Brown Harris Stevens
Brown Harris Stevens is a 150+ year old luxury residential real estate brokerage with 2,700+ agents across 55+ offices in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Florida, serving high-net-worth buyers, sellers, and institutional developers via transaction commissions and exclusive new development sales.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1873
- HeadquartersNew City, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Brown Harris Stevens does
Brown Harris Stevens is a privately held luxury residential real estate brokerage founded in 1873 and headquartered at 770 Lexington Avenue, New York, operating under parent company Terra Holdings LLC. The firm operates 55+ offices across New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Florida, staffed by 2,700+ agents averaging more than 20 years of residential real estate experience. Its core offering is buyer and seller brokerage in luxury residential markets, with the firm reporting the highest average sales price per agent among 86,000+ US brokerage firms. Adjacent and supporting service lines include Brown Harris Stevens Development Marketing (BHSDM), which acts as exclusive sales agent on new development projects from site acquisition through sales and leasing; the MORE Network, a proprietary podcast and video content platform; Curate by BHS, a staging and presentation service; and Artvisory by BHS, an art-real estate integration offering launched in early 2026. Named developer clients include Toll Brothers, Goldman Sachs, Gotham, Dart, Minrav, Mitsui, Vanke, Zeckendorf, and Taurasi Group.
Revenue is generated entirely through transaction-based commissions on residential brokerage deals and on new development sales/leasing, with rates negotiated and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market model is direct sales through a relationship-driven agent network, supplemented by content marketing (BHS NOW blog, market reports, neighborhood guides), an active organic social presence across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Spotify, and CEO-led thought leadership positioning. International reach is enabled through affiliations with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, Luxury Portfolio International, Mayfair International Realty, and Partnering Worldwide, providing access to 135,000 sales associates across 550+ firms in 70 countries. Standalone 2025 transaction volume was reported at $8.94 billion, expanding to a combined $15.06 billion under a multi-year strategic marketing partnership with FirstTeam Real Estate announced in May 2026.
Brown Harris Stevens firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Brown Harris Stevens
- Legal name
- Brown Harris Stevens
- Website
- https://bhsusa.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1873
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Brown Harris Stevens is a 150+ year old luxury residential real estate brokerage with 2,700+ agents across 55+ offices in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Florida, serving high-net-worth buyers, sellers, and institutional developers via transaction commissions and exclusive new development sales.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Brown Harris Stevens industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Luxury Residential Real Estate Brokerage
- NAICS
- Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seller Representation & Listing Services (BPAJAAAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Buyer Representation Services (BPAJAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Brown Harris Stevens is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Brown Harris Stevens business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Residential Real Estate Commissions: Brown Harris Stevens generates revenue through commissions on residential real estate transactions, representing both buyers and sellers of luxury properties. The firm achieves the highest average sales price per agent among over 86,000 brokerage firms in the US, indicating premium transaction values.
- Development Marketing Services: Brown Harris Stevens Development Marketing (BHSDM) serves as exclusive sales agent for new development projects, earning commissions on pre-sales and closings. Services include site acquisition, research and advisory, planning and design consultation, marketing, and sales and leasing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard residential real estate commission services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Brown Harris Stevens product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Brown Harris Stevens is a luxury residential real estate brokerage that represents buyers and sellers of high-end properties across New York City, the Hamptons, Hudson Valley, Connecticut, New Jersey, Palm Beach, and Miami. Through its 2,700+ agents and 55+ offices, the firm earns commissions on luxury residential transactions, and via its BHS Development Marketing (BHSDM) division, it serves as the exclusive sales agent for new luxury development projects, providing site acquisition, research, design consultation, marketing, and sales/leasing services.
Product overview
Brown Harris Stevens is a luxury real estate brokerage offering a comprehensive digital platform alongside specialized service divisions. The core platform provides property search (for sale, for rent), neighborhood exploration, and agent discovery across markets in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, and the Hamptons. Supporting the core platform are specialized divisions including BHS Development Marketing (new development marketing and sales), the MORE Network (podcast and video content), Curate by BHS (custom marketing services), and Artvisory by BHS (art-real estate integration). The company also operates a Home Value Estimation Tool for homeowners seeking property valuations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MORE Network: Mastery of Real Estate (MORE) Network - premier real estate podcast and video network featuring multiple shows covering NYC, Hamptons, Connecticut, South Florida markets
- Curate by BHS
- BHS Development Marketing
- BHS Exclusives
Products and services
- Luxury Residential Brokerage Services End-to-end luxury residential real estate representation for buyers and sellers of high-end homes, apartments, and townhouses in markets across New York, the Hamptons, Connecticut, New Jersey, Palm Beach, and Miami. Service is delivered through 2,700+ experienced agents averaging over 20 years of residential real estate experience.
- BHS Development Marketing (BHSDM) Exclusive sales agency and comprehensive development marketing services for new luxury residential developments. Service offering includes site acquisition analysis, market research and advisory, predevelopment planning, design consultation, strategic marketing, and focused sales and leasing. Developer clients include Dart, Goldman Sachs, Gotham, Minrav, Mitsui, Taurasi Group, Toll Brothers, Vanke, and Zeckendorf.
- Curate by BHS Custom branding and targeted luxury marketing campaign service for property sellers, providing bespoke presentation and promotion of luxury listings to qualified buyer audiences.
- Artvisory by BHS Art-real estate integration service connecting luxury properties with art curation, including art-curated property viewings and integration of art into luxury listings for high-net-worth clientele.
Quantifiable outcome
- Highest average sales price per agent out of over 86,000 brokerage firms in the US
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Brown Harris Stevens
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Brown Harris Stevens technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Brown Harris Stevens partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FirstTeam Real EstatecoreStrategic multi-year marketing partnership announced May 5, 2026 as a counterweight to national brokerage consolidation. Enables cross-marketing, advertising, public relations, and networking across combined footprint of over 5,000 agents in more than 70 offices across New York, New Jersey, Florida, Connecticut, California, Arizona, and Washington. Firms reported combined 2025 transaction volumes of $15.06 billion (Brown Harris Stevens: $8.94B, FirstTeam: $6.12B). Partnership aims to build a template for other independent brokerages to compete without M&A consolidation.
- Inman Advisory CouncilminorBrown Harris Stevens is part of the Inman Advisory Council, a founding group of C-suite and senior executives from across the real estate industry helping shape Inman's strategy across editorial, events, membership, and community.
- Leading Real Estate Companies of the WorldcoreInternational network affiliation providing access to global network of real estate professionals for international referrals and global reach.
- Luxury Portfolio InternationalcoreInternational luxury real estate network providing access to high-end property marketing and buyer networks globally.
- Mayfair International RealtycoreInternational real estate network affiliation providing access to global luxury property markets and buyer networks.
- Partnering WorldwidecoreWorldwide referral network providing access to international real estate connections and global property listings.
- Dart (Development Partner)coreMajor multifamily developer partner for new development marketing and sales.
- Goldman Sachs (Development Partner)coreMajor real estate development partner for new development marketing and sales.
- Taurasi GroupcoreDeveloper partner for Southend Lofts luxury condominium development in Hoboken, NJ. Brown Harris Stevens Development Marketing NJ serves as exclusive sales agent for the 110-unit development.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Brown Harris Stevens competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Compass: Tech-enabled national luxury-leaning brokerage with strong NYC, Hamptons, and Florida presence. Aggressively recruited BHS agents (e.g., Rachel Glazer previously moved to Compass) and represents the primary competitive threat to BHS's agent base and developer mandates.
- Engel & Völkers: International luxury-focused brokerage with growing North American presence, including Manhattan and other gateway markets. Comparable on luxury positioning, agent-driven model, and cross-border referral capability.
- Douglas Elliman: Major New York-based residential brokerage with extensive Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island, Hamptons, and Florida operations. Direct competitor for luxury listings, agent recruitment, and new development marketing mandates.
- Sotheby's International Realty: Premier global luxury residential brokerage brand affiliated with the Sotheby's auction house. Competes head-to-head with BHS in Manhattan, Hamptons, Palm Beach, and international luxury markets, with comparable agent networks and high-net-worth clientele.
- The Corcoran Group: Long-established luxury residential brokerage with deep roots in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Hamptons, and South Florida. Direct competitor to BHS in core NYC luxury segments and a frequent target/source of agent recruitment between the firms.
- Christie's International Real Estate: Global luxury residential network affiliated with Christie's auction house. Competes with BHS in Manhattan and international luxury referrals via shared high-net-worth client base and similar luxury brand positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Coldwell Banker Global Luxury: Luxury division of Coldwell Banker (part of Anywhere Real Estate). Competes with BHS in suburban luxury markets across NY, CT, NJ, and FL with broader agent base and franchised model.
- Knight Frank: Global real estate consultancy with significant luxury residential operations, particularly in prime central London and international markets. Partnering Worldwide affiliation gives BHS indirect alignment; competes in international luxury referrals serving HNW clients.
- Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices: Large national residential brokerage franchise with growing luxury segment. While not a luxury specialist like BHS, it competes for high-end agents and listings in suburban CT, NJ, and Florida markets that overlap with BHS's footprint.
Regional players
- Halstead Real Estate: NYC-focused residential brokerage historically strong in Manhattan and Connecticut (now operating under Compass). Relevant historical competitor in the same metro luxury segment, particularly for mid-market Manhattan condos.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Brown Harris Stevens social profiles
Digital presenceBrown Harris Stevens financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Brown Harris Stevens leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Brown Harris Stevens subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Brown Harris Stevens funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Brown Harris Stevens M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Brown Harris Stevens
What does Brown Harris Stevens do?
Brown Harris Stevens is a luxury residential real estate brokerage that represents buyers and sellers of high-end properties across New York City, the Hamptons, Hudson Valley, Connecticut, New Jersey, Palm Beach, and Miami. Through its 2,700+ agents and 55+ offices, the firm earns commissions on luxury residential transactions, and via its BHS Development Marketing (BHSDM) division, it serves as the exclusive sales agent for new luxury development projects, providing site acquisition, research, design consultation, marketing, and sales/leasing services.
Is Brown Harris Stevens a public or private company?
Brown Harris Stevens is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Brown Harris Stevens founded?
Brown Harris Stevens was founded in 1873. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Brown Harris Stevens based?
Brown Harris Stevens is headquartered in New City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Brown Harris Stevens make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Residential Real Estate Commissions are the primary driver. The others are development Marketing Services.
Who are Brown Harris Stevens's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Compass, Engel & Völkers, Douglas Elliman, Sotheby's International Realty, The Corcoran Group and Christie's International Real Estate. Broad incumbents are Coldwell Banker Global Luxury, Knight Frank and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Halstead Real Estate is listed as a regional player.
Does Brown Harris Stevens have an API?
No public API is recorded for Brown Harris Stevens.
What industry is Brown Harris Stevens in?
Brown Harris Stevens's product category is Luxury Residential Real Estate Brokerage. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJAAAK, Seller Representation & Listing Services, with a secondary code of BPAJAAAJ, Buyer Representation Services. Its NAICS code is 53121 and its SIC code is 6531.