Bahar Tavakolian

Bahar Tavakolian is where intellect meets instinct, and strategy meets style. A Cornell-trained engineering Ph.D. with a background in aerospace, biotech, and academia, Bahar brings a rare analytical edge to the world of luxury residential real estate. As the founder of The BAHAR Team at COMPASS, she has spent nearly two decades advising high-net-worth buyers and sellers across Manhattan’s most coveted neighborhoods, from the storied co-ops of the Upper East Side to the design-forward lofts of Tribeca and the historic brownstones of Brooklyn Heights.

With over $900 million in closed sales, Bahar is known for delivering sharp market insight, discretion, and a calm, strategic approach. She has set sales records from Carnegie Hill to SoHo and has been consistently ranked among the top brokers in the country (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017). Her long-standing client relationships are her proudest achievement, built on trust, clarity, and results.

Her insights have been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg, and The International Herald Tribune, and she is respected for combining analytical rigor with warmth, intuition, and taste. She is the co-author of Persian Feasts, a contemporary Persian cookbook published by Phaidon, and writes a weekly newsletter: Bahar's Best in Class Edge: Real Estate, NYC & Beyond, where she explores market trends, architecture, and economic forces shaping New York and beyond. Click HERE to see the previous newsletters and click HERE to subscribe for weekly updates. 

Fluent in Persian and conversant in French, Bahar lives on the Gold Coast of the Upper East Side, one of the city’s most historic and sought-after neighborhoods.

What the Clients are Saying

"Bahar’s sophistication is evident in every aspect of her work—from her innovative marketing to the way she conducts herself. There is an undeniable psychology to what she does, and she understands exactly how to position a property for success.” — Parent, Manhattan Private School

"I was blown away by Bahar's ability to communicate her ideas, her vision. She is very systematic she has a very scientific approach to her job; which, for me as a seller, was very comforting especially in the market at that time. The way she communicates gives me great confidence." - Partner, Top National Law Firm

"Dear Bahar, when I think of things for which I’m grateful in this sobering year, you are at the top of the list. Thank you for coming into a delicate familial situation with grace, sensitivity and intelligence figuring out why our beautiful apartment hadn’t sold and working with me to turn things around. Selling our home was one of the bright spots of the year for me, and working with you was pure pleasure. Your grace and professionalism were stunning and the results couldn’t have been more quick or compelling. I’m incredibly grateful to you." — By Author & Screenwriter, Manhattan, NY