Levin Johnston transacts $40.5… December 12, 2019

Levin Johnston correctly advised its client, a private buyer, to offer $40,500,000 to be selected as the successful bidder in the acquisition of a multifamily townhome property located in Mountain View, California. of , correctly advised its client, a private buyer, to offer $40,500,000 to be selected  as the successful bidder in the acquisition of a multifamily townhome property located in one of the country’s most competitive acquisition markets, Mountain View, California,  according to Adam Levin, Executive Managing Director of Levin Johnston. Levin Johnston is one of the top multifamily brokerage teams in the U.S. The team specializes in wealth management through commercial real estate investments. “Although the acquisition price represented a record-high sales price for a multifamily property in the Mountain View market, we and the buyer understand the long-term value of the land and the ready demand for housing in the community and were willing to come up to the number that would win our client the deal,” explains Levin. “With this unprecedented transaction, Levin Johnston continues to lead the market in commercial sales in the Bay Area,” Levin adds. “We were able to compete for 2310 Rock Street by understanding the required pricing necessary to close an acquisition of this type in the hyper-desirable Mountain View market.” “Our firm is consistently able to bring the right capital to each opportunity to ensure successful closings of win-win transactions,” says Robert Johnston, Senior Managing Director of Levin Johnston. “We continue to lead the market in getting deals closed and exceeding our clients’ expectations on..

Levin Johnston transacts $40.5… December 12, 2019

Levin Johnston correctly advised its client, a private buyer, to offer $40,500,000 to be selected as the successful bidder in the acquisition of a multifamily townhome property located in Mountain View, California. of , correctly advised its client, a private buyer, to offer $40,500,000 to be selected  as the successful bidder in the acquisition of a multifamily townhome property located in one of the country’s most competitive acquisition markets, Mountain View, California,  according to Adam Levin, Executive Managing Director of Levin Johnston. Levin Johnston is one of the top multifamily brokerage teams in the U.S. The team specializes in wealth management through commercial real estate investments. “Although the acquisition price represented a record-high sales price for a multifamily property in the Mountain View market, we and the buyer understand the long-term value of the land and the ready demand for housing in the community and were willing to come up to the number that would win our client the deal,” explains Levin. “With this unprecedented transaction, Levin Johnston continues to lead the market in commercial sales in the Bay Area,” Levin adds. “We were able to compete for 2310 Rock Street by understanding the required pricing necessary to close an acquisition of this type in the hyper-desirable Mountain View market.” “Our firm is consistently able to bring the right capital to each opportunity to ensure successful closings of win-win transactions,” says Robert Johnston, Senior Managing Director of Levin Johnston. “We continue to lead the market in getting deals closed and exceeding our clients’ expectations on..

Corral the Grease and… December 12, 2019

By: Sidney Phillips, HAA Intern  It may be surprising to learn thatcommon kitchen items, such as cooking oil, butter, meat and even salad dressingcan wreak extensive financial and environmental damage on our communities.   Commonly used cooking items including fats, oils and grease(FOG) are the elusive culprits of clogged pipes, sewage spills and otherharmful environmental issues, and they pose a serious threat to the City ofHouston. When FOG is dumped down kitchen sinks these items solidify forminglarge greasy globs that block the free flow of wastewater to treatment plants,and eventually cause waste to seep out of pipes.  Raw sewage then spills into streets, homes, apartments and neighborhoods,ultimately polluting our City’s bayous and Galveston Bay.    FOG buildup most commonly occurs indensely populated areas where there is frequent food handling.  While commercial establishments, suchas restaurants, cafeterias and public kitchens, are required by City ordinanceto use periodically cleaned grease traps, residents of apartment communities,where the problem is especially rampant, are not.     The consequences of FOG buildup inmultifamily communities damage apartment properties and the local sewagesystem.  As the cleanup of sewageleaks and clogged pipes due to FOG can be incredibly expensive, both apartment ownersand Houston face a heavy financial burden.  Therefore, it is extremely important apartment owners andmanagers educate their residents on proper ways to dispose of FOG.  Through the Corral the Grease program, apartment owners can provide universally-fitted, sealed lids for residents to safely dispose of their FOG. The lids are provided free of charge to apartment communities and residents by the City of Houston. Enhanced Biofuels,..

All-Stars Sports Challenge Scores… December 12, 2019

A total of 46 teams competed in the 2016 All-Stars Sports Challenge. We were able to raise $25,000 for the Red Cross benefiting flood victims. We couldn’t have done it without everyone who participated. Sponsored by: AAA Plumbers, Apple Termite and Pest Control, Apartments.com, Appliance Warehouse, Arbor Contract Carpet, Camp Construction Services, Direct Energy, HD Supply, Hire Priority, The Liberty Group, Rasa Floors and RentPath. Here are the scores: 1            TexscapeServices 2 with 245.50 points 2            Greystarwith 2 235.00 points 3            KaryaProperty Mgmt 2 with 230.50 points 4            RentPathwith 207.50 points 5            TexscapeServices 1 with 203.50 points 6            MaintenanceSupply HQ with 200.50 points 7            Lincoln2 with 193.00 points 8            SMIRealty 1 with 187.00 points 9            CenturyA/C Supply with 186.00 10            Lincoln1 with 182.00 points 11            Greystar1 with 168.00 points 12            GaiaProperty Mgmt            with50.00 points 13            HDSupply with 160.50 points 14            Greystar5 with 154.50 points 15            GablesResidential with 150.00 points 16            Greystar7 with 142.50 points 17            TarantinoProperties with 141.50 points 18            AMLIResidential with 141.00 points 19            MilestoneMgmt 3 with 139.50 points 20            RockstarCap. Mgmt 3 with 139.00 points 21            KaryaProperty Mgmt 3 with 139.00 points 22            LaSalleService with 138.50 points 23            LBKMgmt. Service with 137.50 points 24            AllenHarrison Co. with 137.50 points 25            Greystar4 with 136.50 points 26            RockstarCap. Mgmt 2 with 133.50 points 27            Greystar3 with 126.00 points 28            CKRProperty Mgmt with 125.50 points 29            SparkleWash with 123.50 points 30            Greystar6 with 121.00 points 31            MilestoneMgmt 1 with 116.00 points 32            RockstarCap.l Mgmt 1 with 114.50 points 33            MilestoneMgmt 2 with 108.00 points 34            ValetWaste with..

No CS degree? For… November 28, 2019

Resume-based tech hiring may soon be a thing of the past, as companies seek out developer talent in a competitive market, according to a from HackerRank. Some 75% of the 1,000 tech recruiters and hiring managers surveyed in the report said they’ve hired a great candidate from a non-traditional background. Since more than 70% of developers are at least partially self-taught, vetting candidates only by having a computer science degree means you are missing out on millions of skilled workers, the report noted. More for CXOs Strong work experience is the most important qualification that recruiters and hiring managers look for when filling tech positions, the report found. However, resume-bolstering factors like degree, prestige, and skill keywords are not accurate predictors of future job success, according to the report. Instead, hiring managers and recruiters are looking to indicators that demonstrate ability, such as previous work experience, years of work, and personal projects, which get closer at measuring a candidate’s skills. Recruiters and hiring managers generally report a good relationship, with 76% of those surveyed saying they feel their relationship is “good” or “excellent,” according to the report. However, there is a disconnect in how to measure success when seeking out candidates to fill an open position. While both recruiters and hiring managers say the quality of candidate in terms of skills and culture fit is the top success metric in tech recruiting, recruiters say hiring someone quickly is a bigger priority than that candidate’s future performance success. “Recruiters have a unique challenge: Hire great people,..

Are You Impressing Employers? November 27, 2019

You want career fulfillment, but with minimum effort. That’s the message I get when there’s nothing in your resume, social profiles, or interview answers that clearly demonstrates your value. Where there’s no differentiation between you and the competition, someone else who does stand out will get the job. A young client once told me a story about his first job at Walmart. He was fired after three months. As parting words, his manager said to him, “You do nice work — when you come on time. You’re constantly late.” Reflecting on the situation, my client said to me, “I refused at that time to understand what they valued. It wasn’t too much to ask: Be on time and do good work. Instead, I didn’t value their time.” To quote from on America’s Job Exchange, “A good employee gets the job done. A great employee gets the job done in spite of everything.” When you’re trying to land a job, you need to show employers you are one of those great employees, not merely a good one. This is the essence of impressing an employer: It means showing how you embody the difference between good and great. Here are a few concrete ways to do that: 1. Use Your Social Profiles to Intrigue Employers Most undervalue their social media profiles. We can argue about whether or not to have a presence on certain sites, but you must use the profiles you do have to show off your value. Your social profiles should answer the question of how, specifically,..

Getting Hired Now is… November 27, 2019

, 87 percent of passive and active candidates are open to new jobs – mostly because they are looking for career advancement and growth. In the last three years, I have had many clients come to me looking for new roles who have been with their current employer for 10 years or more. These clients are often baffled by how much the job market and recruiting itself have changed since they last when on the . If you are a job seeker returning to the market after a long time away, here is what has changed since you last stopped in: 1. At Best, Your Resume Will Receive 30 Seconds’ Worth of Attention What you spend hours agonizing over will be read in under a minute. Don’t panic. Soliciting endless feedback from colleagues and experts will not help you write the perfect resume. At some point, you have to stop writing and starting applying. See what happens. Your resume no longer has the power to make or break an offer. 2. Your Network is Crucial While your resume isn’t the be-all and end-all, who you know is very important. The same LinkedIn report cited above found that 50 percent of candidates in the market are using word of mouth referrals to find new job opportunities. If you have been stuck in the office working 70 hours a week for the past five years and your professional network has dried up, it’s time to get out there and start shaking hands. It will pay dividends. 3. Social Media Is..

Writing Your Resume November 27, 2019

It has long been common belief that a college degree not only opens doors to advancement in your chosen field, but also potentially allows you to earn a higher salary than those without degrees. The contrary point of view is that employers are not simply looking for people with degrees, but for people who have the talent, grit, and passion for a job, plus a unique skill set that has been acquired through the years. An applicant such as this might be valued above a degree holder because of the cost and time it would take to duplicate their skill set in someone else. In many cases, degrees are still important, but all in all, employers want candidates who have gained experience in their field of choice and taken the time to receive some institutional knowledge about their profession. Perhaps this is why more and more industries are looking favorably at candidates who acquire and maintain certifications within their chosen fields. These certifications show prospective employers that you possess a specialized body of knowledge in a core discipline and that you are up to date with the changes and trends in the industry. If you’re one of those talented people who does not have a degree, here are a few tips to help you write an excellent that will still catch employers’ attention: Scenario No. 1: You Hold a Certification and/or Have Made Steps Toward Earning a Degree Let’s say you are a project manager who does not have a degree, but you have made strides toward completing a degree, have..

Preventing Fraudulent Hires: Poor… November 20, 2019

Thoroughly vetting candidates utilizing background and reference checks can seem like an upfront investment in resources, but it is well spent to help avoid potential fraud and other serious problems in the future. September economic reports indicated that we are amid the lowest unemployment rates seen since December 1969, which in turn could potentially create a tighter labor market. The National Retail Federation is predicting that retailers could hire up to 590,000 seasonal workers this year. More than ever, hiring managers are no doubt feeling pressured to fill jobs fast, utilizing the bare minimum hiring requirements in order to get workers placed now. Therefore, the cost of an unfit or fraudulent hire can be substantial. THE COST OF A POOR DECISION An unengaged employee might show up late or not at all, influence other employees in negative ways thus lowering overall morale, give poor customer service or fall drastically short of retail sales goals. Worst of all, bad hires can contribute to inventory shrinkage by directly stealing merchandise, shorting registers, offering inappropriate discounts or failing to charge friends for items. It is estimated that inventory shrinkage costs U.S. retailers over $45 billion each year, and roughly 42% is perpetrated by employees. Needless to say, this has a sizable impact on profit margins. In fact, two of Checkster’s biggest retail clients that use the Reference Insights tool discovered that 26% of their candidates were deemed by their own references as low probability of rehire, meaning they wouldn’t likely hire them given the choice again. An average..

Recruiting for an Imperfect… November 6, 2019

Here's the truism that shapes our job as recruiters: The best talent has options. They are so good at what they do or their skills are so rare, they have their pick of employers. That fact of life creates a dilemma for many of us in recruiting. How do we attract people who are superstars when our employers are not? Organizations are composed of people, so they are, by definition, imperfect. Some gain an allure that makes them more appealing than others - think those on Fortune's best companies to work for list - but even they have characteristics that turn at least some people off. So, the challenge for recruiters may vary in degree from employer-to-employer, but it is always essentially the same. To put it bluntly, we may not have to sell a pig in a poke, but we are invariably selling some version of a barnyard animal. What's the most appropriate strategy for such a predicament? Do we tell the truth and describe our employer accurately? We expect as much from job seekers when they submit a resume, so adhering to the same standard would seem to be the appropriate course of action. And yet, doing so might well put us at a disadvantage with other, less principled employers in the competition for talent. And, that's the crux of the matter, isn't it? We're in a competition for talent. Some even call it a War. Victory will go to the employer that can capture an unfair share of that talent. So, we..