Commercial Investment Real Estate March/April 2013

Hiring on the Upswing From a survey of 900 commercial real estate professionals 44% 35% 37% 38% 28% 18% Increase Company-wide hiring 2012 Decrease Remain the same 2013F Source: Select Leaders, Dec. 2012 connect with end users of commercial real estate. “Another great way to network is to set up three to four lunches every week with local real estate attorneys, CPAs, lenders, and others who are in the business and are great sources of referrals,” Messina adds. But the sheer number of potential networking opportunities can be overwhelming, says Ken Wimberly, CCIM, managing director of Noble Crest Property Group/KW Commercial in Arlington, Texas. He focuses on industry groups such as the Greater Fort Worth Society of Commercial Realtors and his local commercial informa- tion exchange, for which he served as president. “It is imperative to know the deal makers in the business and to get known as the expert,” he says. New CCIMs are also f nding fellow deal makers online. Rein uses LinkedIn to expand his networking reach and build trust among potential colleagues and clients. His posts on Austin market trends, for example, have generated interest from investors based in his home state of Arizona. And while technology such as social media has been a boon to many industry professionals, simply inviting a colleague to lunch can foster the strongest connections and yield timeless bits of wis- dom. For example, when Cabezut changed careers, she had lunch with a well-respected professional who had 40 years of experience. “I asked him, if he had only one piece of advice he could give me about commercial real estate, what would it be?” she says. “He paused for a moment, then looked me in the eye and said, ‘It doesn’t matter what the market is doing: T ere is always someone out there who has a need.’” Whether they’ve held the designation for one year or 40 years, CCIMs who are ready to adapt can meet that need. MORE ADVICE FROM THE NEW GENERATION Know your limits. “Don’t be afraid to spread your property type, but know your limits,” says Davide F. Pio, CCIM, CRS, LEED-AP, a broker associate with BCRE in Pinole, Calif. “If you think you like ofﬁ ce and retail but have an opportunity to work an apartment deal, co- broker it with a knowledgeable associate in that ﬁ eld to get the experience. I’ve seen investment brokers switch to tenant reps and apartment brokers become heavy on the ofﬁ ce/industrial end of things.” Be ﬂ exible. “I’m willing to adapt and use new tech- niques and practices,” says G. Anthony Baldwin, CCIM, broker/owner with Baldwin Realty Group in Carver, Mass. “Oftentimes, an experienced practitioner will be set in their ways, unable to allow themselves to break their habits, even when those new techniques can prove to be an asset.” Obtain the CCIM designation. “When I explain my CCIM courses to people, I tell them that I learned more practical real-world tools and knowledge in my CCIM coursework than I did from my college and gradu- ate school business professors,” says John L. Hum- mer, CCIM, president of Steinborn TCN Commercial Real Estate in Las Cruces, N.M. “The instructors and courses are outstanding.” Keep your head up. “Persevere!” says Michael T. Giuliano, CCIM, senior vice president with Lee & Associ- ates in Ontario, Calif. “It’s easy to get discouraged when starting off in this business, which can feel ruthless, overwhelming, and unfulﬁ lling at ﬁ rst.” Use the tools. “I utilize almost all of the tools available to me through CCIM — STDB, REI Wise, CCIMREDEX, CCIM MailBridge,” says Bob Rein, CCIM, associate vice president with NAI REOC in Austin, Texas. “I also stay educated by taking CCIM’s Ward Center for Real Estate Studies courses and incorporating methodologies like [CCIM Instructor] Mark Polon’s Creating Reliable Valua- tions in determining property values.” Leverage technology. “I’m big on database organiza- tion,” says Paul Z. Matysek, CCIM, of Matysek Invest- ment Group in Torrance, Calif. “It’s the Google concept. The better organized you are with your information … and the more quickly you can bring it forth when needed, the more impressive and valuable you become to clients. Brokers are connectors and leaders of trans- actions. The art of it is knowing when to push, pull, or drop and move on to increase the percentages.” Rich Rosfelder is associate editor of Commercial Investment Real Estate. 40 March | April | 2013 Commercial Investment Real Estate

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