Careers at Haven Homes
We hire slowly, for judgement rather than volume, and we pay people in a way that does not force them to push a client toward a bad decision.
How we are different
Most residential brokerages run on volume. Recruit widely, pay on commission alone, let attrition sort it out, and accept that a large share of agents will leave within two years having closed almost nothing. It works for the brokerage. It is unpleasant for the agent and it is bad for the client, who ends up being advised by somebody under financial pressure to close.
We run the opposite model. The team is small, hiring is deliberate, and compensation is structured so that nobody has to choose between their rent and their client's interests. If you are good at this work and tired of being treated as a lead-conversion unit, we are worth a conversation.
How we pay
- A real base salary. Not a draw against commission that you repay later. A base you keep.
- Commission on top. Transparent schedule, published internally, identical for everyone at the same level. No individually negotiated splits that reward whoever argued hardest.
- No desk fees, no franchise fees, no charge for leads. You do not pay us to work here.
- Marketing and photography funded by the firm. Listing presentation is a company cost, not something you finance out of an anticipated commission.
- Licensing and continuing education paid. Including exam fees and renewals.
- Health coverage, paid leave, and retirement contribution. Because "independent contractor" should not be a synonym for "no benefits".
Open roles
Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
OpenRepresent buyers and sellers end to end: valuation, listing preparation, viewings, negotiation and closing coordination. You will own your files rather than hand them to a transaction desk.
You will need: an active salesperson or broker licence in NY or NJ; two years of residential transaction experience; the ability to write clearly, because most of this job is written communication; and a demonstrable record of telling clients things they did not want to hear.
Transaction Coordinator
OpenKeep transactions moving between contract and closing: deadlines, contingency dates, document collection, and coordination with attorneys, lenders, inspectors and title companies.
You will need: experience coordinating residential closings; comfort chasing people without annoying them; obsessive attention to dates; and the judgement to escalate early rather than hope a problem resolves itself.
Listing Photographer & Content Producer
PipelinePhotograph and film residential property to a standard that represents it honestly. We do not want images that oversell a room; we want images that make a qualified buyer want to see it in person and then find it recognisable when they do.
You will need: an architectural or interiors portfolio; competence with available light and flambient technique; and the restraint to stop before a photograph stops being true.
"Pipeline" means we are not actively recruiting for the role today but will read strong applications and keep them on file.
If you are not licensed yet
Both New York and New Jersey require a salesperson licence to be sponsored by a broker, which creates a chicken-and-egg problem for people entering the industry. We take on a small number of candidates each year pre-licence, sponsor the qualifying education, pay the exam fees, and provide supervised experience while you qualify.
We are specifically interested in people coming from adjacent fields — construction, surveying, mortgage lending, property management, interior architecture — where you already understand buildings. That knowledge is harder to teach than sales technique.
Our hiring process
- Application. A CV and a short note. No cover letter template, no portal account to create.
- Introductory call. Thirty minutes, with the person you would report to. Mutual qualification.
- Practical exercise. We give you a real (anonymised) property file and ask how you would advise the client. Paid, if it takes more than an hour.
- Team conversation. Meet the people you would work with daily, without a principal present.
- Offer. In writing, with the full compensation structure stated. We do not negotiate against other candidates and we do not make exploding offers.
We aim to give a decision within five business days of the final stage, and we tell everyone who reaches a call stage what the outcome was, whether or not it is good news.
Equal employment opportunity
Haven Homes Realty 2 LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
We provide reasonable accommodation at every stage of the hiring process. If you need an adjustment to participate — an alternative format, extra time, an accessible location, or an interpreter — tell us when you apply. You do not need to disclose a diagnosis to request one.
Our obligations to clients on the same subject are set out in our Fair Housing Notice.
How to apply
Send a CV and a short note telling us which role you are interested in and why. If you are applying for a licensed role, include your licence number and the state that issued it.