New York City – a city that never sleeps, never slows down, and never stops building real estate empires. This spirit was on full display on Wednesday evening as The Hollywood Reporter (THR) hosted its highly anticipated 2025 New York Power Broker Awards, bringing together the upper echelon of the real estate industry for an intimate night of recognition, networking, and celebration.

The private event, held at an exclusive members-only club in Manhattan, was co-hosted by Selling the City stars Eleonora Srugo of Douglas Elliman and Steve Gold of Corcoran, two names that are as synonymous with high-end real estate as the skyline is with success. The gathering honored top-tier brokers who have not only shaped the New York property market but also redefined what it means to thrive in a fiercely competitive profession.

Honoring Real Estate Titans in the City of Skyscrapers

“This is really a room tonight of people that I actually admire in this business,” Srugo remarked to the room of elite agents. “We often celebrate in isolation when a deal is done, so any opportunity to come together is really exciting for us.”

The Power Broker Awards recognized 30 of the top-performing real estate professionals in New York, selected for their impressive sales volumes, media presence, architectural influence, and contributions to community and culture. These professionals aren’t just moving square footage—they’re setting global trends across real estate investments in New York, real estate investments in the USA, and increasingly, in international markets like Dubai, the UK, Canada, and rising destinations in Nigeria, including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Enugu.

“We’ve all done deals together,” said Gold. “I’d say probably 29 out of 30 of the people here I’ve tried to do a deal with. It’s a fun way we can all get together and celebrate each other’s success in an uber-competitive profession.”

Presented by Industry Powerhouses

The event was orchestrated by leading real estate PR firm The Society Group, whose founder Alexander Ali was in attendance. It was sponsored by Ash Staging, a top-tier interior design and furnishing firm recognized by the AD100 list. Co-founder Andrew Bowen opened the awards segment of the night, saying:

“We are so excited to partner this evening on the Power Broker Awards. It’s our third time doing it in New York, in the room with the biggest players in New York real estate.”

This collaboration exemplifies how luxury real estate increasingly involves not just the properties themselves but also the ecosystem of media, staging, proptech, and branding that surrounds them.

Behind the Glamour: The Real Life of Real Estate Giants

“Real estate today has become glamorous,” Gold noted during the awards. “It’s kind of like being a fashion model; it seems very glamorous, but there’s a lot behind the scenes that has to go on. There’s so much that we do — mundane kind of stuff — that isn’t shown.”

Still, Gold acknowledged the privilege of showing multi-million dollar homes with “infinity pools and the coolest views you’ve ever seen in New York City.” His comments resonated with many in the room who operate at the highest end of the market, where properties can exceed $70 million, and expectations are even higher.

Celebrating New York’s Real Estate Legacy

Co-host Srugo spotlighted the city’s significance in the global property conversation:

“The price points are just so much higher than they are anywhere else in the country. It’s the secondary home capital of the world. There’s not a culture or country internationally that doesn’t have its hand in New York City.”

New York’s draw for global real estate investments, especially from buyers based in Dubai, London, Toronto, and Lagos, continues to rise. For many global investors, a property in Manhattan is not just a residence—it’s a status symbol, a strategic investment, and a generational asset.

2025 Power Broker Awards – Full List of Winners

The night’s energy oscillated between heartfelt appreciation and light humor, with standout moments including:

• Team of the Year: Stephen Ferrara and Clayton Orrigo – The Hudson Advisory Team at Compass
  (Orrigo, accepting the award solo, revealed he had just closed a major penthouse deal less than an hour before going on stage.)

• Media Maverick: Steve Gold – Corcoran
  (A three-time nominee, Gold finally took home the title, prompting a playful jab from co-host Srugo: “You’ve been nominated for three years and you’ve never won… but tonight is your night.”)

• Agent of Historic Architecture: Serena Boardman – Sotheby’s

• Philanthropic Impact Award: Tim Davis – Corcoran
  (Presented by last year’s honoree, Cathy Franklin, who toasted the room with Hillrock whiskey.)

• Penthouse Sale of the Year: Fredrik Eklund and John Gomes – The Eklund | Gomes Team at Douglas Elliman
  (Gold thanked Eklund for introducing him to real estate TV, saying, “Without you, I would have never gotten to do that.”)

• Celebrity Property Portfolio: Carl Gambino – Gambino Group at Compass
  (“I’m just happy I’m doing real estate in the city I was born in and I love,” Gambino said.)

• Stratospheric Sale Award: Deborah Kern – Corcoran

New York Real Estate: Still the Global Gold Standard

As brokers toasted to success and shared stories of deals past, it became clear that this wasn’t just a celebration of individual achievements—it was a celebration of the resilience, prestige, and global magnetism of New York’s real estate market.

Gold said it best: “It’s an upwardly mobile city. Everyone comes here to make it. So you grow with your clients here—who are upsizing, moving, and shaking.”

The awards show, while rooted in New York, echoes across the international stage. It reflects how cities like Dubai, Toronto, Lagos, London, and Los Angeles are all part of a new, interwoven landscape of global luxury real estate, fueled by ambition, architecture, and elite service.

Key Takeaways

• The 2025 New York Power Broker Awards celebrated 30 of the most powerful names in luxury real estate, recognizing sales, media impact, philanthropy, and design.

• Hosted by Eleonora Srugo and Steve Gold, the event brought together real estate royalty from Douglas Elliman, Corcoran, Compass, and Sotheby’s.

• The event underscored the evolution of real estate as a high-profile, media-savvy industry, now intertwined with celebrity culture, architecture, and technology.

• New York remains the epicenter for global real estate investments, with increasing cross-border activity from buyers in Dubai, the UK, Canada, and Nigeria.

• The future of real estate is global, glamorous, and grounded in relationships—from penthouses in Manhattan to new builds in Lagos and waterfronts in Dubai.

For the latest in real estate news, proptech updates, and investment insights across New York, Dubai, Nigeria, Canada, and beyond, stay with Real Estate Magazine by Win Realty—your global lens on the property market’s most powerful players.