Commercial Real Estate Broker

Commercial Real Estate Agents

2011-09-25T15:26:00.000-04:00

Let's face it - you cannot intelligently buy commercial real estate properties without the help of an expert. Hiring a commercial real estate agent is your best bet against losing thousands of dollars you'll likely spend, when you make costly mistakes or miss out on solid, commercial real estate investing opportunities. That is why finding and hiring a commercial real estate agent should be your first and most crucial step - it can make or break your commercial real estate venture.

Benefits of hiring commercial real estate agents

Professional commercial real estate agents or broker companies give you access to the best commercial real estate information available. They provide you with information about the latest sales price data, vacancy and absorption rates and comparative tax and labor costs to help you make informed decisions.

Experienced commercial real estate brokers can also help explain to you the present market lease trends, the current demographics, and they will give you a straightforward competitive analysis of different commercial properties that fit your purpose and budget. Professional commercial real estate agents or broker companies give you all this information so that you can anticipate opportunities, gain a competitive advantage and implement the best possible real estate approach.

If you plan to build commercial real estate, an agent can help you determine the best location using scientific local market data and a keen knowledge of the economic trends that affect the commercial real estate market. These agents are specially trained to handle very large transactions - millions upon millions of dollars. Their purpose is to find investments that will not only increase in value, but also give the investor a good revenue stream.

Never try to invest in commercial real estate property without consulting a commercial real estate agent. He or she will have the right training to impart helpful research, advisory and transaction services to you so that your commercial real estate venture goes smoothly.

Commercial Real Estate provides detailed information on Commercial Real Estate, Commercial Real Estate Loans, Commercial Real Estate Agents, Commercial Real Estate Brokers and more. Commercial Real Estate is affiliated with National Association Of Realtors [http://www.Realtors-Web.com].

Why Your Commercial Real Estate Broker Doesn't Find You Deals

2011-09-25T04:39:00.000-04:00

Here they come....the emails you've been waiting for. You open them. You see a pattern. These commercial property listings are all the same. You choke it up to the fact that you contacted the commercial real estate brokers at the same time and they're sending you what's available on the market. A few weeks go by, and the investment property sales lists dwindle and no agents are calling. What happened?

You're every commercial broker's business and no broker's responsibility.

Rewind a few weeks. You're a commercial real estate broker. You receive a phone call from an investor who's looking for a good deal in your market. He wants you to send him a good investment property to buy, so keep your eyes open and start hunting. You want a commission right?

Well, sure. But here's the catch. You get at least one phone call like that every day. You're asked to find a good deal for this investor, maybe go hunting for him, and start sending him listings. He's probably not a hot horse who's going to buy a property off the first list you send him and he's likely having the same conversation with other investment property brokers in your market.

He's everyone's business and no one's responsibility.

You add him to your database. Maybe you put him in your email distribution list and figure that something might happen, but if not, you may get a call one day when he has a property he needs to lease or sell is commercial property.

After a few weeks, you stop sending him lists of investment properties for sale because you've also been asked by 15-20 other investors in the same period of time to do the same activity. Somehow, they think you're out there working for them, too, because they're getting the same listings as everyone else. What they don't know is that no commercial broker's out there hunting, they're just entering a search and clicking the send button.

You've been selling investment properties long enough to know that most of these calls are a fool's errand. The promise of a commission looms on the horizon, but you know you're going to have to spend more in time and resources to maybe get that commission than you'll likely earn, plus you have no commitment from any one investor that they'll honor your commission if you bring them a commercial real estate investment opportunity. Pretty risky if you're a broker. You decide you're better served investing in those who have hired you to help them acquire and dispose of investment property.

Ultimately, as an investor, ask yourself, when you repeat the same behaviors as everyone else by calling a bunch of brokers to tell them what you want, should you expect an outcome that's different than everyone else who's doing the same?

The next time you're on the phone with a commercial broker, try asking him how many calls he's had from investors "looking for a good deal" in the last 30 days. Then ask him how many of those investors he's spoken to after the initial conversation. Chances are you already know the answer.

To get different results than everyone else, change your approach. Ask your investment property brokers how many investors they're representing. The ones who have clients are getting deals done, while the ones who aren't....well, just check your email box for the latest commercial property listings.

By taking a different approach and employing an investment property broker to execute a search and acquisition on your behalf, you may be delighted that when you become someone's responsibility, you're everyone's envy.

Jeremy Cyrier, CCIM believes that actions without meaning are worthless. He is the President of MANSARD, a Massachusetts commercial real estate marketing and brokerage firm and is a member of the CCIM Institute faculty. You may reach Jeremy at Jeremy@Mansardcre.com or at http://www.masscommercialproperties.com.

Why Commercial Real Estate Brokers Are Worth Every Penny

2011-09-24T21:25:00.000-04:00

Some clients in commercial real estate are unaware that they have a problem with their property, or do not really know or can define specifically what the problem is. They struggle to find the way ahead; they do not really know or will admit that they cannot get themselves out of a property problem.

Do you think there are some businesses and property owners out there at the moment with problems? Of course there are, and you as the real estate agent or broker have to be the relief to the property pain. You can only be so when you really know what you are doing. That means a really good knowledge of property types, leases, and rents, building costs, regional demographics, and operating costs.

It is not sufficient to think you know how to sell or lease a property. That skill is not enough as most other agents will think the same. After coaching agents for many years, I know that the reality is most of your competition is very ordinary in knowledge and property understanding. That is the leverage you should work with to generate a massive real estate sales and leasing business. Serve your clients as the best choice in the industry. Is that hard? Perhaps it takes more personal effort and certainly more study, but the rewards are significant.

Let's just look at the types of clients you could have for a moment; they are landlords, business owners, tenants, and investors. Within those groups you have differing relationships to the property improvements, rent, lease, location, operating costs, tenancy mix, and the list goes on. So what do you know about these things? What should you do?

Become an expert in every sense of the word. Supply the best and most important information about property that you can for the client. Make sure that you are better than the rest of the real estate people in the local area. Become the property strategist and not just a salesperson; know what are the real reasons for a sale or lease, and help the client understand them. Provide the best timings to use in the sale or lease processes.

The problems and challenges that these client groups have are radically different than each other. Your solutions and responses should be set accordingly. The best model for a real estate agent or broker in a client relationship is to become an advisor that is trusted. Your knowledge should stand head and shoulders above the rest. There are three stages to the process.

Seek to become the clients trusted advisor from the outset. This means building the relationship before the client really wants to do something with their property. Prospecting is essential every day of your business life. Your database is the tool to progress.
Get the client to agree that there is a need with their property or business. Knowledge of the property types, performance issues, lease strategies, development alternatives, tenant mix alternatives, are just some of the things to learn.
Plan your solutions around the problems. When the client fully understands the problems that you have identified with the property, and that you really know what you are doing, the choice of property agent becomes an obvious choice.

Stop thinking that as an agent you must discount your commission, or pay all the advertising costs for the client just to win the new business. These clients are not the ones you want. In most cases they are the hardest to deal with because their motivation is 'cheap'. Logical decisions are not part of their mindset and negotiations are therefore harder with these clients. More often than not the listing does not sell because the client will not listen to the market trends and choices (they think they know better). Time does invariably take care of these unreasonable clients, with no sale resulting and a distressed property sale or lease later on. You can then move back into the picture to offer your special services.

Be the best real estate agent out there and make sure your clients know it. Chase the quality listings owned by quality clients that will listen to the market trends and choices that you offer.

John Highman is an expert in investment real estate strategy, property performance, and tenant mix analysis and strategy. He is an author and coach that helps property investors, and real estate agents improve their retail, industrial, and commercial real estate opportunities and targets.

John has specialised in major commercial, industrial, and retail property for over 30 years. He knows what works and what doesn't. He gives you the 'good oil' on getting active and achieving results.

You can get John Highman's free tips and tools in commercial, industrial, and retail property at http://www.commercial-realestate-training.com

9 Reasons For Hiring an Exclusive Real Estate Broker

2011-09-24T11:40:00.000-04:00

The following are 9 reasons why you can financially benefit by retaining an experienced broker as your agent. A broker with many years of experience can help you objectively evaluate all the alternatives without potentially self-serving points of view. A broker's market knowledge is a critical factor in assuring you will be submitted all the available properties for your consideration. Maximize your broker's knowledge base by having them focus on you.

Accountability

Your own broker is directly accountable to you. You will not receive as much responsiveness, dedication and accountability with a non-exclusive broker.

Added Value at No Cost

Think of the real estate broker as your very own real estate department without paying for it. The owner of the property typically compensates the real estate broker. Most owners already have included a real estate fee in their leasing plan for the property.

Broker Selection

Using an exclusive broker allows you to select and retain the best professional available. Consider interviewing at least three (3) brokers prior to the relocation project. Your broker of choice may not be the broker that has been currently calling on you. Retain the real estate professional with the best track record in the area, regardless whether or not they're the first in the door.

Indicates a Serious Prospect

Hiring an your own agent will indicate to the owner's and brokerage community that you are a serious prospect. This may place you at the head of the pack if you find yourself competing for a property.

Negotiating Experience

The experience of a broker in negotiating a lease or purchase will result in obtaining better terms and conditions for you. The broker's "deal making experience" is vital to you achieving your economic goals.

Efficiency/ Minimizes Legal Entanglements

An exclusive broker provides you with a single point of contact. Without an exclusive broker you are faced with wasting your valuable time screening a multitude of brokers, ownership calls and or proposals.

Extensive Industry Contacts

An experienced broker will have extensive contacts with the owners of properties, vendors/contractors, and the brokerage community. These long term contacts in the industry will save you time and money.

Lease Ownership Analysis

A knowledgeable broker has the financial analysis tools and access to information which will help you evaluate the best real estate solution for your company.

Selection and Coordination of Space and Design Firms.

An exclusive broker can assist you in the selection and coordination of space planning and design firms.

use of your own agent ill maximize the leverage you will need to strategically plan and relocate your facility at the best economic terms and conditions possible. Your relocation will be fully documented and best of all, most of the time the property owner pays the commission. An experienced exclusive broker with a "deep bench of contacts" on your team could potentially save your company well above a hundred thousand dollars ( $100,000) against the bottom line. TRY USING AN EXCLUSIVE BROKER ON YOUR NEXT LEASE OR PURCHASE.

For more information on this article, Please Contact:
Dan Weil
(310) 792-9400
dan@weilcommercial.com

Market Knowledge
Since 1981 Dan Weil worked as an industrial real estate broker in the greater Los Angeles area at 2 major commercial real estate firms and in 2002 started his own firm Weil Commercial Properties, Inc. Dan offers 27 years of experience with many long term client relationships. For assistance with your commercial industrial need, please contact Dan at 310 792-9400 or visit the web site at: http://www.weilcommercial.com/resources.html

Commercial tenants Guide to selecting the best commercial real estate broker

2011-09-24T01:29:00.000-04:00

Choosing the right real estate professional is the first and most important decision you will need to make when embarking on the commercial real estate leasing, lease renewal negotiating, subleasing or buying process.

As a prospective buyer or tenant of commercial real estate, it's important to take advantage of the valuable service a professional real estate advisor can add to a process can quickly become risky, expensive and time consuming. Like any large business undertaking, failure to seek professional advice on an area outside of your expertise may lead to misinformed decision making that will place your business at risk and certainly the lack of market knowledge and negotiating expertise to extract the maximum concessions from a transaction.

Fortunately however, most business owners are only faced with a corporate real estate transaction or challenge every couple of years. That being said, if you don't already have one, how do you go about choosing a commercial real estate advisor who's qualified to achieve your goals? And if you do, how do you determine your current representative is up to the job this time around?

Below are eight hard and fast rules to thoroughly consider for choosing the best commercial real estate advisor for the job:

1. Choose a broker who will represent your best interests, not the landlord's or seller's, to avoid a Dual Agency situation.

First and foremost, choose a broker without the conflicts of interest associated with representing landlords and sellers. And whatever you do, don't choose the landlord's/buyer's broker to represent you! While this may seem obvious, it's the biggest mistake tenants and buyers make, often perpetuated by the listing broker who may claim you will save money because they don't need to pay your representative and you will save time as you can negotiate direct. It's important to understand the listing broker is motivated to create a dual agency situation because he will receive the entire fee for negotiating against you, the tenant or buyer, who lacks his negotiating expertise and market knowledge. Hence the landlord wins, you get a raw deal and can only hope that the listing broker assists you with the often time consuming tenant improvement and relocation process once the deal is closed and he's been paid.

While dual agency is perfectly legal in California and can sometimes result in a fair outcome, it is fraught with potential conflicts that must be managed by the broker to protect the best interests of both parties to the transaction and himself. Quite frankly, no matter how convinced the listing broker is that he can avoid conflicts of interest in a dual agency situation, it's practically impossible to do so. Thus, choosing a buyer/tenant representation specialist is essential to achieve optimum results. In doing so, you instantly avoid the conflict of interest risk and can be confident that you have an expert on your side (not the landlord's!) that will work hard and provide the expertise and knowledge to understand and achieve your needs and represent your best interests only. Would you hire the same attorney as your adversary to represent you in a lawsuit? Of course you wouldn't. Hiring a real estate representative should be treated in the same fashion.

2. Choose a broker who is a specialist in Tenant/Buyer Representation

Besides not having conflicts of interest to manage, a specialist in tenant/buyer representation provides many other services exclusive to his specialty and will provide a much higher level of service and commitment than a generalist that represents both landlords and tenants. With depth of experience and expertise in specializing in representing tenants comes the wisdom to apply the knowledge, tools and resources to achieve your objectives and to serve your best interests. A specialist will also likely be able to dedicate more time and energy to serving your needs than a broker that represents both landlords and tenants. They will not be overwhelmed with having to juggle as many transactions and constantly preparing time consuming marketing reports to landlords. They'll also be there for you to project manage any tenant improvements and facility needs you have either immediately after the transaction has closed or at any time during your lease.

3. Choose a broker who has experience in your immediate area.

There is no substitute for true market knowledge; knowledge, which can only be gained through extensive transaction experience in a defined geographic area. It is, quite simply, the only way to acquire the market 'intelligence' required to drive the hardest bargain for a tenant or buyer. An experienced tenant/buyer representation specialist who works in your target market knows not only what is available in your market before anyone else, they know every landlord's negotiating strategy, motivations, financial constraints, operating expenses and other key information he can use to your advantage. Be careful of tenant/buyer representatives who don't specialize geographically. They don't have the required market knowledge to get you the best terms, and must rely on unreliable and incomplete third party databases for market data.

4. Choose a broker who has experience in your particular product type.

The importance of specialization also applies to the type of property contemplated in the lease or sale transaction. There are stark differences between industrial, office and retail properties. The physical aspects of each are substantially different, as are the lease structures, term, conditions and operating expenses, among other things. For example, a full service gross office lease is a completely different challenge than a single tenant industrial triple net lease. So, make sure that the real estate advisor you choose has a track record of handling transactions like yours.

5. Choose a broker who has experience representing your type of business

Understanding how your business utilizes space and its specific operational requirements, as well as how your space requirements may change in the future, is an important component in choosing your next location. A broker who has experience in representing businesses like yours in your industry and location will help streamline the process of finding the right property, especially if your operation requires specialized improvements, proximity to other service providers or regulatory approvals. If your real estate broker does not possess a complete understanding of what you do, valuable time could be wasted and opportunities may be lost. The first thing your commercial real estate advisor should do is ensure he fully understands your business and, in turn, your real estate needs. Experience in representing similar companies will expedite this process and may even be able to offer valuable recommendations you hadn't considered.

6. Choose a broker who has a clearly defined process for achieving your needs and a high level of accountability to you throughout that process.

While every real estate transaction will have its unique challenges, the commercial real estate advisor you choose should demonstrate to you that they employ a logical, step-by-step process for handling your assignment. Unexpected surprises will be minimized if your broker handles the mechanical aspects of your transaction in sequence and in timely fashion before moving to the next step. As important as the process is, your broker should have a way of holding himself accountable to you as the transaction progresses, so that you are assured that nothing is overlooked and your interests are being thoroughly served from start to finish. Surprises are great at parties, but not in real estate transactions.

7. Choose a broker who has the necessary tools and support to give you the highest level of service.

Having the best information at your disposal is a key element in the making of a good real estate decision. Knowledge is power and, as such, your broker should have access to the best market information, analytical tools and human resources available to assist him in executing the transaction on your behalf. Ask for a list of these resources with an eye for their relevance to your requirement. The best real estate advisors at the top brokerages have access to the best resources and the most in-depth and timely information and they know how to use these tools to your advantage throughout the real estate process.

8. Choose a broker who you trust and you connect with on a personal level.

Choosing a real estate advisor with all the skills, experience and expertise for achieving your real estate needs is all well and good but don't overlook the personal touch. We all naturally associate with people we like and have something in common with. Once you've selected who you believe can best represent your needs, be sure you both get to know each other on a personal level as best as possible. With good instincts this shouldn't take long. If you and your real estate advisor get on great, not only will you both gain each other's trust, but your representative will likely have a higher level of commitment to you on an emotional level and will want to work harder for you than if you were just another one of his clients.

Finally, when a real estate advisor claims they are the most qualified for the task at hand, don't necessarily take their word for it. Always ask for references and to see case studies that clearly demonstrate their claims. Don't hire a real estate advisor unless they can prove they've achieved great results for someone like you!

You can click HERE to view some of our clients' success stories.

For free advice, a no-obligation consultation or lease audit to determine the cost-savings and real estate strategies available to you, call Stefan Rogers direct: (949) 263 5362.

By Stefan Rogers, MRICS: (949) 263 5362
srogers@voitco.com
Voit Commercial Tenant Solutions is part of Voit Real Estate Services - 2020 Main Street, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92614

Our corporate real estate services provide strategies and solutions that optimize business growth and profitability, maximize time and money savings, and minimize exposure to risk.
http://www.voitcts.com

Where to Go For Commercial Real Estate Training

2011-09-23T18:00:00.000-04:00

Commercial real estate has been hugely successful for many people. Big names that come to mind are Trump and Zell are just two names that come to mind who have made billions in commercial real estate. The question becomes, with all of the complexities involved in large property transactions, where does someone go to train to be a commercial real estate broker?

This article will talk about some of the sources for training in this field that will help people get practical experience and understanding of how the commercial real estate market works.

Your best source of training for commercial property is to find entry level work in a successful commercial real estate company. It doesn't really matter if it is a receptionist position or working in the mailroom. Just being surrounded by the conversations involved the buying and selling process will give you a first class education in the intricacies of a transaction. It is a great way to get first hand experience while you complete your formal training and will help build your resume for future jobs in higher level positions.

Degrees to consider for future commercial brokers are law degrees and MBA programs with a focus on finance. Commercial transactions require extensive detailed contracts concerning the exchange of incredibly expensive property or multi year leasing agreements. With that in mind, an understanding of the law or the ability to structure beneficial financing packages will have a huge effect on your success as a broker.

For those that do not wish to go the formal education route, sales experience is a must and can be much more highly prized than a degree. The truth is that several people can handle the technical side of a commercial transaction, but the ability to bring parties together and reach amicable agreements is a talent that will make a commercial real estate broker very successful. Take a sales training class to sharpen your skills and get out in the real world of sales to learn how to overcome objections and make a deal work.

Finally, you need to find a professional commercial real estate training center that will educate you and take you through the licensing process. Continuing education is the name of this game as will not only need a commercial broker license, but need to constantly keep up to date on new best real estate practices, so that you can be a leader in your field.

Commercial real estate training is a constant and evolving process that once starts will never stop. As you learn to become a broker, your understanding of the business world will grow as your income increases. Take the time for serious training early on and you will reap the rewards for years to come.

James provides information about commercial real estate training [http://franklinmastersinstitute.com/commercial-real-estate-training/] through his website on real estate training [http://franklinmastersinstitute.com/].

A Killer Prospecting Model for Commercial Real Estate Brokers

2011-09-23T12:44:00.000-04:00

Do you want more commissions and listings? You simply have to be great at prospecting and cold calling. The rest of your business will follow.

Guess what? Most real estate agents and brokers are not sufficiently disciplined to do the right levels of prospecting on a daily basis. That is the most significant opportunity that exists in the property industry; you just have to be better than the rest at prospecting. Sure listing, negotiating, and closing are other important skills, but they will come as a natural by-product of prospecting.

Focus on cold calling and prospecting. So how do you do this? You set some prospecting rules and you start practice. The words 'rules' and 'practice' are another couple of problem words for many in the industry. Many struggle with doing both.

So let's get away from the negative and presume you have the determination, the focus, and the drive to prospect for new business on a daily basis. Here is a 'killer prospecting model' that really works. The rest will be up to you. This model takes 3 hours a day, 5 days per week.

There are no gaps and Saturdays and Sundays are the only days off in the prospecting process. That is the first rule; probably the most important.
The second rule in the process is that you must prospect on the telephone in the morning because after that you will be distracted by other things and not stick to it. Without going deeply into it, there are established facts of personal performance in business that show the morning is the right time to do prospecting.
Get away from setting any meetings in the morning. Tell the boss that you prospect at that time and that you would prefer to set meetings with him and anyone else in the afternoons. Even meetings with clients and prospects should not occur in the morning unless it is an absolute necessity. The only reason to break the rule is if the meeting is for an active deal that is closing.
The 3 hours of prospecting each day in the office is done from the telephone. In commercial real estate you are predominantly dealing with business people and they generally will take your call if commercial real estate is an issue for them. If it is not an issue then you simply move on. Do not set up a meeting with someone who has no interest; remember that your time is precious.
Drop the cold calling scripts and use your own words; that will be the way you will feel comfortable with the process. Use trigger words to flow the discussion, but do not use scripts as the listener will sense the processes and turn off.
Know that it takes you about 20 minutes of cold calling every day to get the process into momentum. Once you are through the 20 minutes you must keep going and not stop for 2.5 hours. In that way you will make progress.
Find a quiet place to make your calls so that you can focus without distraction. Your success in tele-prospecting depends on it.
Research your call list the night before so you do not waste critical call time in research. This is critical to the call process.
Create a series of simple forms to use in the call process so that you can capture the results later in the database. You must not stop the call momentum.
Try to contact 10 new people on the telephone each day. If they are not in the office when you call then simply make a note to call back. You should be able to make 50 calls in 3 hours.
Your only reason for calling prospects is to see if they have a need or an interest in commercial property. When you really understand that yourself, then the calls will be easier and the quality of the discussion will be higher.
Have a great database to record everything. Use something that you are comfortable with. At the basic end of the database alternatives you can use Microsoft Outlook, or Access. Both are useful, low cost and user friendly. When you want to move to something more relevant to the property industry you can spend many hundreds dollars; personally I believe you can do very well with the basics providing you know how to use a computer well (in that you have no choice).

These are the rules that you need to set in your cold call prospecting. After you set the rules, you start the practice and you will need to do that for a couple of weeks until things are moving well. To your success in commercial real estate prospecting!

John Highman is an expert coach in investment real estate, property performance, and tenant mix analysis for Real Estate Agents and Brokers. Learn about real performance opportunities here at http://www.commercial-realestate-training.com/sign-up-here.html

John helps brokers, and real estate agents improve their listing opportunities and commission targets. He has personally specialised in major commercial, industrial, and retail property for over 30 years and knows what works and what doesn't. Get John Highman's free tips and tools in commercial, industrial, and retail property at http://www.commercial-realestate-training.com

Commercial Real Estate Broker or Sales Consultant?

2011-09-22T17:35:00.000-04:00

If you are a commercial realtor or are planning on getting into the business there are a lot of different skill sets required to be successful. Some of those may include finance, project management, market knowledge, and the ability to multitask. Those and more are very important skills needed however one often overlooked skill set is sales. To be a successful commercial broker you must be a good sales consultant.

You can be the best finance person capable of producing the nicest spreadsheets, etc, however if you don't have the ability to prospect and get clients you will never make it in this business. Some people have the natural gift of gab and the sales process comes easy to them, however there are others that must work at the sales process a little harder. The good thing is that sales and the sales process can be learned by anyone with the desire to learn and drive to be successful.

There are many great books and seminars about sales out there and I recommend reading as much as you can to find out what works best for you. In commercial real estate when you are dealing with companies, business owners, and investors, being a cheesy, silver tongued sales person is not the key to success. What does work well is being a good commercial real estate sales consultant. Below is one example of a sales process that can get you started:

1. Communicate to your prospects the way they prefer to be communicated to. This takes a little practice however in time you will be able to match your prospects body movements, posture, rate of speech, and tone.

2. Never show up to a meeting without an established agenda. Too many people show up to meetings without knowing beforehand what each would like to accomplish at the meeting, thus wasting each other's time.

3. Learn everything you can about the prospects problems. How long they have had them, what they did to try to fix them, how much it cost the company, the impact on them personally, etc

4. Find out what their budget is and how they plan on funding.

5. Find out the company's decision making process, who all is involved in this, where in the organization decisions are typically made, etc..

Obviously there a lot of sales methods out there. The important thing is that you learn and use the method that works best for you. You are a commercial real estate broker however your key to success is getting clients. And to get clients you must prospect, thus the importance of following a sales process that works and being a sales consultant.

Nathan Smith is the owner of Austin Tenant Advisors in Austin Texas. His company specializes in helping tenants search for and lease the best Austin Commercial Real Estate for their businesses. Specialties include Austin Office Space, Retail Space, and Warehouse Space and they help their clients negotiate leases and lease renewals to ensure that they get the lowest lease rates and best terms possible.

How to Price a Risky Tenant When Investing in Commercial Real Estate

2011-09-22T08:01:00.000-04:00

When successful commercial real estate investors lease their commercial real estate to a tenant of varying creditworthiness, they adjust for risk by altering rental rates, security deposits, guarantees, and improvement allowances, not the fees they pay commercial real estate brokers.

Often, commercial real estate (CRE) investors confuse the tenant's risk associated with the CRE broker's fee. Andy Zezas, SIOR, a well-respected tenant rep broker, explains that if the landlord perceives the tenant's to be high risk, he tries to withhold or reduce payout, and if he perceives the tenant to be low to moderate risk, he may pay a market rate.

Andy describes this practice as asking the broker to guarantee the tenant's creditworthiness below:

As for brokers acting as guarantor of the tenant's creditworthiness and performance of lease obligations, that's about as absurd as brokers guaranteeing landlord credit and performance. Brokers are fee-for-service professionals, not credit analysts, nor guarantors.

Andy's right and here's why.

Imagine that you are a bank. Let's call your bank LBCCIM Washington Bank. You lend money to generate fees for profit, which keeps your investors happy and continually making deposits with you.

Your secret is that you are a savvy CRE banker and lend intelligently to 3 types of borrowers:

1. AA credit company. You like the certainty of knowing that this borrower pays the loan on time and satisfies the covenants agreed to in the mortgage and promissory note. Because of the certainty of getting paid, you offer this borrower a low interest rate.

2. BB credit company. They pay their bills. Sometimes they're late and they've renegotiated loans in the past. You're aware that you carry some risk with this borrower and you offer them a higher interest rate.

3. CC credit company. They are high risk, yet fit your lending profile and you're eager to get some money on the street. You make the deal. What interest rate will they pay?

It's simple. The higher the risk the borrower poses, the higher the interest rate offered. Higher risk = higher reward.

Here's one consideration for you.

Nothing above has changed, except that all 3 borrowers have been introduced to you by an intermediary (let's call him your mortgage broker). He is aware of the risks associated with each borrower, yet he knows that they all meet your lending criteria.

You and your mortgage broker have agreed to a fee, equal to a percentage of whatever loan amount you lend. Who, then, should you be spending your time negotiating with when you are reviewing the borrowers, your borrower or your broker?

CRE landlords face the same dilemma with tenants for their vacant space and the brokers who represent them. The next time you're concerned about your tenant's risk profile, ask your real estate advisor to analyze their financial statements and guide you to accurately price the tenant's risk into your CRE investment plan.

Who is getting top dollar, you or your commercial real estate broker?

2011-09-22T02:56:00.000-04:00

To get top dollar for your commercial real estate, you market in the world. Recently, the LOFT over 1000 investors survey showed that business broker commercial real estate broker network is the number one activity, the broker shall fill vacancies or sell real estate.

Nevertheless, commercial investors still employ commercial brokers who market their property before the exclusive list. If you choose this way to help protect your privacy, read no further.

Other, I ask you, "who really gets top dollar? You or your business broker? "

Commercial brokerage companies developed to represent owners of real estate. Offices: competed on objects and worked in the lease or sell their inventory to their commercial real estate investor and lessee perspectives. Over time, some offices have decided to cooperate with each other, and together the sale or lease commercial real estate, because it helped them perform faster, saving money for their clients to deliver results and dollars that they wish.

More people who worked for rent or for sale commercial real estate, the better your chances of success.

Other commercial investment companies believed that they have a full list of tenants and investors commercial real estate. They claimed that they have the best channel to market and as long as they have done, their owners to make their property while retaining 100% of their fees and monitoring their cut of the action.

Old habits die hard. Some commercial brokerage companies have continued to cooperate, others do not. Those who do not, post your opportunities on their market and tell you they are exposing it with the world.

That is why it is important to you: commercial real estate broker is responsible for placing the loyalty of your interests above his own.

This means exposing your property to the widest possible audience to generate transaction. And if you stand to make more money on the deal going in one direction against the other, commercial real estate broker is obliged to give you the best advice according to your needs, not his own, even if it means that your broker is doing less and you're done.

The next time you meet with your broker, ask him whether he cooperates with other intermediaries and markets opened. This may mean faster, more profitable deal for you. In fact, your broker may understand that represents your interests before his own pay dividends for years and that makes you money makes his money.

Jeremy Cyrier, CCIM believes that actions without meaning useless. He is the President of LOFT, marketing and Massachusetts commercial real estate brokerage firm and is a member of the Faculty of the Institute of CCIM. Can reach the Jeremy@Mansardcre.com Jeremy or http://www.masscommercialproperties.com.

The Mismatch of Commercial Real Estate Brokers and Online Marketing

2011-09-21T17:17:00.000-04:00

If you are like me you have been proliferated with the importance of online or "social" marketing. I still can't figure out what's so social about not speaking to anyone. You have been told there are several MUSTS if you are to keep pace (forget ahead) of your competition. For example, your must have 1) A personal website 2) A Tweeter Account 3) A Blog and 4) a Linked In account, at the bare minimum. In addition to these MUSTS, you have to have an integrated marketing platform that creates push and pull campaigns on a varied, yet consistent basis. Now if you really want to get the most out of the Web 2.0 (or is it 3.0?) culture, you should have your own Facebook account and personal YouTube Channel... personal You Tube Channel - are you serious?

Did I mention if you are a commercial real estate broker, you also need to find time to find, win and fulfill business? How can a dedicated commercial real estate professional, whose life blood is personal relationships and transactions cultivated from these relationships, take any valuable time away to focus on some fad that will last a year or two at most? Heck, I heard the other day that most folks stop using their Tweeter accounts after the first 30 days. I really don't care where you went this weekend with your dog.

Well, unfortunately we have little choice. You can look at any industry, including commercial real estate and more and more opportunities are finding the broker, versus the other way around. That's right, investors, users, owners, tenants are all looking for solutions and they are using the internet as their prime source. If you think you have a loyal client that will never leave, think again. Once that client is bombarded with a proactive and aggressive marketing campaign that persuades him your competition is smarter, better, faster and has a more robust online presence, you will find yourself in the same position as Augustus Gloop, that "chunky" kid who fell in Willy Wonka's chocolate river. He was sucked up and left behind.

Don't get me wrong. Another MUST with social marketing is you MUST continue to have personal relationships and you MUST prospect now more than ever before. Web 2.0, 3.0, etc is here to stay and you need to find a way to get on board. But it is not the only answer. A robust online marketing solution creates a presence. Prospecting with presence creates wealth.

By the way, you can follow me on my web page, Linked In, Tweeter, my Blog and yes our soon to be released Massimo YouTube Channel. I still need to figure out the whole Facebook thing.

Rod N. Santomassimo is the founder and president of the Massimo Group, A Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM), Rod possesses 20 years of commercial real estate industry experience. The Massimo Group is a commercial real estate coaching and commercial real estate training organization focused on maximizing the income production of individual commercial real estate brokers and/or their teams.

As a commercial real estate broker can help you

2011-09-21T10:28:00.000-04:00

Commercial real estate is booming business; However, buying or selling commercial real estate, most likely you're going to need a little help. A good real estate broker can be invaluable for you, and they can provide you with a large amount of aid that never can give you. If you want to have a successful career in business with commercial real estate, more than likely will need to work with commercial real estate broker from time to time. Below are some of the great ways that commercial real estate broker can help you.

Value of local land

Having commercial real estate broker to work with you can be very useful when it comes to the value of local land. As an investor you can not always investing in commercial real estate in your area, and it can be difficult to figure out what the value of land in the area that you plan to invest in when working with commercial real estate, they usually have a good grasp on local land values and can help you make the right decisions on the basis of this information. This saves you having to perform a large amount of research to figure out the same information.

Access to city officials

If you are working in the field of commercial real estate for a long time, you know that in this work there are many times when you have to deal with various city officials. This can sometimes be tricky, because you may not be familiar with them, and you can be difficult to find time to talk with them. When you are working with commercial real estate broker, a lot of times you will find that they already have direct access to city officials who can accelerate your deal a lot of time.

Negotiations and building supply

Another great reason to broker commercial real estate is that they can do a lot of talks for you on the transaction. It is usually best to your broker, as a facilitator rather than direct access to another person in the transaction. The broker can is usually more efficient to discuss terms of the deal. They can also help you build proposals, as well, so you can imagine a good offer on a piece of commercial real estate.

Exit strategy

More than likely will at some point in time, when you find you must exit the commercial real estate transactions. It can be difficult to do on your own, but when you have commercial real estate broker to help you, can help you come up with a solid exit strategy when you need it. When you exit the transaction, you need to have a grand strategy, which is perfectly legitimate, or it may end up losing a lot of money. Having commercial real estate broker there to help you can provide a withdrawal from the deal in a legitimate manner, which does not hurt you as well.

Referral to other specialists

Commercial real estate brokers can also help you to refer to other professionals who may be useful for you as well. This is especially great if you're new to the industry of commercial real estate, you have just moved into a new area, or to invest outside the region where you live. It can be difficult to find good professionals to work with, such as lawyers, contractors, supervisors and engineers. When you are dealing with commercial real estate, you trust, they can refer you to other people that you can trust, and this saves you the hassle of trying to find some of these specialists independently, without whose recommendations for the transition, which could be catastrophic in some cases.

Lenders

Commercial real estate broker can help you with is the financing for the purchase of commercial real estate. The broker to work with a variety of different creditors every day, and if you are looking for funding for your business, more than likely they can steer you in the right direction. They may even know some private lenders who may have some help for you.

The first shot on target properties

Having a broker commercial real estate can be very useful for you, because they also allows you to have the first screenshot in certain target properties that they know about. no doubt there are times when you'll find a great property, only to learn that this was already under contract, and you talked too late. If the broker knows what you're looking for, they can pocket the listing, so you can have the first chance at it.

When you find a large commercial real estate broker, it is important that you keep on them. Great broker can be invaluable and can help you in various ways to help make you successful on the market for commercial real estate. Working in conjunction with the same great broker again and again could be mutually beneficial for both of you. They will receive compensation for your business, and you can enjoy the many benefits of working with a commercial real estate broker that you can trust. When you find a good broker, they are certainly worth the money you'll pay to use them.

Tony Seruga Seruga, Yolanda and Yolanda Bishop Maverick real estate investments, Inc. works with developers, developers and other industry participants to acquire and develop commercial real estate properties. They use advanced investment strategies that have proved to be immensely profitable. In addition to their own transactions they teach experienced and inexperienced investors how to be major players in the game. Visit the Web site for more information.

Commercial Real Estate Brokers - Tips to Negotiating and Closing

2011-09-21T03:44:00.000-04:00

Listening to the client in commercial real estate presentations is an important negotiation tool. We call that an effective listening process. It is not just a matter of listening to the discussion, but taking in the bigger picture of what the client is saying through various channels.

The channels you use will involve observation of body language, positioning in the room, responses to questions, emotions, and content of the discussion. Taken in balance, they all tell a complete story. They help you see what is really going on with the client.

In a listing process or the proposal presentation, you would normally be talking about:

The rentals in today's market
The prices in today's market
Competitive properties in today's market
The tenants looking for a property at the moment
The buyers looking for property at the moment
Property performance trends and results
Marketing alternatives that work given the existing market trends
What has happened with the property
What the client wants from the property
The timing of the process

So when questioning the client about their property needs, direct your listening to what is important to them and the outcomes they require. If they indicate ambiguity or lack of clarity, always question further and drill down. Your ability to dig into the true property situation will allow you to convert the listings with greater frequency. Every client has some form of property pain. The trick here is to find it and help them with it.

Given the pressures and changes of today's property market, it is not appropriate to take on every listing you come across unless the client is realistic in the elements of pricing, rental, and marketing the property. You can waste a lot of time and energy with poor listings and unmarketable property. Not every listing is a good listing, so be selective.

What you want in today's market is a property that is priced well, being offered to the market through the most effective method of sale or lease possible, and giving clear set of features and benefits to the purchasers or tenants out there (as the case may be). All of this should be built around the ideal target market that you are chasing.

A significant part of the listing process is the observation of emphasis and emotions in the words uttered by the client. Look for situations where they appear disturbed, uncertain, challenged, or unfocused. When these appear or rise to the service and the discussion, you can drill down and give or get the real facts of the current situation.

Your ability to question and observe will significantly assist your listing conversion process. Take time to practice in improve your skill in this regard.

Commercial Real Estate Brokers - What's Your Purpose in the Property Business?

2011-09-20T19:15:00.000-04:00

Selling and leasing commercial investment property can be done in two different ways from an individual point of view. The method you choose will largely impact the outcomes you get over the long term and your ability to create the success you require.

In simple terms you can do either of the following in your career in commercial real estate:

You prospect, list, sell, and lease commercial property so that you can get more income and become more successful, or
You can provide an exceptional level of specialised knowledge and service to those people that need to sell, lease, purchase, or develop commercial property. You sell from an inner core or purpose to really help your clients.

As the great Jim Rohn has said, 'Your career and job should be centered on the degree of improved value you can bring to the client. When you bring more personal value, the business and your success will follow'. What he was meaning here was that your ability to bring the prospect exceptional skills and unique knowledge will make you far more relevant and therefore successful.

I could not agree more. In the commercial property industry the majority of salespeople just serve the client with little specialty or excellence. Whilst they think they are doing a great job, the reality is that they are not much better than the agent or broker up the road. Generality breeds poor performance.

When they have nothing special to offer, the client will usually base their choice of agent on those with lower commissions or no or smaller advertising costs; totally the wrong choice and for all the wrong reasons. The end result is a poorly promoted property with little or no focus on outcome, success, and target market, time on market, or best price or rent. The clients deserve better and you deserve better.

When you do your job with a deliberate and greater personal focus or purpose on helping the client with their property problem, the market sees it, the client sees it, and you stand at a much higher level of excellence than your competitors. You are soon known as the best in the industry and your competitors respect you based around your high levels of success in listing, negotiation, closing, and conversion. That should be your ultimate goal. On that basis you should change your focus and improve your skills. Make sure you are of 'higher personal value' to your clients.

On that basis I ask you to now consider the question, 'What can you do for me that I cannot get with other agents?' Can I really see and feel that this point of difference that you claim to have actually exists? Is it relevant to me? Does it make you important to me?

This whole concept needs careful consideration if you want great success in the property industry as a property broker or agent. You need to make your mark in your area as the agent of choice. So how are you going to do that? In two simple words, specialise and practice.

The agent or broker that is the 'specialist' brings much more value to the client with property knowledge, negotiation ability, database control, documentary preparation, target marketing, presentational skills, and personal drive to achieve a great result at the best price or rent. If any of these are a weakness for you, then you have a target to practice on. Make yourself of greater 'value' to the client and results will follow. Good luck and may success be with you this year!

Commercial real estate brokers

2011-09-20T11:03:00.000-04:00

You should remember that the buying or selling commercial real estate is significantly different from the acquisition of residential property. That's why you need the help of brokers licensed commercial real estate to get the best deals.

Commercial real estate brokers can do for you

Licence of the commercial real estate, brokers are trained to help you market your commercial real estate to the right audience. Retail, Office, industrial or multi-family property will receive publicity, which will attract only the best buyers and investors.

Most commercial real estate brokers make use of multiple listing services and extensive multimedia network, make sure that your real estate reaches interested buyers. When you leave everything in the hands of brokers for commercial real estate, your property will find it's way to newspapers and Internet sites in no time.

What to look for in the commercial real estate brokers

More often than not experience distinguishes a good commercial real estate broker from a mediocre one. Choice of brokers who have at least 5 years experience successfully selling commercial real estate. These experienced professionals can bring many table-market instincts, deep knowledge in the field of research and development of real estate pitches and marketing ideas. A good commercial real estate brokers will not only help you sell your real estate commercial real estate, they will help you maximize the value of your assets before sale, so you can increase profits.

You should be looking for commercial real estate brokers who are ready to help you at any time, 12:0 am a day, seven days a week. Some brokerage firms are very efficient Web projects management technologies that allow you to access your project whenever you want. Some also have 24-hour telephone support.

Commercial real estate contains detailed information on commercial real estate, commercial real estate loans, commercial real estate agents, real estate brokers and more. Commercial real estate is a member of the National Association of Realtors [http://www. Realtors Web.com].

Using A Commercial Real Estate Broker When Renting Office Space

2011-09-20T01:49:00.000-04:00

Deciding to rent an office space for your business may seem like an overwhelming task especially for first time entrepreneurs. The sheer number of available listings and the wide range of rental prices may strike you hard on the face. However, leasing an office space can open up new professional possibilities for you that you may have never imagined.

More than the available units for lease, you first must determine the factors your business requires in an office space. This too adds to the herculean task you need to start when searching for such a unit.

But there is no need to worry as there is help available when searching for the perfect office space. One way is to hire a commercial real estate broker when renting an office space.

Commercial real estate brokers functions similarly as any real estate agent. Only, they are more specialized in conducting business between commercial space buyers and commercial space owners. Although there are many similarities when leasing residential property, acquiring a commercial rental is a process that is different in many ways and can often be made much easier with the help of a skilled commercial agent.

Just as any other brokers, they are also there to help you find the perfect office space that your budget and terms can afford. With their long list of commercial space owners, you are sure to find a couple that will cater to the needs of your company. There is a wide variety of both residential and commercial properties available for lease, and similar to when searching for the perfect residential property, the perfect commercial property for you can be found with time.

When dealing with a commercial real estate broker, remember to be straightforward about your set budget and terms and to provide clear and complete list of necessities that your business requires in an office unit. This way, your broker will be able to easily find the appropriate units for your company.

Ask your broker to provide you with at least three options and request for a schedule for viewing each, and if possible meeting the owners. Seeing the unit yourself and discussing initial concerns with the owners will help you weigh your choices before deciding on a unit.

A commercial real estate broker might cost additional fees on your budget. However, having an expert available in such situations will help you in doing smoother business transaction with the owners.

Ken Frick has been writing about commercial real estate for the past two years. He also enjoys writing about New York real estate topics, specifically useful information regarding Harlem apartments and Soho apartments.

How to Find the Right Commercial Real Estate Broker

2011-09-19T16:15:00.000-04:00

One of the things that can really catapult your success investing in apartments and commercial real estate is working with the right commercial broker. Finding a great deal is really all about the numbers, and getting more deals across your desk. Working with the right commercial broker will not only save you time, but make you a lot of money by getting opportunities in front of you.

So the question is, "How do you find the right commercial broker?"

I will "bottom line" this for you and make it easy. Make sure you find a broker that does nothing but investment real estate and specializes in it. DO NOT use a broker that is a "jack of all trades," meaning going from an open house on a Sunday to chatting with you about the 320 unit property on Monday.

You want someone that does nothing but spends time in the investment real estate world.

Why?

The specialized knowledge that a commercial broker has will be able to get you more GOOD opportunities to look at and because they know the market will be able to identify properties that can be very profitable. A good broker can also assist you in developing ways to purchase the property where you are making money at the closing table too. Plus they will help you avoid some of the common investment mistakes, as well.

This, more than any other of my "rules" is violated, and the investors that do violate this many times pay for it too. Make sure that you are not one of them.

Do you want to learn more about investing in commercial properties? Click the link below for my FREE 7-Part Investment e-Course. I'll also send you my FREE special report and teleseminar access "How to Buy Apartments and Commercial Real Estate With No Or Low Money Down."

Download it free here: Commercial Real Estate.

What Are The Benefits Of Hiring A Commercial Real Estate Broker?

2011-09-19T11:10:00.000-04:00

A commercial real estate broker is a person who acts as a link between a buyers and a sellers real estate. This relationship is one of fiduciary responsibility, meaning that it is a relationship based on trust.

The person appointed as the broker, has the responsibility of ensuring that his salespeople handle the transactions according to law. The sales people are known as real estate agents and their responsibilities include representing the seller or the buyer in the transactions and making sure that they get the best possible treatment. The agent representing the seller ensures that the seller receives the highest possible price for the property they are selling, while the agent of the buyer will negotiate for the lowest possible price. The buyer's agent will also try to find properties in the best structural shape that fits within their estimated price range.

In many places, such as the United States, it is mandatory for the broker to have a license to negotiate the sale and purchase of property. The broker can act as either the proprietor of a company or as an agent for another company. There are various ways to get the certification as a broker. One way is by going to school and passing a state test. Another way is to hold a position that automatically allows you to apply for and receive the certification, such being an attorney.

Following 1992, there were brokers from Florida and Colorado that recommended that the professional relationship between the agent and the client should be broken. Instead, they felt that the dealings between the two should be strictly limited to the actual sale and purchase of real estate, without taking the personal interest of the client into consideration. In Florida, the Broward Board of Realtors went so far as suggesting that the brokers and agents merely help the selling and purchasing parties with finalizing the sale, without the bond of trust. The only requirement being that they adhere to both legal and moral standards.

The result was that in 2003, Florida amended the law and made all real estate licensees have only a transaction relationship unless there is only one person acting as the representative for both parties. This will not apply if there is a business link between the two parties.

The change in the law also made it mandatory that the aspects of the transactions be made in writing and removed the dual and sub agency designations. A dual agency results when a broker handles the transactions of both the purchasing and the selling parties. Both parties would have agreed to this arrangement in writing. The sub agency agreement meant that two agents from the same brokerage would represent the selling and purchasing parties. Like a dual agency transaction, it would have to be agreed upon in writing by both parties to the transaction.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as commercial real estate loans at http://www.commercial-loans-now.com

Five key Condsiderations to select the right commercial real estate broker

2011-09-19T01:31:00.000-04:00

Commercial real estate Investing requires interaction with the right business broker to achieve your investment goals. The following five key considerations will determine if the broker will bring you the quality you're looking for a property of the stream and makes your business their priority.

The key point number one: do due diligence.

First do the same due diligence on your broker candidates at both the properties themselves. This increases the likelihood that a broker, you will have the right broker. Make sure a manual containing concrete objectives and the need to qualify your broker candidates. I research agents, which potentially will I work with. I've read their brochures, promotional literature, Web sites, by closing, etc. so I could cross reference to the powers and stories with other brokers on the market. Remember that the choice of the law of commercial real estate broker can potentially NET millions of dollars worth of time and money.

The key consideration number two: how long will the broker has been in business?

There are many brokers that intersect with the residential real estate commercial real estate, in an effort to "make big money." What they fail to realize that commercial real estate is more than just the sale or purchase of real estate. This requires the ability to understand and interpret a profit and loss account, rent rolls, third party contracts and many more specific instruments that are associated with each transaction. This is more than just writing the contract. If your potential broker is unable to ascertain the net income for the maintenance of the building or can't tell you what is the ratio of debt service, then you need to keep looking.

The key consideration number three: they retained the current developments in their profession, along with changes in the market?

Commercial real estate broker, ask about his or her authority, certification and education from the perspective of sales of commercial real estate. Commercial real estate broker may have many years of experience, but they should also be able to adapt to new methods of sale or purchase. If your broker is not in the loop about the latest trends in investors buying pools or how new technologies affect the market trends, you could potentially lose the property. I never deal with brokers who have some commercial experience, it is important to know who you are working from the perspective of their familiarity with the type of investment you are considering.

The key consideration number four: make it a point to see members of the broker.

This is important for determining the competence of their staff, to see if the transaction will be handled with professionalism and efficiency. The right broker will have key employees who have a wealth of knowledge on the region and the ability to produce a smooth transaction. Things to consider: who they know will help me build my team? What type of relations they have in the industry? They maintain extensive relations that can help me in developing market contacts?

The key consideration number five: at the outset, make sure your broker is loyal to your needs as an investor and not in a conflict of interest.

Broker with fiduciary interest in a property incapable of putting my needs first. I am very careful to deal with ambiguity business forward all contractual relations and would work with someone on the basis of their loyalty to me being their first priority. Notice how quickly they return phone calls after the meeting. This may seem insignificant, but he said something about their professionalism and how they do business. Firstly, the broker will have information about the market that you will not, especially if they worked in the area for an extended period of time. I worked with the brokers who sold exactly the same properties several times. They can give me a story about creating conditions and property that I was not able to obtain from other sources.

Interview as many brokers, you must make sure that they are a good match for your business. The right broker will find commercial properties that satisfy your investment and business criteria. In the long term, this business relationship that grows over time, so his point to develop these relationships. Clear investment criteria will help to reduce problems, finding the right broker. Some resources that can help you start your process will be the National Association of Realtors, recommendations from other investors, checking the professional periodicals online and off, investment associations and Word of mouth from trusted allies.

SUMMARY:

-Choose your CFD provider carefully-too do your due diligence

-Make sure that they have specific commercial education and work experience

-Know how they work and time required from contract to close

-Need to clearly understand the properties that you are looking for

-Make sure the broker always work in your interest

-To evaluate their employees the same way you do the broker

-Close, when you say that you are-so they get

-Take good care of your relationships-it will get more and more valuable over time

Learn more from individual investor education resources:

Investor tours University is a dedicated resource, helping investors build wealth and achieve some level of success. We offer art commercial real estate investing education, tailored to meet the needs of investors with diverse experience and level. Our faculty consists of a network of national experts in the legal, tax, investment strategy, asset management, acquisition and sales professionals who practice what they teach investors, which is how to achieve intergenerational wealth through commercial real estate.

Monte Li-Wen is a writer, Director and founder of investor tours University. His website http://www.investortours.com —

ITU is a subsidiary of the Group's acquisition of property in partnership PPA group from Austin, Texas. PPA group has reserves of more than 40 million dollars in commercial real estate with the projected goal of over $ 100 million in the acquisition of commercial real estate at the end of the fourth quarter of 2007. Visit http://www.theppagroup.com

PPA group does business in all 50 States. Monte may be contacted at (512) 651-0513. ITU is the # 1 resource for education, taught in the depth of commercial real estate investment education offering property investment system of Monte Li-Wen.

Investor tours University currently offers:
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7 Secrets of Extremely Successful Commercial Real Estate Brokers

2011-09-18T18:42:00.000-04:00

Let's get real here - successful brokers are different, here's why:

Big Goals - All successful brokers have big goals. After all if you can't think big, how on earth do you expect to achieve big? Success brokers aren't afraid to think big; thinking big results in big goals and big goals get you BIG RESULTS.

Just imagine, what would happen of you actually declared a big goal you are secreting wishing for but afraid to act on? You'd probably reach it!

Daily Planning - An extremely successful broker wouldn't dream of starting his (or her) day without spending time first thing in the morning planning the day. This includes creating a list of calls to be made, emails to be sent, deciding what correspondence needs to go out, reviewing what action steps to take, and so on.

Daily planning guarantees you will be in action all day doing the things that support your (big) goals. This method sure does beat spinning your wheels!

Delegation - Successful brokers have great support teams in place because they realize can't do it all alone. I recently heard about a rule of thumb stipulating that for each $300,000 in commissions netted by a broker one full time assistant is needed.

Who's on your team? Make a list of everyone who helps you get your job done. People like your assistant, virtual assistant, lawyer, accountant, webmaster, marketing assistant, possibly a runner, a college student who is doing an internship and anyone else you need on your team to do your job and do it with excellence.

Who's missing?

Time Blocking - A time and a place for everything, successful brokers practice this with ease. Wouldn't things be easier if you knew what you needed to do and when?

What would it be like if you knew that everything that needed to be accomplished would be, and exactly what day and time it would happen?

If your clients knew you returned your calls every day between 10 and 10:30 and then again between 4:00 and 5:00, if they knew you'd respond to their email daily at 11:00, or were available every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons after lunch to meet - would they be clear what to expect from you? Would life suddenly be easier for you? This is called Time Blocking.

Write out all activities you do each day and week and set times in your weekly calendar to complete them. Treat them as you would a doctor's appointment. After all you'd never cancel a doctor's appointment because you'd be charged a fee and wouldn't get in to see him until the next opening - often a couple of weeks later.

Time Blocking Guarantees Success when followed.

Systems - Do you ever notice how the top brokers in your office seem to get so much done? That's because they have systems in place. Systems such as office operations, goal setting, time management, lead generation, marketing, sales, closing, even a system for follow up. (For more information on these systems, join my Commercial Real Estate Success Inner Circle being re-launched within the next 30 days).

Having systems in place takes the guess work away. It becomes easier to get more done in less time because you know exactly what to do and exactly what to delegate.

A great book to read to learn more about having systems in place is, "The E-Myth Revisited" by Michael Gerber. It's worth reading; or get the audio CD set and listen to it while driving.

Accountability - Top brokers have accountably in place. They are accountable to themselves, their team, their business coach, their clients and their families.

Make sure you have at least one person or support system in place to help assist you in your business goal accountability. It's amazing how much more you will accomplish if you have only two choices: just doing it; or reporting failure to your accountability partner.

Follow Through - This is where the distinction is made between the best and the mediocre. Do you have a follow up system in place? Do you know what requires follow up and how often? Do you ever procrastinate following up only to discover too much time has past and now you're embarrassed to follow up?

Create a follow up checklist for each client and prospect and refer to it daily during your planning time to be certain nothing falls through the cracks. Go beyond what most do for expected follow up.

Believe me, if you don't sharpen and improve your follow up skills, there are 99 other brokers waiting to steal your business.

Cindy Spivack, CEO and President of Cindy Spivack International, Inc., teaches Commercial Real Estate Professionals 7 Key Strategies for building an enormously successful commercial real estate business in 12 months or less. For free how-to-articles and powerful lead generation and time management tips go to Cindy's websites at http://www.cindyspivack.com and http://www.commercialREsuccess.com or email her at cindy@cindyspivack.com.

14 Questions to find the best commercial real estate broker in any niche

2011-09-18T11:58:00.000-04:00

You have a commercial real estate brokers as part of your investment team? A good broker is a member of the basic commands, because they have access to opportunities before they are listed. But how do you develop professional relationships with local broker when you're in a new market? Here's how you can access them.

Find agents with experience in your niche, identified. Use several in each market and professional relationships based on mutual contacts. Brokers earn their living selling commercial real estate and they will be your best connection chosen market, if you can close on the property. Close once and they'll tell you their network.

Here are 14 questions that you can start searching large Broker:

ASK for and check out at least three links from similar completed transactions.
Learn about their experience. How many years you have as a licensed real estate professional in my niche?
With regard to time management: how much time they spend as a mediator, as opposed to management, insurance, real estate syndication, and other activities?
Which transactions have they join last year?
They support the Organization's staff and access to leave the market lists?
Ask about the most recent private properties where they came from a buyer, how about a seller?
Ask the nature and ethical refs for those buyers and sellers.
What are the membership in professional organizations they active?
What market forces should know about?
Who is my competition?
How much time can I expect you to give my purchase?
I would like to access data, the market in my niche that you are available that I can't get elsewhere.
As regards the sale: will you advertise our lists or purchase and you are working with other brokers?
We recommend the top commercial property managers, mortgage brokers, commercial real estate attorneys and experienced escrow/Title agents, you have worked with.

You want to know more information like this? If so, check out why Doctors invest can provide you with the full support and the financing you need for success. You don't need to be a doctor to invest like one.

Doctors Invest works with accredited investors and funds, acquisition and finance to diversify the portfolios of niche commercial real estate. We support the accountability to provide excellent ROI. We make high-yield, short term investments our business so you can make a return on investment of your business. Our results, your winnings.

3 Keys to Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Success

2011-09-17T19:17:00.000-04:00

There is an old adage in real estate. In order enhance the likelihood of closing a deal, you need to ensure you are working with a buyer, seller, user, landlord and/or tenant who is "ready, willing, and able" to consummate the transaction. Ready, willing and able are great qualifiers when working with prospects and clients. The ability of qualifying well is a skill procured by commercial real estate brokers after many years in the industry. And yes, it is a skill likely acquired through failure, or in some cases getting burnt by an unscrupulous client.

But if a qualified prospect or client is "ready, willing and able", what are the 3 analogous characteristics of a truly qualified and successful commercial real estate broker? The three keys to commercial real estate brokerage success are the individual broker must have 1) The Skill 2) The Will and 3) The Thrill.

Skill is not talent. Don't confuse the two. I have worked with many talented brokers. They were naturally charismatic, very astute in a particular element of a transaction or a good negotiator. Many of us are born with certain talents. No one is born with a skill. Skills are acquired through hard work, experience (the aforementioned failures), and practice. Show me a top producing broker and I will show you someone with skill. Yes, they may have talent, but they definitely have the skill.

Will is the decision to put in the hours and work on each of the many variables associated with commercial real estate brokerage to truly acquire the skill. Think about those who are market leaders and they are most likely the hardest working brokers in your office. If not, they certain put forth the effort early on in their career to create a platform of continued lead generation. Today there seems to be a belief that the web is going decrease the need for hard work. The web, if utilized correctly, can be a great source for lead generation but ultimately you must have the will to develop the skills necessary to do something with those leads.

Thrill is the separator of all true top performers. They love what they are doing and see every day as both an opportunity and a challenge. Top performers don't view the work necessary to acquire the skills as necessary evils. They view these as personal investments in their growth. They have the will to acquire the skill and even more so, they are thrilled to do it.

To succeed in this market and to be a leader in any market, you must have all three. There is no doubt a wide range of SKILL among the brokerage community. I assume all of you are WILLING to do this, or you would not be doing so. Lastly, but most importantly, you must have the THRILL. Are you passionate about your business? Do you see each and every day as a challenge and an opportunity?

Possess all three of these keys and you will greatly enhance your probability of success.

Commercial Real Estate

2011-09-17T10:03:00.001-04:00

The commercial real estate business is definitely picking up, and now may be a good time to invest. In 2004, prices of commercial real estate properties rose exponentially - 26 percent for apartment complexes, 21 percent for industrial properties, 14 percent for retail properties and six percent for office buildings.

If you're thinking about investing in commercial real estate, but you don't know where to start -- read on for some guidelines.

Commercial real estate defined

The first step to buying commercial real estate property is knowing what you are buying. Commercial real estate refers to any real property, excluding a dwelling, or property with one to four dwelling units used for residential purposes. The phrase "commercial real estate"" consists of (but is not limited to) properties used for industrial, commercial, medical or educational purposes, and properties with four or more units used for residential purposes.

Find help buying commercial real estate properties

Buying commercial real estate can get very tricky, if you are not well versed in the real estate business. Do no t attempt to do it by yourself - seek the help of professionals who can help you through the process of finding the perfect property, taking care of the paperwork and closing the deal.

A professional commercial real estate brokers are specially trained to handle commercial real estate transactions that are very different from regular real estate deals. A professional commercial real estate broker can also inform you of prime commercial real estate that are for sale. Institutional and private investors often 'secretly' sell off parts of their commercial property portfolios, and a commercial property broker can let you in on this insider information.