The New York Real Estate Journal recently sat down with Alan Hoffman, senior partner at Janover LLC, for a question and answer session. Q: How and when did you get your start in real estate accounting? A: After graduating college, I joined a small accounting firm. I have always possessed a keen interest in real estate, and many of my accounts were real estate related. A few years later I joined a small, boutique accounting firm that specialized in real estate. This concentration provided a unique opportunity to immerse myself, and develop my expertise in this area. I soon became a partner, and eventually the managing partner. In 1999, we merged into a larger company known as Goldstein Golub Kessler. Then in 2005, I left to join Janover LLC. I serve as a senior partner at Janover, specializing in real estate and high net worth individuals. Throughout my career I have represented many families that own all types of properties including residential, commercial, industrial, office buildings and hotels. In addition to traditional tax work, we handle the accounting and tax issues relating to condemnations, 1031 exchanges, and many construction and development projects. At Janover, we handle all of the accounting and tax issues that our clients present. We help our clients structure deals in the most creative and efficient ways possible, which is why I believe Janover has been so successful. Furthermore, our extensive experience in this highly specialized field, allows us to exceed the expectations of our clients. We offer advice and insights for our client's wealth creation and preservation that would not be possible were it not for our core competency in real estate accounting and taxation. Q: Please tell me more about Janover LLC. A: Janover is a full-service accounting firm with a unique specialty in real estate. When I joined, we were a firm of approximately 40 professionals. Our main office is in Garden City, Long Island. We recently signed a new lease for larger space in Manhattan, which will provide a platform for our future growth. We are excited about the expansion of our New York City presence and have been attracting top accounting professionals, who share our culture of excellent client service and believe in our future. By the end of the year, the partners of Radin Glass, and their staff will be joining our new Manhattan office and the partners of Liss Okun, and their staff will be joining our Garden City office. With these new additions, we are now one of the top accounting firms in the New York metropolitan area with over 150 professionals and support staff. These are very exciting times for Janover. I will be moving to our new location in New York City with three of our Long Island partners and ten other professionals. I have the responsibility of managing partner of the new office in New York City, which is an enormous undertaking, but well worth the rewards. Q: What are some of the notable projects that you have worked on? A: There have been so many it's impossible to mention them all, so I would like to discuss some of the most recent projects. One of our clients is developing Pier 57 on the West Side of Manhattan, which is a multi-billion dollar mixed-use project that will revitalize that entire area. Another client will soon begin construction on approximately 1.3 million s/f in Long Island City comprising two residential towers which will be completed in 2017. Another client recently completed a joint venture for a property in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that will soon begin construction of approximately 600 residential apartments with spectacular views of the East River, the bridges, and the Manhattan skyline. Another client is in the process of constructing a hotel in Connecticut and has recently completed construction of a new student dormitory in Binghamton New York. In each case, we have been very involved in helping our clients structure the deals, provide information to lenders as well as helping our clients negotiate their financing. We have been very involved with the various tax issues and tax credits including planning for future generations. In addition, we have also helped set up the appropriate accounting systems, hire the proper accounting professionals, and oversee the projects throughout the construction period including the submission of construction loan requisitions. As you might imagine, complex, time critical projects, such as these, require a firm not only with our proven track record of real estate expertise, but one that also has the depth of full-service accounting, tax, and financial advice and services which we offer. Q: What charities are you currently involved with? A: I am a vice president of the Surprise Lake Camp board of directors. Surprise Lake Camp is an excellent summer camp which provides an opportunity for every child to be able to attend summer camp regardless of their ability to pay. This year, we provided almost $1 million of scholarships. Surprise Lake Camp is now celebrating its 112th anniversary, which is remarkable. I am also involved in UJA of New York and serve on the real estate committee, accountants executive committee, and Long Island South Shore's executive committee. I am also the treasurer of a local charity known as the Five Towns Community Chest, which provides assistance to people and agencies on the South Shore of Long Island. Q: What are the professional organizations you belong to? A: I am a member of the AICPA, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants where I am a former chairman of the real estate committee and currently serve on the managing partners committee. I am a member of the Florida Society of CPAs and a member of STEP, which is an organization of estate and trust planning professionals. In addition, Janover is a member of INAA, which is an International Association of Accounting firms. I recently attended the annual conference in Las Vegas. Q: What separates Janover LLC from other accounting firms? A: Service. We listen to our clients, help them evaluate their accounting and tax needs, and provide them with timely and accurate advice and information. We try to know as much, or possibly even more, about our clients' finances as they do. Our experience, caring, and depth of knowledge, allows us to do this. We become part of our client's family, celebrate the good times with them, and stand by them in the difficult times. We also believe that compliance, while required, is only the starting point of any engagement. Proper planning and on point business advice is critical to becoming trusted advisors.