About

John Benjamin Co. President Robert Caruso is an experienced Bay Area-based commercial and residential real estate developer with a wide range of skills, including finance, marketing, sales and property management. He works as a consultant or in partnership with builders, landowners and investors.

Robert’s property management skills include leasing, tenant relations, manager direction, supervision of office staff, development of insurance coverage, rent collection, and relations with vendors, contractors, and brokers. His knowledge of construction loan accounting, loan draws, financial formulas and other construction loan management makes him invaluable to the smooth unfolding of projects. He also offers experience in real estate contracts and tax accounting, including 1031 exchanges, installment sales, TIC contracts, land contracts, capital gains and depreciation calculations, income/expense statements, and balance sheets.

Prior to creating John Benjamin Co., Robert was Housing and Economic Development Manager for the city of Pittsburg, where he was responsible for affordable housing projects and worked with neighborhood groups to ensure support. A licensed California real estate broker, he holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley and a Bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from San Francisco State University.

Robert is proficient in Spanish and as a Peace Corps volunteer from 1969 to 1972, he served in Paraguay, strengthening local agricultural capacity by improving management, accounting, marketing and organizational functions. He is active in civic affairs, serving as a member of the Assumption Parish Finance Committee in San Leandro, Kairos Outreach Program, and seven Italian social clubs across the Bay Area.