T’was the night before New Years, and all through New York
One could hear sounds of Brut champagne being uncorked.
Sellers rejoiced o’er a prosperous year,
While buyers embraced a less crazed atmosphere.
Yet t’was not a calm time, this 2015,
With so few new apartments hitting the scene.
Though bidding war frenzies were filled with less spice,
Half of all sales surpassed their asking price.
Financing markets maintained their tight state,
Making half of all buyers pay with cash as their bait.
For those still needing loans, they were oft left downbeat,
Forced to go non-contingent, all to merely compete.
New developments kicked into extra high gear,
Before their plush tax breaks would soon disappear.
The ultra-lux segment that calmed down this fall
Made developers break up large footprints for small.
All in all real estate had much reason to cheer:
Brooklyn’s growth breaking through to the high stratosphere,
The Bronx stepped it up as the new brave frontier,
Replacing Queens, Brooklyn as the nabe to hold dear.
As Jonathan Miller’s predictions fulfilled,
The Big Apple’s mean prices topped $1.8 mill.
Sales volume held strong, till the end of the year,
Despite open houses’ less crammed atmosphere.
The city saw much moving and shaking around:
Famed Union Square Cafe: new location bound.
Hamilton making some huge Broadway waves,
New Hudson Yards Subway stop received top raves.
In the world, the picture was filled with concerns,
As stock market swings gave many heartburn.
‘Saw softening growth in Russia and Brazil,
And China’s stock market come to a standstill.
With Paris and Ferguson, so still we all stood,
San Bernardino and Planned Parenthood …
We all were confronted with so much so fast,
Conversations that will certainly not be the last.
Some uplifting, positive news did unfold
(depending on which political party you polled).
‘Supreme court upheld same sex marriage. Woo hoo!
Relations with Cuba were normalized, too.
Women’s US Soccer Team won the World Cup,
Real flowing water on Mars was picked up,
Pope Francis made his US travels debut,
Though sadly John Stewart did bid us adieu.
So what do we see heading into next year?
We’d be lying if we said it was all very clear.
Will Volkswagen make it out of its rut?
Will global carbon emissions get cut?
Will Adele be able to beat her “Hello”?
How ’bout our elections, and Russia, and … woah!
That’s enough! What are we doing here?
Weren’t we writing of a Happy New Year?
Alas, we know not what the future will bring.
Most forecasts survive on a prayer and a wing.
Let’s think back and be grateful for 2015,
For WSJ naming us a top 100 Real Estate Team!
If you have a good job, go enrich others’ lives.
If you have some great friends, go give some high-fives.
If you have a nice home, bless the roof overhead,
If your family’s around, go make some gingerbread.
If you have some great kids, go give them a huge kiss.
No need to say more; you’re getting the gist.
As we end this short prose, in conclusion we write:
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good night!
