Family Profile and History

After 50 years in the real estate business, The Postyn/Mandel family real estate business is in the process of positioning itself for the 21st century.

Lawrence Silverstein (Anne Postyn’s father) started the business in 1957 after he had a business opportunity to open an automobile garage business in Forest Hills, NY and then he acquired a leasehold on 70-50 Austin Street also in Forest Hills, NY. He was supported and assisted by Leon Mandel (Joel Mandel’s father), his brother-in-law. Leon was an attorney and a passive partner in developing real estate ventures. Mr. Silverstein is deceased and Mr. Mandel has retired. The second generation families are in control and spearheading the future visions as they continue to prosper in the 21st century.

Paul Mandel, Anne Postyn, Joel Mandel

Left to right: Paul Mandel, Anne Postyn, Joel Mandel

Joel Mandel
Joel Mandel started in real estate in 1977. He graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in 1977 with a BA degree and has been a licensed real estate broker since 1980. He is on the Board of Directors of the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce, a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, member of the Rent Stabilization Association, and president of a 625 unit cooperative.

Anne Postyn
Anne Postyn started in real estate in 1986. She graduated from Cornell University in 1977 with a BS degree, received a Master’s degree in Nutrition in 1977 and an MBA from Columbia University in 1983. She then worked 3 years for Lederle Laboratories prior to getting involved in the family business. She has been a licensed real estate broker since 1988.

Paul Mandel
Paul Mandel started in real estate in 2007. He graduated from Boston University in 2007 with a degree in business administration. As a third generation family member Paul is learning the various components of the family business for the future.

Greg Postyn
Gregory Postyn started in real estate in 2006. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009 with a degree in economics. He worked for Massey Knakal from 2009 to 2010, assisting Chairman Robert Knakal in the sale of 23 investment properties with a total value in excess of $100MM. He then worked for Walter & Samuels from 2010-2016, primarily as a commercial leasing agent for a portfolio totaling approximately one million square feet. Greg joined the family business in 2016 and has been a licensed real estate broker since 2015 after obtaining his salesperson’s license in 2006.


Lawrence Silverstein started in the real estate business in 1957 with his cousin, Irwin Harris (later they separated), and with backing from Leon Mandel, the three men started acquiring leasehold interests in several properties in the Forest Hills area. These properties were primarily garages and gas stations. In 1977, Joel Mandel entered the real estate business as a salesman for a company called Richard Stephens Inc. Shortly thereafter, he acquired a real estate broker’s license. For several very active years, he sold many properties in Manhattan and eventually the family made its first acquisition two years later in 1979. Then in early 1980, Joel opened an office on East 81st Street in Manhattan, and along with Lawrence Silverstein and Leon Mandel, spent the next eight years, during some very exciting real estate times, buying, selling and brokering hundreds of properties in the five boroughs. In 1988, Joel Mandel moved to Forest Hills.

From 1988 until the present, the Forest Hills Property Group continues to operate its properties at its current Forest Hills office location.

We continue to focus on maintaining our properties in a first class manner and to utilize our expertise to continue with our ongoing capital improvement programs to maximize the value and appearance of our properties.