by Brian Brady
Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
Structured Debt and Equity
Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL
Joe Ferrara, Manhattan real estate attorney and founder of Sellsius Real Estate, passed away from an aggressive brain tumor yesterday. Joe, often credited as one of the pioneers of the online real estate community, explained and lampooned our industry from his home site. A ubiquitous presence, Joe offered advice to real estate agents, about online marketing, for Home Gain and Inman News.
Joe had a vision of an online marketplace; a Craig’s List of sorts for the real estate industry. While the RE.bots expended their energy and capital to aggregate listings, Joe thought his site might provide transparency for the NYC rental market, mostly dominated by the two, closed-system real estate boards. Ultimately, Joe thought Sellsius might encompass products and services for the dwelling and all that was in it.
Joe was an accomplished real estate attorney, practicing in Manhattan. He had a creative eye towards marketing and was a fountain of new ideas. His presentation of the inane, zany, and funny, real estate-related topics were addicting and his coverage of the technology sector, and how it might aid the real estate professional, was comprehensive. Joe had the gift of detachment and could present ideas to the layman with the knowledge only an industry insider might have.
Joe had a sense of justice. He willingly acted when he believed that the equilibrium of fair play had been imbalanced, regardless of the personal consequences.
Joe Ferrara had a paradoxical understanding that, amidst the rush to introduce technology to real estate solicitation, personal relationships would play an increased role in the industry. Consumer introductions however, would be atypical with our past marketing efforts. Joe believed that the broad reach and deep content, a real estate blog might have, would attract more quality customers to the best and brightest in the real estate industry. He felt, like I feel, that real estate agents should develop a worldwide, professional referral network.. Joe acted on that belief with then partner, Rudy Bachraty (now of Trulia.com), to organize Blog Tour USA. The “Sellsius Boys” set out to personally meet as many industry professionals as they could, in the summer of 2007.
The tour worked. I hosted the San Diego visit at the Del Mar Race Track and some 40-50 people flocked to meet the “online celebrity” Joe was. He and Rudy met some few hundred people on that tour which marked them as the “connectors” of the RE.net. With Blog Tour USA , Joe Ferrara established himself as one of the leading marketing communications authorities within the online real estate community.
Joe was a native New Yorker but resided with his family in Bucks County, PA and Ocean City, MD. He was graduated from Pace University and received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law School. He was admitted to the New York Bar in 1981. At present, I have no knowledge of the memorial services planned to celebrate his life
UPDATE– August 6, 2010: From Joe’s Obituary
The funeral will be held at 8:45 a.m. Saturday from FitzGerald-Sommer Funeral Home, 17 S. Delaware Ave. (River Road), Yardley. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. at St. Ann’s Church in Bristol. Burial will follow at Newtown Cemetery, Newtown.
Todd Carpenter says:
A perfect eulogy Brian. Good on you.
August 4, 2010 — 11:53 am
Brad Coy says:
My heartfelt blessings to all of Joe’s family and friends.
Though I missed my opportunity to meet Joe at the first RE BarCamp, I always knew he was right out there, intrigued and engaged in online media for Real Estate – pushing ideas and conversation forward.
August 4, 2010 — 12:53 pm
Susan Zanzonico says:
My sincere and deepest condolences to Joe’s family.
I never had the pleasure of meeting Joe, but have corresponded with him quite a bit over the years. He was a brilliant and kind man that helped others in so many ways. He will be missed.
Brian, thank you for writing this post.
August 4, 2010 — 2:18 pm
Don Reedy says:
To those of you who loved Joe. All our thoughts are with you, and more importantly, our respect for the man he was.
To those of you who did now even know Joe. All of Brian’s thoughts and anecdotes will bless you with a small taste of the spirit of his life.
Much love to all of you.
August 4, 2010 — 7:10 pm
Tom Johnson says:
A fitting encomium, Mr. Brady, thank you. Joe will be missed. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Ferrara family.
August 4, 2010 — 8:23 pm
Barry Bevis says:
Had to post again… This is one of my favorite Sellsius Posts!
http://blog.sellsiusrealestate.com/zillow/unzillowable-to-coin-a-phrase/2006/08/14/
August 5, 2010 — 6:05 am
Kevin Tomlinson says:
Kind of ironic, this post, on BHB—since Joe was permanently banned from commenting here.
August 5, 2010 — 11:43 pm