Description
Book Synopsis"An engaging real estate book that takes a thoughtful approach to building communities." —Kirkus Reviews
Real Estate, A Love Story shows the next generation of entrepreneurs how to pursue profit while building a human-centered future for American cities.
Growing up on New York's Upper West Side in a bustling family of Jewish immigrants, Joshua Benaim discovered the power of place as he learned from his grandfather the art of minimizing risk while pursuing value in the world's toughest business—New York City real estate. And when a chance encounter in a cab led him to study opera, Benaim's time as a touring baritone inspired him to bring the poetry, passion, and historical authenticity of music to the world of business.
In urban real estate, Benaim sees unique opportunities—the chance for us to follow our dreams, find love, nurture one another, and experience art in the everyday.
But when Covid-19 disrupted our lives, radically changing the way we use our private and public spaces, he faced a question: Are cities—and the real estate industry that sustains them—obsolete?
Benaim says no. The city is not dead. It is being reborn.
Guided by a set of traditional values that prize fairness, honor, beauty, and respect for the communities in which he works, Benaim shares his wisdom through this lyrical story in four parts:
I. How I Fell in Love with Real Estate
II. Real Estate Investment and the Handshake Philosophy
III. The Art of Real Estate Development
IV: The Future of Real Estate
An intimate blend of memoir and business strategy, Real Estate, A Love Story is a guide for those shaping their own paths and anyone who believes in human, value-driven enterprise.
Trade Review"If Covid and autocrats get you down, Joshua Benaim's new book will help you replace fear with hope and see the beauty in the people and the world around you. For anyone who wants to learn the business of real estate and build a meaningful career on a foundation of humanity and inspiration, it's a journey of joy." Arthur Segel, Baker Foundation Professor of Management Practice, Poorvu Family Professor of Management Practice (ret.), and Cofounder of TA Associates Realty
"Institutional investors often wonder how to invest in and solve the shortage of affordable housing in the U.S. Joshua Benaim has pointed the waybut not in any conventional framework. Beyond tax incentives or charitable efforts that can only provide a limited solution, his market-based and design-focused approach offers very real and very desirable solutions. Who knew that a team of influencers that include Beethoven, Tolstoy, and Warren Buffett could show us the way? Mr. Benaim did. Whether it's insight on the inner workings of cities, ethical negotiating practices, or partnerships with communities, tenants, and governments, his vivid personal stories and profiles of thought leaders from every walk of life make this a must-read for serious investors in US real estate." Gunnar Branson, CEO, AFIRE
"An engaging real estate book that takes a thoughtful approach to building communities" Kirkus Reviews
