As we near the end of the year, we make some time for our last Five for Friday interview of 2018. This time, we feature Partner Circle award winner Damien Lanclos, CCIM, Managing Director at SVN KD Lanclos & Associates. Damien’s product specialties are investment sales, land and development, multi-family, and self-storage. His market area is Augusta, Georgia and surroundings.
What advice would you provide to an aspiring advisor who is new to the industry?
Sprint, do not walk, to earn your CCIM designation. I came to the industry from the corporate pharmaceutical industry. So, not having an understanding of the terms and machinations of our industry was a glaring weakness. Needless to say, the CCIM education propelled me into speaking the language of my clients and afforded me the ability to advise them well relative to their needs.
What does the SVN Difference mean to you?
A client, when speaking to me about why their company was outstanding, said this: “a company is known by the people it keeps.” SVN is a great company due to the “can do” ethos it exhibits.
What learning tools (book, blog, website, etc.) would you recommend to your colleagues to further their knowledge and enhance their careers?
There are many adages in our industry, and two that we hear often are: “under all lies the land” and “it’s all about the rent.” I highly recommend taking CCIM instructor Jeff Englestad’s course on real estate development. It’s a very granular look at the answer to an email question I often get: “what is the land worth?” Understanding the dynamics of land acquisition costs, improvements, construction costs, interest rates and yield spreads, gives me a deeper understanding of the important, underlying fundamentals of any deal.
What was your most memorable deal and why?
Last year I closed a $34,850,000 Multifamily Portfolio for developer clients for whom I have immense respect. The fact that they still speak glowingly about the transaction and my approach to the deal and the turns it took, to me, means a great deal.
List a fun fact to share about yourself – something that people may not know and that they may be surprised to find out.
Annually, my family and friends ride BRAG — the Bike Ride Across Georgia. BRAG is a week-long event where hundreds of cyclists ride approximately 60 miles a day through some of the most beautiful back roads and small towns — wonderful scenery! Thankfully, the route changes each year as last year’s route was in the mountains and it made me say “my bacon is achin’!” a few too many times.
Looking to pursue a career in commercial real estate? Check out the SVN careers page.