Born in Brooklyn, he was referred to as the "Dean of Appraisers." Barkan had a career in commercial real estate that spanned 61 years. Most of his career was spent with James Felt Realty Services, where he began as their office clerk, the day after graduating from high school. Under the tutelage of his mentor Jack Felt, Barkan rose through the ranks, eventually becoming president of the company during the 1970s. With his long-time partner and friend Henry Hart Rice also engineered the sale of James Felt Realty to Grubb & Ellis.

Assignments he worked on during his career include the redevelopment of Roosevelt Island and the development of Reston, VA. He was lead appraiser for the US Railway Association representing the US Government in the bankruptcy of the Penn Central Railroad. His client base included RH Macy, Metropolitan Life Insurance, Chase Manhattan Bank, Rockefeller Center and ABC Television.

According to his son, Martin, "he will be remembered by his colleagues for his complex real estate problem solving prowess, his exceptionally ethical standards and personable demeanor." Barkan also served as national president of the Counselors of Real Estate, president of the New York Chapter of the Appraisal Institute and was a longstanding governor of the Real Estate Board of New York. He also served as president of Temple B'nai Abraham in Livingston, NJ.