Jason Friedman was a busy equity and commodities trader in Manhattan 13 years ago when he spent a weekend observing his mother, Rudi Friedman’s thriving real estate business on the North Shore of Long Island, N.Y., an upscale enclave just a short train ride but a cultural world away from the city.
Under the banner of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, Rudi Friedman had built a storied career on the island’s luxurious North Shore—often dubbed the Gold Coast—as a long-time advisor to a wealthy clientele and the first REALTOR® in the region to personally close over $100 million in a single year.
“Something about the laid-back vibe, the people my mother dealt with every day, and the flexibility she was able to enjoy just clicked into place that weekend,” Jason Friedman said, “and my Mom couldn’t have been happier to have me come to work alongside her.”
Based in Great Neck, and serving the entire Nassau County North Shore, the Friedman team today (thefriedmanteam.com/team), with 10 agents and more than $185.5 million in 2022 sales volume, is consistently named Top Residential Real Estate Team, Top Team in Nassau County, and/or Top Producer of the Year in Volume by the Long Island Business News.
Barbara Pronin: Jason, your team has been involved with virtually every newsworthy sale on Long Island over the past few years, including the largest sale in the history of Nassau County at $70 million, and the $13 million former estate of Madame Chiang Kai Shek. Is there anything approaching an average price range in the areas you represent?
Jason Friedman: The North Shore offers everything from quaint harborside villages to stunning estates dating back to the Roaring Twenties. We don’t have the social cachet of the Hamptons, but we do have quiet luxury in beautiful settings just a 24-minute train ride from Manhattan, so many affluent buyers seek us out. Our current listings range from an $850,000 split-level in the inland village of East Norwich to the waterfront Swan Landing estate, a 13-bedroom property listed at $40 million.
BP: What’s your level of activity this spring as the market returns to more normal levels?
JF: Activity slowed a bit as interest rates increased, although they are still not far from historic lows. The bigger problem now is lack of inventory. We don’t have enough supply to meet demand.
BP: Your team has grown quite a bit in the years since you joined your mother in the business. How and why?
JF: I was lucky, in that I had an excellent coach in my Mom, who was already well-known and respected here for many years—and while we haven’t actively looked to add agents, we do recognize opportunity. We’ve taken on people we’ve sold homes to or listed properties with, who had the interest and a flair for the business, as well as a few who’ve sought us out.
BP: Mostly newer licensees?
JF: Yes, typically people we feel are open to training and are intuitively right for the business—or whose experience in related industries makes them well-suited to certain specialties, such as leasing or technology or finance—or even expertise in foreign languages, since we do business with international buyers.
BP: Joining a successful team can be quite an opportunity for an agent.
JF: Yes. It’s possibly the best thing a newer agent can do, in fact, to jump-start a career. It’s like they’re coming into the business with an instant resume, with a well-established sense of expertise and prestige behind them even while they are still learning. And for the team, of course, bringing on an agent with roots in the area or special expertise adds another layer of creativity and flexibility.
BP: How are you organized as a team?
JF: We have 10 agents and a team manager who keeps our day-to-day activities running smoothly and handles our client database, social media, and other platforms. Most of us are in the office for at least some part of the day, and while we don’t have daily meetings as such, we all know everyone’s current workload. Also, Rudi and I are big on mentoring. It’s what got me started, and so no matter how busy we are, one of us is always available when an agent needs advice or direction.
BP: What do you think is your team’s biggest differentiator?
JF: More than 30 years of presence and an established reputation for excellence in the exclusive areas we serve. The prominence my mother earned and deserved early on, and our record for transacting some of the most prestigious sales on the Gold Coast over the years has helped us draw a growing share of domestic and international clients.
BP: If there is one thing you would advise team leaders to do, what would it be?
JF: Be open to possibility—and remember that track record counts.
Current listing: Swan Landing – 227 Dock Lane, Great Neck, NY
$40,000,000
Property features:
- 6-plus waterfront acres
- Lily pond
- English Garden
- Greenhouse
- Waterfront Har-Tru tennis court
- Private deep-water dock
- Private sandy beach with imported sand from Long Island’s east end
- An outdoor pool and an indoor, lap pool
- Multiple outdoor entertaining patios
- Two-bedroom guest cottage
- Temperature controlled wine cellar(s)
