Real estate is the family business. And for Jeremy Kanter, it started three generations ago. His grandfather, Bob Kanter, founded Rookwood Properties in 1966, managing distressed buildings outside Cincinnati. He later bought his first building — formerly Lytle Tower, now known as the Edgar at 4th & Broadway — and laid the groundwork for what would become a growing regional company.
Jeremy’s father, Fred, and his uncle, Mark, joined the business in the 1980s, helping expand into retail, office parks, an industrial portfolio, and more apartment buildings. Jeremy came on board during the Great Recession in 2008, starting at the bottom — painting speed bumps and leasing properties on weekends. Eventually, he moved into a full-time role, managing a tough Eastgate property. His cousin Annie joined in 2017 and now leads marketing.
Today, Jeremy runs the multifamily arm, overseeing acquisitions, renovations, and operations. He helped the company grow from 800 apartment units in Cincinnati to 3,300 in multiple states, including Ohio, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
We recently connected for a conversation to learn more about the company, working for the family business, and how Jeremy makes decisions that shape the future.
Q&A
How does Rookwood stand out among the competition?
We’re always thinking of ways to continuously improve our units. Instead of the typical wire shelving you see in an apartment closet, we worked with California Closet to create a model that allows us to install shelves and hanging racks in all our apartments, whether in a downtown high-rise or a suburban property in Sharonville that’s 50 years old.
We use all Kohler plumbing fixtures, which is kind of unique for our industry. So if you were to ask anyone at our company what we’re good at, they would say we focus on the details. We’re always thinking about little things we can do to improve our units, so that (in good times and bad) our occupancies are higher than our competition.
What’s it like working in the family business?
It’s great that I get to work with my dad. We do see eye to eye on most things. And I’m really grateful for the opportunity that we had an existing business that had been around for a long time that I got to join.
I don’t take that for granted. I know I got a head start, and it’s an advantage as opposed to other people who are starting from scratch. The disadvantage could be that you don’t always get a lot of recognition because you’re working for family members – a father, an uncle, a grandfather.
And so, it’s a little different, if that makes sense.
What are some well-known, standout Rookwood Properties that folks might know?
- 1010 on the Rhine (above the downtown Kroger)
- Crane Factory Flats (on Broadway)
- Edgar (4th & Broadway; across from Western Southern)
- Note: They converted the first-floor retail space, formerly home to a barbershop and Burrito Joe’s, into six apartments. While some may have thought it was a crazy idea, they rented right away.
- The Pines & Enclave (Sharonville)
How have the events of October 7th impacted your role in the Jewish community?
After October 7th, I raised money for a nonprofit in Israel through personal and vendor relationships, mostly non-Jewish vendors. They were disgusted by what happened on October 7th and stepped up because they wanted to support their Jewish customers and show that they’re here for the Jewish people.
Also, I’ve served as a kind of an ambassador for Israel, educating folks about what’s going on post-October 7th. I just got back from Israel in January. I went on a solidarity mission through the Jewish Federation. Then, I spoke at an event they hosted about my trip, and I was able to educate folks and give my perspective. These were Jewish and non-Jewish people in the business community.
Do you have any quirks or habits that keep you focused during a busy day?
I find that sometimes I can do my best work after hours, whether it’s coming back to the office in the evenings or while I’m walking the dog. I get creative and come up with some interesting ideas on how to structure a deal, for example.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
A lot of one’s success is attributed to the mentorship they’ve received. The more successful young adults that I’ve seen have had great mentors.
If you didn’t enter the family business, what’s an alternate career path you would have taken?
I think I would’ve stayed in the real estate business, but maybe in mortgage banking.
Totally different path?
A rabbi.
Fill in the blanks…
- My biggest pet peeve is calling someone whose voicemail is full.
- My favorite way to unwind after a long day is pickleball, spinning, or Orange Theory.
- If I could swap lives with anyone for a day, it would be Benjamin Netanyahu.
- The apps I can’t live without are Twitter, WhatsApp, Real Deal, and LinkedIn.
- The best TV show I’ve seen recently is Fauda.
- The podcasts in my queue are Call Me Back with Dan Senor, Israel from the Inside (Daniel Gordis), and Momentum with Victor Braha.
- The best book I’ve ever read is 90 Seconds: The Epic Story of Eli Beer & United Hatzalah.
