At CGI we have the privilege of working for one of the smartest personalities real estate development has ever seen. Gidi Cohen has stood at the helm of two successful real estate empires and in the last 20 years we have watched him surf the market trends with glass-cutting precision. This month we sat him down and picked his brain about market trends, his strategy and the year to come.
CGI: What do you believe are the big trends in real estate and investing in 2018?
GC: In 2018 the multifamily residential and commercial real estate industry will likely see a decrease in the number of transactions closed as Interest rates raise up. For CGi this will be a good time to focus on strategy for existing assets and will allow us to be choosy in our acquisitions.
CGI: Most financial experts are talking about the coming of an economic crash, or at the very least a strong bear market in 2018. What are your thoughts on it and what is your strategy in such a market?
GC: I tend to agree with such predictions. We can’t really guess how much effect it will have on people. Historically most of these crashes have only caused ripples of feeling through society. The big crashes, like the Recession and the Great Depression don’t happen so frequently. CGI will use this time to focus on perfecting our strategies, our marketing, our social perception and on positioning our assets to be the strongest in their classes.
CGI: What goals for CGI in 2018 are you most excited about?
GC: Choosing very strong acquisition opportunities and playing defense this year. I am most excited to turn inward to my team and to strengthen, practice and perfect our offense strategy. We’ve been acquiring a lot and have a very impressive and developed portfolio. Its very important to get the teams, the systems and the assets all to peak performance in time for the next swing in the other direction.
CGI: What is CGI doing different than competitors?
GC: We will focus on positioning our assets to be the strongest in their classes with a social marketing strategy to match. In times like these we have always focused inward on training, improving and getting ready to go on the offense. It’s no different that a country’s soccer team preparing and training for the next World Cup. We won’t waste any time trying to understand the market changes or becoming frustrated with them. Our strategy is sound. We will maintain a strong eye on acquiring only the best opportunities.
CGI: What is your strategy for residential hotels to ensure success?
GC: The concept alone is very innovative. And in the end of the day happy clients will come back. CGI is made up of people with a lot of style and creativity. So we aim to offer better services and more personable attention that other residential hotels in the same areas. Again, in 2018, we will have a great opportunity to focus on programming and services.
CGI: What is the most important tip or piece of advice you can give real estate investors for 2018?
GC: If you’re just starting or if you’re a seasoned investor, the best strategy for 2018 will be to reserve as much liquidity as possible so that when the good deals come available you have buying power.
If you, or someone you know, is interested in one of our investment or development projects feel free to call us at 310-773-9518 or visit us online at cgiplus.com.
