Welcome to Ten, CORE founder and CEO Shaun Osher’s rapid-fire interview series with prominent CORE figures. Read on to find out how this week’s subject deals with being on the hot seat.

Reba Miller joined CORE as Senior Managing Director of Sales last year after owning her own company for almost 30 years. She is an industry icon, and I am enjoying getting to know her as someone who works side by side with me. She has a sharp sense of humor, a unique sense of fashion, and a style all of her own.

1) How long have you been selling real estate?
27 years and then some!

2) How did you get involved in the business?
My father had retail stores and was a “jobber,” buying, negotiating, and reselling. So real estate was an easy fit for me.

3) How has the industry changed in that time?
The firm of Whitbread-Nolan was one of the premiere companies at the time, and the entire business was based on books of 3 x 6 index cards inscribed with each type of apartment that the firm had to offer. Your books were your listings and the pay phones were your form of communication!

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Welcome to Ten, CORE founder and CEO Shaun Osher’s rapid-fire interview series with prominent CORE figures. Read on to find out how this week’s subject deals with being on the hot seat.

David Beare has been with CORE for six years. He has built a solid reputation as a top young agent who is trustworthy, hard working, and always eager to learn and grow his business in the residential and commercial field. It was time we chatted for Ten.

1) How did you get into the business?
I got into the business in 2006, when I graduated from college. My mother Emily had gone into real estate a few years earlier. I was very intrigued with the business. It was the summer, she suggested that I try it out, so I got my license and the rest is history.

2) Who is your mentor?
My mentors are all members of my family. My grandfather Eric, who turned 83, is still at the helm of his business, and he taught me the 4 C’s that lead to success in business: communication, cooperation, coordination and collaboration. My father Brian also is a great mentor to me. He came to this country as a foreigner and started his own business from nothing. My mother Emily has an incredible work ethic – workaholic is more like it – and she is proof that success doesn’t just come to you, you have to want it and work for it.

3) You’ve become very successful in a short time. What do you attribute this success to?
Success for me really boils down to hard work, determination, developing/maintaining relationships, and following through (cliché I know, but it’s the truth). Having a good personality, being able to converse, and having a sense of humor are also very important – that is another thing I learned from my mentors.

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Today CORE is thrilled to announce that Jarrod Guy Randolph has joined the firm as a Vice President and Associate Broker. With a successful decade in the business, Jarrod’s personal contributions to new development projects have resulted in sales valued at over $400 million, including at notable projects such as 84 Bedford Street, Starck Downtown (15 Broad Street), River Lofts, Ariel East and Arial West, and The Lucida. Jarrod’s efforts were recently recognized by Forbes, which named him to the magazine’s prestigious “30 Under 30” list.

“Jarrod is the epitome of what we look for in a CORE agent and the new development and resale opportunities we offer are the perfect fit for his business model,” said Reba Miller, CORE’s Senior Managing Director of Sales. “His knowledge base, commitment and passion for his career and clients is apparent to everyone he comes in contact with. He is a thoroughbred of an agent and we can’t wait to watch him grow his personal brand at CORE.” Jarrod, an NYU graduate and patron of the arts — he is currently a board member on the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Generation Advance, and has previously been involved with the American Ballet Theatre — answered a few questions about his career, and why he decided to join CORE.

1) How did you first get into real estate?
I began in real estate working as an assistant for my best friend’s mother’s boss at age 16, and I fell in love. This was in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where I grew up. She was the sales manager for Weichert Realty, and I did mostly administrative tasks and comparable reports. However, I received recognition for the “Land Bank” catalog I created. It was a book of all the large parcels of land in the county and who owned them. My boss took that information and successfully listed and sold many large tracks of land to major developers in the region. From that experience there was no looking back. Real estate became my career.

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With 5 seasons (and counting!) of “Selling New York” under our belts, CORE agents are no strangers to the television spotlight. So, when HGTV, the network behind “SNY,” approached CORE’s Adrian Noriega about film one of his listings for a brand-new series, it was a no-brainer. And how’s this for a unique idea: Heard of man caves? Well, this new show is all about mom caves. HGTV’s “Mom Caves” stars designer Matt Muenster and Beth Stern (aka Mrs. Howard Stern) as they team up to create incredible spaces specifically for moms. As the show’s website says, “We’ll design and build the ultimate space for Mom, a place where she can kick back and relax with her friends or family and do what she likes to do best.”

Producers have been on the hunt for creative inspiration for “Mom Caves,” and the bright color-palette and sun-drenched rooms of Adrian’s listing at 15 West 20th Street fit the bill. Beth Stern was taken by the combination of reds, pinks, and oranges that the homeowner used in the apartment — a recent Wall Street Journal House of the Day — and felt that the décor would inspire her “moms.” To see this property, check it out here, and stay tuned for the upcoming episode on HGTV!

One major aspect of a real estate broker’s job that most people don’t know about is the role of decorator. Agents need a keen eye for interior design, and not only regarding what does or doesn’t look good, but what will sell. CORE agents are particularly talented in this regard — just ask the media. Today Christian Rogers and Elizabeth Kee lend their expert advice on renovating and redecorating for a sale in a pair of great newspaper stories.

In the New York Post, veteran broker Christian Rogers explains not only what to do before listing a home for sale (modernize kitchens and bathrooms, upgrade appliances, stay neutral when it comes to colors and personal taste), but also what not to do. That list includes avoiding expensive custom window treatments, Miami-style marble and terrazzo flooring, and Venetian-plastered walls (”Ninety-nine percent of the time, it’s done terribly,” Rogers says). Click through to the Post’s story for more tips and tricks of the trade.

In the New York Times Home & Garden section, Elizabeth Kee tackles an age-old dilemma: What to do about family photos hanging on the wall before listing an apartment? Though most sellers won’t want to hear it, removing the photos “should be the very first thing you do when you prepare an apartment for sale,” Kee says. To find out why, head over to the Times.

Welcome to Ten, CORE founder and CEO Shaun Osher’s rapid-fire interview series with prominent CORE figures. Read on to find out how this week’s subject deals with being on the hot seat.

Tony Sargent joined CORE this year after a long association with a much larger firm. He is an agent who has built a sound reputation in the industry and is known for his Sargent Report. His attention to detail and thorough knowledge of the market is an asset to us as a company and he is also one of the most approachable people in the business.

1) How long have you been selling real estate?
Twelve years.

2) How did you get involved in real estate?
I grew up moving around internationally and so I saw a lot of different styles of living and design in my youth, and I love architecture and working with people. In 1999 I met someone in real estate and we talked about his clients. One morning I started looking online at luxury townhouses and apartments and never stopped. A month later I was sitting on the beach watching the sun rise and I knew I wanted to do this. I am driven by my passion to help others and to be able to create a positive difference in someone’s life by helping them find or sell their home. It makes me incredibly happy.

3) What was your quickest transaction?
A Park Avenue classic seven. I was sharing it with another broker. The co-op board rejected the first buyer on a Thursday. The other broker called me to say the owner’s daughter had called on Friday out of the blue and was threatening to pull the listing. Given my numbers background and the fact that the owner’s daughter was in finance, I called her and used my business skills to give her confidence we were going about things the right way. I shared that we’d had another buyer interested three months prior who had strong qualifications. I reached out to that buyer’s broker on Super Bowl Sunday with a strategy. I let her know that the deal had dissolved, but we were about to raise the price (true). If her buyer was willing to come up $150,000 higher than their last offer, make no contingencies and simultaneously sign a contract by Tuesday morning with the seller, they had a deal. It happened in two days for over $3 million.

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Welcome to Ten, CORE founder and CEO Shaun Osher’s rapid-fire interview series with prominent CORE figures. Read on to find out how this week’s subject deals with being on the hot seat.

Reba Miller has been in the business for almost 30 years! Even after selling over a billion dollars worth of real estate, she has an impeccable reputation and a zest for the business. She recently caused a stir by joining our team in a senior leadership role, and I’m looking forward to working with her to help build our company, our culture, and our brand.

1) What is one the one thing about you that you think defines who you are?
I am very driven.

2) You’ve been in the brokerage business for almost 30 years. What has been your biggest surprise?
How much I still love each day as if it’s my first!

3) You recently joined CORE as our Senior Managing Director of Sales. Why move now?
I felt the business was changing and I bee-lined for the coolest and most reputable company to align myself with. I figured the owner’s name spelled the same way as my son Shaun was a great sign.

4) What was the toughest negotiation of your career?
Selling myself to the developers of 22 West 66th Street when they bought the building from the Resolution Trust Corp. They did not speak a word of English, so every bit of the exclusive from beginning to end was translated into Italian.

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Welcome to Ten, CORE founder and CEO Shaun Osher’s rapid-fire interview series with prominent CORE figures. Read on to find out how this week’s subject deals with being on the hot seat.

I met Natalie Rakowski in 2002 when we did a deal together in the “Dance Building” in Chelsea. Even back then, she was one of the top New Development experts in the city, and a power broker. When I started Core in 2005, I was honored to have her by my side, and we’ve never looked back. She is not only one of the most trustworthy people I know, but one of the most genuine. Here is my interview with my friend…

1) When you were a kid, what did you dream of becoming?
I always wanted to be a documentary filmmaker. I am a Discovery and Travel Channel addict. About ten years ago, I had the opportunity to make a documentary called “Talking Tacheles” about artists who squatted in a bombed out building in (former) East Berlin. The building itself is a character in the story, so it was ideal subject matter combining all of my interests – art, travel, history and real estate!

2) You have created a name for yourself as one of the top people in the city who works with developers. How did you get involved in new development?
When I was 21, My father and I bought an old building in Berlin and renovated it. That was where I learned everything about being a developer. From that moment on, my love affair with real estate began.

3) What’s the most challenging deal you ever closed?
That was the one with the pot belly pig. DON’T ASK! Only in New York.

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Welcome to Ten, CORE founder and CEO Shaun Osher’s rapid-fire interview series with prominent CORE figures. Read on to find out how this week’s subject deals with being on the hot seat.

The CORE brand, the way we express who we are, what we stand for, and how we conduct our business is largely reliant on how we communicate our message to our clients and the world at large. Kristina Helb is our Director of Communications and in the past year has been responsible for that message. She is personable, responsive, and above all, she is a delight to work with.

1) What is the best part of your day?
When I’m out and about in the City and that idyllic moment unexpectedly catches me – where I feel so complete and so happy to be in a City that I love, doing what I love to do. This happens daily and I think any New Yorker will understand exactly what I mean.

2) How do you approach your job?
Expect the unexpected! People always ask me to describe my “typical day,” and there is no typical day, especially when heading up Communications for CORE. I approach my job with flexibility and nimbleness -– amid executing co-branded events, working on “Selling New York” episodes, managing CORE’s blog calendar, social media efforts and pitching stories to media, I can never plan for when CORE’s next million-dollar big deal will happen. I’ve learned to think quickly on my feet, react strategically and with confidence and secure press coverage for that big deal – while managing to keep all the other plates spinning.

3) The world has changed significantly over the last 10 years because of technology. How has that changed the way you work? (more…)

Welcome to Ten, CORE founder and CEO Shaun Osher’s rapid-fire interview series with prominent CORE agents. Read on to find out how this week’s subject deals with being on the hot seat.

I’ve known Vickey Barron for ten years (which makes her the perfect candidate for Ten!), and there’s not a day that goes by when she doesn’t do something that surprises me. In a positive way. She is known, industry wide, as trustworthy, ethical, and a lady full of fantastic ideas. She is also a true closer! To me, personally, she is a true friend and someone I look to every day to help me grow my business and brand.

1) What did you dream of being when you were younger?
Alan Funk on Candid Camera or a TV host. I love asking people questions.

2) Why did you go into real estate?
I bought my first property on my own in my early 20’s, fixed it, sold it and bought another within a year. Do what you believe in and you have a better chance to succeed.

3) Who is your mentor?
Dr. Robert Gumbiner, an intellectual creative thinker who took risks and lived life to its fullest.

4) What is the value you most admire in a person?
A creative thinker without over thinking.

5) You’re very involved in teaching newer (and more experienced) agents about our industry. Why?
I do many deals with different agents. We are on the same team, even agents with other firms. So the better we are as a team, we will provide better service to our clients. When I teach, I also learn. It simply feels good to help. I learned that from my Mother.

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