By Jacqui Phillips
“Real estate cannot be lost or stolen, nor can it be carried away. Purchased with common sense, paid for in full, and managed with reasonable care, it is about the safest investment in the world.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
New York is the city of dreams and competition is everywhere. It is the epicenter of the arts, finance, and fashion. So why would real estate be any different? The Manhattan real estate market is one of the most competitive markets to navigate. In the city that never sleeps you have buyers that know what the best deals are and they want the best return on their investment. You are always competing against multiple offers at the same time. You have to know your facts, be fast, urgent, and do your due diligence with no room for.
Meet William McLarnon one of the newest cast members of Bravo’s two-time Emmy Nominated reality show Million Dollar Listing New York. As a Licensed Real Estate Broker with the prestigious firm Corcoran in New York City William sits down for this exclusive with Millennium Magazine.
William is not your typical real estate agent. Although, his first passion is and was sales in which he rose fast in the ranks in the telecommunications industry finding success as a sales manager for several years. William states “The common thread that has run throughout my career is treating people how I would want to be treated.”
During that time in sales as fate would have it, William was scouted to become a model which led him to come to New York City. His success was fast and before he knew he was traveling the globe to work for some of the top designers and magazines in the world. William stated his Mom used to model so there was that element that he would give modeling a try. Thankfully he did as these moments allowed him to form the relationships and contacts he has now which is an asset in a city where utilizing all your experience and skills are aligned. Let’s face it, who you know is most important in the real estate business!
Millennium Magazine Cover Celebrity William McClarnon and Millennium Magazine Host Jacqui Phillips guests on Liquid Lunch TV with John Tabacco on NewsmaxTV. Watch Here!
Having achieved great success in the modeling industry William yearned for a new challenge in which he wanted to combine his love of sales and knowledge of aesthetics. Real Estate became a new desire as he said “Let me get back into something efficient and productive and said hey why not sell the most expensive high-ticket items. Houses!” After gaining the required qualifications William teamed up with a high- powered Manhattan Agency which enabled him to become the juggernaut he is.
Corcoran describes William as an “outgoing, goal-oriented asset to your real estate search. Disciplined and hardworking, he’s devoted to educating clients and being a tenacious advocate on their behalves.” I would agree as with meeting William he is everything they describe him to be and much more.
Some buildings of course are more famous than others and Millennium Magazine and myself were given the extraordinary opportunity to explore the famous Art Deco masterpiece The Ardsley Building with the remarkable star realtor William McLarnon. Thank You William!
On a crisp clear day in New York City I am warmly greeted by the tall, stunning realtor with piercing blue eyes and a smile that can light up any room. I am immediately excited to see this property as I intuitively know this is going to be a fun experience and let’s face it, it’s not every day I get the opportunity to tour a famous building like the Ardsley that was once the home of the great Barbara Streisand for over thirty years.
MM: William please give us some background about this beautiful space?
WM: This luxurious landmark Art Deco building located on 320 Central Park West in New York City was built in 1929 and designed by renowned architect Emery Roth. Roth’s other masterpieces included the El Dorado, the San Emo, and Beresford apartment towers. The Ardsley was the last to be built on Central Park West of his Art Deco genius creations. Although, this building has kept its grandeur and class with white-glove full service. Its stylish and spacious and has been renovated to compete with modern times. The lobby is newly renovated and absolutely gorgeous. There are many amenities such as a fitness center, a children’s playroom, multiple storage rooms, two bike rooms, a lending library and much more. The Ardsley is also pet friendly which is a wonderful plus for all of us pet lovers out there.
MM: William please tell us about this apartment you are showing.
WM: This is a pied-a-terre, a large expansive studio with a beautiful southern exposure, its completely renovated and updated with laminate countertops, stainless steel appliances and a Collier sink, all separated by gorgeous French doors. The kitchen floors are replicated tiles like the ones from 1929. In the bathroom the original tiles, medicine cabinet and tub have not only been restored but are in perfect condition. The bed faces the southern exposure which allows for a beautiful view to wake up too, along with gorgeous chandeliers, multiple closets which one is a large walk in storage space. This is the perfect apartment to live in. Although, much of this apartment has been restored I still feel the quintessential feeling of the Art Deco grandeur that once was and still is in the Ardsley. This apartment and building are simply exquisite!
MM: Have you found a common thread in modeling and real estate?
WM: There are many similarities in modeling and real estate. They are both a people business. The common thread in real estate and traveling the world modeling is your dealing with people, networking, and making people happy. Although, I really wish I would have known prior to getting into real estate how hard the actual industry itself is. The Manhattan real estate market is one of the hardest markets in the United States to work in. It is highly competitive. In Manhattan you have buyers that know what the best deals are and they want a great deal. You are always competing against multiple offers at the same time. You have to know your facts, be fast, urgent, and do your due diligence with no room for error. I asked William if he had known this getting into it would he still do it. He exclaimed enthusiastically “Absolutely I love a challenge!”.
MM: William would you please share some tips with me when looking to purchase real estate.
WM: If you are looking to purchase an apartment now is a great time it is a buyer’s market. There are a lot of great deals with ten to twelve percent off the asking price. My best advice is please research whatever you consider buying. Make sure you look up the comps or do so with your real estate agent. Look up the comps in the last three months. You want to know what has sold, what has rented and make sure the numbers match up because this is a numbers business and you want to make sure the numbers make sense. If you’re a buyer you have a lot to choose from so you want to make sure you get a good deal.
MM: William what are some variables that should send a buyer running?
WM: If the apartment has plumbing or central air issues may be problematic. Anything that has major renovation issues should be taken seriously and with caution. For example, if you want to renovate an apartment and you buy something that is outdated you need to calculate how much it will take to fix up a bathroom, a kitchen etc.… You could be talking an extra couple hundred thousand easily so if you buy something that is outdated with the idea of having it updated you need to calculate this when putting your offer in.
MM: What are some other things you should consider in real estate?
WM: Real estate is definitely the art of negotiation. With all the competition in the city the highest bidder always wins. When you negotiate you never want to show your cards. You want to stick with the facts, you don’t say numbers, you let nature take its course.
William has worked hard which as fortune would have it he is now one of the newest cast members on Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York. This popular show features the lives of luxury real estate agents as they represent property owners in the prestigious five boroughs of New York City. This is a spin-off of Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles and is a two-time Emmy Nominated reality show. The stars of the show are Fredrik Eklund, Michael Lorber, Ryan Serhant, Luis D. Ortiz, Steve Gold, and Tyler Whitman. The executive producers are Danielle King, Fenton Bailey, Megan Estrada and Randy Barbato who are famous for making riveting and exciting tv. The series is now in its eighth season with William McLarnon being one of the new cast members to appear on the show.
MM: How has your experience been appearing on the show Million Dollar Listing New York and how it has affected your career?
WM: Being on the show has been great! It is fun because when I modeled there is a little show biz with that. It’s nice to blend the two worlds together. On the show we are doing business we are representing our sellers, we are representing our buyers and we have this marvelous show we are filming and producing. It makes it a lot of fun!
Realtors are dream makers. They help people find a home to build a beautiful life in. Whether it be a first apartment, starter family home, or a dream home. They champion to get a person or family the best deal, location and amenities possible. They protect a person from the pitfalls of real estate and are experts in the art of negotiation. Whether they realize it or not they are leaving behind their own legacy because of all the people they have helped along the way. I asked William what he would like his legacy to be. He said “I would love to be known as the guy who has helped many people, has worn many hats. I’m just here to help people!”
William is definitely helping a lot of people. He is proof that when you follow your passion you can make your dreams come true! He is also helping a lot of people making their dreams come true by helping them find the perfect home!
If you are in search of a great property you can contact William McLarnon at Corcoran New York City.
Corcoran – Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
Licensed as John William McLarnon
Office: East Side, 660 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10065
Office: (212) 605-9354, wmclarnon@corcoran, Instagram: @williammclarnon
Fun Facts:
Every year people come to New York to fulfill their hearts desire. According to Street Easy more than 264,000 people moved to New York in 2018. New York was coined “The Empire State” because of its vast wealth and resources. It is also referred to as The Big Apple, The City That Never Sleeps, and like the great Billy Joel song New York State Of Mind rings true to anyone who lives here. No wonder so many people travel on this odyssey to live in this land of opportunity. I did!
Real Estate in New York City is some of the most sought after in the entire world. The island of Manhattan alone values at an estimated $1.4 trillion dollars. In 1626 the Dutch purchased the island then known as New Amsterdam from the Lenape tribe for what is estimated in our currency today as $24. Wow! Now fast forward to today where there are more than 1 million buildings in New York City.
“Success in real estate starts when you believe you are worthy of it.” – Michael Ferrara
Tune in to Million Dollar Listing every Thursday night on Bravo at 9PM EST.