Is being competitive something you are born with or something you can build?

When I sat down with Eli Schuckman on The SFB Podcast, we talked about what really drives long-term success in real estate. For me, the competitive fire was always there. It started in sports and never left. But not everything has to be innate.

There are skills you can develop, and the good news is that the ones that matter most in this business are available to anyone willing to work at them.

What separates those who make it from those who do not:
→ A relentless competitive spirit that keeps you pushing
→ A genuine desire to be great at what you do
→ The ability to connect with people and earn trust
→ Awareness that real estate is a people business at every level
→ A mindset that combines effort with emotional intelligence

If you are not competitive, this might not be the business for you. But if you are willing to develop the skills to deal with people effectively, you are already on the right track.

#realestatesuccess #competitiveedge #peoplebusiness

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I believe in the power of free will and discipline.

As Abraham Lincoln said, "Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most." That idea has always stayed with me.

You can fundamentally change your life at any moment. Success comes down to deciding what you want most and having the discipline to pursue it relentlessly.

Watch the full video on YouTube.


#CommercialRealEstate #CRE #RealEstateCareer

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In this episode of What Would BK Do?, Bob Knakal explains one of the simplest and most powerful frameworks for understanding the real estate market: The Two Vs — Value and Volume.

When preparing to speak with clients about market conditions, there are countless statistics you could analyze. But over the course of his career selling more than 2,300 buildings in New York City, Bob has found that two metrics provide the clearest insight into what is really happening in the market.

Those two metrics are Value and Volume.

Volume helps you understand how active the market truly is. Many people focus on total dollar volume of sales, but that number can be misleading because a few large transactions can significantly distort the data. Instead, Bob explains why the number of properties sold is often a much better indicator of true market activity.

Value, on the other hand, shows how pricing is changing over time. By analyzing whether values are rising, falling, or stabilizing, and by comparing those trends across different time periods, brokers and investors can better understand where the market stands today and where it may be heading.

When you combine these two metrics and study how they change over time, you gain a powerful framework for interpreting market conditions and advising clients with confidence.

In this video, Bob explains:
• The two most important metrics for understanding the real estate market
• Why transaction count matters more than dollar volume
• How to analyze changes in property values over time
• How brokers and investors can use these insights when speaking with clients
• Why historical context is essential when interpreting market data

Whether you are a commercial real estate broker, investor, developer, or property owner, understanding the Two Vs can dramatically improve how you evaluate market conditions.

Subscribe for more commercial real estate insights.

About Bob Knakal

Bob Knakal is Chairman and CEO of BKREA and one of the most accomplished investment sales brokers in the history of New York City. Over the course of his career, he has brokered the sale of more than 2,300 properties totaling over $22 billion in transactions.

Bob is also the co-founder of Massey Knakal Realty Services, which became one of the most successful building sales firms in New York City before being sold to Cushman & Wakefield.
Through the What Would BK Do? series, Bob answers questions from brokers, investors, and property owners and shares lessons from more than four decades in commercial real estate.

Timestamps
0:00 Introduction
0:15 The Question from Liz and Tom
0:35 What are "The Two Vs"?
1:05 Understanding Volume in the Market
1:30 Why Number of Transactions Matters
1:55 Understanding Value Trends
2:20 Using the Two Vs to Explain Market Conditions

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From Elevator Guesswork to Smart Canvassing: Dov Hertz's Wild West Start in NYC Leasing

What do you do when there's no data, no security, and no roadmap — just a territory and a mandate to "go get information"?

If you're Dov Hertz, you build your own edge.

In this clip from The Bob Knakal Show, Dov shares what office leasing was really like in 1980s Manhattan — no building security, brokers crowding into elevators trying to avoid each other's floors, and zero access to structured tenant data .

Assigned to 3rd Avenue in the 40s, Dov was told to figure out who the tenants were, when their leases expired, and convince them to hire him .

So he created a system.

By digging through old issues of *Real Estate Weekly* and tracking down leases signed nine years prior, he anticipated expirations before anyone else and approached tenants directly — turning scattered information into strategic opportunity .

It was scrappy. It was manual. And it worked.

This is a masterclass in resourcefulness — when information doesn't exist, you create it.

Thank you to Dov for sharing this inside look at how true operators think differently.

#BobKnakalShow #DovHertz #NYCRealEstate #LeasingStrategy #ThrowbackThursday

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I've never played a musical instrument, but if there's one skill I'd love to learn, it's the piano.

Something is fascinating about the connection between music and math, and since numbers have always come naturally to me, I'd love to see how that translates to the keys.

Watch the full video on YouTube.



#CommercialRealEstate #CRE #RealEstateCareer

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One of the most powerful concepts in business is something my good friend Edward Winslow calls proof stacking.

The idea is simple.

Instead of telling the market how good you are, you show them…again and again and again until the proof becomes undeniable.

Recently we launched a project that is a perfect example of this.

We created an oversized coffee table book called "The Ultimate Guide to Selling a Development Site for the Highest Possible Price." Thousands of copies are being signed and sent to property owners throughout New York City. The response has been incredible and it is already generating meetings and potential assignments.

In fact, not long after the books started hitting mailboxes, an owner reached out about a development site worth roughly $40–$45 million and asked to meet. That is proof stacking in action.

Think about it from the owner's perspective.

If a broker sends you a one-page flyer saying they are an expert, that is a claim. If that same broker sends you a large-format, professionally produced coffee table book filled with insight, strategy, and experience, that is proof. And when hundreds or thousands of those books hit the market, the message becomes very clear.

This person knows the business.

What many people miss is that initiatives like this almost never happen when you are buried in the day-to-day whirlwind of deals, meetings, and calls. They happen when you step back and work ON your business instead of only working IN your business.

Working in your business is the daily activity:

• calls
• meetings
• proposals
• negotiations
• closing deals

Working on your business is different.

It is thinking strategically about initiatives that will generate opportunities for years to come. It is building systems, creating marketing platforms, developing intellectual capital, and finding ways to demonstrate value to the marketplace at scale.

The irony is that working on your business often produces far greater results than the day-to-day activity. But it requires something many professionals rarely give themselves.

Time to think.

For me, weekends are often the best opportunity to do this. When the phone is quieter and the whirlwind slows down, it becomes possible to focus on the bigger picture.

Ask yourself this question: What could you create that would demonstrate your expertise so clearly that the market cannot ignore it?

A research report.
A newsletter.
A podcast.
A proprietary database.
A book.

Whatever it is, if it truly provides value and reaches enough people, it becomes proof. And when proof stacks on top of proof, opportunities begin to appear.

Remember: The sky is not the limit in this business. There is no limit.

Keep on going. Keep on growing. And keep stacking proof.

#WednesdayWisdom #ProofStacking #BKREA

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My mother shaped who I am, but professionally, one of the greatest influences in my life has been Steve Siegel, Chairman of Global Brokerage at CBRE.

For decades, he's been more than a mentor to me, he's been an inspiration. The lessons he's shared have been invaluable, and his leadership has set a standard I've always strived to live up to.

Watch the full video on YouTube.


#CommercialRealEstate #CRE #RealEstateCareer

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Some days in this business are predictable. Most are not.

I normally work from home on Fridays. It's a quiet day. A chance to make calls without interruption. To think. To follow up. To move things forward. But then a client flies in from overseas. There's a meeting with attorneys. A deal to review. Documents to go through carefully. Lunch to have. Issues to resolve. And the next morning, I'm back in the office again handling something else that needs attention.

One of the biggest misconceptions about commercial real estate brokerage is that it's about transactions. It's not. It's about responsiveness.

Every day is different. New challenge. New opportunity. New problem. New solution. Sometimes you're negotiating lease language. Sometimes you're walking a development site. Sometimes you're reviewing zoning. Sometimes you're just on the phone for six straight hours.

If you need structure and predictability, this business will frustrate you.
If you embrace variability, it will reward you.

What I've learned over four decades is that longevity in this business doesn't come from trying to control the day. It comes from being prepared for whatever the day brings.

When a client flies in from overseas, you show up.
When documents need to be signed and shipped, you get it done.
When others are slowing down because it's Friday, you lean in.

There's no set schedule. There's no perfect routine. There's just commitment to the work.

The brokers who build long careers aren't the ones chasing excitement. They're the ones who show up consistently when the day doesn't go as planned.

You don't need drama.
You don't need theatrics.
You just need to be present, prepared, and steady.

There's no perfect schedule in this business.

There's just the work.

And if you stay in it long enough, with discipline, it compounds.

#MondayMotivational #BKREA #NYCRealEstate

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Would you rather do business with someone brilliant or someone you actually like?

On The SFB Podcast with Eli Schuckman, we talked about something that often gets overlooked in our industry. Talent matters, sure. But being a 10 in raw aptitude does not mean much if you lack people skills. In this business, likability is a competitive advantage.

A solid seven or eight with a great personality will win over the 10 every time.

What actually gets you the business:
→ Being someone people enjoy working with
→ Building strong relationships rooted in trust
→ Understanding how to connect with clients on a human level
→ Staying humble enough to always keep learning
→ Studying people as much as you study deals

Real estate is not about perfection. It is about connection.

#relationshipdriven #peoplefirst #cresuccess

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New York doesn't just have pizza, it sets the standard.

The bar here is high. Really high. That's why there are so many great options and so little tolerance for average. When you're surrounded by excellence, you either step up or you don't last.

That mindset isn't just about pizza. It's New York.

Watch the full video on YouTube.


#CommercialRealEstate #CRE #RealEstateCareer

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One of the best decisions we ever made…

On this episode of "What Would BK Do?", I was asked about page 94 of my book, "Selling Buildings" in which I discuss the Massey Knakal days and why we typically did not hire brokers from other firms. Dan Del Real also wanted to know what percentage of our hires were brand new to the business.

Dan, thanks for the question. I love when someone actually reads the book and then challenges me on something specific. That tells me you are serious about your craft.

First, understand this: we did not avoid hiring experienced brokers because we thought we were smarter than everyone else. We avoided it because our system was fundamentally different.

At Massey Knakal, we built the company around geographic territories. You owned a defined box. That was your world. You walked it. You mapped it. You knew every building, every owner, every mortgage, every zoning nuance. You were not allowed to chase deals all over the city just because someone called you.

That level of discipline is easy to teach to someone who has never done it another way. It is extremely difficult to teach to someone who has.

If you come from a firm where you can call anybody, anywhere, anytime, and suddenly I say, "No. You only work inside this box. You prospect these 312 buildings. You track every sale. You know every owner's kids' names." That feels restrictive. It feels limiting but in reality, it's liberating.

Mastery requires focus.

Over the 26 years and 46 days that Paul and I ran Massey Knakal, I believe we hired fewer than 10 brokers who had prior commercial investment sales experience. Fewer than 10.

The overwhelming majority of our hires were either:
1️⃣ Right out of college, entering our Transaction Associate program
2️⃣ Professionals from other industries who were brand new to commercial real estate

Why? Because they had no bad habits. They did not need to be "reprogrammed." They learned our system from day one. Prospecting discipline. Data tracking. Market mapping. Collaboration across territories. Information sharing. Weekly training. Accountability.

We built what I like to call a farm system. Young talent came in, learned the business our way, supported senior brokers, and then graduated into full brokerage roles already fluent in the language of our platform.

And here is the part I am most proud of.

Today, there are 34 companies owned or run by individuals who learned the business at Massey Knakal.

Think about that for a moment.

If you measure success only by commission dollars, that is one thing. If you measure success by legacy, that is something else entirely. We built a culture and a system that produced leaders across the entire New York City investment sales ecosystem. That is something to be proud of.

Dan, I appreciate the thoughtful question. For everyone else, keep them coming. If you want to know what BK would do, ask.

Until next time…go get 'em.

#WhatWouldBKDo #NYCRealEstate #BKREA

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From "Radioactive" to $120M Profit: Andy Davidoff's California Power Play

What do you do when office is untouchable, lenders want out, and the entire mortgage industry is in collapse?

If you're Andy Davidoff, you buy.

In this must-watch clip from The Bob Knakal Show, Andy shares how he acquired a brand-new 500,000 SF office building in Orange County at the start of 2009, backed by a $240 million construction loan that no one wanted .

With office considered "radioactive," he negotiated a five-year, $120 million refinance with a seven-lender group, leased the building to 94% occupancy in just two and a half years, and ultimately generated approximately $120 million in net profit on a single deal .

You'll learn:
– How to identify best-in-market assets during peak fear
– Why negotiating leverage increases when capital retreats
– The power of refinancing distressed debt strategically
– How disciplined leasing execution drives outsized returns

This is a blueprint for investors and operators who understand that when sentiment collapses, opportunity often expands.

Thank you to Andy Davidoff for sharing this remarkable story of conviction, timing, and execution.

🔔 Subscribe for more powerful real estate stories, lessons, and market insights from the best in the business.

#CommercialRealEstate #BobKnakalShow #AndyDavidoff #OfficeMarket #DistressedAssets #RealEstateInvesting #CRE #InvestmentStrategy #OrangeCountyRealEstate #DealMaking

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Why would a broker at the top of their game hire a coach?

That's what I asked myself back in 2011 when I got a call from a guy named Rod Santomassimo. He told me he was writing a book called Brokers Who Dominate. I had never heard of him, and he had never written a book before. But everyone he interviewed said I needed to be in it.

That led to one of the most impactful professional relationships of my career. At the time, I wasn't looking to make more money. I just wanted to make the same money and get more time back with my family. What I got was much more than that.

What changed when I started working with a coach:
→ I reignited my passion for the business
→ I tripled my income while gaining more time with my family
→ I developed more structure, clarity, and focus
→ I stayed sharp and accountable every single week
→ I made a long-term commitment to never plateau

If Michael Jordan had a coach, why wouldn't you? Success is not about having all the answers. It's about asking better questions and having someone who pushes you to improve even when things are already working.

#brokercoaching #cregrowth #realestatesuccess

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Paul Massey and I didn't start with a grand plan, we started with a partnership at Coldwell Banker.

There were plenty of challenges early on. But we trusted each other, stayed aligned, and kept executing. That collaboration became Massey Knakal and eventually helped redefine investment sales in New York City.

Strong partnerships don't eliminate obstacles. They help you push through them and build something lasting.

Watch the full video on YouTube.


#CommercialRealEstate #CRE #RealEstateCareer

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I was recently on a podcast with Tori Nook and she asked me a simple question:

"How do you stay in love with commercial real estate brokerage after more than 40 years?"

The answer is fairly simple – you have to create a niche where you are a true market expert.

That means knowing every building, every owner, every sale, every zoning nuance, every trend, not broadly, but specifically. It means using statistics rather than adjectives. It means understanding cycles instead of reacting to headlines.

The second thing is love. You must love the business because the market will humble you. It always has. It always will. If you're in this for a quick run, you won't last through a downturn.

The third ingredient is discipline. There is nothing more productive in our business than making calls. And I still love making calls. Not because they're glamorous. Not because they're easy. But because they work.

Energy matters. But energy without discipline is chaos. Discipline without love becomes drudgery. When you combine love for the craft, analytical thinking, and disciplined execution…good things tend to happen, provided you're doing fundamentally correct things and you keep at it.

Longevity in this business is not built on a hot year. It's built on thousands of disciplined days strung together.

Tori, thank you for having me on the podcast and for asking thoughtful questions that made me reflect on why I still love what I do.

#WednesdayWisdom #BobKnakal #BKREA

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When I started, real estate data was manual phone calls, paper files, legwork. Today we have platforms like Reonomy and Actovia that changed the game.

But tools are only as good as the accuracy behind them. Bad data leads to bad decisions.

That's why I'm building a project to track Manhattan's development pipeline, clean, verified, and grounded in reality. In this business, information isn't power unless it's right.

Watch the full video on YouTube.


#CommercialRealEstate #CRE #RealEstateCareer

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Become the expert.

I get calls every week from young brokers. They say, "Bob, I've been in the business two or three years. I'm competing with people who have been doing this for twenty. How do I compete?"

The assumption behind the question is that time in the business equals expertise. It does not.

Focus equals expertise.

Let me ask you a simple question. If you sell apartment buildings in your market, how many buildings are there? Not approximately. Exactly.

How many sold last year?
How many sold the year before?
What was the average price per square foot?
The average price per unit?
The average cap rate?

If you do not know the answers to these questions, someone else will. And that someone else becomes the expert.

Early in my career, we learned that knowing your territory was not optional. It was mandatory. Our entire system was built around becoming hyper focused experts in defined geographic areas . When you know every building, every owner, every sale, every zoning nuance, you walk into a meeting differently.

Confidence is born from preparation.

Imagine sitting across from an owner who is considering selling. Instead of speaking in generalities, you say:

"There are 312 buildings like yours in this market. Twelve sold last year. The average price per square foot was $487. The average cap rate was 5.6 percent. Based on your rent roll and location, here is exactly where you fit."

You think that owner is not impressed? You think the broker with twenty years of "experience" who cannot quote those numbers off the top of his head has the advantage?

Experience without focus is just time.
Specialization is a competitive weapon.

When you narrow your territory and master it, you compress decades of perceived experience into a few intense years of disciplined study and action.

Walk the streets. Count the buildings. Track every sale. Know the players. Understand the zoning. Study the trends.

Do this consistently and you will not feel like the young broker trying to compete with veterans. You will be the market expert.

And here is the secret: most people will not do the work. They will say they want to dominate their market, but they will not map it, measure it, and memorize it.

Opportunity lies in what others are unwilling to do.

If you want a competitive advantage, earn it.

#MondayMotivational #KnakalKnuggets #BKREA

15 2

Why share your playbook with competitors? Because knowing is not doing.

When Kristian Cotta asked me why I openly share strategies that others might use against me, my answer was simple. Most people will not do the work. And more importantly, I do not believe in a zero sum game.

Some see competition as win or lose. I see it as a win and win again. You are not going to lose deals by helping others. You are going to build a better career and a better life.

Why abundance wins over fear:
→ Most people will not act, even if they know what to do
→ Helping others does not diminish your opportunity
→ A win for someone else does not take away from your future
→ Collaboration builds more than competition ever could
→ Staying focused on the next deal beats obsessing over the last one

There is more than enough to go around. So go get yours.

#abundancementality #collaborationovercompetition #cremindset

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Real estate policy often ignores economic reality, and politics fills the gap.

Too many decisions are driven by voter demographics instead of data, consequences, or long-term impact. That disconnect doesn't just affect policy makers, it reshapes markets.

If we want better outcomes, we need a more informed, engaged electorate that understands how these choices actually play out in the real world. Data matters. Participation matters.

Watch the full video on YouTube.


#CommercialRealEstate #CRE #RealEstateCareer

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On today's episode of "What Would BK Do?", I answer Lou Perry Psu's age-old question of "What is the best time to make cold calls?"

This is a great question because the best time to make prospecting calls is during Money Time!

What is Money Time?

It is between the hours of 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM and between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM. These 5 hours consistently produce the highest contact rates and fewest voicemails.

If you are a commercial real estate broker and want to increase listings, increase commissions, and build a dominant territory presence, you must time block these hours. Schedule them two to three weeks in advance.

No meetings.
No internal calls.
No distractions.

Money time is revenue time!

There is no higher return activity in investment sales brokerage than prospecting. If you are serious about building a commercial real estate business in New York City or anywhere in the country, protect your Money Time.

Prospecting consistency equals listing inventory.
Listing inventory equals market share.
Market share equals long-term income growth.

Time block it. Execute. Repeat.

#WhatWouldBKDo #InvestmentSales #BKREA

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From Under $200/Foot to Massive Upside: Why B & C Manhattan Office Buildings Could Be Goldmines

What do you do when office buildings are trading at 1990s pricing and headlines say the sector is broken?

If you're Andy Davidoff, you build appetite.

In this clip from The Bob Knakal Show, Andy explains why B and C office buildings in Manhattan trading for under $200 per square foot may represent one of the most compelling opportunities in today's market.

While other markets cool off, Manhattan rental demand remains extraordinarily strong, with affordable listings generating overwhelming response. Many mid-block office buildings built between 1920 and 1940 already have the structural fundamentals needed for residential conversion: light, air, operable windows, and workable floor heights.

This is a blueprint for investors, developers, and operators looking to capitalize on dislocation rather than fear it.

Thank you to Andy Davidoff for sharing his insight into where real opportunity may lie in NYC commercial real estate.

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