Sustainable Luxury: High-End Homes Putting the Planet First
Luxury has gone green—discover the high-end residential developments proving that protecting the planet can be chic.
Read MoreHow NYC Buyers Are Reshaping New Development
By Bentley Zhao, Chairman and CEO, New Empire Corp.
New York City’s housing market has always evolved alongside the people who live here, but today that evolution is accelerating. Buyers are more informed, more pragmatic, and more focused on how a home supports their everyday lives.
Developers are seeing a clear shift in expectations. The conversation is no longer just about location or luxury finishes. Instead, buyers are evaluating the full living experience—from layout efficiency to long-term ownership costs. This change is influencing how buildings are designed, where development is happening, and what kinds of communities are emerging across the five boroughs.
My perspective on development is shaped by a background in both finance and architecture. After studying at Baruch College and the New York City College of Technology, I joined my family’s business and later became CEO of New Empire Corp., which has completed more than 120 residential and mixed-use projects across New York City since the company’s founding in 1997.
One significant change is the rise of the holistic buyer. In the past, many people focused primarily on traditional factors like location, views, and finishes. While those elements still matter, today’s buyers take a broader view. They want homes that function well in everyday life, paying close attention to natural light, efficient layouts, storage, and access to outdoor space. How a home “lives” has become just as important as how it looks.
At the same time, buyers are increasingly focused on the long-term economics of ownership. Carrying costs such as property taxes and common charges now play a central role in decision-making. For many, especially first-time buyers, predictable monthly expenses are as important as the purchase price. A home is no longer just a place to live; it is a lifestyle investment.
Three priorities stand out in today’s market: wellness, flexibility and convenience.
Wellness has become a defining force in residential design. Features like fitness centers, landscaped terraces, and rooftop gardens are no longer seen as luxuries but as essential components of healthier environments. There is also a growing emphasis on community and connection. Buyers value shared spaces that foster interaction and improve everyday living.
Flexibility is equally important. Hybrid work has changed how people use their homes, increasing demand for adaptable spaces. Buyers are looking for layouts that can accommodate home offices, multipurpose rooms, or evolving needs over time.
Convenience, often supported by technology, is another factor. Smart building access, strong connectivity, and efficient package management systems have become expected features.
Meanwhile, affordability pressures continue to shape the market. Rising construction costs, interest rates, and land prices have driven developers to be more strategic. Instead of offering expansive amenity packages, developers are focusing on amenities that residents actually use. Fitness spaces, co-working lounges, outdoor terraces and practical storage areas deliver real value to residents without adding unnecessary costs.
Design efficiency has also become essential. Smarter floor plans allow developers to create homes that feel open, comfortable, and functional without drastically increasing square footage. This helps keep prices more attainable.
At New Empire, we see this shift not as a compromise, but as an opportunity to build more thoughtful housing that better reflects how people live today.
One of the most visible results of changing buyer preferences is the continued growth of residential development outside Manhattan. Neighborhoods in Queens, Brooklyn and parts of Upper Manhattan are attracting a new generation of first-time buyers seeking the benefits of city living at more accessible price points. In many cases, buyers are willing to live farther from Midtown if it means gaining more space, better value, and a stronger sense of community.
Radiant: Photo Credit: Conica Studio
This shift is reflected in the success we have seen at our development projects, Radiant in Long Island City, and Centric in Sunnyside/Woodside, reinforcing the importance of building in neighborhoods with strong transit access and long-term growth potential.
Despite regulatory complexity and economic uncertainty, New York remains one of the most resilient housing markets in the world. Demand continues to outpace supply, and the city’s global economic position ensures a steady flow of residents, workers and investors.
Centric: Photo Credit: SDX Studio
Buyers today want homes that support their health, adapt to their lifestyles, and deliver long-term value. They want buildings that foster community while still providing privacy and comfort. And they want neighborhoods that combine convenience with belonging.
Developers who listen closely to those priorities will shape the next generation of residential projects across New York City.
In a supply-constrained city with enduring global appeal, the next era of development will be defined not by what is built, but by how intentionally it is lived in.
Bentley Zhao
Bentley Zhao is Chairman and CEO of New Empire Corp., a leading New York-based development and construction management firm that has completed over 120 residential projects throughout New York City.
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More Than Just an Entrance: How NYC’s Lobbies Became Social Hotspots
Discover how New York City's luxury residential buildings are transforming their lobbies from mere entryways into stylish, hotel-inspired social spaces.
Read MoreSpring Awakening: Inside New York's Luxury Condos Where Design Meets Seasonal Splendor
Step inside New York's most luxurious condos where spring isn't just in the air—it's in every detail of their stunning seasonal interiors!
Read MoreHow Staging Converts Interest Into Offers
Virtual photos can spark clicks, but staging closes—here’s how one relaunch turned a quiet listing into a bidding situation.
Read MoreBest Place to Unwind? Reading Rooms in NYC Luxury Buildings
Winter is the perfect time to get some reading in. But are you looking for the perfect spot outside of your home for some quiet reading or to host a book club? We rounded up some of the best luxury buildings offering amenities geared toward book lovers with designated reading rooms and curated libraries.
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Urban Oasis: How NYC’s Luxury Residences Are Bringing Nature Home
Explore how luxury New York residences like 720 West End Avenue, Sutton Tower, Front & York, and The Henry blend natural landscapes and outdoor spaces into sophisticated urban living.
Read MoreWarm and Welcoming Lobbies for Cold NYC Winters
With colder weather and shorter days, it's important in the Winter for owners of million-dollar apartments to be ushered into a warm and welcoming environment when they arrive home. These New York City lobbies eschew the typical sterile area to grab your mail in favor of elevated design elements that recall the architect and designers' larger vision for the building.
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New Year, New Amenities: How Luxury Buildings Are Selling Health and Wellness at Home
From sky-high saltwater lap pools to tennis courts, spa circuits, and resident fitness programming, luxury buildings are making wellness routines easier—and more inevitable—right at home.
Read MoreDon’t Judge a Book by Its Cover: Louise Phillips Forbes Unwraps the Year Ahead
As the new year unfolds, the housing market is already signaling change, quietly defying the surface noise around interest rates, politics, and policy shifts.
Read MoreLuxury Residences Elevating New Year’s Resolutions: A Wellness Journey at Your Doorstep
As the new year unfolds, many of us embark on a journey of self-improvement and wellness. However, maintaining New Year’s resolutions can be challenging, with a Forbes Health/One Poll survey revealing that the average resolution lasts just under four months. In this landscape, luxury residences in New York City are redefining the concept of living spaces by integrating fitness and wellness amenities that not only inspire but also sustain residents' health and wellness goals throughout the year.
The Harper: A Blend of Fitness and Creativity on the Upper East Side
Credit: The Harper
The Harper, a new 21-story condominium in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, offers more than just luxurious living spaces. It provides a comprehensive wellness experience with a 24-hour fitness center equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and studio mirrors. The Harper also caters to the creative and musical aspirations of its residents with a creative studio by Robofun and a music room courtesy of the School of Rock, making it an ideal place for those looking to balance physical fitness with creative expression.
Selene: A Wellness Sanctuary in Midtown East
Credit: Colin Miller
Selene, a landmark by Foster + Partners, stands tall in Midtown East, offering a collection of wellness and spa-inspired amenities. This includes a 60-foot sunlit swimming pool, a variety of fitness rooms for cardio, weight training, pilates, ballet, and yoga, as well as luxurious saunas, steam rooms, and spa treatment facilities. Selene’s holistic approach to wellness ensures that residents have everything they need to stay committed to their health goals.
Front & York: Life Time Athletic Club in Brooklyn
Credit: Life Time DUMBO
Front & York takes wellness to a new level by housing the first-ever Life Time athletic and wellness club in Brooklyn, and the largest in NYC. Residents receive a complimentary six-year membership to Life Time, accessible across the country. The club features a full-court basketball court, a lap pool, a variety of fitness studios, and a LifeSpa, making it a haven for those dedicated to maintaining their fitness resolutions.
77 Greenwich: Sky-High Fitness in Downtown Manhattan
77 Greenwich in Manhattan’s “New Downtown” offers a unique fitness experience with its Cloud Club. The double-height fitness center, located at the penthouse level, provides panoramic views of the city, adding an element of awe to workout routines. The private training studios and terrace access for yoga and open-air training make it an inspiring space for fitness enthusiasts.
Maverick Chelsea: Wellness in the Heart of Vibrant Neighborhoods
Credit: Maverick Chelsea
Maverick Chelsea, located where Chelsea meets The Highline and Hudson Yards, offers a range of amenities to support wellness resolutions. The development features a 60-foot-long indoor pool, a steam room, sauna, and a state-of-the-art fitness studio. For those seeking relaxation, there’s a private massage room and a meditation room with a Himalayan salt wall.
Tribeca Green: Tailored Wellness in Tribeca
Credit Colin Miller
Tribeca Green, designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, offers a fitness center with a yoga studio that hosts classes from Equinox and Pure Yoga. The 17th-floor terrace is perfect for summer yoga and meditation, providing a serene environment for residents to pursue their wellness goals.
These luxury residences in New York City are not just providing lavish living spaces; they are creating communities that actively support and promote a healthy lifestyle. With such amenities at their fingertips, residents are well-equipped to maintain their New Year’s resolutions and enjoy a healthier, more balanced life.
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Why Confidence, Not Politics, Will Define New York Real Estate in 2026
By Frances Katzen
Founder, The Katzen Team at Douglas Elliman
Top 10 Broker Nationwide | $3.5B+ Career Sales
2026 isn’t shaping up to look like any cycle we’ve just lived through. The past year was loud with rising rates, political noise, endless predictions about what might break next. And yet, instead of pulling back, New York did what it always does. It adjusted and kept moving. Beneath the headlines, the luxury market has been doing its own thing, and the level of conviction we’ve seen late in the year speaks volumes.
In the final two weeks of October alone, Manhattan saw 67 contracts signed above $4 million. That’s more than triple the roughly 20 contracts per week that most of us consider a healthy luxury market. Even in the immediate aftermath of the mayoral election, when many expected buyers to pause, there were 24 deals signed above $10 million in a single week. That doesn’t happen in a market that’s nervous or retreating. It happens when experienced buyers see value and move. At the top end, real estate decisions aren’t driven by headlines or week-to-week politics. They’re driven by confidence, scarcity, and long-term positioning.
What I’m seeing among New York buyers right now comes down to a few simple truths. Fear exists, but flight does not. Ultra-high-net-worth buyers may be adding second or third homes elsewhere, but that’s about diversification, not abandonment. They still want a foothold in the city where careers, culture, and capital intersect. At the same time, uncertainty has created opportunity. The most seasoned buyers understand that transitional moments are often when real value appears, when competition thins just enough to make smart entries possible. And importantly, confidence is returning fastest at the top. With so many luxury transactions happening in cash, buyers aren’t waiting around for rate cuts to tell them when to act. They already know.
Looking ahead, pricing will be dictated less by macro forecasts and more by inventory or the lack of it. We’re moving into a year where fully renovated, well-located, turnkey homes are going to be increasingly hard to find. Developers slowed or reworked projects over the past two years, and that pause is going to show up as a tighter pipeline just as demand continues to normalize. When great product is limited, pricing power follows. We’re already seeing this in neighborhoods that offer what buyers actually want right now: proximity to work, culture, dining, and a true urban lifestyle.
The new year will bring a clear reshuffling of where strength shows up. Areas like NoMad, parts of Midtown, and well-amenitized sections of the Financial District are positioned to outperform because they now deliver convenience alongside elevated living. Brooklyn remains fiercely competitive, particularly in established neighborhoods tied to strong schools and community infrastructure. One of the most intense pressure points continues to be the $4 million to $6 million range, where demand for move-in-ready homes far exceeds supply. Buyers in that tier are far less willing to take on major renovations, and properties that need work are feeling it.
Despite all the political commentary about New York’s future, the city continues to outperform the broader narratives about cooling or contraction. The value here has never been just about square footage. It’s about access to opportunity, access to networks, and access to long-term wealth creation. Every time the noise gets louder, buyers are reminded that New York’s role in the global economy can’t simply be replicated elsewhere. Many will add homes in places like Palm Beach or the Caribbean, but they rarely give up their New York presence entirely. The pull of the city remains as strong as ever.
As we move into the new year, I expect a thoughtful, measured start rather than a hesitant one, with momentum building steadily into the spring. If rates continue to ease, even modestly, a lot of sidelined demand could re-enter quickly, creating a meaningful snapback by mid-year. Stability will likely return before affordability does, but this market has never waited for perfect conditions to move forward. The advantage in 2026 will belong to those who act with intention rather than speculation, and who understand that timing still matters.
I came to New York at 15 to dance, and the lesson I learned then still applies today. This city rewards momentum. It rewards people who step forward while others are waiting. The buyers who moved early will be the ones best positioned when the rest of the market catches up.
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A Fast-Moving 2025 Sets the Stage for a Competitive 2026
Manhattan real estate has always played by its own rules, and 2025 was no exception. While national headlines highlighted buyers slowly re-entering the market, New York charged into the year at full speed.
Read MoreA New Chapter for New York: Growth Through Collaboration
By Louise Phillips Forbes, Brown Harris Stevens
Louise Phillips Forbes
New York City’s recent mayoral election garnered national attention, marking a pivotal moment for the city’s future. As someone who has spent more than three decades helping New Yorkers claim their piece of the rock, I believe this moment represents an opportunity for growth — not division.
A Digital City
By 2029, more than 8,000 pages of land maps will be digitized, offering a unified system for decision makers. This digital transformation will provide a bird’s-eye view of the city, enabling smarter, long-term planning that benefits all five boroughs. It will help prioritize infrastructure improvements, foster cohesive urban planning, and ultimately strengthen the fabric of our neighborhoods and communities.
A Defining Moment for Housing
With the passing of several major amendments to the city housing charter, there is a real opportunity to turn policy into progress. The process stands to move faster overall, and especially in the twelve community board districts that have historically approved the least amount of affordable housing development. And for previously rejected projects, an Affordable Housing Appeals Board, comprised of the Mayor, Borough President and City Council Speaker, will be formed to provide a second look.
Opportunity Through Collaboration
Mayor-elect Mamdani will have a platform to strengthen partnerships between city leadership and developers. History shows this model works — the Bloomberg administration rezoned a significant portion of the city’s landmass and leveraged tax incentives to create powerful collaborations that delivered affordable housing. When incentives align with sound business strategy, the private sector mobilizes to build solutions that last.
A Chance to Lead Nationally
With these measures already being viewed as a potential template for other cities, New York is once again positioned to lead by example by showing how we can invest, innovate, and serve responsibly.
I’ve seen the city’s resilience and creativity time and again. This moment is no different. Together, we have an opportunity to channel that spirit into creating an inclusive future for all who call our special rock home.
With 34 years of experience and nearly $6 billion in career sales, Louise Phillips Forbes is a top producing agent at Brown Harris Stevens and one of the most trusted voices in New York real estate, representing buyers, sellers, and developers across the city.
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The Strategic Buyer’s Advantage in Manhattan’s Evolving Market
By Lisa K. Lippman, Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker, Brown Harris Stevens
Efficiency remains the defining characteristic of today’s luxury real estate market. Well-priced properties are continuing to garner attention, and opportunities exist for buyers who approach the process with equal parts strategy and confidence.
What’s particularly notable is the recent rise of direct buyers, especially among those in their thirties and forties. This trend became apparent at one of my $7 million co-op listings, where three out of four scheduled showings were with direct buyers. However, while many are eager to navigate the process on their own, experience continues to show that agent representation truly matters. Sellers are drawn to the strongest, most prepared buyers, and those with an experienced broker on their side are historically better positioned to succeed.
A seasoned agent does far more than arrange showings or submit offers. They have the ability to anticipate potential issues before they arise, understand how to best present a buyer, and know how to approach negotiations with precision. These insights often make the difference between winning and losing in a competitive situation.
And while property data has never been more accessible, it’s the interpretation of it that counts. As I often remind clients, numbers only tell part of the story. Understanding the nuances of the unit floor plans and building, along with which requests are reasonable during negotiations can dramatically influence value—and peace of mind by knowing that informed decisions are being made.
For buyers, this is an exciting time in a market that rewards preparation, clarity, and expert guidance. With the right strategy and a trusted advisor by your side, you can find the right property, and sometimes where you least expect.
Lisa K. Lippman has been the #1 agent at Brown Harris Stevens for the past nine consecutive years and was recently named the #3 Top New York City Resale Broker by The Real Deal, a Golden I Club finalist, and is consistently honored among the Hollywood Reporter’s New York City Power List. With over 28 years of leading industry experience, Lisa’s depth of expertise, marketing savvy, and personal attention to every detail is sought out by buyers and sellers of high-end cooperatives, condominiums, and townhomes throughout Manhattan.
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