Marc Kotler on motivation, milestones, and leading New York’s premier property management firm

NYC property management trends and insights in 2026: An interview with Marc Kotler, President of FirstService Residential New York

Marc Kotler didn’t walk into the property management industry, he has spent nearly four decades learning the industry from the ground up, inside and out. Kotler has risen through every level of the field he now leads as President of FirstService Residential New York, the city’s foremost residential management company.

In this candid conversation, Kotler reflects on the experiences that shaped him, the milestone that defined his career, and why, after all these years, he’s never been more energized.
 
 

You've been in this industry for nearly four decades. What originally drew you to property management, and how did your career begin?

"I started at the very bottom, and I mean that literally. My job was to vacuum hallways in a 64-story building. I vacuumed 64 floors a day. It was a hard job, but it taught me a lot.

I've carried those lessons with me every step of the way. I worked my way up to property manager, and every role I held along the way gave me a deeper understanding of what this work truly involves. I've been in the trenches. I know what it takes to manage at a high level - not just from a distance, but from personal experience. I think that's a real difference maker when it comes to leadership: having been in other people's shoes."

—Marc Kotler, President of FirstService Residential New York
  

Now that you're President of FirstService Residential New York, what does this chapter mean to you personally?

"It means everything. I genuinely believe this is the perfect moment for someone like me to be in this position. We have the right team in place, we have the right tools, and we are absolutely primed for growth.

My goal is clear: to make sure we plant our flag as the number one management company in New York City. That's not just ambition - it's a reflection of where we already are and where we're going."

What motivates you on a day-to-day basis?

"I am motivated by making sure that we deliver on our promise, full stop. I love what I do. I love problem-solving. I love making sure that our residents are happy. But what really gives me great joy is being able to make someone's home better.

I'm a homeowner myself, and I understand how important that is to people. People are proud of where they live, and knowing that our work contributes to that pride is something I never take for granted. It's a privilege, and it drives me every single day."

Is there a specific achievement in your career that stands out as a defining moment?

"Without question, it was the day we were awarded the Plaza Hotel as a management contract. The Plaza is such an iconic building, not just in New York, but around the world. When we were awarded that contract, it was truly a game changer.

It put a flag in the ground and said, loudly and clearly, that we are operating at the level of the finest luxury buildings not just in New York City, but anywhere on the globe. That moment validated everything we had been building toward."

After nearly 40 years in the industry, what keeps you passionate about property management?

"There's still so much more work to be done, and that's genuinely exciting to me. I've seen enormous change over the course of my career, but what's happening right now with technology, artificial intelligence, and the centralization of information is unlike anything we've seen before.

We have the ability to perform at a higher level and deliver a higher level of service to our clients than ever before. The opportunity to keep improving, keep innovating, and keep raising the bar is what keeps me energized."

How is FirstService Residential leveraging technology to enhance the resident experience?

"Our goal is always to make the lives of our residents simpler. One of the tools we use is HODA, our Homeowner Digital Assistant. It gives residents a resource to access information about their community, connect with their property manager, and reach our team in a variety of ways.

It's not about replacing personal interaction; it's about giving people options. Whatever method of communication works best for a resident, we want to have that channel open. Simplification is at the heart of great service delivery."

Learn more about HODA here.
 

Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of FirstService Residential in New York?

"I'm very excited about the opportunity we have in this marketplace right now. The conditions are right, the team is right, and the timing is right. We are primed for growth, and I believe we have everything in place to continue being the leading management company in New York City.

What I find most exciting is that this isn't just about maintaining what we've built. It's about elevating it. Delivering on our promise to our clients, to our residents, to our boards, and to our owners at an even higher level. That's what gets me out of bed in the morning."

What major trends are you seeing affect New York condominium and cooperative owners right now, particularly around operating costs and compliance?

"One of the biggest trends we are watching closely is the cost of insurance. Insurance costs have been skyrocketing across all property types, from property coverage to excess liability. There are many factors driving that shift in the market, and our job is to make sure we are finding the best possible pricing for our clients while also focusing on risk mitigation.

That means putting things in place that can proactively reduce insurance costs over time: leak detection, energy compliance, and ensuring that every building is operating in full compliance with New York City laws. Risk mitigation is not just about paperwork. It is about keeping buildings safe and sound, and that directly affects what owners pay year after year.

On the compliance side, New York City has some of the strictest laws in the country, and they keep changing. We have an in-house compliance department dedicated to helping our managers and the buildings they oversee stay ahead of every new requirement. The fines for violations are significant, so the value of having that support in place cannot be overstated. It gives our boards real peace of mind."

Read our article 'NYC real estate trends in 2026: What developers, boards, and owners need to know' for more information.
 

How do your affiliated companies help boards navigate some of these rising costs?

"FirstService Residential has a host of affiliated companies, and FirstService Financial is one of them. What they do is go out and actively market and place insurance for the buildings we manage. They shop across various brokers and carriers to make sure each building has the right policy at the right cost.

Beyond that, they can also place insurance for individual unit owners within those buildings, passing along meaningful savings directly to residents and making sure they have the proper coverage in place. That individual coverage, in turn, actually helps the overall insurance picture for the building in the long term. It is a holistic approach.

Beyond insurance, the size and scale of FirstService Residential allows us to leverage our buying power across energy, supplies, service contracts, and virtually every other expense category. We take that leverage and pass those savings right along to our clients and unit owners. That is one of the clearest advantages of working with a company of our size."

What are you seeing in terms of new development and construction activity in the city? Are there any project types that stand out?

"Over the next 12 to 18 months, I think we are going to see significant changes in New York in terms of construction starts and major projects. A lot of developers were in a holding pattern, waiting to see what direction the new administration would take. There were many projects paused because of questions around affordability components and tax abatements.

What I do find exciting is the rise of mixed-use projects. Some of the larger developments we are seeing incorporate rental components, condo components, waterfront access, and even private club offerings, all within a single building or complex. That model is attractive to developers because it allows them to distribute costs across different uses and revenue streams.

A building like 525 Fifth Avenue is a great example: it has an office component, a residential component, and a private club. The club gives residents and office occupants access to an exceptional level of amenity, and outside membership helps offset the cost of delivering those amenities at a truly high level. Mixed use, done right, is a very compelling model for everyone involved."

Visit our 'Building owner and developer services' page to learn more.
 

There has been a fair amount of consolidation in the property management industry in New York over the past year. How do you see that shaping the competitive landscape?

"We have seen a lot of consolidation within the management industry over the last 12 months, and with that consolidation comes destabilization and real uncertainty for the clients of those companies.

When companies merge or get acquired, there are going to be changes, and those changes create risk for the boards and owners who depend on them. At FirstService Residential, we feel very confident about where we are right now. We have a stable team, a clear vision, and the infrastructure to back it up. And honestly, I think that instability in other parts of the market creates a genuine opportunity for us.

Boards looking for consistency and reliability will find both here. The benefits of choosing a company our size are significant: a depth of resources across compliance, energy, project management, and insurance, combined with a team structure that still delivers service on a personal, boutique-like level.

We have deliberately built our entire organization around that balance, because we know the personal touch matters enormously to our clients."

For more insights on how FirstService Residential stands out, read our article 'Why NYC boards, owners, and developers choose FirstService Residential for property management'.

"Selling luxury is easier than delivering luxury. What we do is bring in the right people, train them to the highest standard, and make sure we’re delivering on the brand promise, every single day."

Contact us today to learn more.

This information is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be relied upon as, legal, regulatory, financial, or operational advice, or as a representation or guarantee of any specific services, capabilities, or outcomes. Property management needs, regulatory requirements, market conditions, and available services vary by jurisdiction, property type, and community. FirstService Residential provides services through locally based affiliates and associates, and services and results may vary by community, region, contractual terms, and applicable law.