Each year, Midwest Real Estate News publishes its Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame issue, honoring the most successful industry pros in the Midwest. This year, we are running those profiles online, too. Today, we look at the career of Jay Friedman, senior vice president with Kansas City, Missouri-based Block & Company, Inc., Realtors.
Years in the business: 37
Impressive numbers: The best commercial real estate professionals close the most deals. That’s why Jay Friedman, senior vice president with Block & Company, Inc., Realtors, has made our Hall of Fame list.
Since 1991, Friedman has been one of the leaders in the Kansas City CRE industry. His production has been impressive during this time: He’s sold more than 7.6 million square feet of investment real estate with a combined value of more than $900 million.
This is impressive considering his humble beginnings. He first joined Block & Company as a sales associate in 1980. Today, Friedman, as senior vice president, focuses on the sale and acquisition of investment real estate, single-tenant net-lease investments and external financing for his clients.
Friedman said that the industry has changed plenty since he entered it. In 1980 when he first entered the real estate business, interest rates stood at about 17 percent and were still moving up. Today, of course, people are panicky about far lower rates.
Camaraderie: Friedman says that he’s fortunate: He’s found a career that he loves. And what does he enjoy most? “The camaraderie of putting deals together, whether it be with other brokers or sellers and buyers,” he said.
Knowledge is key: When asked about his success, Friedman points to his willingness to study his market.
He says his success can be tracked to “getting to know my real estate market and my community and understanding what motivates buyers and sellers. I accomplished this by tracking owners and buyers through my extensive database and keeping them abreast of market conditions.”
Out-of-office hours: When not studying his markets and serving his clients, Friedman prefers to spend quality time with his family and friends. He’s also a believer in exercise and works out five to six days a week to “help clear my mind.”
