Whenever the city shifts politically, like it just did with Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, fear starts to circulate. You hear it whispered at open houses, in DMs, and in brokerage meetings: “Is this it? Will people start fleeing the city?”

I don’t think so. New York has been declared “over” more times than I can count, and yet here we still are.

But as the city itself reflects on who we are and where we’re going, it’s a good moment to take a pulse check on your business’s identity and brand.

How city are you? Are you ride-or-die New York? The Upper West Side broker? The downtown specialist? Or have you positioned yourself as someone who can guide clients through every chapter of their real estate story?

Your niche can be your superpower, but it can also be your blind spot. The question to ask right now is whether your brand helps you grow, or quietly limits your reach. Do you have referral relationships outside of the city? And I don’t mean a brokerage office with the same name as yours. I mean people you actually know and trust.

Because when the conversation turns to “urban flight,” those relationships matter.

This dynamic reminds me of something I see all the time in the market: buyers quietly “cheating” on their city agent and sneaking off to explore the suburbs.

It usually starts small. They scroll through Zillow listings for Westchester colonials or New Jersey backyards, telling themselves it’s just curiosity. Then they book a few showings without mentioning it to their city broker. Meanwhile, that broker, who has been running comps, previewing listings, and getting to know their taste, has no idea the client’s needs have shifted.

Then comes the double sting. The agent loses the referral and the relationship.

So why do buyers do this? Underneath all the “buyers are liars” jokes, there’s something more human happening: shame. Leaving the city can feel like failure. There’s a deep pressure to “make it” in New York, to prove you belong here. So when a buyer starts wondering about “better schools,” more space, or a slower pace, they keep it secret. They don’t want to admit that the dream might look different now.

Here’s what I tell the agents I coach: make it okay from the beginning. When you sit down with a young family, talk openly about their long-term picture. Ask what they imagine five or ten years from now. Show them what their budget could buy in Westchester, Long Island, or New Jersey. Have vetted referral partners ready to go.

You’re not losing a sale. You’re gaining trust and a referral fee. More importantly, you’re becoming the kind of advisor who can hold the whole picture, not just the square footage inside city limits.

Coaching Corner: Normalize the Pivot

The best agents don’t shame clients for changing their minds. They normalize it. When you remove judgment from the conversation, people tell you the truth. And when they tell you the truth, you stay in business with them.

This week, ask your active buyers one simple question:

“If life looked a little different next year, more space, ‘better schools,’ more calm, what would that mean for you?”

That is how you stay ahead of the flight. Not by fearing it, but by understanding it.

Still here, still rooting for NYC,