Balázs Székely

Yardi Romania

By Yardi Blog Staff on Apr 14, 2015 in People

“If I could have any superpower in the world it would be X-Ray vision, no doubt about it. I mean, come on, who doesn’t want to have X-Ray vision?” laughs Balázs Székely, an enthusiastic member of Yardi’s publishing team. The 25-year-old aquascaper and Red Hot Chili Peppers fan joined Yardi in October 2013, after a couple of stints at college newspapers and regional radio stations and he’s been loving every minute of it.

“I studied journalism and so far, I have to say, being a journalist turned out even better than I imagined! I work for a vigorously growing company and I’m surrounded by young professionals… As a bonus, my job is completely independent from the local political scene, which is a privilege in this field. I mean, what more could a journalist my age ask for?!” he says, hinting at the colorful Romanian political world.

As an associate editor for Multi-Housing News and Commercial Property Executive, Balázs covers the most important commercial and multifamily real estate happenings in Miami, Orlando, Atlanta and Tucson. He’s constantly on the lookout for major transactions, new project announcements and keeps in touch with developers that are active in his markets. Balázs also writes market reports based on quarterly performance indicators and is part of the international news team, which covers the most relevant real estate news from around the world. “I like diversity in my work, so I’m always happy to contribute to the corporate blogosphere,” he says, referring to his posts for Point2Homes and PropertyShark.

Among Balázs’s favorite parts of working at Yardi is that he gets to do what he does best – write – and that he’s able to pursue this passion in a dynamic and nurturing environment. He also appreciates the constant improvement of his language skills. “Not to mention all the economy- and real-estate-related knowledge I’ve gained in the past year or so. I wasn’t really interested in real estate before coming to Yardi, but I downright love it now.” Balázs also feels he’s grown personally, not just professionally at Yardi. “I’m not a social butterfly by nature, but working in a team has helped me overcome a lot of my cautiousness, especially with a team like the Glorified Bloggers,” (aka the Cluj publishing team).

But it’s not only writing and real estate that Balázs enjoys. He loves hiking, cooking, traveling, watching Tarantino movies and amateur astronomy, just to name a few. “I take some of my hobbies more seriously than others, but I guess that’s what happens, when one has more passions than free time. The one with a very special place in my heart is aquascaping. It’s a childhood crush, really.” Balázs has been fascinated with aquatic life since the first time he saw a fish tank at a friend’s house in elementary school. “From that moment on I’ve been deliriously pushing my limits in order to create the ultimate artificial freshwater ecosystem that meets the needs of its every inhabitant and brings a drop of wilderness into our world full of concrete and straight lines. I like to keep my mind busy and aquascaping is perfect for this, as it requires practical knowledge in biology, chemistry and physics, so I’m constantly learning. It also puts your patience, dexterity, technological know-how and imagination to the test and at the end provides the satisfaction of having creating something from nothing. A little bit like journalism, if you come to think of it.”

Other tidbits about Balázs:

Chocolate or vanilla? Jon Stewart or Jon Oliver? Storage Wars or Ancient Aliens?

Chocolate. Jon Oliver, definitely! And I guess Storage Wars, if my life depended on it, but I hope I never have to make that decision.

Do you have a nickname? What’s the backstory on that?

My team mates call me the French Guy because Balázs rhymes with a lot of french words, like bandage, collage, oeufs brouillés au fromage. And no, I don’t speak any French. At all.

Do you watch any sports? Or pursue any?

My hometown of Miercurea Ciuc is mad about winter sports, since it’s one of the coldest cities in Romania. Winter temperatures often dip below −30 °C (−22 °F). So I’ve always enjoyed ice hockey. I only watch, but my sister plays really well – she has several podium medals including gold at the nationals! I myself enjoy swimming and I jump on my bike whenever I can, so I bike to work as often as possible.

What are you reading right now?

The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow

Let’s talk music: favorite bands, genre, song?

I like instrumental music that talks to me in some way. John Frusciante messes my brain up in the most amazing way possible every time I listen to his solo work or a Red Hot Chili Peppers song. A few years ago I got to see them live in Bucharest – that was one epic night! Another artist that gives me goosebumps is Lajkó Félix, a Hungarian violin prodigy. Other than that, I listen to a lot of alternative rock. And of course, I love The Rolling Stones.

What TV shows do you watch?

Top Gear (UK) is my all-time favorite. I can’t wait for the new season to air! I’m also nuts about scientific shows, so Discovery Science is almost always on at home.

What does your ideal home look like?

A small, practical house with huge windows in a natural setting. I’ve become fond of off-the grid shipping container homes lately – they are so versatile and hardcore – so I’d love to build one myself.

If you could pick any place in the world to live, where would it be?

Croatia. I’ve already decided that that’s where I’m retiring.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

When the time comes, I’ll try my best to be a cool, but responsible dad.