kilometers a year, having my clientele all over France (mainly CEOS and Surgeons), winning here too the title of the best salesperson in France several times, receiving my awards in Paris and Cairo. 

FACC: Do you have a certain area of expertise that distinguishes you? i.e. commercial transactions, luxury properties, finding a “hidden gem” for family living in the city etc.

LC: It has been 19 years that I am a real estate agent in Manhattan, my area of expertise is from the Financial District to West Harlem up to 125th Street. I am specialized in the residential market, it could be Condos, Coops, Townhouses or multi-family Brownstones. For the latter, I cover Harlem and Hamilton Heights up to 145th Street.

FACC: Are there any trends in the New York real estate market that you have observed over the course of 2019?

LC: In 19 years of business to my opinion, it has never been a better time to buy because banks are lending money and we are in a buyers' market. As to the contrary after the meltdown of Lehman Brothers, of course, it was a great time to buy too, but, few remember it, back then banks were not lending money anymore then you have to have to be a 100% cash buyer to buy...

FACC: What is one piece of advice you would like to share with fellow FACC members?

LC: Actually, I will have two pieces of advice: 1- "90% of Success is Preparation" 2- In Manhattan a Buyers'agent cost nothing extra to the transaction but if this is a good real estate agent it will definitely make the difference between getting a roof or not on top of your head...

Interested in connecting with Laurent? Log into the FACC Member Directory to send him a message.