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Robert Knakal

Chairman, NY Investment Sales at JLL

Bob Knakal is no longer Chairman of NY Investment Sales at JLL. He left JLL in February 2024.57 Currently, Bob Knakal serves as the Chairman & CEO of BKREA - BK Real Estate Advisors, a boutique brokerage firm he launched in April 2024.23

Knakal is a prominent figure in New York City's commercial real estate industry, with a career spanning over 40 years. He has been responsible for the sale of more than 2,341 buildings, with a total market value of approximately $22 billion.6

Key points about Bob Knakal's career:

  1. Started his real estate career in 1984 at CB Richard Ellis (now CBRE).13
  2. Co-founded Massey Knakal Realty Services in 1988, which was sold to Cushman & Wakefield in 2014 for $100 million.6
  3. Worked at Cushman & Wakefield as Chairman of New York Investment Sales from 2015 to 2018.1
  4. Joined JLL in 2018 and served as Chairman of NY Investment Sales until February 2024.5
  5. Launched his own firm, BK Real Estate Advisors (BKREA), in April 2024 with a focus on integrating AI technologies into investment sales processes.3

Knakal is known for his expertise in investment sales, particularly in challenging properties, and has been a influential figure in the New York City real estate market.46

Highlights

Apr 2 · twitter

Throwing it back to 2013… celebrating 25 years of Massey Knakal.

From a small Midtown office in 1988 to over 4,500 transactions and $17 billion in sales, the journey was never about just closing deals. It was about building something different.

A better model. A stronger culture. A long-term vision.

We believed early on that specialization mattered. That knowing your territory better than anyone else would create real value for clients. That collaboration, not silos, would win.

And most importantly, that people and culture would drive everything.

One quote from that time still resonates with me today:

"The most heartwarming thing about seeing Massey Knakal grow over the last 25 years is that we have preserved our shared values since the beginning, as well as our drive to be leaders, our unique and inspiring workplace, and our contribution to a transformed industry."

25 years in and the foundation was clear.

Shared values. Relentless work ethic. Commitment to excellence.

Looking back, what stands out most is not just the growth, but the consistency in how we approached the business from day one.

The “Massey Knakal Way” was never just a tagline. It was a blueprint.

And in many ways, it still is.

Thanks to Kristine Wolf from @NYREJ for sending this to me and taking me down memory lane.

Throwing it back to 2013… celebrating 25 years of Massey Knakal.

From a small Midtown office in 198
Jan 17 · twitter

Your listing presentation should never be about you. It should be about the owner, their asset, and their goals.

Related Questions

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Robert Knakal
Robert Knakal, photo 1
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Location

New York, New York, United States