Ep. 4 - Speaking Volumes: From Market Trends to Masterful Communication - with Spencer Levy
In this episode, we sit down with none other than Spencer Levy, Global Client Strategist and Senior Economic Advisor for CBRE, the largest commercial real estate services firm in the world. In this role, he focuses on client engagement and public-facing activities, including thought leadership work performed in conjunction with CBRE Research. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Real Estate Roundtable’s Research Committee.
Spencer has 27 years of experience in commercial real estate, including the past 15 at CBRE. In this time, he has served as a lawyer, investment banker, capital markets and senior research leader. Spencer is frequently quoted in major business publications and appears on business television, including CNBC, CNN, Bloomberg, PBS and Fox Business. Spencer is also the host of CBRE’s podcast “The Weekly Take.” He is considered one of the most insightful commentators on issues of importance to commercial real estate.
Throughout our conversation, Spencer shares his deep insights on several pressing topics in the industry, from the role of innovative solutions for affordable housing and the improvement of public schools to how he sees AI transforming institutional grade real estate and everything in between. Spencer also dives into the importance of how mastering both the technical and communication aspects of real estate are the keys to having a stellar career (he would know!) He gives an inside look to his hobbies and how they relate to real estate investing.
People like Spencer don’t come along often and the real estate industry is truly lucky to have him, making this episode a must-listen for anyone.
Show Notes:
0:30: Nadine enjoys cheap Midwest summers / Ryan reveals his criminal record to this family
4:00: Why we invited today’s guest
5:25: Into to Spencer Levy
6:55: Why Spencer is known as the “Johnny Cash of Real Estate”
11:00: How affordable housing and public schools go hand-in-hand
15:35: Keys to converting office buildings to multi-family housing
18:00: Impact of China’s decreasing population on the industrial sector
22:50: Making cities as “attractive” as possible for investment and growth
26:38: Risk of reliance on technology and the future of predictive analytics
35:09: Potential implications for the future of data storage and processing
37:12: Why communicating persuasively is critical in CRE
44:48: Spencer shares his hobbies
52:51: Postgame Recap
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