Legendary New York broker Bob Knakal shares lessons from more than four decades shaping the city’s investment landscape. He discusses the founding of Massey Knakal, the power of specialization, and how zoning and policy continue to define opportunity. Knakal also explains why he’s integrating AI and data analysis into his brokerage, and why, despite political headwinds, he still believes you should never bet against New York.
Key Moments:
01:01 Meet Bob Knakal
03:24 The early days of Massey Knakal
04:50 Lessons learned and keys to success
08:14 The importance of market expertise
11:26 Founding BK Real Estate Advisors
13:14 Specialization and market changes
17:37 AI and technology in real estate
24:15 The unique challenges of the New York market
26:20 Current market cycles and trends
29:57 Impact of political changes on housing
32:42 Proposed solutions for housing issues
38:35 Future of New York real estate
Resources Mentioned:
Bob Knakal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobknakal/
BKREA - https://www.bkrea.com/
485-x Program - https://www.nyc.gov/site/hpd/services-and-information/tax-incentives-485-x.page
Major Capital Improvement program - https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/property/landlords-mci.page
Individual Apartment Improvement program - https://hcr.ny.gov/apartment-iai-and-building-mci-improvements
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