Howard Kravetz has been a part of the team ever since he started working in the commercial real estate sector.
He joined Galvin Realty Group in 1988 and joined Kravitz Realty in 1990 at the invitation of his late uncle Fred. From 2012 until this spring, he worked at Pittsford-based RE/MAX 1.cent commercial.
But Kravetz said if there’s one thing the coronavirus pandemic has taught him, it’s that you can work alone.
“I’ve become very comfortable working outside the home,” he said. “I spent a lot of time on the phone with my customer base and things were going really well. I was doing a fair amount of business.”
So he thought: “Is there really any point in working for other people?”
The answer was no. That led to the creation of Kravetz Real Estate. Released in May, about 3 months before turning 70th The company provides brokerage assistance in both sales and leasing of all asset classes.
Although the company is new, Kravetz brings 35 years of industry experience in the Rochester market to clients. Having an established name isn’t a bad thing either. Along with his uncle, his father Michael was also in the real estate business.
“Fred started his career in Rochester in 1946,” Kravetz said. “It’s been 30 years since he passed away, and his name is now truly a brand.”
The brand name includes a personal touch, Kravetz said.
“I feel like this is more of a relationship than a transaction,” he said of the business deal. “I work strictly on a referral basis because I value relationships.”
Kravetz acknowledges that there aren’t many real estate companies founded by 70-year-olds on their own. But if you enjoy what you do, why not keep doing it? During his career, he completed sales and/lease agreements totaling approximately $850 million.
“Most of the time it’s fun,” he said. “At this stage of the game, it’s completely on my terms. But I’m still learning and I’m still growing.”
Starting a new business is nothing new to him. From 1997 to 1999 he served as Chairman of the Commercial Investment Division (CID) of the Rochester Association of Realtors, and then helped found the New York State Association of Commercial Realtors (NYSCAR) in Rochester, where he served as chairman of the organization’s Commercial Investment Division (CID). I served as the first secretary.
He has served on several committees, including NYSCAR’s Governor’s Committee, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester, and the Rochester Area Hillel Foundation. But perhaps his greatest passion is the American Diabetes Association’s annual Tour de Cure, a bicycle event that raises money for research.
Howard, whose son Nate is a type 1 diabetic, has been the largest fundraiser in the Rochester area for the Tour de Cure seven times over the past 14 years, raising more than $150,000.
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