Awards
RealTrends America's Best Real Estate Professionals -Top 1.5% in the U.S. - 2025, 2024, 2022, 2021
Education
University of Pennsylvania Law School, Doctor of Law (J.D.)
University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School, Bachelor of Science, Economics
University of Pennsylvania, Bachelor of Arts, History
University of Pennsylvania, The Wharton School, Bachelor of Science, Economics
University of Pennsylvania, Bachelor of Arts, History
Milton Academy
Diocesan Girls' School, Hong Kong
About Kay
Kay Ch'ien is a seasoned real estate advisor who brings robust negotiation, analytical and research skills to a deal. She prides herself on her direct, honest, evidence-based approach. She is a co-principal of the Yang-Ch'ien Team, which has a successful track record of over $600 million in sales.
Having completed her own residential and commercial transactions and renovations, Kay can walk her clients through the real estate process with confidence. She provides a deep understanding of the NYC market, and a high level of personalized service, attentiveness and discretion.
Prior to entering the real estate business, Kay was a mergers & acquisitions attorney at Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett LLP. She has worked on multi-million to billion dollar M&A, capital markets and private fund transactions. Whether she's recommending an experienced attorney to a first time buyer, or using financial analysis to value properties for an investor client, her ability to navigate complex transactions allows her to provide a seamless experience for a discerning clientele.
Born in Singapore and raised in Hong Kong, Kay went to high school in Massachusetts and attended The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania as an undergraduate. Kay also holds a J.D. from Penn Law and is admitted to practice law in New York.
She made New York her home in 2006 and is dedicated to giving back to the community through numerous organizations, including Power of Two and The Packer Collegiate Institute. Outside of real estate, Kay is mom to her two children, and loves traveling to all corners of NYC to explore the cityās many excellent restaurants.
Testimonials
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"Working with Kay was an absolute pleasure. From the very beginning, she was incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and responsive. Kay guided me through the entire selling process of my Soho condo with expertise, from pricing and staging to open houses to navigating the multiple bids and selecting the best buyer. She always kept me informed and addressed any concerns I had. I highly recommend Kay to anyone looking to buy or sell property in New York City." - Julian Y., startup founder
"Working with Kay was an absolute pleasure. From the very beginning, she was incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and responsive. Kay guided me through the entire selling process of my Soho condo with expertise, from pricing and staging to open houses to navigating the multiple bids and selecting the best buyer. She always kept me informed and addressed any concerns I had. I highly recommend Kay to anyone looking to buy or sell property in New York City." - Julian Y., startup founder
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"As a first-time NYC homebuyer, I was fortunate to have Kay as my agent. She expertly guided me through my search which encompassed Manhattan and Brooklyn neighborhoods, and condos and co-ops. She was always responsive and helped me thoughtfully evaluate my options. Thanks to Kay's knowledge of the market, I found my dream home, an off-market apartment in Brooklyn Heights." - designer
"As a first-time NYC homebuyer, I was fortunate to have Kay as my agent. She expertly guided me through my search which encompassed Manhattan and Brooklyn neighborhoods, and condos and co-ops. She was always responsive and helped me thoughtfully evaluate my options. Thanks to Kay's knowledge of the market, I found my dream home, an off-market apartment in Brooklyn Heights." - designer
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āWe were expecting our second child and looking for more space. Our dream was to purchase a brownstone in Brooklyn. Kay quickly brought us up to speed on the market and spoke knowledgeably about the different neighborhoods. She had an excellent understanding of the inventory, and having completed her own townhouse gut renovation, was able to guide us when we looked at properties that needed work. We ended up finding a wonderful home for our family that checked all our boxes. As a bonus, the market value of our home has also gone up significantly in the past couple of years. We would work with Kay again in a heartbeat!ā - Georgina S. + Greg B., technology executives
āWe were expecting our second child and looking for more space. Our dream was to purchase a brownstone in Brooklyn. Kay quickly brought us up to speed on the market and spoke knowledgeably about the different neighborhoods. She had an excellent understanding of the inventory, and having completed her own townhouse gut renovation, was able to guide us when we looked at properties that needed work. We ended up finding a wonderful home for our family that checked all our boxes. As a bonus, the market value of our home has also gone up significantly in the past couple of years. We would work with Kay again in a heartbeat!ā - Georgina S. + Greg B., technology executives
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āI planned to sell an apartment in Downtown Brooklyn, and buy a new investment property using a 1031 exchange. Kay took charge and quickly brought energy and focus to the process. End resultā¦ Kay efficiently sold my existing property (when other units in the building were being delisted after sitting for months), and helped me identify a new apartment with promising upside potential to invest in. Kay is energetic, motivated, and analytical and data driven. As a former attorney, she was able to work seamlessly behind the scenes with my real estate lawyer on the transaction. I would strongly encourage others to work with her." - Claudia K., attorney
āI planned to sell an apartment in Downtown Brooklyn, and buy a new investment property using a 1031 exchange. Kay took charge and quickly brought energy and focus to the process. End resultā¦ Kay efficiently sold my existing property (when other units in the building were being delisted after sitting for months), and helped me identify a new apartment with promising upside potential to invest in. Kay is energetic, motivated, and analytical and data driven. As a former attorney, she was able to work seamlessly behind the scenes with my real estate lawyer on the transaction. I would strongly encourage others to work with her." - Claudia K., attorney
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"Kay provided guidance and help through my home buying journey - she made the process so smooth for a first time home-buyer and was patient with all my requests / questions. It was a pleasure working with her and the team and I know who I'll call next time." - Cassidy K., U.S. Army veteran + investment banker
"Kay provided guidance and help through my home buying journey - she made the process so smooth for a first time home-buyer and was patient with all my requests / questions. It was a pleasure working with her and the team and I know who I'll call next time." - Cassidy K., U.S. Army veteran + investment banker
Kay Ch'ienās Transactions
Past Sales
$12,167,000
- 8
- Bedrooms
6 East 74th Street Lenox Hill, NY 10021
Upper East Side
Listing Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
Listing Courtesy of Elliman
Listing Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
Listing Courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC
Listing Courtesy of Elliman
Listing Courtesy of 50 West Sales Gallery (Time Equities, Inc.)
$4,000,000
- 2
- Bedrooms
25 Columbus Cir, Unit 66F
Upper West Side
Listing Courtesy of Douglas Elliman Real Estate
$3,495,000
- 3
- Bedrooms
108-110 W 25th St, Unit 4
Chelsea
Listing Courtesy of Elliman
Listing Courtesy of Elliman
Listing Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
Listing Courtesy of Elliman
Past Rentals
$41,000
- 3
- Bedrooms
66 Reade Street, Unit PHW
New York
Listing Courtesy of The Corcoran Group
Listing Courtesy of Elliman
Listing Courtesy of Elliman
Listing Courtesy of Elliman
Listing Courtesy of Elliman
