Each year, Midwest Real Estate News inducts a new class into our Midwest Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Last year was on exception. Today, we look at the career of one of these new inductees, Ray Giannini, senior managing director of investments with the Brookfield, Wisconsin, office of Marcus & Millichap.
Ray Giannini has worked in the real estate industry for the past 25 years, specializing in seniors housing real estate brokerage. What does he enjoy most about being a broker? Helping his clients solve problems.
“Many times the businesses that I’m selling have issues with occupancy or operations. I feel I can really play a hand in benefiting my client get to their sales price and providing value for the buyer,” said Giannini. “Sometimes value represents upside that can be unlocked only by understanding the nuances of this specialized business and its reimbursement sources.”
There are numerous challenges that Giannini can point to that have cropped up in his career, but the COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly taxing on those in the seniors housing arena as it has locked down facilities and frozen admissions.
“One can say that the epicenter of COVID was skilled nursing facilities; these facilities account for about 50 percent of my practice,” Giannini said. “I have seen my clients dealing with this once-in-a-lifetime issue with great courage and resolve. I have also tried to offer help and guidance to them.”
Besides that, Giannini said that there are many challenges to selling seniors housing because there is a massive amount of competition as well as a good deal of regulation and reimbursement issues that need to be attended to before a transaction can close.
As to how and why he has been successful in the sales of seniors housing properties, Giannini points to his background of working for a company that owned this type of property on a national level, as well as being CPA.
“I feel that I can understand this type of business and what my clients are going through,” Giannini said, “in addition to handling and understanding their financial issues and presenting them in a way that a buyer can understand and benefit from.”
Giannini also believes his association with Marcus and Millichap has led to much of his success, pointing to the resources and training that he company offers as helpful tools for meeting client needs.
Away from the office, Giannini is a voracious reader and enjoys spending time with his family. He also serves as a pastor at his church in Milwaukee.