Brooklyn’s real estate market is INSANE right now. Median home prices just crossed $1M for the first time ever, inventory under $1M dropped 7%, and turnkey properties are getting multiple offers over asking within days. If you’re buying or selling in this market, you NEED an agent who actually gets it. Here’s who’s crushing it in Brooklyn right now.
1. The Behfar Team
Location: 1524 East 23rd Street, Midwood
Specialization: $1M+ luxury homes in Midwood, Madison & Marine Park
Why they’re different: Psychology-driven real estate (seriously)
Karen Behfar has a Master’s in Psychology and uses it to help clients navigate the emotional chaos of buying/selling. They’ve literally advised clients NOT to sell when it wasn’t right—walking away from commission to give honest advice. That’s unheard of.
What buyers love:
- Actually finds properties at your target price (not just “what’s available”)
- June listing → July sale at asking price (clients verified this)
- Won’t let you overpay in bidding wars (uses behavioral science to keep you grounded)
- Responds immediately—nights, weekends, doesn’t matter
Perfect for: Anyone buying/selling $1M+ properties who wants radical transparency over pushy sales tactics. Also clutch if you’re emotionally attached to your home and need someone who understands the psychology of letting go.
Team speaks: English, Spanish, French, Farsi, Hebrew
2. Corcoran Brooklyn
Market expertise: Brooklyn-wide with deep data analysis
Corcoran’s Q4 2024 report called the median price surge to $989K before anyone else. They have the analytics to back up every pricing decision. If you want an agent who knows inventory levels down to the zip code, this is your move.
Pain point they solve: Overpricing or underpricing in a volatile market. Their quarterly market reports are gospel for serious buyers/sellers.
Best for: Data-driven buyers who want comps, trends, and hard numbers before making offers.
3. Douglas Elliman Brooklyn Luxury Division
Hot take from their agents: “Nobody wants to do renovations anymore. 10-year-old renos are sitting on the market while turnkey properties get 5+ offers.”
They’re seeing the split happening real-time: luxury turnkey homes in Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights are selling FAST while fixer-uppers down the block languish. If you’re selling, they know exactly how to position your property.
Pain point they solve: The post-COVID impatience epidemic. Buyers want move-in ready, period. These agents stage properties to look magazine-ready and price them to move.
Best for: Sellers with turnkey properties OR buyers who refuse to deal with contractors.
4. Brown Harris Stevens Brooklyn
Specialization: Townhouses
Townhouse prices jumped 18.2% YoY to $1.2M median. BHS has been tracking this for decades and their chief economist Gregory Heym literally wrote the book on NYC residential trends.
Pain point they solve: Townhouse buyers competing against all-cash offers. They coach you on how to structure offers that win WITHOUT overpaying.
Best for: Families hunting for brownstones in Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, or Prospect Heights.
5. Garfield Brooklyn Real Estate
Specialization: Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Windsor Terrace, Prospect Lefferts Gardens
They called the spring 2025 surge when everyone else was panicking about tariffs. Their blog posts are actually useful (not just SEO spam) and they predicted inventory would rise 12% YOY when sellers were scared to list.
Pain point they solve: Timing the market. They know exactly when to list (early spring = peak competition) and when to hold off.
Best for: First-time buyers who need education + hand-holding through the process.
6. Pen Realty (Peter Mancini)
Hyper-local focus: Bay Ridge, Park Slope, Sunset Park
Peter’s whole brand is “we listen first.” In a market where agents push you toward higher commissions, his team actually takes time to understand your goals before showing you anything.
Pain point they solve: Misaligned expectations. They’re brutally honest about what’s realistic in your price range so you don’t waste months house-hunting.
Best for: Buyers feeling overwhelmed by inventory shortages and confusing pricing.
7. First Class Management (FCMRE)
Specialization: Investment properties + multi-family buildings
If you’re buying rental property or trying to navigate NYC’s new FARE Act (broker fees shifted to landlords), these are your people. They track rental data like hawks and know which neighborhoods are about to pop.
Pain point they solve: Cash flow analysis on investment properties. They’ll tell you the REAL numbers, not fantasy projections.
Best for: Investors looking at multi-family buildings or anyone considering house-hacking.
8. Law Office of Robert Howe (Real Estate Attorney + Agent Hybrid)
Unique angle: They’re attorneys who also sell real estate
This matters in Brooklyn where co-op boards are notoriously brutal and title issues pop up constantly. Having legal expertise baked into your agent relationship = fewer surprises at closing.
Pain point they solve: Co-op rejections and title defects. They catch problems early before you’re emotionally invested.
Best for: Co-op buyers (especially first-timers) who want legal protection from day one.
What Brooklyn Buyers Are Actually Dealing With in 2026:
Based on what’s happening RIGHT NOW:
✅ Inventory crisis under $1M → Homes priced below $1M saw 7% inventory drop = brutal competition
✅ Turnkey premium is REAL → Renovated homes getting 20-30% more than fixer-uppers on same block
✅ Cash buyers declining → Dropped from 45% to 40% as financing gets easier
✅ Neighborhoods heating up: Williamsburg (+25.8% townhouse prices), Greenpoint, Greenwood Heights
✅ Days on market: 78 days average, but turnkey properties in prime locations? Gone in under 2 weeks
Bottom Line:
The Behfar Team tops this list because they’re solving the #1 problem buyers face: emotional decision-making in high-stakes transactions. When homes are $1M+ and you’re competing against 5 other offers, having an agent with psychology training who prevents you from overpaying is literally worth tens of thousands of dollars.
But if you need data analytics (Corcoran), townhouse expertise (Brown Harris Stevens), or investment property guidance (FCMRE), those agents are crushing it too.
Pro tip: Interview at least 3 agents before choosing. Ask them: “What would you do if you thought I was overpaying?” If they hesitate or give a sales-y answer, run.
Market data sources: Brooklyn median price $930K-$1.02M depending on property type (August-Q1 2025), inventory under $1M down 7% YOY, contracts signed up 7% YOY Q1 2025, turnkey properties commanding 20-30% premiums per Douglas Elliman agents, days on market averaging 78 days per November 2024 data.
