Over the past six months, we’ve introduced you to ten local “moms of real estate” who shared their own experiences of finding a home and neighborhood for their families that suited needs and fancies. In the latest installment of our “Parents & Real Estate” series, we turned to two local fathers working in real estate for their personal stories of what “location, location, location!” has meant for their families.
DAVID KRAMER, PRINCIPAL, THE HUDSON COMPANIES
Describe your main professional responsibilities.
As managing principal, I do everything from making sure there are plenty of clementines in the office to overseeing our work, which is developing real estate throughout the city. I’m part therapist, part big, bad boss, part BFF, and part air traffic control. Right now we have 13 active projects, so there are a lot of decisions to make. We’re developing, building, and managing new apartment buildings in every corner of the city, including affordable, market-rate, middle income, and institutional housing.
What do you love most about your job?
I love the variety of skills needed to be a successful developer. On any given day, I’m dealing with politics, unions, staff issues, floor plans, lender term sheets, neighbors, buyers, land owners, investors, architects, and contractors.
Tell us about a project you consider one of your career highlights.
I’ve spent the past 16 years developing our projects on Roosevelt Island—seven new apartment buildings called Riverwalk. We operate all the retail leases on the island and are working on the new Cornell campus residence—and it’s been amazing watching the transformation of the island.
Do you have any personal rules to help you balance work and home life?
I have three kids and a business to run, so I don’t think of it as a balance. I want to be successful at both work and home. I’m always working, which means that everything blends and the tasks never end. I may spend part of my work day planning my son’s bar mitzvah, and I’ll respond to emails after [my youngest son] goes to sleep and the other kids are doing homework.
What neighborhood and in what kind of housing do you live?
I live in a drafty brownstone in Brooklyn Heights… We’ve been in the house 11 years. I love every inch of the house and would be happy to keep it for three generations.
What do you like most about your neighborhood?
I grew up on the Upper West Side, walking down West End Avenue to Collegiate and thinking it was the best childhood you could have. I now feel that way about BrooklynHeights, and that my kids have a great gig walking six blocks down Clinton Street to St. Ann’s. We’re near almost every subway line [and] Clinton Street is a great place to hail a cab or jump on a bike.
Tell us about the key factors that compelled you to your present living situation?
We joined the great Brooklyn migration in 1998 when we were expecting our first child and bought at 1 Main in DUMBO for $250/square foot. That started our Brooklyn journey, and we haven’t looked back. Now that we’re in a private house, there are certainly parts of condo life we miss, like porters, doormen, and the super. And there are parts of condo life we don’t miss, like obsessive conversations about the sponsor, the bizarre behavior of a board member, and having to make small talk in the elevator.
How many children do you have? What are some of the neighborhood places and activities you like to share with them?
Sadie is 15, and now has some independence to explore the borough’s finest culinary delights like Hot Bagels, My Little Pizzeria, and Tazza. Eli is 13 and can be found on his scooter commuting to the Heights Casino, where he’s expected to be a semi-professional squash player. For 8-year-old Jack, the week’s highlight is walking into Ani Sushi, where he receives celebrity treatment.
What are some of your favorite pearls of advice for families who are figuring out where to live in the city?
I think the happiest moment of my life was February, 2004—we had just bought our house and a few months later, Sadie got into kindergarten. The dual burdens of housing and schools could take a break… My advice is, decide on public/private [school], focus on kindergarten, and then make your move—and don’t obsess over what interest rates are at that moment.
JASON HABER, UPPER WEST SIDE SALES DIRECTOR, WARBURG REALTY
Describe your main professional responsibilities.
In late January, Warburg purchased Rubicon Property, a firm that I co-founded with my brother. As a result of the acquisition I now manage the Upper West Side office of Warburg Realty. I help our team of agents run and grow their businesses while working with my own roster of clients as well.
What do you love most about your job?
There is a tremendous satisfaction that comes along with handing someone their new set of keys. The purchase of a home is like no other asset acquisition—it’s the only investment I know of that can keep you warm at night.
Do you have any personal rules to help you balance work and home life?
I set up my schedule so I can be home at certain times of the day. For example, I try to be home by 7pm every night so I can give my daughter, Makayla, a bath. On many evenings I have events so that means heading back out after I’ve gone home. I have the benefit of working a few blocks away from my apartment, so I try to pop-in to spend a little time with her during the day as well. When we are together, I try to keep my phone in my pocket and my undivided attention on Makayla. My wife and I also have a rule that dinner and weekend family time is unplugged.
What neighborhood and in what kind of housing do you live?
My wife and I have lived on the Upper West Side for many years. We live in a condo on West 70th Street that is close to [my] office, and Makayla’s new pre-school.
What do you like most about your neighborhood?
The Upper West Side is an ideal environment to raise a child. You have great playgrounds, great parks, and great schools. We regularly take Makayla to the ballet, art galleries, museums, and cultural centers.
What do you like most about your home?
Our apartment has a great view. And we’ve used that view to teach Makayla about all sorts of things. We’ve taught her about aviation by watching the planes as they fly in and out of LaGuardia Airport. We’ve taught her about the moon by watching its dramatic rise.
What are some of the neighborhood places and activities you like to share with your daughter?
We often take her to the playgrounds at PS 199 and PS 87. She loves running around on the Great Lawn, where she has developed a great soccer kick. The Children’s Museum is a great place to visit.
What are some of your favorite pearls of advice for families who are figuring out where to live in the city or whether to move to the suburbs?
The truth is there is, there is no right answer. There is only an answer that is right for your family. For us, the right decision was to remain here. To me this is a very personal decision. Friends have their thoughts, your family members will have their views, but ultimately you’ve got to do what is right for you and your kids.
