Find out how this luxury broker and her team continue to set records in some of the country’s most exclusive markets.
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As a featured real estate expert on both local New York City TV and national platforms, including Good Morning America and The Today Show, luxury real estate team lead Lisa Simonsen and her team serve clients in New York, Florida and California. “We joke that we work eight days a week, and we wear many different hats: We are brokers, psychiatrists, designers and friends to our clients,” she said.
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She loves social media for keeping in touch with past and present clients as well as other members of her sphere of influence and leverages her networking prowess to get deals done. Simonsen recently closed the off-market sale of a luxury rental building for $150 million, forming a relationship with the buyer through her personal marketing and locating the off-market opportunity through her commercial contacts.
“Our exclusive new development, Abi Chelsea Penthouse, sold for the highest price per square foot for a downtown boutique condominium in the past five years. We continue to break records with residential resales in premier Park and Fifth Avenue Cooperatives and hold sales records in many of the top Fifth Avenue buildings on the Upper East Side,” Simonsen said.
Find out how this luxury broker and her team continue to set records in some of the country’s most exclusive markets.
Name: Lisa Simonsen
Title: Licensed associate real estate broker
Experience: 20+ years
Location: New York, Florida, California
Team Name: The Simonsen Team
Rankings: Top .5 percent of all real estate brokers nationwide
Team size: 3
Sales volume: $206 million sales volume in 2024
Awards:
How did you get your start in real estate?
I started in real estate over 20 years ago, following a career as a celebrity fitness trainer. A client suggested that I consider getting my license. I initially planned to pursue real estate as a side career; however, I quickly landed an $18 million sale during my first week as an agent, and my career took off from there.
How did you choose your brokerage?
Brown Harris Stevens is the No. 1 privately held real estate firm in New York City, with a 150-year legacy of white glove luxury service. BHS agents sell more homes per agent than any other firm, with the highest average sale price achieved per agent nationwide.
The brokerage is renowned for providing innovative tools and resources to its agents, and in turn, the high-net-worth buyers and sellers they represent. My domestic and international clients benefit from this ingenuity and from the firm’s sophisticated brand.
What do you wish more people knew about working in real estate?
This is not a part-time job, and the day-to-day life is far removed from what is portrayed on television shows focused on the brokerage industry.
What’s something you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
The importance of follow-up. I once lost a listing because I did not provide my client with regular, timely follow-ups. I quickly learned this golden rule and will never make that mistake again!
What are 5 things you’d like readers to know about you and your brokerage?
- I am licensed in New York, Florida and California and sell properties in major markets in all three states.
- In 2024, we closed a $150 million deal and a $500,000 deal, both in the same week. The Simonsen Team provides the same level of service to our clients across all price points.
- Brown Harris Stevens has the highest average sale price achieved per agent nationwide.
- Brown Harris Stevens agents sell more homes per agent than any other firm in New York City.
- Over 25 percent of The Simonsen Team’s major sales are of properties that are not actively on the market. It is key for buyers and sellers to align themselves with a proactive broker who can actively identify and secure opportunities that may not be available online.
What’s your top prediction for 2025?
There is a wealth of opportunity for smart buyers (and their brokers) at the moment. Buyers willing to tackle a project should seize the opportunity to purchase value-add properties, as there is currently less competition for properties that need work. (To that point, owners of turnkey properties who may wish to sell should certainly consider listing now, as buyers will pay a premium for turnkey inventory.)
First-time buyers who plan to finance should consider buying now and refinancing as interest rates continue to drop.
What’s your top tip for newly formed teams?
Grow your team (and your career) slowly and with intention. Coaching and mentorship are key, even for team leaders!
What makes a good leader?
A good leader and mentor is generous with their time, provides constructive feedback, and genuinely wants to see those around them grow and flourish.
What’s one thing you wish every agent knew?
There is always an opportunity to expand your skillset, to learn a new skill and to grow your business. Never become complacent!
