Above, Joseph T. Hamdan
Joseph T. Hamdan
Principal | Real Estate Broker
MYNY, a member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®
Brooklyn, New York
Region served: New York City, Long Island and the Hamptons
Years in real estate: 27
Number of offices: 4
Number of agents: 135
After 18 years with Coldwell Banker, what was the ultimate motivation behind your decision to go independent?
There were a few factors, but it ultimately came down to control and performance. When there’s too much sameness across brands, it becomes difficult to truly differentiate, which puts agents at a disadvantage.
We’ve never wanted our agents in a position where they can’t compete. Once we saw that clearly, the decision became straightforward. We now have the ability to grow the business on our terms, with every decision aligned around agent performance.
Tell us a little bit about the process involved in making this type of move.
We approached it in three parts: brand, technology and reach.
On the brand side, we partnered with 1000WATT to step back, challenge our assumptions and build something that reflects who we are today. New York isn’t one thing—it’s personal—and we wanted a brand that could speak to that.
On the technology side, we found the broader market was moving faster than the franchise model. We had already begun sourcing and implementing stronger, more flexible tools on our own, so the transition was largely already in motion.
And in terms of reach, affiliating with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® (LeadingRE) allowed us to expand globally while maintaining independence.
At that point, we had effectively rebuilt the model—this just formalized it.
Why was now the right time to launch an independent firm?
With the level of consolidation happening across the industry, there’s a clear shift taking place. That creates an opportunity for strong operators to define their own path.
At some point, you have to ask whether your platform is helping you grow or holding you in place. We asked that question as a company—and decided we could execute at a higher level on our own.
Since affiliating with LeadingRE, how have they supported your new business model?
They’ve been excellent. We’ve already received referrals, and more importantly, meaningful outreach from other members looking to build real relationships.
It’s a high-standard network, and that matters. You’re not just getting reach—you’re getting access to professionals who operate at a high level, which directly impacts the client experience.
In what ways will your affiliation with LeadingRE prepare you for possible market shifts that might occur in the second half of the year?
New York is a constant flow of movement—locally, nationally and internationally. Being able to plug clients into a global network of vetted professionals gives us stability regardless of market conditions.
That consistency becomes even more important as the market shifts.
What’s your midyear recap and outlook for the 2026 New York real estate market?
We’ve seen strong activity—both in production and listing activity—year-over-year, and we’re optimistic about where things are heading.
Interest rates will always influence behavior, but real estate is still driven by life events. People move when they need to move, and in a market like New York, that creates ongoing opportunity.
For more information, visit https://www.leadingre.com.
