About Columbia Vitolo Team at Compass · New York
The Columbia Vitolo Team at Compass is a top-ranked Manhattan real estate partnership led by co-founders Susanne V. Columbia and Todd C. Vitolo, Licensed Associate Real Estate Brokers with a combined 40+ years of NYC experience. The team has closed more than 750 transactions totaling over $1.7 billion in New York City residential real estate and is consistently named to the Wall Street Journal's Top 250 Realtors in America. Operating out of Compass's 110 Fifth Avenue office, they specialize in luxury co-op, condominium, townhouse, and new development sales across Manhattan and serve a clientele that ranges from first-time buyers to athletes, entertainers, and international investors.
Founded in 2006 by Susanne V. Columbia and Todd C. Vitolo, the Columbia Vitolo Team began as a boutique partnership at The Corcoran Group before moving to Compass in May 2019. Both principals are native New Yorkers and longtime Tribeca residents (Susanne and Todd each have more than two decades of experience), and the team's business has been built almost entirely on repeat clients and personal referrals — the firm states that roughly 90% of its transactions come from past clients or word-of-mouth. The team's specialty is seller representation (approximately 75% of the practice), with a rigorous pre-listing strategy that includes property valuation, preparation, staging, targeted digital marketing, and skilled negotiation. The remaining 25% of the practice covers buyer advisory and landlord/rental services. They are vetted members of the exclusive Compass Sports and Entertainment Division and have a discreet track record working with professional athletes and entertainers. Their reach spans every Manhattan neighborhood from Battery Park City and Tribeca through the Upper East and Upper West Sides, and they have an affiliated national referral network for buyers and sellers relocating to other U.S. markets. Charitable involvements named on the team's website include the Stephen Hassenfeld Pediatric Cancer Center at NYU, Poly Prep Country Day School, the North Shore Animal Hospital, Naked Angels, and the ACF Cancer Foundation.
- In business
- Founded 2006 (principals' combined brokerage experience: 40+ years)
- Owner
- Susanne V. Columbia and Todd C. Vitolo (Co-Founders and Principals)
- Serves
- All Manhattan neighborhoods (Tribeca, SoHo, NoHo, West Village, Greenwich Village, East Village, Chelsea, Flatiron, NoMad, Gramercy, Murray Hill, Midtown East/West, Hudson Yards, Lincoln Square, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Carnegie Hill, Yorkville, Lenox Hill, Sutton Place, Battery Park City, Financial District, Lower East Side, Hell's Kitchen, Morningside Heights, Harlem); national referral network through Compass for other U.S. markets
- Rating
- 5.0 average — approximately 67–71 five-star Google reviews (Compass profile cites '67 Five Star Google Verified Reviews'; independent listing aggregators cite 71 reviews at 5.0)
About the Columbia Vitolo Team
The Columbia Vitolo Team is the New York City real estate partnership of co-founders Susanne V. Columbia and Todd C. Vitolo. Both are Licensed Associate Real Estate Brokers operating under Compass, with a combined 40+ years selling luxury residential real estate in Manhattan and more than 750 closed transactions totaling over $1.7 billion. The team is consistently recognized on the Wall Street Journal's list of the Top 250 Realtors in America. Approximately 75% of the team's business is seller representation; the remaining 25% covers buyer advisory and landlord/rental work. The partners emphasize that nearly 90% of their transactions come from past clients and personal referrals rather than lead-generation services like StreetEasy.
- Founded 2006 (originally at The Corcoran Group; moved to Compass in May 2019)
- Co-Founders and Principals: Susanne V. Columbia and Todd C. Vitolo
- Ranked among the Wall Street Journal's Top 250 Realtors in America
- $1.7B+ in closed NYC real estate sales; 700–750+ properties sold
- Both partners vetted into the exclusive Compass Sports & Entertainment Division
Susanne V. Columbia — Co-Founder & Principal
Susanne V. Columbia is a Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker (NY State License #30CO0945857, registered to Compass at 110 5th Ave, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10011) and a native New Yorker with more than two decades of experience in Manhattan residential real estate. Her Compass profile describes a 24-year career spanning more than 700 closed sales and over $1.6 billion in transaction volume. Before joining Compass, Susanne led a top-performing team at The Corcoran Group (Senior Vice President, Associate Broker, April 2002 – May 2019) and served as Sales Director on several high-profile new development projects. She is a longtime Tribeca resident, married to a composer/playwright, and a NYU alumna. Susanne's charitable affiliations listed on the team site include North Shore Animal Hospital, Naked Angels, and the ACF Cancer Foundation.
- Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker — NY License #30CO0945857
- Education: New York University
- Member, Compass Sports & Entertainment Division
- Specialties: Buyer's Agent, Listing Agent, International Buyer Specialist
- Favorite neighborhood picks: an old parlor floor in a townhouse with high ceilings, large windows, a wood-burning fireplace, and original architectural details
Todd C. Vitolo — Co-Founder & Principal
Todd C. Vitolo is a Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker and a Tribeca resident of more than 22–25 years. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from George Washington University and a J.D. from New York Law School, and practiced as a commercial litigation attorney at a Wall Street firm before transitioning to real estate. The Compass profile for Todd cites over $1.7 billion in closed sales and 700+ properties sold, and lists him as a Wall Street Journal Top 250 Realtor in America. Todd is described by clients as analytical, detail-oriented, and a tough but fair negotiator. In addition to resale listings, he has headed sales for several new development projects with combined sellouts of more than $250 million. His listed charitable commitments include the Stephen Hassenfeld Pediatric Cancer Center at NYU and Poly Prep Country Day School.
- Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker
- Education: B.A., George Washington University; J.D., New York Law School
- Former commercial litigation attorney on Wall Street
- Member, Compass Sports & Entertainment Division
- Tribeca/SoHo listing specialist
Manhattan Real Estate Services
The Columbia Vitolo Team provides partner-led residential real estate representation across Manhattan. Drawing on more than 750 closed sales, the team delivers full-service seller representation, buyer advisory, apartment valuations, landlord services, new development advisory, and co-op, condominium, and townhouse transactions. Their published approach is hands-on at the principal level — the two founders personally run pricing strategy, negotiations, and key client touchpoints, with a support team handling purchase applications, board package preparation, and closing logistics. The team's services page emphasizes Compass-specific tools such as Compass Concierge (pre-listing improvements), Compass Coming Soon, Private Exclusives, and Compass Collections.
- Seller Representation
- Buyer Representation / Buyer Advisory
- Manhattan Apartment Valuations
- Manhattan Co-op Sales & Purchases
- Manhattan Condominium Sales & Purchases
- Manhattan Townhouse Sales & Purchases
- New Development Sales (sponsor units and resales)
- Landlord & Rental Services
Seller Representation & Pre-Listing Strategy
Approximately 75% of the team's practice is seller-focused. Their published pre-listing process includes a pricing strategy session, property preparation and staging guidance, professional photography, targeted digital marketing, and direct partner-level negotiation. The team stresses that Manhattan co-op and condo sales are often won or lost before the contract is signed, and they screen offers on price, terms, financing strength, liquidity, and board readiness. Testimonials repeatedly emphasize above-asking sales, multiple offers within days, and full-service handling for clients relocating out of state.
- Pre-listing pricing and preparation strategy
- Compass Concierge pre-sale improvement program
- Digital marketing targeted to neighborhood buyer pools
- Offer screening and negotiation led by the principals
Buyer Representation in Manhattan
For buyers, the team offers a full advisory practice that begins with a buyer consultation to define budget, timeline, property type, financing, and neighborhood priorities before any showings. They leverage Compass's Private Exclusives and Coming Soon inventory, provide guidance on co-op board requirements (DTI ratios, post-closing liquidity, sublet policies, flip taxes), and assist with offer strategy, negotiation, board package preparation, and interview coaching. Client types served include first-time Manhattan buyers, move-up and downsizing buyers, pied-à-terre and second-home buyers, foreign-based buyers, LLC and trust purchasers, investors, 1031 exchange buyers, and parents purchasing for children.
- Buyer consultation and needs assessment
- Access to Compass Private Exclusives and Coming Soon
- Co-op board package preparation and interview coaching
- Coordination with managing agents, attorneys, and lenders
Co-op, Condo, Townhouse & New Development Expertise
Co-ops make up roughly 70–75% of Manhattan's apartment inventory, and the team's co-op practice page notes that most Manhattan co-op boards require a debt-to-income ratio of 25–30% or less and one to two years of post-closing liquidity. Their condominium practice covers both resale condos and sponsor units, including pied-à-terre, foreign national, and LLC buyers, with guidance on mansion tax, transfer taxes, mortgage recording tax, and Purchase CEMA. The new development arm includes early VIP access to launching projects via Compass Development, offering plan review, sponsor negotiation, floor plan and stack selection, and construction/punch-list oversight. Townhouse sales are handled as a discrete practice alongside co-op and condo work.
- Co-op board financial qualification (DTI 25–30%, 1–2 years liquidity)
- Sponsor-unit negotiation (price, concessions, upgrades, transfer taxes)
- VIP access to new development launches through Compass Development
- Townhouse buying and selling representation
Manhattan Neighborhoods Served
The Columbia Vitolo Team works throughout Manhattan, with particularly deep transaction history in Tribeca, SoHo, NoHo, the West Village, Chelsea, Flatiron, NoMad, the Upper East Side, and the Upper West Side. The published services page lists more than two dozen neighborhoods they actively represent buyers, sellers, and landlords in, running from Battery Park City and the Financial District up through Harlem and Morningside Heights. Nationally, the team maintains a referral network of top Compass agents in other major U.S. markets for clients who are relocating.
- Downtown core: Tribeca, SoHo, NoHo, West Village, Greenwich Village, East Village, Battery Park City, Financial District, Lower East Side
- Midtown: Chelsea, Flatiron, NoMad, Gramercy, Murray Hill, Midtown East/West, Hudson Yards, Hell's Kitchen
- Upper Manhattan: Lincoln Square, Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Carnegie Hill, Yorkville, Lenox Hill, Sutton Place, Morningside Heights, Harlem
Compass Sports & Entertainment Division
The Columbia Vitolo Team is a vetted member of Compass's Sports & Entertainment Division, a national network of agents selected specifically for their experience working with professional athletes, entertainers, and other public figures on residential real estate transactions. Susanne Columbia and Todd Vitolo have used this platform to discreetly service sports and entertainment clients for years. The team's published commentary on the segment emphasizes privacy and security (gated communities, concierge buildings), lifestyle considerations (proximity to schools, practice facilities, gyms, entertainment), and white-glove logistics including interior designers, architects, movers, personal chefs, and private car services.
- Selected by Compass Sports & Entertainment Division
- Discreet handling of celebrity and athlete transactions
- Coordination with industry gatekeepers — managers, advisors, lawyers
- Concierge relocation support: interior designers, architects, movers
Client Testimonials & Reviews
The team highlights 67–71 five-star Google verified reviews across its Compass profile, website, and third-party listings, and the website features a dedicated Google Reviews section. Recurring themes in client feedback include: pricing and market knowledge, responsive communication, above-asking sale prices, multiple offers within days of listing, smooth closings for relocating owners, and skilled negotiation in co-op board-sensitive buildings. Multiple clients also note they were referred by past clients or friends.
- 5.0 average rating from ~67–71 Google reviews
- 'We would actually give them 6 stars if we could.' — Ken L.
- 'Within two weeks, we had multiple offers, a contract within 3, and sold our loft above asking.' — Howard M.
- 'Todd and Susanne were SUPERSTARS!' — Claira D.
- 'Susanne and Christian are a pleasure to deal with. Responsive and proactive.' — published Google review
Compass Tools & Technology
As a Compass team, the Columbia Vitolo Team uses the brokerage's technology stack to support sellers and buyers, including Compass Concierge (pre-listing home improvements funded by Compass), Compass Coming Soon (early exposure to listings), Private Exclusives (off-market inventory), and Compass Collections (a digital tool for organizing and comparing homes). Their marketing approach also includes digital marketing programs targeted to Manhattan buyer pools.
- Compass Concierge — pre-listing improvements
- Compass Coming Soon — early listing exposure
- Private Exclusives — discreet off-market inventory
- Compass Collections — home comparison and organization
Office, License & Giving Back
The team operates out of Compass's office at 110 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10011, with published contact phone 212.941.7670. Susanne V. Columbia's New York State real estate license (#30CO0945857, Associate Broker) is registered to Compass at the same address and is active through February 8, 2026. Charitable involvements listed on the team site include the Stephen Hassenfeld Pediatric Cancer Center at NYU and Poly Prep Country Day School (Todd), and North Shore Animal Hospital, Naked Angels, and the ACF Cancer Foundation (Susanne).
- Office: 110 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10011
- Phone: 212.941.7670
- NY State License (Susanne Columbia): #30CO0945857 — Associate Broker — expires 2026-02-08
- Charitable giving: NYU Stephen Hassenfeld Pediatric Cancer Center, Poly Prep Country Day School, North Shore Animal Hospital, Naked Angels, ACF Cancer Foundation