Adam Kaufman started his real estate career at 18 years old. Nearly four decades later, he is still building, still learning and coming off the best year of his career. In 2025, Kaufman closed 137 transactions totaling $159.7 million in volume. His career production now exceeds $2.1 billion since Howard Hanna began tracking in Ohio.
That level of sustained success is rooted in a simple philosophy that has guided his career from the beginning: build relationships, do things the right way and enjoy the work.
Each day still starts with one goal.
“I know it sounds cliché, but I get up and go have fun each day. I really love what I do and enjoy that every day brings something different,” Kaufman said. “This has been such a great career for me, and in 2025 I had my best year, and I consider myself to be incredibly lucky.”
Early in his career, Kaufman set a goal to become the No. 1 agent in his company by the time he was 30. He reached that mark in less than two years. Around that same time, a conversation with then-Realty One president Barbara Reynolds helped define how he would approach success moving forward.
“She told me when people become as successful as you are, there are two things that happen,” Kaufman said. “Either because of their success they feel they can do what they want, or you take the higher road than anyone else. It really resonated with me.”
That idea became a constant in how Kaufman operates. It shows up in how he works with clients, how he builds relationships and how he approaches his business day to day.
“I always try to take the highest road, and if you talk to the Hannas, they’ll tell you the same thing,” Kaufman said. “I think I have the same philosophy that Helen, Hoddy and Hoby have. That family has always taken the highest road.”
Kaufman officially joined Howard Hanna in 2009 following the company’s acquisition of Realty One. Since then, he has continued to grow his business while working closely with the Hanna family.
His relationship with CEO Hoby Hanna didn’t start that way.
“In the beginning we were like adversaries,” Kaufman said.
Competing in the same space created early tension, but over time that dynamic evolved into mutual respect. Both pushed each other, and that competitive edge became a positive force.
“The thing I love about Hoby is that I can get mad and we can have a heated discussion, and then two hours later he’ll call me and tell me we are having dinner Saturday night,” Kaufman said. “At that point, his business hat is off, and the friendship hat is on. I respect the fact that he is so good at doing that.”
Kaufman has also drawn inspiration from Helen Hanna Casey, whose approach reinforces the same core belief.
“She just goes and goes and goes. She doesn’t stop,” Kaufman said. “Her thing with the real estate business is that it is relationship-driven, and that’s her whole mantra. She is driven by relationships.”
That focus continues to shape how Kaufman runs his business today.
As the industry evolves, he is exploring how tools like artificial intelligence can enhance the client experience. But even as technology becomes more prominent, he believes the foundation of the business remains unchanged.
“At the end of the day, this is a relationship-based business. The reason people use real estate agents is because they want someone to guide them and tell them they’re making a smart decision,” Kaufman said. “AI will be great, but it can’t do that for someone. It won’t be there physically to help and guide you.”
That same philosophy carries into how he leads his team. Kaufman has intentionally kept his team small, prioritizing trust and allowing individuals to operate in their own style.
“I let my team do their thing. They’re phenomenal — I have the best team,” Kaufman said. “They’re so good at what they do. I’ve been fortunate enough to create this great team of people around me.”
Based in Cleveland, Kaufman continues to build on his success in a market he believes is gaining momentum. With improving conditions and increased activity, he sees continued opportunity ahead.
For Kaufman, success ultimately comes back to the people he works with and what he learns along the way.
“I love everything about Cleveland,” Kaufman said. “What I really love is that every client teaches me something new. I learn something that helps me as a person or in the business every day.”
It’s that mindset — relationships first, always taking the high road and continuing to find enjoyment in the work — that has defined Kaufman’s career and continues to drive it forward.
About Howard Hanna
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services proudly provides real estate, mortgage, title, and insurance services across 15 states. As the largest family-owned and -operated real estate brokerage in the United States, Howard Hanna operates more than 500 offices with 15,000 sales associates and staff. The company’s proprietary Hanna Success System helps its agents achieve 53% more business than agents at the top 1000 brokerages nationally. Learn more at www.HowardHanna.com.
