WATCH: Bob Knakal on Massey’s mayoral run, his future at Cushman & Wakefield … & more

The i-sales chairman has mixed feelings on the state of the market

By trade, Bob Knakal is chairman of Cushman & Wakefield’s investment sales division in New York. But in his downtime, he’s taken on the mission of lionizing his long-time business partner, Paul Massey, who’s running as a Republican candidate for mayor.

Of course, there’s No Better Place for soapboxing than the annual REBNY gala and banquet, where The Real Deal managing web editor Hiten Samtani caught up with Knakal on the red carpet.

“I’ve been partners with him for 32 years and the qualities that he has make him the perfect candidate for mayor,” said Knakal, adding that Massey’s endorsement from the Independence Party “virtually eliminates a path for any other Republican who might consider running.”

When asked about the market, Knakal seemed a little less enthusiastic.

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“If you look at the numbers absolutely, they look good — if you look at the numbers relatively, they don’t look so good,” he said. “If 2016 values can hold where they are right now, I think we would consider that a win for the marketplace.”

TRD also inquired the renegotiation of Knakal’s contract, which was originally set to expire in December 2019 but was shortened by nearly two years. The investment sales chairman, however, insists that he’s very happy at his current firm.

“Right now I’m just focused on selling as many buildings as I can,” he said. “And I’m truly enjoying my time at Cushman.”

Catch the full interview above, and to see all the highlights from the red carpet, click here.

For more videos, visit The Real Deal’s YouTube page.