Driving Multifamily Value in Los Angeles

This episode covers the retail sector’s impressive post-pandemic comeback with John Swartz, Principal at True North CRE.

The Crexi Podcast explores various aspects of the commercial real estate industry in conversation with some of the top CRE professionals in the space. In each episode, we feature different guests to tap into their wealth of CRE expertise and explore the latest trends and updates from the world of commercial real estate. 

In this episode, Crexi’s Jessica LaRusso sits with John to discuss the current state of multifamily in Los Angeles, regulatory shifts, hidden upsides and his guiding philosophies as a value-add broker and entrepreneur. Their wide-ranging conversation includes:

• Introductions, early mentors and career moves
• Transitioning into a brokerage career in the wake of the Great Recession
• Favorite mistakes, daily habits, consistency and PPP
• The state of multifamily assets in Los Angeles
• Shifting trends and investor patterns amid regulatory changes 
• Growth in LA development and prioritizing lengthier investments
• Long-term upsides and potential obstacles in the market
• The opportunities in vacant units and acquisition ROI
• The origins of True North CRE and guiding philosophy as a brokerage firm
• Maintaining client relationships and continual communication
• Rapid fire questions and sign-offs
• And much more!

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About John Swartz:

Primarily serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area, John has over 20 years of experience working with buyers and investors of multifamily income properties, helping his clients build long-term, multi-generational wealth. 

Born and raised in Detroit, John has lived in Los Angeles for 18 years. He began his real estate career in 1998 when he interned for Taubman Company in Bloomfield Hills, MI. He has worked for some of the nation’s leading multifamily, retail, and mixed-use developers, including Lagovent Real Estate Group, Watt Companies, and the Westfield Corporation. 

In 2010, he became a California licensed broker, and, since, has earned many industry awards and recognitions, including the West Region Producer of the Year at Transwestern in 2018 and 2019, and the West Region Deal of the Year at Transwestern from 2017 to 2019. In addition to his extensive background as a real estate agent, he received a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University and a Master of Science in Finance from Walsh College. 

As a top-notch real estate broker, John has acquired and disposed of over $1 billion of real estate over his career. 

In addition to his real estate business, John likes to stay incredibly active. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Medria. When he isn’t conducting real estate transactions, you can find John cycling in the Santa Monica Mountains, exploring museums, and traveling. His passions include architecture, design, and community advocacy. 

About Crexi:

Crexi is transforming commercial real estate with advanced, integrative technology and data analytics designed to accelerate every CRE stakeholder’s success. From trading properties to machine-learning-powered industry Intelligence, Crexi’s intuitive CRE solutions accelerate transaction velocity and have empowered over 2 million monthly users to close $540 billion in deals and market over $5 trillion in property value.