Robert S. Griswold, CRE, CPM, RPA, ACoM, CCIM, PCAM, CCAM, GRI, ARM
Reno, NV 89511-4569
Office: 858-597-6100
Fax: 858-597-6161
Currently active as a day-to-day hands-on, licensed practitioner, consultant and expert witness in all aspects of real estate (except valuation) - standards of care, standards of practice, best practices, industry standards, and custom and practice for real estate transactions, property management/ownership and fiduciary duty issues for all types of residential and commercial real estate – ownership, management, operations, maintenance, health & safety, habitability, roaches, bed bugs, mold, water intrusion, personal injury, trip & fall, slip & fall, premises liability, balcony collapse, wrongful death, lack of security, failure to maintain, property inspection, due diligence, wage/hour, negligent hiring, security deposit issues, broker or agent failure to disclose; misrepresentation; negligence/fraud & association board duties, and real estate receivership.
* Certified Property Manager (CPM), CRE, RPA, ACoM, CCIM, PCAM, CCAM, GRI, ARM - all current
* National Faculty Instructor and Lecturer - Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) since 1988
* Chair of Workgroup for IREM 2020 Best Practices publication/Standard of Care for landlords & property managers nationally
* Author - Property Management Kit for Dummies and Property Management for Dummies (4 editions)
* Co-Author - Real Estate Investing for Dummies (5 editions); Landlord's Legal Kit for Dummies (2014 & 2022); and Mortgage Management for Dummies (2017); Home Buying for Dummies (2024); Real Estate Investing - Back to Basics (2018)
* Featured columnist - SF Chronicle/San Diego Union-Tribune/LA Times/Washington Post + 40 other major newspapers for 15 years
* On-Air "Real Estate Expert" for NBC News This Weekend (KNSD-TV NBC 7/39 San Diego) for 15 years taking live, impromptu calls
* Court-appointed receiver & bankruptcy custodian
A 3-time graduate of the distinguished Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California with a BS ('81), MBA ('86) and MSBA (2nd Masters) ('88) in real estate and related disciplines.
Also holds the top professional designations in the real estate industry, including Counselor of Real Estate (CRE®), Certified Property Manager (CPM®), Real Property Administrator (RPA®), Accredited Commercial Manager (ACoM®), Accredited Residential Manager (ARM®), Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM®), Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM®), Certified Community Association Manager (CCAM®) and Graduate, Realtor Institute (GRI®).
1988 - Present - President and owner of Griswold Real Estate Management and recognized expert on management of all types of residential real estate, including apartments, community associations, single-family homes and individual condominiums and townhomes. Also, a very experienced property manager of all types of commercial properties, including office, retail, industrial, medical/dental, self-storage, mobile home parks, student housing, timeshare, parking and hospitality.
Author of the nationally best-selling book on real estate management "Property Management Kit for Dummies" which has sold over 750,000 copies. Co-Author with Eric Tyson of “Real Estate Investing for Dummies” published by John Wiley & Sons has also been the bestseller in the category with over 500,000 copies sold. Co-Author with Lawrence Harmon of "Landlord's Legal Kit for Dummies" published in 2014. Also, co-author with Eric Tyson of "Mortgage Management for Dummies" published in 2017. Since 1995, the Real Estate Expert for the NBC-owned affiliate in San Diego (NBC 7/39) and appeared on-air weekly on "NBC News This Weekend" answering live impromptu questions on any aspect of real estate from viewers. He was the host of the longest running weekly 2-hour live real estate news, information and advice radio show in the country for over 14 years. The show Real Estate Today! with Robert Griswold (along with his work for NBC) has won 5 national journalism awards and is unlike other real estate radio shows as his show is non-advertorial in nature.
The lead columnist for a California syndicated real estate column on tenant-landlord issues called Rental Roundtable where Robert and attorney Steve Kellman (the Executive Director of The Tenant’s Legal Center) go head-to-head over the best advice for reader’s questions. This popular column appeared from 1995 till 2009 every Sunday in the San Francisco Chronicle Real Estate section, bi-weekly in the San Diego Union-Tribune Sunday real estate section; and periodically in the Los Angeles Times. From 1995 to 2014 - Robert is the columnist for a similar nationally syndicated column called Rental Forum which is found in 30 major newspapers around the country, including the Washington Post, Houston Chronicle, Orlando Sentinel, Tampa Tribune, San Antonio Express News, Grand Rapids Press, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Daily Oklahoman, Dayton Daily News, Denver Post, Arizona Republic, The Oregonian, and many other major newspapers around the country.
Robert’s real estate advice in both print and broadcast journalism have provided a wealth of experience and practical knowledge in explaining complicated real estate issues to lay persons (and even an attorney or two!).
While Robert clearly stays quite busy, he is a hands-on property manager who personally manages several residential and commercial properties plus works closely with his clients to handle the occasional challenges that often occur with the management of real estate assets. But Robert is just one of 70+ great team members at Griswold Real Estate Management and it is these fine professionals that make the company an industry leader. Robert is extremely proud of his great staff of competent real estate management specialists that can truly boast that they are “Setting the Standards Others Follow”.
In the last 30+ years, Mr. Griswold has consulted on over 4,000 litigation matters, has been deposed over 750 times and provided sworn testimony in trial or arbitration on over 200 occasions in both state and federal litigation matters throughout the United States, including California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, Florida, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, North Dakota, Iowa, Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. His case work is evenly divided between plaintiff and defense work.
Serves as consultant or expert witness on real estate standards and custom and practice for real estate issues involving all property types (Office, industrial, retail, both large and small apartments, community associations, condos, single family, mobile homes, hospitality, mixed use, self-storage, medical/dental, land)
Court-Appointed Receiver and Bankruptcy Custodian
Specific issues include, but not limited to: premises liability; habitability, mold, maintenance or failure to maintain; "slumlord" allegations; health & safety or personal injury; wrongful death; property inspections; water intrusion; roaches, bed bugs; Fair Housing, discrimination, HUD management issues, criminal acts; class action, security deposit issues, skylights/falls, mini-blinds, management/receiver fees; fiduciary duty; transfer disclosures, misrepresentation, negligence, fraud, negligence in hiring/supervision/termination; property manager or broker fiduciary duty; transactions; lease/CAM disputes; lease mitigation, wildlife encounters, Association board duties and negligence.
Griswold Real Estate Management has a large portfolio of residential units, plus numerous community associations, commercial, retail, industrial and self-storage properties. Robert Griswold has actively managed over 70,000 residential units and several million square feet of commercial property nationally in the last 40+ years. Currently Griswold Real Estate Management has properties in CA, NV and TX.
He is a member of:
· Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) - CPM®, ACoM® and ARM®
· American Society of Real Estate Counselors® (CRE®)
· BOMA - Real Property Administrator (RPA®)
· San Diego County Commercial Association of Realtors® (SDCCAR)
· Southern California Rental Housing Association (SCRHA)
· California Apartment Association (CAA)
· National Apartment Association (NAA)
· Community Associations Institute (CAI) - PCAM®
· California Association of Community Managers-Management Firm Council (CACM) - CCAM®
· California Association of Realtors® (CAR)
· National Association of Realtors® (NAR) - GRI®
· Forensic Expert Witness Association (FEWA)
· Lambda Alpha - San Diego Chapter
· California Receivers Forum
Please contact me at (619) 719-7761.
- Apartment/Condominium Security
- Commercial Real Estate
- Construction Lending
- Eminent Domain
- Home Inspections
- Industrial Hygiene & Mold
- Landlord/Tenant
- Lead Poisoning
- Mapping & Surveying
- Parking Lots/Garages
- Premises Liability
- Property Management
- Real Estate Agent
- Real Estate Broker
- Real Estate Damages
- Real Estate Finance
- Real Estate Leasing
- Real Estate Malpractice
- Real Estate Valuation
- Residential Real Estate
- Retail Real Estate
- Self Storage Facilities
- Shopping Center/Mall Real Estate
- Slip, Trip & Fall
- Termites
- Q: Please list your professional accreditations, degrees, licenses, and certificates granted:
- A: • 1988, Master of Science, Business Administration, Real Estate Development, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
• 1986, Master Business Administration, International Finance and Real Estate & Urban Land Economics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles.
• 1981, Bachelor of Science, Finance and Business Economics/Real Estate Finance, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
- Q: Please list your affiliations or memberships in any professional and/or industry organizations:
- A: • Counselor of Real Estate (CRE®) designation (Continuous since 1997). The CRE® designation is extended by invitation only and is awarded based upon reputation, integrity, and in recognition of superior problem-solving ability in various areas of specialization such as litigation support, asset management, valuation, feasibility studies, acquisitions/dispositions, and general analysis.
Only 1,100 practitioners throughout the world carry the CRE® Designation, denoting the highest recognition in the real estate industry. CRE® members average 60+ years of life experience, including at least 20 years of high-level experience in the real estate industry. CRE® members achieve results, acting in key roles for over 300 Fortune 500 firms in annual transactions and/or real estate decisions valued at over $41.5 billion.
• Owner of an Accredited Management Organization (AMO®) firm (Continuous since 1988). A designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®) --Only three percent of all management firms nationwide have earned this designation by fulfilling stringent requirements in experience, education, integrity and financial stability.
• Certified Property Manager (CPM®) designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®) (Continuous since 1987).
• Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM®) (Continuous since 2002).
• Real Property Administrator (RPA®) (Continuous since 2018)
• Accredited Commercial Manager (ACoM®) (Continuous since 2023)
• Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM®) (Continuous since 2004)
• Certified Community Association Manager (CCAM®) (Continuous since 2003)
• Graduate, Realtor Institute (GRI®) (Continuous since 1999)
• Accredited Residential Manager (ARM®) designation from IREM (Continuous since 1988)
• California Real Estate Broker (Continuous since 1984)
• Nevada Real Estate Broker and Property Management Certificate holder (Continuous since 2002)
- Q: Please list any teaching or speaking experience you have had, including subject matter:
- A: • National Instructor for the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®) since 1988
• Chair of Workgroup that published "2020 Best Practices" publication for the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®)
• Hosted weekly 2-hour live, real estate call-in program - "Real Estate Today! with Robert Griswold" for over 14 years
• Routinely speak to real estate industry groups at national conventions and/or regional meetings
• NBC Real Estate Expert appearing weekly on KNSD (NBC San Diego) answering impromptu questions from viewers for 15 years.
Have taught many of the required courses that lead to the CPM® designation plus course RES 201 (formerly 101-Successful On-Site Management), a requirement for the ARM® designation. Member of the IREM Academy of Excellence for instructors.
• A California Department of Real Estate Certified Instructor
• Approved National Apartment Association Faculty
• Planning Commissioner - City of San Diego - 1/2005 to 6/2013 - Q: Have any of your accreditations ever been investigated, suspended or removed? (if yes, explain)
- A: No.
- Q: On how many occasions have you been retained as an expert?
- A: I have served as a consultant or expert witness on over 4,000 litigation matters in at least 35 states. While I am often involved in complicated, high $$ value cases nationally, I routinely handle equally important, but more basic issue cases. Habitability, mold, vermin, failure to maintain, dangerous/hazardous conditions, exterior and interior inspections, trip and/or slip and fall, premises liability, personal injury, water intrusion, roaches, bed bugs, rent control, contract disputes, fire, CO2, smoke/carbon monoxide detectors, security deposit disputes, lease violations, lease mitigation, lack of security, balcony collapse, landscaping, wildlife encounters, vehicle/pedestrian incursions, etc.
- Q: For what area(s) of expertise have you been retained as an expert?
- A: All aspects of real estate ownership including purchase/sale transactions and management (except property valuation appraisals) for all property types - Residential (Single-family; condos; apartment buildings of all sizes); Commercial; Retail; Industrial; Self-Storage; Hospitality; Student housing; Mobile home parks; Community or Homeowner associations (have been both a volunteer board member and a property manager of HOAs since 1978).
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the plaintiff?
- A: Total retentions 40-45%; Matters that resolved after deposition - 45-50%; Matters that went to trial - 50-50%
- Q: In what percentage of your cases were you retained by the defendant?
- A: Total retentions - 55-60%; Matters that resolved after deposition - 50-55%; Matters that went to trial - 50-50%
- Q: On how many occasions have you had your deposition taken?
- A: Over 750 with virtually an even split between plaintiff and defense work (See above).
- Q: When was the last time you had your deposition taken?
- A: Most likely within the last 30-60 days.
- Q: On how many occasions have you been qualified by a court to give expert testimony?
- A: I have provided sworn testimony as an expert witness in court or arbitration over 200 times.
- Q: On how many occasions have you testified as an expert in court or before an arbitrator?
- A: I have qualified as an expert in every one of the over 200 times I have testified in court or arbitration.
- Q: For how many years have you worked with the legal industry as an expert?
- A: My real estate work experience began in 1978 and I have been consulting or testifying as an expert since 1990.
- Q: What services do you offer? (E.g.: consulting, testing, reports, site inspections etc.)
- A: Consulting and expert witness work, including file and document review, site inspections, reports (if required or upon mutual agreement), deposition and trial and arbitration/mediation testimony, etc.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to consult with an attorney?
- A: For 2024: $645 per hour with a nonrefundable 4-hour minimum name disclosure fee of $2,580.00.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to review documents?
- A: For 2024: $645 per hour with a nonrefundable 4-hour minimum name disclosure fee of $2,580.00.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide deposition testimony?
- A: For 2024: $645 per hour payable at the time of deposition.
- Q: What is your hourly rate to provide testimony at trial?
- A: For 2024: $645 per hour payable at the time of trial.
- Q: Please list any fees other than those stated above (E.g.: travel expenses, copy fees, etc.)
- A: All out-of-pocket administrative and travel expenses at cost without mark-up. All billable time is billed in minimum of 1/4 (.25) hourly increments. Business class air for flights over 1,000 miles. Travel is based on portal-to-portal time charges, except for out-of-town travel is only charged for actual transit time and work time, not overnight or off-the-clock time.
The following is a representative sample of references:
James Kjar or Greg Emdee
Kjar, McKenna & Stockalper, LLP
841 Apollo Street, Suite 100
El Segundo, CA 90245
(424) 217-3026
Thomas Vandenburg
Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman, LLP
505 N. Brand Boulevard, Suite 1100
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 551-6013; tvandenburg@wshblaw.com
Lane E. Webb or Shanna Van Wagner
Lynberg & Watkins
185 West F Street, 4th Floor
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 814-2169; lwebb@lynberg.com; svanwagner@lynberg.com
Harry Safarian
The Safarian Firm
3150 Montrose Avenue
Glendale, CA 91214
(818) 334-8528; hs@safarianfirm.com
Victoria L. Ersoff, Esquire
Riley | Ersoff
8383 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 325
Beverly Hills, CA 90211-2431
(310) 284-8822; victoria@rileyersoff.com
Elizabeth A. Skane
Skane Wilcox
1230 Columbia Street, Suite 800
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 702-1635; eskane@skanewilcox.com
James R. Picker, Esquire
Phillip Anderson & Associates
6210 Stoneridge Mall Drive, Suite 550
Pleasanton, CA 94588
(925) 225-6838; james.r.picker.gca0@statefarm.com
Miles Scully or Jan Buddingh
Gordon & Rees, Scully, Mansukhani
101 West Broadway, Suite 2000
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 696-6700; mscully@grsm.com; jbuddingh@grsm.com
Brian B. Frasch, Ruben Tarango, Lisa Ricksecker, Craig Mann or Garth Ward
Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith
550 West "C" Street, Suite 800
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 233-1006; Brian.Frasch@lewisbrisbois.com; Ruben.Tarango@lewisbrisbois.com
Timothy Windham, Eddie Ward, Helen Lee, Lillian Harwell, Judy Zipkin, David Shapiro, Jay Lake or Jason Scupine
Lewis, Brisbois, Bisgaard & Smith
221 N. Figueroa Street, Suite 1200
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 250-1800; Timothy.Windham@lewisbrisbois.com; Edward.Ward@lewisbrisbois.com; Helen.Lee@lewisbrisbois.com; Lillian.Harwell@lewisbrisbois.com
Also, San Diego, Orange County, San Bernardino, Sacramento, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Las Vegas, Reno, Atlanta, Dallas, Miami and Cleveland offices
John McKinley, Jr. or Bridgette Eckerson
Mozley, Finlayson & Loggins, LLP
1050 Crown Pointe Parkway, Suite 1500
Atlanta, GA 30338
(404) 256-0700; JMcKinley@mfllaw.com; BEckerson@mfllaw.com
Mr. Stacey Campbell/Eric Neeper
Campbell Litigation, P.C.
730 17th Street, Suite 730
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 536-1833
Jon Epsten, Doug Grinnell or Mary Howell
Epsten, Grinnell & Howell
9980 Carroll Canyon Road, Suite 200
San Diego, CA 92131
(858) 527-0111
Jason Wilson, Paul Carron or Gregory Dilts
Stratman, Schwartz & Williams-Abrego
700 S. Flower Street, 28th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 615-2651; jason.wilson@farmersinsurance.com; paul.carron@farmersinsurance.com; gregory.dilts@farmersinsurance.com
Edward Morrison
The Morrison Law Group
777 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 200-21
Palm Springs, CA 92262
(760) 978-6201; morrison@morrisonlawgroup.com
Keith Bremer, Tyler Offenhauser or Ray Meyer
Bremer, Whyte, Brown & O'Meara
20320 S. W. Birch Street, 2nd Floor
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 221-1000; kbremer@bremerwhyte.com; toffenhauser@bremerwhyte.com; rmeyer@bremerandwhyte.com
Also Las Vegas and Oakland offices
Erin Hallissy
Daniels, Fine, Israel, Schonbuch & Lebovits, LLP
1801 Century Park East, 9th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(310) 556-7900; hallissy@dfis-law.com
Mark Weinstein or Mark Rudy
Veatch Carlson
700 S. Flower, 22nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 381-2861; mweinstein@veatchfirm.com; MRudy@veatchfirm.com
Bill Slaughter, Michael Lebow or Jennifer Volcy
Slaughter, Reagan & Cole, LLP
625 E. Santa Clara Street, Suite 101
Ventura, CA 93001
(805) 658-7800; slaughter@srllplaw.com; mlebow@srllplaw.com; jvolcy@srllplaw.com
Rich Schoenberg, Matt Davis, Douglas Saeltzer or Conor Kelly
Walkup Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberg
650 California Street, 26th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 981-7210; RSchoenberger@WalkupLawOffice.com; mdavis@WalkupLawOffice.com; dsaeltzer@walkuplawoffice.com; ckelly@walkuplawoffice.com
Matt Eschenburg, Jack Nick or Jack Rheinholtz
Prindle, Amaro, Goetz, Hillyard, Barnes & Reinholtz, LLP
310 Golden Shore Parkway, 4th Floor
Long Beach, CA 90801
(562) 436-3946
Jim Olson or Jeff Allen
Olson, Cannon, Gormley & Desruisseaux
9950 W. Cheyenne Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89129
(702) 388-9700
Kendall Steele or Mike Warzynski
Jardine, Baker, Hickman & Houston
3300 N. Central Avenue, Suite 2600
Phoenix, AZ 85012
(602) 776-3024
Gene Goldsmith
McNamara, Goldsmith, Jackson & MacDonald
1670 E. River Road, Suite 200
Tucson, AZ 85718
(520) 624-0126
Mary Alexander
Mary Alexander & Associates
44 Montgomery Street, Suite 1303
San Francisco, CA 94104-4612
(415) 433-4440; malexander@maryalexanderlaw.com
David J. Caputo, Michael A. Trunk or Dominick Guerrini
Kline & Specter
1525 Locust Street, 19th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 772-1000
Dan Altschuler
Post & Schell
Four Penn Center
1600 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 587-1000
Mark Young, Esquire
Cokinos, Bosien & Young
1500 Woodson Tower
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 535-5500
JoJene Mills
Law Office of JoJene Mills
1670 East River Road, Suite 270
Tucson, AZ 85718
(520) 529-3200
Candace Cavanaugh, Esquire
Acosta & Associates
500 Marquette N.W., Suite 525
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 242-8654
Joseph A. Colosi, Esquire
Law Offices of Joseph A. Colosi
P. O. Box 800
Welch, West Virginia 24801-0800
(304) 436-6292
Robert Michael, Esquire
Shadoan & Michael
108 Park Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 762-5150
Walter J. Timby III, Esquire
Margolis & Edelstein
Curtis Center, 4th Floor
601 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 922-1100
James Blair, Esquire
Reanud, Cook & Drury
Two Renaissance Tower
40 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1600
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 307-9900
Jack Henningsen
Turner, Aubert & Friedman
8383 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 510
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 653-3900
Brian Gearinger, Esquire
Gearinger Law Group
825 Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 440-3102
This is just a representative sample, and I may be able to provide additional references (based on geography or type of case) upon request.