Dorothy Somekh

LANGUAGES SPOKEN:  Hebrew

Originally trained as a special education teacher, Dorothy Somekh has been an active presence in Manhattan residential real estate for more than 27 years.

She joined the real estate profession as manager of a small development firm in the early 1970s. As the firm grew, so did Dorothy's responsibilities. She provided on-site management of the company's portfolio of residential rental properties and, on occasion, consulted with outside architectural firms in connection with the design of new units. She also played a role in property acquisition, thus laying the foundation for what would become an extensive base of knowledge of the investment end of real estate.

Dorothy left the firm in 1980 to establish Somekh Realty Co., which focused on sales and rentals as well as real estate investments. With Clark Halstead, she served as a member of the steering committee of the residential division of the Real Estate Board of New York in the late 1980s. Her efforts helped establish a place for the residential real estate industry within REBNY.

While raising a family, Dorothy was a key figure in the marketing of Three Lincoln Center, recognized as one of the most beautifully designed and highly sought-after buildings on the Upper West Side. In 1991, she rented the units for the original sponsor, and, from 1993-96, sold more than 50 percent of the building. In 1995-96, she received the prestigious Regional Salesperson of the Year Award at the National Sales & Marketing Awards for achieving the highest volume of new construction sales in the Northeast region.

Following the completion of Three Lincoln Center, Dorothy resumed her brokerage business, operating as an independent broker under Somekh Realty Group, Inc. As a full-service broker, she provided management, rental and sales functions primarily for Upper West Side luxury properties and generated a significant volume of repeat business from loyal customers.

Throughout her career in real estate, Dorothy always had a keen eye for development and construction. This lead her into the building and renovation business which in turn enabled her to apply her knowledge in assisting her developers to create a superior product a touch above the rest. They know they can depend on her expertise and call on it often.

Having decided to challenge herself once again, Dorothy joined Halstead Property, LLC on May 1, 2001. At Halstead, she continues to focus on condominium sales.