Commercial Hall of Famer Bob Knakal, the Senior Managing Director and Head of New York Private Capital Group at JLL, sits down with Noah Rosenblatt and John Walkup of UrbanDigs to talk NYC real estate. In a wide-ranging conversation, Bob shares his thoughts on the current commercial real estate market(s) in New York City, land values, cap rates, the importance of finding your specialty, the value of hard work, why offices foster learning, and much more. Bob's a living legend which makes this a must-listen!

Highlights:
0:46 - What's happening in the markets today?
6:45 - Becoming an expert
10:22 - Thoughts on the office sector
13:23 - Data and resources to track
15:09 - Framing challenges as opportunities
16:25 - It's ok to say no: advice on growing business
19:55 - Why smaller sites are more marketable
21:00 - Closing thoughts

Bob's page at JLL:
https://www.us.jll.com/en/people/bob-knakal

***  NEW ***
Need data to anchor a listing pitch or support a price reduction? Try UrbanDigs Advisor today! Our customized deep dives close deals faster and make you look like a hero. Plus, subscribers get a discount! To get started, email support@urbandigs.com and let us know what you need.

Got questions? We got answers! Visit our forum:
https://www.urbandigs.com/forum/index.php?forums/main-forum.2/

Track the New York City real estate market with real-time data and charts:
https://www.urbandigs.com/

Link to our overview of Manhattan or Brooklyn real estate stats:
https://www.urbandigs.com/marketwide-charts/

For more Manhattan and Brooklyn real estate conversations:
http://www.talkingmanhattan.com/

From a Commerical Point of View with Bob Knakal

Resilience, Hustle, and Luxury: Talking NYC Real Estate with Lisa Simonsen | UrbanDigs

Today, Noah and John sit down with Lisa Simonsen of Brown Harris Stevens, one of the tip top real estate professionals in the country (seriously... top 0.5%!), to get her take on the current New York City real estate market. Lisa shares why October saw a surprising surge in activity, how the Upper East Side is making a strong comeback, and what it really takes to thrive in this business. From market cycles to mindset, Lisa breaks down the habits, grit, and strategies that set top producers apart. Her insights into luxury clientele, building a resilient business, and staying motivated in tough markets are gold. 

Pure gold!

====================================
✅ Stay Connected With Us:

👉 Noah's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-rosenblatt-b9b17815
👉 John's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-walkup2/
👉 Website: https://www.urbandigs.com
👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbandigs_nyc
👉 X: https://x.com/UrbanDigs
📧 Contact: hello@urbandigs.com

⏱️ Key Talking Points & Timestamps
01:00 – NYC Market Snapshot: October surge in contracts
02:15 – Resilience of NYC: People are still coming, despite talk of leaving
03:00 – Market activity at various price points
03:45 – Upper East Side comeback
05:15 – Success traits in real estate
06:15 – Making things happen daily
07:45 – Avoiding negativity & excuses
09:00 – Can real estate success be taught?
10:15 – There’s business everywhere
11:00 – High net worth client strategies
12:30 – Don’t aim for $10M+ right away
13:45 – Lessons from past market cycles
14:30 – “Buyers are liars”
15:15 – Closing thoughts 
====================================

✅ Lisa's Page at BHS
https://www.bhsusa.com/agents/lisa-simonsen

✅ Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lsimonsen1/

✅ Follow Lisa on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lisarsimonsen
====================================

📊 Want to be in contract in under 60 days? That's what we do!
More and more top NYC agents are trusting UrbanDigs Advisor for confident pricing decisions—powered by appraiser comps, unique insights, and real-time data (not lagging averages). If you know, you know!
🚀 We've already priced $600M in NYC listings, with some price adjustments exceeding $1M.
Why try? 3 Reasons:
1) You'll look like a fiduciary badass by bringing in outside experts!
2) You'll get hours and hours of your life back to grow your business
3) You'll set realistic expectations for a faster close
➡️ Check it out now at UrbanDigs.co

📈 Try the UrbanDigs Platform – FREE
Access live market data, charts, and insights to stay ahead in the NYC real estate game.
🗽 Dive into Manhattan & Brooklyn stats anytime:
➡️ urbandigs.com

🔴 Tune in to Macro Monday – LIVE Every Monday at 11AM on YouTube!
Get weekly updates on credit, equity, and NYC real estate trends—straight from the experts.
🎥 Subscribe & join us live: @UrbanDigsNYC

🎙️ Want more Manhattan & Brooklyn real estate insights?
Catch past episodes of Talking Manhattan at:
➡️ talkingmanhattan.com

#nycrealestate #manhattanhomes #urbandigs #talkingmanhattan #brownharrisstevens #realestatepodcast #nycmarketupdate #realestateinsights #nycluxuryrealestate #buyersmarket #realestateagents #housingtrends #realestateadvice #propertyinvestment #nychousing #realestatetips #realestatecareer #agentlife #nycapartments #realestateinterview

Resilience, Hustle, and Luxury: Talking NYC Real Estate with Lisa Simonsen | UrbanDigs

Noah Rosenblatt and John Walkup from UrbanDigs talk real-time NYC real estate data and trends.

Resilience, Hustle, and Luxury: Talking NYC Real Estate with Lisa Simonsen | UrbanDigs

Talking Manhattan

Related tracks