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

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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

Today, Noah and John sit down with Nick Gavin of Compass, a real estate powerhouse with nearly two decades in the business. Nick shares his journey from launching during the Great Recession to now representing some of the most exclusive and high-ticket listings in NYC. The conversation dives deep into market dynamics, from pricing strategies at the ultra-luxury level to why renovations are a big deterrent for buyers today. Nick also opens up about building his business through long-term, genuine relationships—eschewing mass marketing in favor of trust, personal connections, and discretion. This episode offers a rare peek into how one of New York’s top agents wins consistently at the highest level. Top notch!

Highlights:
01:50 – Buyer Reluctance Toward Renovations
02:50 – Shifting Norms with Rates
03:30 – Importance of Hitting Pricing Right Away
04:20 – Ultra-Luxury Strategy
06:00 – Pricing vs. Convenience at the High End
07:00 – Lack of Foreign Investor Presence
08:15 – NYC Market Still Strong Despite Missing Segments
09:40 – Organic Shift from Renting to Buying
10:15 – Winning Listings Through Real Relationships
11:45 – Personal Over Promotional
14:30 – Small, Elite Team Structure
17:30 – Advice to New Agents
20:10 – Hyperlocal Market Knowledge as Differentiator
24:30 – NYC Lifestyle Still Unmatched
25:10 – Contrarian Confidence 

Nick's Team Sites:
https://www.compass.com/agents/nick-gavin/
https://www.compass.com/agents/nick-gavin-properties/

Connect with Nick on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-gavin-9bb97746/

Follow Nick on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/nickgavinnyc

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We break down what's happening in the credit, equity, and NYC real estate markets!
++ Check out our channel: @UrbanDigsNYC

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++ Visit www.urbandigs.co for more details and to get a sample report!

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/

Quiet Confidence & Big Closings with Nick Gavin

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

Quiet Confidence & Big Closings with Nick Gavin

Talking Manhattan

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