On March 7th, at 10 pm, a Long Island native will become the newest star of reality television.
Get ready for the premiere of Million Dollar Listing New York on Bravo… and the television debut of Michael Lorber.
So does Michael, (Director of Business Development and a top producer for Douglas Elliman Worldwide Consulting) feel like a million bucks? You bet he does.
” Yeah”, he laughs, “ I definitely don’t feel marked down yet. I guess I’ll have to wait for the blogs to do that. Right now, I am feeling like a million”.
But is he ready to take on the world of the high stakes Manhattan real estate… all while the cameras roll? Well, there’s no turning back now.
“It’s exciting. It’s nerve wracking. My heart has been pounding for like a week now, and I’m sure it will continue for the next week or I guess 9 weeks.”
Million Dollar Listing New York follows three of Manhattan’s most tenacious realtors and their stories as they battle it out for the big deals and the big commissions on some of the most exclusive properties in the city.
Michael is no stranger to the world of luxury real estate. Growing up in the tony town of Hewlett Harbor on Long Island’s South Shore, he’s been right at home with that world since he was just a kid. At 7 or 8 years old, when other kids his age were playing little league, he was playing “broker”. No doubt his dad, New York real estate powerhouse Howard Lorber, (the Chairman of Douglas Elliman) was an early influence.
“I loved real estate. Trust me, when you’re 7, 8, 10, 12 years old, it’s dorky being into real estate. Other kids played little league and I went to open houses. I grew up in an area where there was a lot of real estate. And then my dad got into it slowly when I was a kid. And I bought my first piece of real estate when I was 21 on 5th Avenue in New York.”
Viewers will get to follow Michael through the cut throat world that is Manhattan real estate. Kind of like Survivor: Manhattan. After all, he says his firm alone has more than 4000 brokers. Competition in the industry is fierce.
“ I am definitely not as competitive and cut throat as my peers. All you have in this business is your name and reputation. I try to be a gentleman”.
So I asked Michael, what was it about growing up on the South Shore of Long Island, The Five Towns to be exact, that prepared him for the challenges of the business. Was it the Wednesday night strolls down Central Avenue, or those popular dishes we call the mishes?
“Definitely the mishes”, he laughs.
Michael got his big chance at the small screen when he came across a blog post on one of his favorite real estate web sites (curbed.com). He saw a post about the New York audition (he was a big fan of the Los Angeles version of the show which is now in its 5th season) and took on the challenge.
And now he’ll take on Manhattan… and a national television audience, where he will share his passion for the business.
“ The best part is I get to see 20 apartments a day. Every time a door opens, my heart pounds with excitement and I think, what would it be like to live here?”
And with every property comes the drama… and all the twists and turns you might expect as the door opens on Million Dollar Listing New York.
“It’s very exciting. I don’t get a deal done in the first episode. I think you have to root for me.”
Deal!
“Million Dollar Listing New York” Premieres On Wednesday, March 7th At 10pm Et/Pt on Bravo.
