For REBNY Agent of the Year Brian Phillips, Service and Advocacy Are All in a Day’s Work
by David Hay
June 2025
When I spoke with Brian Phillips back in May, it happened to be the day after the 18-year veteran of Douglas Elliman had received the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) Residential Agent of the Year Award at the organization’s annual gala, held the night before at Guastavino’s in Midtown.
Given in recognition of agents who demonstrate “extraordinary leadership and commitment to both clients and the community,” the honor could not have found a more perfectly matched honoree.
From his reputation for meeting clients wherever their real estate journeys take them—as reflected in his trademarked moniker, The Mobile Broker®—to his deep involvement in industry organizations at every level, Phillips has built a brand that embodies not only availability but also expansive reach. Over nearly 30 years in real estate, he has remained steadfast in his commitment to the twin tenets of service and advocacy.
“Receiving REBNY’s Residential Agent of the Year award is an incredible honor, but I don’t see it as mine alone,” he said, indicating that his third tenet is evidently humility. “I share this recognition with agents like me who work tirelessly, often in underserved segments of the market, while also giving back behind the scenes through volunteerism, advocacy, and service to both our industry and local communities. These agents embody the true spirit of our profession: service, commitment, and making a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
Phillips has certainly done his part. In addition to serving on numerous committees at REBNY, the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors® (HGAR), and the New York State Association of Realtors® (NYSAR), he has also served on NYSAR’s Legislative Steering Committee and currently sits on its Board of Directors.
As the principal of an eponymous team serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and the Hudson Valley, Phillips brings a purposeful devotion to cultivating relationships with his peers—including those working in the less celebrated corners of New York’s sales and rental markets. Over the past decade, he has used his platform to amplify the voices of colleagues, clients, and customers—especially those who, like himself, are too often rendered invisible.
He has also spoken openly and candidly about the impact of implicit bias in the industry, sharing his experiences with Elliman Insider and shedding light on how identity can shape opportunity.
“I’ve faced unconscious bias from clients and industry peers who have passed me over for listing opportunities—often choosing fairer-skinned or white colleagues,” he said. “Referring agents and brokerages often assign clients based on perceived compatibility and where an agent has primarily worked—reinforcing a cycle in which some agents are routinely favored while others are overlooked.”
“Being part of Douglas Elliman—and staying actively involved—has helped raise my visibility, leverage my brand, and strengthen my business,” he added.
Phillips’s team members are based in three Douglas Elliman offices—Harlem, Midtown Manhattan, and Riverdale, Bronx—all of which Phillips is licensed in. The Riverdale office is a member of OneKey MLS, which serves the Greater New York area and provides broader access to listings across multiple counties. Phillips is affiliated with both the REBNY Residential Listing Service (RLS) and OneKey MLS, providing his clients with broad exposure and reach across the city and surrounding region. Through his extensive involvement at the local, regional, and state levels, he has also built strong professional relationships with agents and industry leaders across New York State and beyond—connections that give both him and his clients a distinct advantage.
“Being involved in the industry has fundamentally shaped my career,” Phillips said. “It’s expanded my perspective beyond individual transactions and deepened my understanding of how policy, legislation, and governance shape our day-to-day business. Just as importantly, it’s made clear that when agents don’t engage, they risk having critical decisions made without their voice.”
In Brian Phillips, agents have not just a participant, but a powerful advocate and a true champion for their interests—and a reminder that each of us has a role to play in shaping the future of the profession.
David Hay is a well-known architectural writer and playwright. His stories have been featured in The New York Times, Dwell and New York.
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