A Higher Standard
for Residential Real Estate.

Guiding clients through life's most important moves — with clarity, care, and decades of New York expertise.

Relationship-Driven,
Not Transaction-Driven.

Ruth Reffkin

Ruth Reffkin

Founder • 27+ Years Experience

As Founder of Compass Plus, Ruth brings decades of experience and a deep understanding of Manhattan’s neighborhoods, communities, and evolving real estate landscape.

She operates on a founding principle of "Mission Before Commission," prioritizing the dignity of the person over the transaction of the property. Ruth provides specialized, patient advocacy for Seniors and families making their most significant life transitions, ensuring they feel secure and supported at every step.

Susan Hirschorn

Susan Hirschorn

Principal Strategist • 13+ Years Excellence

A lifelong Manhattan resident and dedicated family transition specialist, Susan brings exacting precision to the team's operations.

Susan expertly navigates the emotional and logistical complexities of major life transitions, from estate-related sales and rightsizing moves to coordinating out-of-state logistics and multigenerational family decisions. Her calm, highly personalized approach helps ensure every process feels seamless and thoughtfully managed.

Ruth Reffkin and Robert Reffkin
Family • Leadership • Innovation

A Partnership built on
Ground-Level Expertise.

With more than 27 years of NYC real estate experience, Ruth Reffkin has built her practice around a simple philosophy: “Mission Before Commission.” Her thoughtful, relationship-driven approach to advising clients helped inspire her son, Robert Reffkin, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Compass International Holdings, to build a modern real estate platform designed to better support both agents and clients.

Today, that shared commitment to service, innovation, and long-term relationships continues to shape the way Ruth and her team guide clients through buying, selling, downsizing, and multigenerational transitions across New York City.

Residential Real Estate.
Navigating Every Chapter.

Residential Sales in Manhattan

Residential Sales

Expert, personalized guidance tailored for first-time buyers, alongside strategic support for seamlessly upsizing or downsizing your lifestyle in the city.

Senior Transitions & Estate Sales

Compass Plus,
Senior Transitions & Estates

Compassionate, comprehensive support helping families navigate complex life changes, downsizing, probate, and sensitive property decisions.

Relocations and Referrals

Relocations & Referrals

Trusted relocation guidance for clients moving to NYC or out of it, supported by our vetted partner network across the country and around the globe.

Featured
Neighborhoods.

Decades of experience living and working across Manhattan provide a deep understanding of the neighborhoods, co-op dynamics, and market nuances that shape every real estate decision.

Lincoln Center to Columbia

Upper West Side

Navigating the cultural heartbeat of Lincoln Center, academic prestige of Columbia, and the city's most iconic park-side avenues.

Timeless Prestige

Upper East Side

Deep experience with Museum Mile, Fifth Avenue co-ops, and the nuances of Manhattan's most established residential buildings.

Historic Charm

Greenwich Village

Unlocking the hidden value within tree-lined brownstones, historic residences, and one of Manhattan's most beloved neighborhoods.

Downtown Living

Tribeca & SoHo

From historic cast-iron lofts to contemporary downtown residences, guiding clients through Manhattan's most dynamic neighborhoods.

The Global Pulse

Midtown Manhattan

Navigating Midtown's iconic architecture, luxury residences, and vibrant neighborhoods stretching from river to river.

Compass Private Exclusives
Connect With Us →
Founded by Ruth Reffkin

Compass Plus

Compass Plus elevates real estate for Seniors in transition. When your home no longer fits your life, we provide dignity, guidance, and compassion.

Relationship driven, not transaction driven

The Compass Plus Approach

  • Certified Senior Adviser (CSA) specialized training

  • Coordinate with move managers, attorneys, and financial planners

  • Patient pace that feels right for you and your family

  • Focus on independence and quality of life
The Compass Edge

Big is the engine.
Boutique is the edge.

We pair our hyper-local, generational NYC expertise with the technological might and exclusive programs of the #1 brokerage in the United States.

Premium Service

Compass Plus

Enjoy complete peace of mind knowing you are guided by a top-tier, rigorously vetted Certified Senior Advisor (CSA). We specialize in complex transitions, ensuring your emotional wellbeing and unique lifestyle needs are prioritized above the transaction itself.

Value Maximization

Compass Concierge

Sell your home faster and for a higher premium without the financial stress. We front the cost for high-impact staging, deep cleaning, and cosmetic improvements—collected seamlessly only when your home successfully closes.

Network Reach

Global & National Network

Transition to any market seamlessly. We connect you with elite, hand-picked professionals worldwide, guaranteeing a trusted transition whether you are moving across town or across the globe.

Strategic Clarity

Data-Driven Intelligence

Make highly confident, informed decisions. We back our deep local intuition with real-time analytics to ensure you never underprice a sale or overpay on a purchase.

Read our latest insights and updates.

Latest

Access Blog
May 13, 2026

Manhattan Co-ops, What to Know About Board Approval: A Practical Guide for Buyers

What buyers need to know about Manhattan co-op board approval. Down payment, debt-to-income, post-closing liquidity, trust ownership, and how to get approved.

Read full Briefing
May 13, 2026

Selling a Manhattan Co-op as Part of an Estate: A Family's Guide

What families need to know about selling a Manhattan co-op as part of an estate. Probate, board approval, the lien-release waiver, and the practical steps.

Read full Briefing
July 24, 2026

Best Manhattan Neighborhoods for Seniors: A Real Estate Perspective

A Manhattan broker's perspective on the best NYC neighborhoods for seniors. UWS, UES, Greenwich Village, Tribeca, and Midtown compared on what really matters.

Read full Briefing
Manhattan Skyline Architecture
40+ Years of Trusted
Relationships
Trusted Referral Network

Nationwide

Compass Referral Network Access

Global

International Agent Relationships

Personal

Vetted Agent Introductions

40+

Years Building Connections

Trusted
Referrals Worldwide.

Whether you are searching for representation in another city, relocating internationally, or helping family transition into a new market, we connect you with trusted agents we know personally and stand behind completely.

Learn More
Client Stories

Legacy of Trust

Institutional Knowledge

Clarity at Every Step.

Real estate transitions at this level demand absolute transparency and precision. Here is a curated index of our most common inquiries.

Our flagship Compass Plus program provides turnkey orchestration for Seniors right-sizing their lives. As Certified Senior Advisors®, we don't just sell the property; we coordinate elite move managers, estate liquidators, stagers, and trust attorneys. We adapt the timeline entirely to your family's comfort, ensuring dignity, safety, and zero pressure.

Privacy is the ultimate luxury. Through Compass Private Exclusives, we can test the market, gather pricing feedback, and secure elite buyers entirely off-market. This protects your family's privacy—especially critical during estate sales or high-profile transitions—while keeping the property off public aggregators.

We blend 40+ years of Manhattan experience intuition with Compass's proprietary, AI-driven valuation technology. We know the unwritten premiums of specific co-op boards, building supers, and historic blocks, allowing us to price your legacy asset with surgical precision to maximize yield.

Absolutely. Whether you are transitioning a parent to an assisted living community in Florida or purchasing a secondary estate in Aspen, we tap directly into Compass’s elite nationwide network. We vet and partner with the top 1% producing agents in your destination market to ensure a seamless, white-glove handoff.

Compass Concierge fronts the cost of strategic home improvements—such as staging, painting, or cosmetic renovations—with zero upfront capital or interest. This allows us to maximize the aesthetic appeal and final sale price of your property, with the costs simply deducted at closing.