Why the ‘failing’ Kaplan district is the only one with free real-estate licenses
The real estate industry in New York has been shaken by the sudden deaths of a couple of high-profile real estate agents.
One of the agents, Joseph Kaplan, was found dead last Thursday at the age of 44.
He had a history of heart attacks and other ailments and was the subject of an investigation by the New York Attorney General.
The other agent, Joshua Leach, was a co-founder of the local firm and the son of former Democratic congressman Charles Leach.
The deaths have reignited the debate about the viability of a “failing” Kaplan District.
The district has been in limbo since the city bought the property from the former owner of a nearby apartment building in 2014.
After the real estate boom began in the 1990s, the district’s popularity grew in large part because of the high-end housing, but also because of its proximity to Manhattan.
The district, a cluster of mostly residential buildings, is one of the largest in the country and its proximity has led to some fierce competition among residents for the same building.
In a statement, the District Attorney’s Office said it was “deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own.”
The two deaths have raised questions about whether a “fair” process would have prevented the deaths.
The District Attorney has declined to discuss the investigation, citing a pending lawsuit.
A representative for the firm, which is registered in California, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The real estate market is in an uproar over the death of the former agents.
The real-life “The Apprentice” winner is known for his “unfair” treatment of the business and his refusal to take the jobs of agents.
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