Warren Buffett Once Received A Unique Offer From A Fan: 'You're My Role Model. I'll Pay You $500 A Week For The Opportunity To Intern For You' — Buffett Didn't Take Him Up On It, But He Did Land A Paid Role At Berkshire Hathaway

In a move that echoes Warren Buffett's value investing principles, Ian Jacobs is making a contrarian bet on San Francisco’s beleaguered downtown real-estate market.

Jacobs, who cut his teeth in the world of high-stakes investing by once seeking an apprenticeship with the legendary Buffett, is no stranger to going against the grain.

“He wrote Warren a letter that said, ‘You're my role model and I'd like to make you a value proposition — I'll pay you $500 a week for the opportunity to intern for you,'” Robert Salamon, one of his cousins, told The Wall Street Journal.

More on Buffett: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." Here are 3 high-yield investments to add significant income to your portfolio.

Taking His Knowledge To The Real Estate Industry

Despite a backdrop where most investors are shying away from the city’s commercial properties, Jacobs, with a lineage tied to the Toronto-based Reichmann real estate empire, is diving in headfirst.

The Reichmann family, known for their strategic acquisitions in distressed markets — most notably New York City during the 1970s — has passed down a legacy of bold investment moves to Jacobs.

Now 47, Jacobs is stepping into the family’s business wheelhouse with a plan to revitalize San Francisco’s downtown office spaces, a sector that has been hit hard by the shift to remote work and the resultant decline in demand.

With $75 million in commitments for his initial investmen