Selling a condo in New York City is not the same as selling a single-family home in the rest of the country, and it is not the same as selling a co-op either. The condo buyer pool is wider, the approval process is lighter, and the pricing comps are sharper. That combination means condo sellers have more optionality on how they go to market — and more room to get the number wrong if they are not careful. The Victoria Shtainer Team has spent the last decade selling condos across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, and this is how we think about positioning a condo in today's NYC market.
Price like the closing, not the listing
Most sellers start with a number they read about — a neighbor's ask, a Zestimate, what a unit five floors up listed for six months ago. The only price that actually matters is what buildings like yours have closed for in the last 60 to 90 days. We pull every closed transaction in your line, your tier, and your neighborhood, overlay the current active set, and price the listing to sit where real buyer demand is. Not the asking-price ceiling. The clearing price.
Why Overpricing Costs You More Than Money
An overpriced condo does not just sit — it burns. Days on market is the single most watched metric in NYC, and after about three weeks at a stale price, the listing starts signaling weakness. Buyers and their agents assume something is wrong with it. Every price cut after that is a negotiation against yourself. The goal is a first 10 days that generate real offer activity, which is only possible when the number is credible on day one.
What actually moves a condo listing
- Professional photography, floor plans, and video. Every listing we take gets a full media package — wide-angle stills, a walk-through video, and a scaled floor plan with room dimensions. This is non-negotiable.
- Staging, when it earns the spend. Compass Concierge fronts the cost of staging, paint, and light repairs, paid back at closing. For the right property, staging can move the sale price by five to eight percent.
- A strategic pre-market window. Compass Coming Soon puts a listing in front of Compass agents before it hits the open market. In tight inventory cycles, we've taken offers before a listing even went live.
- Targeted digital marketing. Neighborhood-targeted social ads, featured placement on the major aggregators, and direct outreach to buyer's agents working active buyers in your price tier.
The Closing-Cost Conversation Most Sellers Avoid
Sellers are often shocked by the closing costs on a New York sale. On a $2,000,000 condo, you are looking at NYC residential transfer tax of 1.425 percent, NY State transfer tax of 0.4 percent, attorney fees, managing agent and building fees, payoff-bank charges, and your broker commission per listing agreement. That's real money coming off your net proceeds. Knowing your honest walk-away number before you sign a listing agreement is how we prevent closing-table surprises. Run the numbers on our Seller Closing Cost Calculator, then let us review your specific situation.
Negotiation is where price is decided — not the asking
A lot happens between an offer and a signed contract. Counter strategy, timing, contingencies, inspection response, board package sequencing — all of it affects your final number. Victoria's background as a former litigator means negotiation is not improvised on the VS Team. We prepare comparables, we set realistic floors, we run scenarios on each offer, and we move fast when moving fast matters.
Why Your Condo Hasn't Sold — and What to Do
If you're reading this because your listing has been on the market and you're not getting offers, there are usually four root causes. Price is the most common one, but marketing assets, staging, and simply a stale-feeling listing can all be factors. We offer a free diagnostic review for sellers coming off an expired listing — we'll look at your photos, your description, your price history, the building's activity, and the comps, and we'll tell you specifically what to change.
Ready to start the conversation?
If you're considering selling a condo in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens, we'll come out, walk the unit, and give you an honest valuation and a go-to-market plan. No pressure, no listing agreement on the kitchen counter. Just a real read on what your place should sell for and what it will take to get there. Request a valuation here.
NYC Luxury Real Estate
The Victoria Shtainer Team
Victoria Shtainer, a former litigator turned top-producing broker at Compass, leads one of New York City's most recognized residential teams. The VS Team has spent more than a decade representing buyers and sellers of condos, co-ops, and townhouses across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens — plus The Hamptons and Florida. If you're planning a move, we're happy to walk you through the market with no pressure.
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