Author: John R. Thompson

John Thompson is a Masters Candidate in Cornell's Baker Program in Real Estate, class of 2020. John received his B.S. in Business Administration from Babson College in 2012, focusing on Technology and Entrepreneurship. His professional experience involves a variety of commercial construction and development management projects in the US Northeast. Upon graduation he intends to continue to explore hospitality and multifamily development.

DSS Wrap-Up: Daniel Sax (BPRE ’12), Sensi Properties

John R. Thompson on

Baker Program in Real Estate students were treated to an engaging and lively discussion led by Daniel Sax of Sensi Properties as part of the Distinguished Speaker Series.  Based in Toronto, Mr. Sax’s real estate investment portfolio is dedicated solely to properties which operate in the medical and recreational marijuana space.  Between manufacturing, procurement, warehousing,… Continue Reading DSS Wrap-Up: Daniel Sax (BPRE ’12), Sensi Properties

DSS Wrap-Up: Karl Mistry (’04), Group President at Toll Brothers

John R. Thompson on

On Thursday, March 7, Karl Mistry returned to Cornell’s Baker Program in Real Estate to deliver an insightful lecture about an oft-ignored topic in professional real estate: single-family home building. Mr. Mistry, who graduated from the program in 2004, has recently attained the title of Group President for the Virginia and Maryland regions of Toll… Continue Reading DSS Wrap-Up: Karl Mistry (’04), Group President at Toll Brothers

Alternatives Needed for Seniors Looking to Cash-Out

John R. Thompson on

As we enter 2019, housing affordability continues to plague much of the United States with no sign of relenting.  The end of 2018 witnessed a sputtering economy with home values leveling off, only to continue their upward trajectory in the month of January, and into the foreseeable future.  Meanwhile, a dire lack of inventory will… Continue Reading Alternatives Needed for Seniors Looking to Cash-Out

Los Angeles Real Estate Trek: Orange County

John R. Thompson on

The following series highlights various experiences from first year Baker Students’ winter trek to Los Angeles. Day 1 Tustin Legacy On the first day of the Baker Program’s Los Angeles trek, students visited Tustin Legacy, a 1600-acre development site that is among the largest undeveloped land tracts in Southern California.  This site was constructed and… Continue Reading Los Angeles Real Estate Trek: Orange County

Last Mile Industrial: Train has Left the Station

John R. Thompson on

Industrial real estate is vanishing in cities across America just as retailers are ramping up their demands for last mile fulfillment. Major players in online retail have gained a larger market share of consumer durable goods, and formerly brick-and-mortar retailers have expanded into this channel.  Online sales are projected to grow by over $600 billion… Continue Reading Last Mile Industrial: Train has Left the Station

DSS Wrap-Up: Art Adler, SHA ’78

John R. Thompson on

  This week, the Baker Program concluded its Distinguished Speaker Series through an insightful conversation with JLL’s Arthur Adler.  Art is a distinguished alumnus from the Hotel School and has four decades of experience in American real estate, specifically in the hospitality industry.  He has been with Jones Lang Lasalle for 18 years, and currently… Continue Reading DSS Wrap-Up: Art Adler, SHA ’78

Pop-Ups Offer Landlords a Perfect Fit

John R. Thompson on

Developers and landlords are faced with a perennial issue: how can they more fully utilize their properties, particularly during lease-up? The period from building completion to stabilization, and any other period of considerable vacancy in a multi-tenant property, can be a challenging time for landlords. At the same time, consumer behavior is causing creative destruction… Continue Reading Pop-Ups Offer Landlords a Perfect Fit

36th Annual Cornell Real Estate Conference – Panel Wrap Up – How We Live, Work, and Play in 2028

John R. Thompson on

The Cornell Real Estate Council’s 36th annual conference  took place in New York City on October 19th with a “focus on the future”. Of course, most trades invest heavily in predicting consumer behavior to varying degrees, but real estate professionals take a particularly sober interest in future trends because our products are inherently durable and… Continue Reading 36th Annual Cornell Real Estate Conference – Panel Wrap Up – How We Live, Work, and Play in 2028

Even Hospitality is Going Modular

John R. Thompson on

Modular buildings are not a new phenomenon – interest in prefabrication dates as far back as 1935 when Sears Roebuck and Co. announced that it would build and ship fully assembled homes, a touch more sophisticated than its “Modern Homes” catalog version (Emmet, 1965). Prefabricated building manufacturing is stimulated by real estate cycles when labor… Continue Reading Even Hospitality is Going Modular