Press

Bob Knakal stands as one of the most influential figures in the history of U.S. commercial real estate brokerage. Over more than four decades in New York City’s investment sales market, he has helped redefine how buildings are valued, marketed, and sold.

Bob Knakal, Chairman & CEO of BKREA, spoke with Lehigh University students during the school’s professional speaker series, sharing insights on his career, the importance of relationships in commercial real estate, and practical guidance for students pursuing industry careers.

For decades, New York City has relied on tax incentives to produce rental housing. Without them, the math simply does not work. Construction costs, land costs, financing costs and regulatory costs all add up to numbers that private capital cannot justify without a program that closes the gap.

Bob Knakal, one of New York City’s most accomplished commercial real estate brokers, delivered a dynamic talk at Pace University, sharing hard-earned lessons on entrepreneurship, prospecting, and discipline—offering students a candid roadmap for building meaningful, long-term careers in competitive industries.

In commercial real estate investment sales brokerage, scale is often marketed as strength. The largest global brokerage firms routinely point to their offices in London, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong and dozens of other cities as a supposed competitive advantage.

The traditional volume-driven brokerage model is becoming obsolete, according to Bob Knakal, whose career includes the sale of 2,391 properties totaling approximately $24.1 billion in transaction volume.

Bob Knakal: 2026 Emerging Icon & Most Impactful Leader in Commercial Real Estate

For more than four decades, Bob Knakal built his career as a generalist in New York City commercial real estate. Over that time, he’s brokered the sale of 2,388 buildings across virtually every asset class imaginable — office, retail, multifamily, industrial, medical, parking, development sites, mixed-use properties, and everything in between.

New York City’s rent-regulated housing system is approaching a breaking point, not because of a single policy, but because of a compounding mismatch between political decisions, economic reality and simple mathematics.

BKREA announced it has been exclusively retained to arrange the sale of 150 West 85th Street, a vacant six‑story, 38,838 SF building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, offering investors and users a rare opportunity for conversion or redevelopment in a prime location.

On February 5, 2026, Bob Knakal, Chairman & CEO of BKREA, moderated Offit Kurman’s Women’s Commercial Real Estate Panel, uniting distinguished leaders across lending, law, environment, accounting, brokerage, and title to share actionable strategies for navigating uncertainty and uncovering opportunity in today’s shifting market.

Industry leaders Bob Knakal and Ryan Serhant hosted an exclusive fireside chat inside 35 East 62nd Street, an iconic Upper East Side townhouse offered at $49.9 million, gathering top brokers, investors, and industry professionals for an intimate market discussion.

At its most recent meeting, the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady. At the same time, markets have been focused on the announcement that when Jerome Powell’s term as Chair expires later this year, he will be succeeded by Kevin Warsh—a former Federal Reserve governor who has been openly critical of Powell’s approach to monetary policy.

The Prescott Foundation for Children and Youth, one of New York City’s longest-standing charitable organizations, has formally concluded operations after 163 years of service, closing a historic chapter defined by advancing educational opportunity and community support for underserved children and families.

New York City’s housing crisis is not theoretical. It is visible in rising rents, declining affordability, and — most starkly — in the crumbling conditions of the city’s public housing stock.

The New York real estate industry exuded upbeat energy not only about returning to the newly restored art deco Waldorf Astoria hotel for its biggest night of the year.

Selling or managing a property is rarely simple, especially when the market is uncertain and reliable advice is hard to find.

Success in commercial real estate isn't only about buying and selling. It's about strategy, positioning, and execution. In Selling Buildings, legendary New York City broker Bob Knakal and premier industry broker coach Rod Santomassimo reveal the proven methods that have led to billions of dollars in transactions and countless career breakthroughs.

Bob Knakal CEO of BK Real Estate Advisors (BKREA) has announced a landmark 41-year Manhattan Land Index, examining 2,444 development site transactions dating back to 1984.

BKREA released a 41-year Manhattan Land Index analyzing 2,444 development site transactions since 1984. The dataset segments sales by property type and uses AI-driven analysis to identify macroeconomic factors influencing land values across market cycles.

Manhattan land is not a normal market. Scarcity drives the pricing and competition drives the pace. Developers often “find land” by targeting older, underutilized buildings that later become development sites.

Bob Knakal, Chairman and CEO of BKREA, has announced the recent release of The Knakal Land Index, a 41 year study of land sales in Manhattan, going back to 1984, the year in which Knakal started his illustrious career.

In a city where commercial real estate is measured not only in square feet but in foresight, resilience, and timing, Bob Knakal stands as one of New York City’s most enduring and influential figures.

The development site located at 144-28 Northern Boulevard in Flushing has been sold for $16,000,000.

Over the course of his 42-year career, Bob Knakal has shaped New York City’s commercial real estate landscape, closing more than 2,361 building sales transactions representing over $23 billion in volume. Those numbers, while remarkable, only hint at the true measure of his work: an unwavering focus on serving clients with insight, precision, and dedication.

When JLL acquired HFF in 2019, comments like “It’s a young man’s game” attempted to reduce a lifetime of commercial real estate excellence to a retirement countdown.

Real estate executives said they are trying to find the best steps forward under a new political reality: Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, is now mayor-elect of New York City.

So the question before us now is whether Zohran Mamdani can be the first person in the history of human civilization to make price-fixing work?

Bob Knakal of BKREA is marketing dozens of land sites in Manhattan as well as 17 air rights transfers.

Over 300 leaders gathered at Club 101 NYC for the 13th RED Residential Awards celebrating innovation and excellence in real estate.

For the first time, eleven of the industry’s top producers will unite at The Massimo Group’s Global CRE Broker Virtual Summit on November 19, 2025, to share the strategies, habits, and client approaches that have driven their long-term success in commercial real estate.

In a city where ambition defines the skyline, few figures embody the essence of relentless drive, innovation, and integrity as profoundly as Bob Knakal. His name has become synonymous with excellence in New York’s commercial real estate world, not merely because of the 2,351 buildings he has sold or the $22 billion in transactions he has completed, but because of how he has reimagined what true leadership and expertise look like in an industry that often rewards speed over substance.

The final panel of Forbes Business Bridges 2025 brought together leading voices from both the American and Romanian real estate industries for a forward-looking discussion about the future of investment, sustainability, and urban innovation.

The Massimo Group will host the Global CRE Broker Virtual Summit November 19, 2025, bringing together top-performing commercial real estate brokers from around the world. The live, one-day online event features real-time translation, billion-dollar expertise & strategies brokers can immediately use to win more business.

BKREA CEO Bob Knakal announced the addition of Anahis Barrie, a seasoned New York real estate professional with a decade of luxury and commercial experience. With engineering and MBA credentials, Barrie strengthens BKREA’s mission to deliver innovative, market-leading investment sales solutions.

Many New York City co-op and condo boards are unaware that their buildings are sitting under a gold mine. In this case, the gold is made of air.

Finding success in commercial real estate, regardless of the market, requires a myriad of skills—but it starts with defining who you want to be and how you’re going to get there.

In my last Concrete Thoughts column, I was very critical of our policymakers, who have let down New Yorkers in a big way by continuing to exacerbate the unaffordability of our city by constricting our housing supply, which exerts upward pressure on rents and makes living here less affordable.

JEMB Realty recently ended a legal nightmare with ASA College at a building in Herald Center. The saga began in 2020 when ASA missed rent payments, leading JEMB to sue the school and its owner, Alex Shchegol.

Manhattan Country School, a progressive private school on the Upper West Side, has shut down and its building is now poised to go on the market.

Understanding sacrifice and the balance between risk and reward is key. In most CRE roles, success and even stability rarely come quickly.

Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani is but the latest in a long line of politicians afraid to take real action on bringing down housing costs

BKREA, led by CEO Bob Knakal, announces the $16,220,000 sale of 10 West 17th Street, a rare Flatiron residential development site. This marks Knakal’s 2,352nd building sale, underscoring BKREA’s unmatched expertise in New York City’s investment sales market.

The glamorous 34,436-square-foot commercial condominium that once housed Core Club at 66 East 55th Street is being marketed by Rudder Property Group and BK Real Estate Advisors (BKREA) for $40 million on behalf of RFR Holding, Commercial Observer has learned.

Reimagining Real Estate Brokerage with Precision, Purpose, and Proven Leadership

Bob Knakal, Chairman and CEO of BKREA, introduces The Ultimate Guide to Selling Walk-Up Apartment Buildings in NYC—a comprehensive resource designed to help property owners maximize value and navigate today’s evolving market for these highly resilient, in-demand assets.

This is especially true outside of Class A space — and with tech tenants — as economic uncertainty and AI impact the market

Commercial real estate is evolving at a record pace, and the digital landscape is at the center of this transformation. Nowhere is this more evident than on X, where industry leaders are shaping the conversation, sharing expertise, and connecting professionals across the globe.

Vanbarton Group is testing the waters for its site at 3 West 29th Street in Nomad, which it acquired via foreclosure in 2021, marketing it to potential buyers. CBRE and Bob Knakal’s BKREA are actively shopping the site to some of the city’s biggest developers, sources told The Real Deal.

In a landmark move for New York City real estate, Bob Knakal, Chairman and CEO of BKREA, has unveiled The Ultimate Guide to Investment Properties Sold for Use Conversion, empowering owners, investors, and developers to unlock value through creative property repositioning.

Navigating the complexities of selling an elevator apartment building in New York City requires a specialized approach. Bob Knakal’s new guide delivers actionable insights, market data, and proven strategies for owners looking to maximize value in today’s evolving multifamily market.

Before City of Yes, Bob Knakal would rarely work on air rights deals. When he did, it was one at a time. Now the chairman and CEO of BK Real Estate Advisors has 17 in the works.

Bob Knakal, Chairman and CEO of BKREA, has released a comprehensive new guide revealing why vacant buildings in Manhattan often sell for more than leased ones—offering strategies, data, and insights for sellers looking to achieve premium prices from user buyers.

It’s a big roster, but each of these young pros have come to play.