B
ob Knakal, a commercial real estate sales expert with 40 years of experience, has sold $22 billion worth of property and plans to revive his career using artificial intelligence (AI). After being fired from JLL in February 2024, Knakal founded BKREA, which will harness his extensive data collection since the mid-1980s and combine it with AI technology. He believes this approach will enable his small firm to compete with larger real estate services companies.

    Knakal's experience and proprietary observations give him an edge over rivals. He has gathered nuanced information about properties that is not publicly available, such as holdout tenants or access agreements. This data will be used in conjunction with AI to provide valuable insights for clients. Knakal claims his firm can produce better results than larger companies because of the quality and consistency of his data.

    Knakal's career has been marked by success outside of the big corporate real estate firms. He founded Massey Knakal, which was sold to Cushman & Wakefield in 2014 for $100 million. However, he left JLL after being abruptly fired in February 2024. Knakal believes his dismissal was due to a clash with company culture and a desire to adapt and compete.

    BKREA will combine analogue elements, such as a large printed map of Manhattan, with AI technology. The map room is used to pitch services to clients and has already resulted in 26 exclusives. Knakal's pipeline currently includes $2 billion worth of property assets, his largest in years. His long-time mentor and friend, James Nelson, admires Knakal's ability to adapt and innovate, saying he enjoys the process and thrill of the hunt.