Bill Ackman first heard about Warren Buffett when he was 20. Four years later, he read his first Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letter, and something clicked. “I was inspired to become an investor,” the hedge fund manager recalled.

Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has been attempting to use real estate developer Howard Hughes Holdings ( HHH 2.82%) to create a "modern-day Berkshire Hathaway " for some time. Now, it looks like a deal has finally been reached that could allow him to get started.

Howard Hughes Holdings Inc.’s stock rose Monday as billionaire Bill Ackman reached a final agreement to acquire a controlling interest in the real-estate-development company that he plans to turn into a modern Berkshire Hathaway.