We’re excited to welcome Jessica Cohen and her team to Brown Harris Stevens. With more than 20 years of experience and over 1,000 closed sales, Jessica brings an impressive track record to our West Side office. She’s been recognized among Douglas Elliman’s top 25 agents over the years and is known for her thoughtful, strategic approach. Over the course of her career, she has sold several billion dollars in resale and new development. In this Q&A, Jessica shares why she made the move to BHS, what she’s seeing in the market right now, and the deal that still stands out to her after more than two decades in the business.
With over $1 billion in resale and new development sales throughout your 20-year career, why did you choose BHS as the best fit for your business?
BHS is a brand that I have consistently associated with professionalism, intelligence, and integrity. I am very technical and detail-oriented, and it felt suited for me to align with a company (and agents) that truly match who I am and what is important to me in my real estate practice.
How do you see the NYC real estate market performing right now, based on your recent client experiences?
Recently I have seen more buyers bidding and finally stepping off the sidelines. The pent-up demand hasn’t fully released, but some buyers don’t seem to be able to wait any longer to make moves. Small differences in listing price can have a big impact on market reaction. There seems to be an inflection point where listings shift from quiet to very active.
As a regular speaker at industry continuing education panels, what’s one piece of advice you would offer to someone looking to take the next step in their career?
Our industry has a bad reputation for chaos, shady practice, and the bar to enter this industry is low. If you are honest, at all costs (even when it is not in your interest to make a deal), it goes a surprisingly LONG way. A client that trusts you is a client for life who comes back over and over (over 22 years, I have seen it firsthand). If nothing else, always be trustworthy, and you will have a long career in real estate.
As the daughter of an architect, what is your favorite building in Manhattan and why?
One High Line - 500 W 18th St! I love the apparent simplicity of the design, which is nothing short of simple. The way the two towers twist at a slight angle such that each unit in that development maximizes their views of the skyline and river, like two puzzle pieces. Furthermore, one tower goes from a larger base to a smaller top while the other tower has a smaller base and a larger top—which meant that every unit is different than the floors above or below them, and within the same line on each floor, every apartment had a slightly larger or smaller living room, kitchen, or bedrooms. These small discrete differences gave each apartment a unique footprint with pros/cons in each layout and slightly shifted views. I love how this design made every unit ever so slightly unique, making it so interesting to sell and comp.
Having closed over 1000 deals in your career, which is your favorite or most memorable?
When I was new to the business, I had a young friend that needed his apartment rented—ask price of $3,100 (it was a small UWS 2-bedroom). I worked so hard to impress everyone, and it was a tiny rental deal. Ten years later, that tenant and her father contacted me, and they decided to buy an apartment at Time Warner Center for $2.6M for his daughter (this was the $3,100 tenant I had found!). That same unit, years later, we rented for $13K-$16K and had it listed for sale on and off between $4.5M-$5.5M (another 10 years later).
Share something few know about you.
I got into NYC real estate at age 25 because I was rejected by a co-op board, and I wanted to understand why and what happened. Worst feeling of rejection ever! (Years later, by chance, a broker in my office shared with me that she met the board VP in that same building and she asked, “What are you looking for in your building?” to which the board member replied, “Just don't bring us any more 20-somethings!” She was stunned by that reply, which was why she shared that story with me. Unbeknownst to her, I had been rejected at age 25 in that same building!)
Share a photo that means a lot to you and tell us why.
This was from a video—but I made snapshots: This is my daughter when she was 16 months old, clearly imitating her real estate agent mommy!
What is one goal you aim to accomplish in 2025?
My goal in 2025 is to re-grow and re-build at BHS with the best of what I learned from my past experiences in real estate and the new ideas and inspiration (and people!) that attracted me to come here.
