Prudential Elliman broker picked for 'The Apprentice'

Donald Trump and Prudential Douglas Elliman Chief Executive Dottie Herman share more than a love of high-powered real estate deals. It's the second season of NBC's highly successful reality show The Apprentice and one of Herman's real estate agents, Jennifer Crisafulli, is among the 18 contestants

Herman described the 31-year-old Crisafulli, who works in a Prudential office in Manhattan, as a rising star at the residential real estate firm. Crisafulli was chosen to be on The Apprentice from more than one million applicants. In an effort to draw attention to her cause, Prudential took out a full-page ad in the Sept. 10 edition of the New York Post showcasing Crisafulli.

Herman said she sees many parallels between The Apprentice and the real estate business. Like Donald Trump, I have always believed that it's crucial to mentor and challenge the people who work with me, said Herman. If an 'apprentice' is willing to absorb, think and learn, the rewards are immense. While we hate the idea that we could lose Jennifer if she wins on the show, everyone at Prudential is wishing her the best of luck.

In related news, Prudential has begun releasing quarterly reports for Long Island's residential real estate market, including the Hamptons. The reports are an extension of the firm's current Manhattan Market Overview.

Of note in the Long Island market overview, PDRE indicates that, on the average, luxury properties with an asking price of $1.5 million and higher sold 7 percent above the asking price in the second quarter, an indication that bidding wars that are now rarely seen in the lower-end markets are still alive and well in the upper- price echelons.

In addition, the luxury market experienced a 95.4 percent increase in sales activity, recording 127 more sales in the second quarter than the 64 recorded in the first quarter.

In the Hamptons, the average sale price rose 14.6 percent to $947,979 in the first quarter over the $827,497 recorded in the same period last year.