A Conversation with Skip Schwartz, Grubb Properties’ Deputy CIO

May 13, 2025

Harold A. “Skip” Schwartz is Deputy Chief Investment Officer of Grubb Properties. He’s a 30-year veteran in the commercial real estate industry across the United State, Europe and Asia. Skip recently sat down with Emily Ethridge, Senior Director, Communications to discuss his new role, responsibilities and goals for the company. 

E.E. Welcome, Skip. Can you begin by telling us about your new role at Grubb Properties and why you joined the company?

S.S. I’m Deputy Chief Investment Officer and lead the capital formations team to expand the company’s relationships with institutional investors. I’m excited to work closely with our development, acquisitions, fund management, investor relations and marketing teams to identify ways to propel our next stage of growth. The chance to work with these exceptional people, along with the vision and ethos of the organization and the opportunity to leverage its strong foundation and track record, were the key reasons I joined Grubb Properties.

E.E. How will you apply the strategies that served you well during your career to Grubb Properties’ strategies? 

S.S. I’m excited to bring my global perspective of investing, deal and fund structuring, and client relations with institutional investors and consultants as a complement to what’s already in place. The combination of what various teams across the Grubb Properties organization have successfully executed – as well as lessons they’ve learned – gives us a fantastic springboard to grow our assets under management.

E.E. What opportunities in the multifamily sector do you believe Grubb Properties is well-positioned to capitalize on?

S.S. There are several. First, we’ve been operating in the housing industry for 60 years, with leadership that’s been together for almost half that time. That’s an exceptionally long period of investing together, buying, selling and managing assets over multiple real estate cycles. This leadership’s depth of knowledge and shared experience in the trenches together is rare. Second, we have an exceptional brand – Link Apartments℠ – and access to years of operating data for our portfolio. With that we can demonstrate to investors our ability to manage assets through all cycles – showcasing not only our “wins” but also how we navigated the “headwinds.”

Our decades of experience mean we can tactically capitalize on undermanaged – and/or undervalued – multifamily assets where we can add value. Of course, focusing on our essential housing strategy will be a key component, and our long experience there gives us perspective on how to do so effectively.

E.E. Having witnessed multiple macroeconomic environments, how does today’s investment landscape compare to previous challenging periods? 

S.S. If I’ve learned anything over not just the past five, but over the past 30, years, no one can ever anticipate what might come next with any precision with regard to short periods of time; it’s like we’ve been playing a massive game of “Whack-a-Mole” in dealing with one surprise after another. But if we stick to fundamentals and target solid real estate in good markets with sound investment strategies, we should be able to manage longer-term outcomes with what is in our control. Of course, there will always be a next uncontrollable “black swan event.”  But we’re doing a good job if we patiently work through our assets to keep them as defensive as possible and remain ready to capitalize on the upside recovery. And it’s important to appreciate these uncontrollable events have and will affect everyone who owns real estate. We just need to be in a positioned to demonstrate how we’ve successfully navigated through full cycles.

E.E. What strategies have you found most effective for building and developing teams throughout your career? How do you approach mentoring the next generation of Grubb Properties professionals?

S.S. I’ve found that building on personal connections is such an important part of developing and nurturing teams. Nothing can replace in-person interaction, and it’s important to create the right cadence for regular check-ins. And I’ve found this is valuable for 360-degree feedback, too, as I know am not done learning and growing. I hope that in sharing my experiences and insights, I’ll provide new perspectives and ways of thinking about all aspects of real estate investment. I thrive on being part of the action as a mentor and leader, but I appreciate that I am unquestionably a colleague and one member of a great team, each actively contributing toward our goals. 

E.E. What industry relationships from your career do you believe will be most valuable in your new role with Grubb Properties?

S.S. I bring nearly 30 years of transactional and client relationships across the United States, Europe and Asia to this role. As we expand our institutional investor base, I look forward to leveraging the company’s existing touchpoints and using my years of getting in front of investors to open up new geographies and connections. 
 
E.E. How do you see the essential housing segment evolving over the next decade?

S.S. One of the things that attracted me to Grubb Properties was the firm’s focus on essential housing, something I am personally involved in with my community service work. Demographic changes are only going to reinforce the need for housing to satisfy all segments of demand. The need for well-priced apartments for residents earning 60% to 140% of any geography’s area median income – which is the value proposition of Link Apartments℠ – will only become more acute as apartment deliveries are expected to trough just as a growing number of young adults and essential workers seek housing.

E.E. When you’re not thinking about essential housing, what’s your favorite hobby or pastime how it brings a fresh perspective to your work?

S.S. I love traveling (even though I have done in constantly for my career), eating all types of foods, skiing and hiking in Colorado whenever I can and just spending time with my family (including our amazing rescue dog we adopted in Hong Kong and brought back with us in 2021).

E.E. What excites you most about coming to work at Grubb Properties each day?

S.S. It’s the energy of the people, their commitment to their mission, and their entrepreneurial spirit, all within a well-balanced organization.

E.E. Is there anything else you’d like to add? 

S.S. I’m looking forward to traveling around the country to visit all of our assets and meeting all the great team members that make Grubb Properties tick.

E.E. How should investors and other interested parties contact you? 

S.S. Feel free to reach out to me and my team at privatewealth@grubbproperties.com.

E.E. Thanks for your time, Skip. 

S.S. It was my pleasure, Emily.