Thanksgiving 2023

Most years, I post on or around Thanksgiving as I find it a great time to reflect on how lucky I am and focus on the abundance in my life. This year, it’s more important than ever with so many negatives surrounding us every day.

What am I thankful for? The list is endless, but earlier this month, I celebrated my 25th anniversary of starting in real estate. In honor of my 25 years in the business, I came up with a list that is focused in four areas: Relationships, Lessons, Experiences, and Perspective.

Relationships

1.?????? Just in case my kids read this, I will make sure to mention them. Everyone who knows me understands that it all starts and ends with them.

2.?????? One of the most important lessons that I learned in real estate came on my first day when my father, Phil Neuer , told me, “It’s not a brick-and-mortar business; it’s a relationship business.” Twenty-five years later, I think truer words have never been spoken.

3.?????? My new partners at JLL are amazing. As the first producer to come from the outside, it was unchartered waters, but they made me feel at home quickly. A little over a year later, I can’t imagine working anywhere else. The collaborative work environment fits my personality perfectly and I look forward to finishing my career with this team.

4.?????? It’s not an easy time to be Jewish, but it’s also the most important time of my life to stand proud. My friends, clients, and colleagues, both Jewish and non-Jewish, have been a great source of support and for that, I am extremely thankful.

Lessons

When I think about it, the lessons stem from the relationships. Without people taking the time to help me learn, teach me new concepts, help me understand not only what to do but why, yell at me when needed, and encourage me along the way, I would still be rather clueless. Below are some of the most important lessons I have learned along the way.

Some of the most important lessons include:

5.?????? Process: Bob Floyd taught me that if the process is great, the outcome is hard to question. On the flip side, if the process stinks and you still get a great outcome, you just got lucky.

6.?????? Decision Making: Art Elman said that rather than wait until the last minute, it’s better to work ahead, make decisions based on what we know today and if the information changes, we can always adjust.

7.?????? Business Development: According to Rick Lackey , if you aren’t prepared to call someone ten times, don’t call once. Cold calling is a grind, but it’s about consistency and follow up.

8.?????? Teamwork: When I started working with Joseph Sarno , he explained that as a team, we needed to keep three things in mind: roles/responsibilities, communication, and trust. Those concepts were the pillars of our wildly successful partnership for many years.

9.?????? Keep A Level Head: When my first big deal died, Joel Orenstein told me that it was going to happen throughout my career. His advice was to never get too high or too low as the business can be a rollercoaster.

10.?? Find a mentor/rabbi: I was very lucky to have amazing mentors early in my career, some of whom continue to provide advice on a regular basis. I am extremely thankful for Joe Romano , Doug Petrozzini , Michael Beckerman , Joseph Sarno , Jon Marks, Jeff Hipschman , and Travis Langer, CFA to name only a few.

11.?? When people show you who they are, believe them. I typically try to find the best in people. Sometimes, it’s just not there.

12.?? Enjoy Every Sandwich: Warren Zevon was dying when he made his last appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman and said those three words to Dave. The future is unpromised. Act accordingly.

13.?? My grandfather used to say, “Son, have fun while you’re young; getting old sucks.” While I might not be young anymore, I still try to have fun when I can.

Experiences

Speaking of fun, this past year was filled with amazing experiences that brought me an abundance of joy.

14.?? Coaching my daughter Dylan’s 12U All-Star team this summer was one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life. Coming in second in the state in the Williamsport Tournament (very close to being on ESPN) was a huge accomplishment for the girls and I was proud to be a part of it.

15.?? I asked four of my former players to be guest coaches at practice for the 12U team, including my daughter Avery. All four gladly did so which was amazingly helpful for the girls and full circle for me considering I coached them when they were 10U players.

16.?? Speaking of softball, I was asked to write a blurb for the Hanover Township Little League social media pages for two of the players mentioned above upon their commitment to play at the college level. Being recognized for playing a small role in their development was very special.

17.?? A once in a lifetime doubleheader…Opening Day at Yankee Stadium and then straight to Morristown Beard for Avery’s first high school scrimmage.

18.?? Speaking of Avery and Morristown Beard, her success in her freshman year was the culmination of years of hard work that paid off. Her earning All-Conference honors was the icing on the cake.

19.?? No one enjoyed the 2023 Bruce Springsteen tour more than me. Two highlights…Barcelona with my cousin, Avi and MetLife Stadium with over 20 members of my family. Three generations, siblings, nieces, nephews, and of course, my children. The pre-show tailgates for the three shows Labor Day Weekend were nothing short of epic, and, as always, Bruce delivered.

20.?? Speaking of MetLife Stadium, I took Dylan and my niece to see Taylor Swift. What a show! I am officially a Swifty and will be seeing her again in 2024.

21.?? The Sphere in Las Vegas is a gamechanger for entertainment. From a real estate and technology perspective, there’s nothing like it and seeing U2 was awesome.

22.?? The Shore To Rock Hunger Benefit Concert was an experience I will remember forever. Co-chairing the event to benefit Fulfill with my mother, Rena Levine Levy , and friend Chris Sullens , which honored three longtime friends, Jeff Kazee, Tom Cunningham , and Brian Kirk was an experience that touched my soul on many levels. The poster hangs prominently in my house and will for a long time.

Perspective

23.?? This is the third market downturn of my career. I know that our economy and our business are cyclical. I have the perspective to know that we will weather the storm and better days are ahead. It’s a herd mentality and once the dam cracks, it will break quickly.

24.?? I am confident that our clients who make smart buys will reap the rewards as the market improves. It’s time to play offense! Office will continue to evolve in a post-COVID environment and landlords who invest in providing a unique employee experience will win.

25.?? I am grateful that I am with the deepest, most talented, hungriest, and hardest working team in the market. We will continue to work hard, provide thoughtful advice to our friends and clients, and be ready for the next wave. From my perspective, the future is bright!

If you are reading this, I hope you found a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I sure did.

JN