Pricing
Built from recent comps
Recent closings on comparable lines, adjusted for floor, light, condition, monthly costs, and active competition — a number that holds up when buyers press.
Seller advisory
Price it from recent comps. Launch it in the right order.
Pricing, launch, and negotiation stay on one read, so the next move is clear before the apartment ever hits the market.
Seller advisory
Explore selling
Pricing, prep, and a focused launch.
Advisory focus
Launch
Right buyers, right order
Private clients and trusted agents first, then the open market when the price and story are set. The goal is clean demand from buyers ready to act.
Coverage
Launched where the buyers already live
The launch follows the buyer pool for this line, this building, and the neighborhoods that point toward it.
Ask Frank
Questions sellers ask me first.
Plain answers for the decisions that usually come up first.
Selling How do you decide what my place should list for?
By the comps, held honestly. I start with recent, genuinely comparable closings in your building and nearby buildings, then adjust for floor, light, condition, outdoor space, monthly costs, and current competition. In a market where buyers have choices, strong listings still move, but the first price has to survive both the search and the negotiation.
Selling What will it actually cost me to sell?
The list price is not your net. Sellers usually plan for broker compensation, New York City and State transfer taxes, attorney fees, building fees, payoff costs, and any co-op flip tax or transfer fee. NYC residential transfer tax is generally 1% at $500K or less and 1.425% above $500K; New York State transfer tax is separate. I walk through the net sheet before we list, not after the first offer comes in.
Selling How do buyer-agent commissions work now?
Compensation is negotiated, and the offer structure matters. Some buyers ask the seller to cover their agent's compensation or closing costs; others bring it separately. I care about the net, the certainty, and the terms, not just the headline price. A clean offer with fewer complications can beat a higher number that gets messy at the table.
Selling Do I need to stage and renovate before selling?
Rarely a gut, often an edit. Paint, lighting, decluttering, small repairs, and a few staged rooms usually do more than a renovation you won't recoup. I walk the apartment and separate the work that changes value from the work that only makes a seller feel busy.
Selling What should we prepare before going live?
The listing should not outrun the paperwork. For a co-op or condo, I want the financials, board package requirements, flip-tax rules, current assessments, house rules, and any known capital projects early. For townhouses and small buildings, we look at condition, permits, open violations, and disclosure issues. The more we clean up before launch, the less leverage a buyer has later.
Selling How long does a New York sale really take?
The marketing window can be quick; the slow part is often the contract, board package, financing, and closing. A condo or townhouse may move faster than a co-op. For applications after it takes effect, the 2026 co-op timing law should make board review more predictable once a complete application is in, but the package still has to be right.
Co-op boards What does a co-op board actually look for?
Stability. Boards read debt-to-income, post-close liquidity, income history, reserves, and whether the package answers questions before they have to ask. Some buildings want a year or two of carrying costs left after closing; stricter buildings want more. I screen the building's standards before we offer, because bank approval and board approval are not the same thing.
Co-op boards How does the new 2026 co-op timing law affect the deal?
It should make the process less open-ended, but it does not make approval automatic. For applications after it takes effect, Local Law 58 of 2026 requires covered co-ops to acknowledge an application within 15 days and decide within 45 days after the application is complete, with some extension and summer-recess rules. The practical point is still the same: submit a clean, complete package the first time.
Co-op boards Can a board reject the buyer, and what usually causes it?
Yes. A board can still say no, and it usually does not need to give a detailed public explanation. The avoidable problems are thin liquidity, high debt-to-income, unexplained transfers, a low sale price the board worries will hurt comps, or a package that creates more questions than it answers. I try to find those risks before we write the offer.
Co-op boards How should the board interview be handled?
The interview is the confirmation step. By interview night your numbers have already been read; the room is checking that you're a steady, low-drama neighbor. We rehearse the likely questions, agree on what to keep brief, and you walk in calm. Short, honest, and warm wins it.
Working with Frank What's it like to work with you?
Direct and unhurried. You work with me start to finish. I tell you when a building is wrong, when a number doesn't make sense, and when the better move is to wait. Fifteen years in Manhattan and Brooklyn means I've usually seen the situation before, and I'll say so plainly.
Working with Frank How are you paid, and who pays it?
On a sale, my fee comes out of the transaction at closing and is agreed in writing up front — no surprises. As a buyer, my guidance typically costs you nothing directly. Before we start I lay out exactly how it works for your situation, so the economics are clear from the first conversation.
Working with Frank What happens after I reach out?
We start with a conversation. You tell me where you are: a building you're weighing, a number you're unsure of, or just the sense that it's time. I give you a straight read on your situation and the likely next steps, and we agree on what's worth doing now versus later. No pressure to list or buy on the first call.
Working with Frank How quickly will I hear back, and what should I send?
I read every message myself and reply within one business day, usually the same day. The more you can share up front the better the first read: the neighborhoods or buildings you're considering, your rough timeline, and your budget or target price. Nothing sensitive yet — that comes later, only when a deal is real.
Working with Frank What if I'm not ready to buy or sell yet?
Then we talk anyway. Not every conversation should end in a transaction. Bring me a building, a number, or a decision you're weighing and you'll get an honest read — even if the read is "not yet." The best clients usually start a year before they move.
Still have a question?
Ask Frank directlyFirst conversation
Sit down with Frank.
Tell Frank what you’re weighing. He’ll give you a clear read on price, timing, and next steps across Manhattan and Brooklyn.
- A pricing read grounded in recent comps
- Advice on selling, buying, or waiting
- Frank from first conversation to close
Frank replies himself. No assistant handoff.
15+ years in NYC · Co-ops, condos, townhouses · Manhattan + Brooklyn
From the blog
Recent writing.
Field Notes
Buying an Apartment in Manhattan: What Serious Buyers Should Know First
A Manhattan purchase is not just a search. It is a sequence of decisions about financing, building quality, offer strength, board risk, closing costs, and resale.
Frank Suriano
Field Notes
Manhattan Co-op Board Approval: What Buyers Should Prepare Before They Offer
Board approval starts before the package. Buyers need clean finances, a coherent story, and a building choice that fits their profile.
Frank Suriano
Market Letter
How to Price a Manhattan Co-op or Condo Without Chasing the Market
Pricing is not a neighborhood average. It is a read on the building, line, condition, buyer pool, competing inventory, and launch timing.
Frank Suriano