Kase Abusharkh is a leader in real estate investment. As Founding Principal of The Kase Group and Partner at Bear Equities, he applies his expertise to financial endeavors and lends his voice to the growing discussion on sound investing and finance in real estate. Kase graduated from St. Mary’s College of California and has matched his energy for his career with a passion for philanthropic work. He co-founded the Kase, Jeannine, and Jacob Abusharkh Endowment in association with Stanford University Hospital’s Department of Surgery in the School of Medicine, which helps to improve clinical outcomes of kidney transplantation. Mr. Abusharkh currently serves on the Board of Regents at Sacred Heart Cathedral College Preparatory and is pursuing a master’s degree at Brown University in Providence, RI.
How did you get into the business of real estate?
As a freshman at St. Mary’s College of California, I was working out how to pay for my education. While taking classes, I found myself looking to the second semester and in need of a financial plan. I did not qualify for most grants, and my financial aid options were quite limited. I felt a little lost about how to pay for school, and real estate came up as a possible way to supplement my income and pay for college.
I went ahead and got my real estate license and hit the ground running, with a combination of need and eagerness to apply what I’d learned. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I was in class, and I spent the rest of the week buying and selling apartments for folks in surrounding counties. I kept up my coursework while building a real estate line of businesses, and in a few years, I got involved in single-tenant real estate. My brother and I got laser-focused on that product type and took advantage of this tremendous opportunity before us.
How did your business ventures at Kase Group and Bear Equities come about?
My real estate experience in college opened up opportunities and I eventually partnered with my brother to build something special which was the predecessor to The Kase Group. Around the same time, a large firm asked if we’d want our franchise, and we jumped at the opportunity. We formally founded The Kase Group around 2006 alongside Sperry Van Ness and went independent in 2017.
While working at American Realty Capital – Retail Centers of America, Inc. as Chief Investment Officer, I fell in love with being a principal. The company had thousands of shareholders, and simply put, I loved my job and the people I worked with. This is also where I learned a lot about myself and my love for investing, not just for clients and other investors, but on my own account. My brother and I formed an entity and seeded Bear Equities with no outside capital and no outside investors. We essentially started from scratch to do ground-up retail development. We also bought existing assets, developed new ones, and continually acquired as much property as we could. Over the years we have parted with our non-core assets and culled the portfolio of our multi-family assets in San Francisco.
Looking back on the last five years of your career, what are the biggest highlights?
I’d say the biggest highlight for me is that I can say that I finally built something special with my brother. I still have a sense of awe at how fortunate we have been to realize the American Dream. I have gained a great sense of meaning and pride in my work. I would also say the relationships cultivated over the last 20 years are ones I couldn’t have found in any other industry. One relationship stands out, and that person has become a friend, mentor, and family all rolled up into one, we talk daily, and it keeps me going.
What motivates you to continue doing what you do?
Like any sales business, what I do can be very difficult. Our development business is no easier, and there are regularly high-stress, challenging moments. Making sure property is properly acquired and financed and that there will be tenants down the road is vital. All these tough decisions that I make daily are challenging at times but also exciting. We’ve acquired assets in about 20 states so it's fun to get to places across the country I would normally not get to travel to.
I’m very aware of where I came from. My father is an immigrant, and we had a very modest upbringing. Our parents instilled hard work, faith, and family into their children. I take those values with me everywhere I go. I try to be the best version of myself, and in doing so, I’m proud to be able to give back. That brings me the most joy. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve been afforded to establish family endowments and the ability to help contribute to the betterment of the lives of others.
What new endeavors are in your future?
We continue to acquire land in markets we believe in and are focused on growing our portfolio further. Most importantly, I’m looking forward to the new challenges and opportunities to bring great projects to the communities in which we serve. On a personal note, I’ve become very interested in politics and have cultivated a strong interest in American history.
Key Takeaways
Family and recognizing where we come from are vital to where we end up. Letting meaningful connections inform success in positive ways can take you far.
Opportunities in real estate continue to grow, and with the proper attention, experience, and connections, growing investments in the space is an excellent opportunity.
With every opportunity for success comes an opportunity to give back and serve. The two complement each other.
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