New York Real Estate Journal

Real estate tech tips: Give the RE Speed Network a try

February 29, 2008 - Brokerage
RE Speed Network (www.respeednetworking.com), an increasingly popular two year old organization that focuses on networking for the commercial real estate industry, has gained considerable attention in recent months due to the demand for targeted, efficient gatherings that allow professionals to get right to the heart of the business matter. An off shoot of speed dating which has gained in popularity due to its no-nonsense quick minute approach to meeting other singles, RE Speed plays off the "love at first site" cliché. Co-founder David Kahane, albeit a happily married man, says "Much like speed dating you tend to know in the first several minutes whether or not the relationship is worth a deeper dive." While there are a plethora of speed networking groups that have sprung up recently, most are broad based and tend not to focus on specific industries. While attending one such event, Oren Klein another co-founder, felt "The concept was on the mark but what was lacking in attendance were other professionals relevant to his chosen field. " So how does RE Speed ensure a diverse real estate crowd at every event? Partner Ori Klein, of Locust Systems has created a unique registration process which caps the number of seats per profession such as building owners, attorneys, architects, accountants, brokers and all other industry related professionals. As in previous events, participants are seated face to face in friendly but intense three minute networking sessions during which time he or she introduce themselves, exchange business cards and discuss how they can help one another. At the sound of a bell, the session ends and the participants move their seats accordingly to face the next person.  While a quick pitch approach might seem overwhelming to some, the "throw-the-spaghetti-on-the-wall" concept is very attractive to fast-paced real estate professionals. It allows you to quickly determine whether or not there is an opportunity for further business. RE Speed is holding its next NYC event on Wednesday, March 5th at the Beekman Hotel. Visit www.respeednetworking.com for additional information and event registration. Laurence Ross is a senior executive broker of the Platinum Team and co-founder of PropertyRover.com, New York, N.Y.