THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT BAR HAS BEEN R AISED
Front standing: Shpresa Elezi Seated on bench: Rick Elezi Seated on green couch: Maria Guzman and Rashaad Middleton Seated on orange chair left: Crystal Campbell Standing left-right: Julia Bogush, Alma Volk, Alana Stridiron, Marina Kajtazi, Aida Gashi Seated on orange chair right: Paula Rivera
www.REMNY.com
FAMILY IS THE FOUNDATION OF MANY A GREAT THING and this often rings true for successful businesspeople, especially those coming from immigrant backgrounds. So it was for Rick Elezi, Founder and President of R.E.M. Residential, one of NYC’s premier real estate management companies.
R
ick attributes part of his success to his upbringing as an Albanian-American. Born in Ferizaj, Kosova, after his family escaped the Com-
Avenue where Shpresa’s father was a resident manager and they were married shortly thereafter. They now live in a two-family home with his parents, adhering to the Albanian tradition of the youngest son taking care of his parents into old age. Having worked his entire young life in residential buildings and supporting himself while attaining his Bachelor’s Degree at Iona College, Rick knew the ins and outs of buildings from the onset. This gave him an advantage when he got his first job as a property manager heeding the advice of his father-in-law, Sejdi Husenaj.
Shpresa and Rick Elezi
After working at Lawrence Properties munist regime in Albania, Rick emigrated for five years, Rick honed his skills in co-op to the United States at a very young age. He and condo management as well as rentals. recalls growing up in the gritty South Bronx When he took the leap of venturing on his of the 1970s, with both parents working several jobs to support their family. His father, Mustafë Elezi, instilled in him the strong work ethic that has gotten him where he is today: running a thriving company based in a 5000-square foot, newly renovated Midtown Manhattan office. As the proverb goes, Behind every successful man, there is a great woman. In this case, that woman is his wife of twenty-five years, Shpresa, with whom he has a 23-year old daughter, Julianna. Rick worked as a doorman adjacent to the building on Park
R.E.M. Residential’s Midtown Manhattan office
through word-of-mouth and through the appeal R.E.M. projects. Albanian-Americans have come to know R.E.M. as a household name, not just because of its success, but also its community activism and presence in social and other media, such as prominent features in publications like Real Estate Weekly and Mann Report. R.E.M. sponsors Albanian Roots’ private dinner with President Bujar Nishani of Albania
own to open R.E.M. Residential in 2000, his biggest and most important client, Noah Osnos, stuck by Rick and brought his entire portfolio of Gramercy Park and West Village properties with him. So began R.E.M., a company which would
Having both grown up in traditional and patriotic Albanian families, Rick and Shpresa Elezi have always sought to help their fellow Albanians in whatever capacity they could. Having a young staff involved in Albanian community affairs and events has certainly made this easier. From being the main sponsor of the annual Albanian Roots parade, to hosting their dinner
Albanian Roots parade officially sponsored by R.E.M. Residential
eventually grow to employ a staff of thir- with President of Albania Bujar Nishani, teen and have over 50 buildings and over to sponsoring the Albanian Film Festival 1200 units under its umbrella. in NYC, R.E.M. has steadfastly offered its support to Albanian non-political causes. Among the employees of R.E.M., many R.E.M. is also the official sponsor of are Albanian. Most of these hires were Radio Emigranti, an internet radio station
Rick Elezi accepting NYARM’s Trailblazer of the Year Award
Featured Landlords NY panelist, Aida Gashi
R.E.M. HAS CONTRIBUTED TO NUMEROUS ALBANIAN CAUSES AND CHARITY EVENTS The Happy Faces Foundation
Hurricane Sandy Relief
R.E.M. TOOK SPECIAL PRIDE IN A HUGELY SUCCESSFUL TOY DRIVE FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN KOSOVA.
which broadcasts a weekly show co-hosted by R.E.M.’s very own Aida Gashi. In addition to these sponsorships, R.E.M. regularly contributes to other charitable causes and Rick was featured and honored at last year’s inaugural Albanian American Success Stories gala. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, which wreaked havoc across NYC, especially on Staten Island which has a large Albanian population, the staff of R.E.M. organized a relief effort. Donations of food,
Shpresa Elezi, Rob Astorino, Aida Gashi at CHIP President’s Club Luncheon
clothing and household supplies came by the truckful. The office closed for a day and volunteers came on board to travel to Staten Island to distribute the items to different emergency relief centers. The story was covered on several media outlets and prominently featured in the NY Daily News’ “100 Year Albanian Independence Day Celebration” special edition.
cial needs in Kosova. Every year, R.E.M. hosts a lavish Christmas party for their clients, friends and family, with guests arriving with gifts galore for the hosts and staff. This year, R.E.M. asked that in lieu of gifts, guests arrive with new, unwrapped toys to be donated and shipped to Kosova. Through R.E.M.’S vast network and large social media presence, word spread and the donations started pouring in. People streamed into the office on a daily basis with loads of toys. Deliveries were continuing well past Christmas, so it was decided that the toy drive would be extended into the new year. This also gave them time to find a charitable organization they deemed fit for their purpose and mission. In time, they had the privilege of meeting Don Fatmir Koliqi from Kosova and with his help, made arrangements with Caritas Kosova to ship and distribute the toys. In an auspicious twist of fate, the donations were shipped to Ferizaj, the very city where Rick was born 50 years ago. R.E.M. Residential is pleased to be featured in the Albanian Yellow Pages insert and looks forward to continuing its partnerships with trusted vendors, many of whom are Albanian. As Shpresa’s adage goes, “More work for us means more work for you” —
Because of its presence and popularity in the Albanian-American community, R.E.M. was approached by Albania’s Top Channel during the summer of 2014 to be featured on Marin Mema’s “Shqipëria Tjetër.” This, in addition to winning the NYARM “Trailblazing Company of the Year” Award, made 2014 a memorable year for R.E.M. and its proud owner and staff.
Top Channel of Albania during recording of documentary news feature at R.E.M. offices
These events and sponsorships have certainly made Rick, Shpresa and the entire R.E.M. family proud, but perhaps not as much so as their most recent endeavor: a toy drive for orphans and children with spe-
and this has proven beneficial throughout the years. R.E.M. is dedicated to continuing this tradition of Albanians supporting each other and trusts that it will continue to yield positive results throughout.
OUR CLIENTS SAY IT BEST
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e. Loyalty d customer servic le lle ra pa un s er R.E.M. deliv r character. Their ly rooted in thei and tr ust are deep ward of having arkable and the re t’s great work ethic is rem one proof point.I st ju is s nt ie cl ed ings are happy, satisfi ing that our build ow kn , sy ea st re to be able to nds! in their capable ha Annette Osnos
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Because o f ou R.E.M., th r longstanding relati onship wit ey understo h od our inv objective and assiste estment d us in pu reposition rchasing a ing a port nd folio of M apartment a nhattan buildings.
Morris Mo in
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ith t satisfaction w ess our utmos .M. in pr .E ex R to y by pp provided es We are ha ic rv se t en ancy issues managem ysical and ten the proper ty ph e th l al g in any of which d resolv ty portfolio, m addressing an er op pr ily m e to thenature ulti-fa chal leng ing du in our N YC m d an ed at ic pl ite com al leled services have been qu ovided unpar pr e as h .M .E es. R ent’s value. W g our investm of the proper ti in nc to t ha en en m d it m ning an gr it y and com while maintai owledge, inte kn r ei th s. on ce d have relie ement practi rg al estate manag Peter Hauspu exceptional re
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(212) 260-8060
www.REMNY.com
COVER STORY FEATURE Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Manager who thinks like an owner
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Albanians are ambitious, hardworking, and goaloriented.
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As featured in the Albanian American Success Stories, May 2014.
WHY R.E.M. RESIDENTIAL? People often ask, “What does R.E.M. do?” and/or “What exactly is property management?”
R.E.M. Residential’s midtown Manhattan office
P
roperty management is multi-faceted. It involves every aspect of running a building effectively: accounting and finance including property taxes, mortgages, etc.; maintaining tenant files (leases and correspondence); apartment registration forms; rent payments and arrears; litigation in the event tenants must be taken to court; getting lease renewals out in a timely fashion and signed by tenants; boiler and elevator inspections; having proper insurance in place at all times and many more requirements.
the aforementioned questions. R.E.M. goes above and beyond the norm of what management companies provide for their clients and even what clients expect from a management company. R.E.M. prides itself on its transparency and this is practiced in various ways. One of these methods is through our concise management reports. In these, our clients will find records of every check transaction made, every rent deposit, all income register and journal entries and copies of invoices and other paid bills.
R.E.M. Residential’s advertising sloThe management reports, back office, gan is The Property Management Bar Has compliance and leasing departments would Been Raised and therein lies the answer to not be as accurate and detailed were it not
47 Irving Place townhouse
for R.E.M.’s utilization of state-of-the-art technology. Rick Elezi, founder and owner of R.E.M. Residential , is always intent on having his staff get educated and be at the forefront of the latest in the real estate industry. His staff regularly attends seminars provided by Yardi and SiteCompli, two major players in the property management business. R.E.M. property managers are always looking for ways to increase efficiency and lower costs for their landlord clients and buildings, often times turning to technological advances such as heat timers, for one.
Running a building effectively is not merely taking out the trash and recycling on given days and collecting rent. It is about fighting HPD violations, having security systems in place, taking the time and effort to personally enter every check and money order from tenants to ensure there is no illegal subletting or Airbnb activity occurring and staying on top of superintendents and porters, among many other factors.
Lobby of 110 East 17th Street
Running and managing a building is also certainly not easy, especially if done independently. Owners of small or family-owned properties can find themselves getting ensnared in the onslaught of new legislation such as rent stabilized riders, new FDNY rules, etc. Often times, their children and other family members are unable to effectively provide sound advice due to lack of knowledge or inexperience. With Roof deck of 25 Cornelia Street R.E.M. watching over your buildings, you In introducing landlords to technological can be assured that your prized investments advances such as heat timers for example, — your properties — are in capable hands. R.E.M. extends its knowledge and further cements its core principle of transparency. Our clients are often invited to R.E.M.’S spacious Midtown Manhattan office where owners and representatives of companies such as SiteCompli, a firm dealing with compliance of building codes and violation alerts, present their services and offer information. Getting all the landlords together is conducive to the R.E.M. transparency model in that it provides an open forum for exchanging ideas and even making business deals amongst each other. Lobby of 940 St Nicholas Avenue
arkably Efficient
INTRODUCING PROPERTY MANAGEMENT THAT
PAYS FOR ITSELF
Shpresa Elezi Director of Tenant Relations Rick Elezi President
At R.E.M., being rental property experts sets us apart. Our only priority is
-edy #1: Increase rent roll by an astonishing Aida Gashi REM Executive Assistant
to care for your most valuable investments. That exclusive focus makes us
400%
unique in the industry – and allows us to bring unparalleled value to our
At R.E.M. Residential, we’re committed to doing everything we can to enhance the value of
clients. Please visit our website at www.remny.com to see whose trust and endorsement we have earned.
our clients’ investments. We utilize the most innovative technologies with proven management strategies and solutions that maximize efficiency. Our expertise in increasing rent rolls
We utilize the most innovative technologies with proven strategies and solutions that effectively lower operating expenses, increase efficiency and enhance property value. In the end, our fees essentially pay for themselves.
and tremendously lowering expenses is evident in every property that we manage – like the large Gramercy Park group of buildings we’ve managed for many years. Our approach has delivered an astonishing 400% increase in their rent roll over the last 15 years.
When you’re ready for more effi cient solutions, call us… and discover the REMedy for all your property needs.
Call us at (212) 260-8060 www.remny.com
(212) 260-8060 remny.com R A ISING T HE BA R IN
R A ISING T HE BA R IN
PROPER T Y M A N AGEMEN T
PROPER T Y M A N AGEMEN T
arkably Dedicated HELPS LANDLORDS
Shpresa Elezi REM Director of Tenant Relations
REST EASY
-edy #2: Treat your client as if they are family. At R.E.M. Residential, we’re dedicated to our clients’ properties as if they were our own. We believe it’s our responsibility to do everything we can to provide unparalleled
At R.E.M., our top priority is to care for your most valuable
service in not only maintaining, but also en-
investments. Being rental property experts is what sets us apart.
hancing the value of your most important in-
This focus makes us unique in the industry and allows us to bring unparalleled value to our clients. Please visit our website at www. remny.com to see whose trust and endorsement we have earned.
Call us at (212) 260-8060 www.remny.com
vestments. We’re also dedicated to an “old school” work ethic; one that commits us to deliver on every client obligation – quickly, professionally and efficiently.
Rick Elezi President
Rashaad Middleton Property Manager
When you’re ready for a partner who’s truly dedicated to your best interests, call us… and discover the REMedy for all your property needs. (212) 260-8060 R A ISING T HE BA R IN PROPE R T Y M A N AGEMEN T
(212) 260-8060
www.remny.com
R A ISING T HE BA R IN PROPER T Y M A N AGEMEN T
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Shpresa Elezi 36 W 37th St, 8th Floor, New York, NY 212-477-2100 shpresa@julianarealty.com www. juliannarealty.com
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