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5 for Friday with Jim Morgan of Sperry Van Ness/Investec Services

This week, our 5 for Friday features Jim Morgan, CCIM, Managing Director with SVN/Investec Services based out of Jacksonville, FL.

Jim Morgan, CCIM, Managing Director, SVN/Investec Services
Jim Morgan, CCIM, Managing Director, SVN/Investec Services

1. What is your geographic market and product specialty?
Northeast Florida and Jacksonville SMSA. Lately, I have focused on distressed assets and helping SVN advisors bring clients to this area. As the market returns, my specialties are land, office, retail, and motivated clients. My CCIM and Master’s level qualification, can handle most market types. SVN’s marketing program is a great boost.

2. What’s your latest best practice tip that you can share?
Talking with clients, sharing educational information, experience, valuation techniques, and sharing current market information while listening to their objectives and measuring their abilities leads to cooperative success.

3. What’s been the biggest change over on how you run your business in the past decade?
The speed of technology and the ability to attractively answer inquires and produce information is amazing. You still have to ensure the information is received and understood.

4. What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues?
“Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t” by Jim Collins and “Brokers Who Dominate” by Rod Santomassimo.

5. What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you?
I flew as a commercially trained instrument pilot privately for 28 years and my family are the descendants of Florida’s pioneers that were here before statehood in 1845.

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

Diane Danielson & Karen Hurd attend CREW Network Convention 2013

Diane Danielson, Chief Platform Officer, and Karen Hurd, National Sales Director, represented Sperry Van Ness at the annual CREW Network Convention & Marketplace October 9–12 in Dallas. Along with more than 1,000 real estate firms from across the country, attendees came together to shape the future of the industry and focused on this year’s theme–“The Power of Perspective.”

Below we’ve interviewed Karen Hurd about her experience at the conference and her top takeaways.

SVNIC: Karen, why is it important to attend The CREW Conference?
Karen: CREW Network is one of the CRE industry’s premier business networking organizations dedicated to advancing the achievements of women in commercial real estate. Personally, for me, the annual CREW Network Convention is a great opportunity to network, exchange ideas, refer deals, gain knowledge, hear from top industry professionals and collaborate with over 1000 CRE women and key decision makers from all over the country.

SVNIC: Share your best takeaway from the event for our advisor team.
Karen: My greatest takeaway from the convention is “The Power of Perspective” and how it shapes and impacts your life and your career as well as your future in commercial real estate. Always remember that perception creates reality. Take a look at my personal objectives that we post on the CREW 2013 Network Convention website.

Other great takeaways–get involved in a committee and building relationships in your local CREW Chapter. You may be surprised how easy it can be to find new business opportunities.

SVNIC: What was your favorite session?
Karen: That’s a tough one! There were so many great sessions at CREW. The Marketplace Opening Night Reception is always my favorite because of the energy and buzz that fills the room–you can see and hear about deals in the works and the strong desire to do business. The Impact Awards Dinner this year was especially outstanding as it touched home to me. I had the privilege to see fellow Boston NEWIRE members recognized for their Economic and Community Involvement for their roles in revitalizing the Dudley Square project in Roxbury, MA. It has been one of Boston Mayor Thomas Menino’s top priorities in recent years and is now well underway. Outstanding!

SVNIC: Who was your favorite presenter and why?
Karen: Barbara Corcoran for sure. She has a great story to tell. I do appreciate her candor and honesty. She is driven, shares great life lessons and her business savvy and work ethic is inspiring to me.

Diane Danielson and Karen Hurd attend the 2013 CREW Network Convention & Marketplace
Diane and Karen pictured with members of NEWiRE Boston, who also attended the conference

Diane and Karen pictured with members NEWiRE Boston, who also attended the conference

SVNIC: How did the Sperry Van Ness booth fare?
Karen: Exceptionally well. As SVN looks to grow in new markets in 2014, having a presence in the Marketplace was huge for us. With over 500 visitors to our booth alone and back-to-back appointments, the SVN Difference became known and we definitely “got the word out”. We were also searching for CREW Members to consider joining an existing SVN team or consider establishing their own franchise in a market where we do not have a presence. There were many CRE Brokers and Property Managers asking us a lot of questions! It was also great to hear about stories of collaboration with SVN Advisors in the field. One woman had recently done over a $10+ million deal with one of our advisors out of Salem, OR as a result of attending the Portland Oregon Regional Conference.

SVNIC: The theme of this year’s conference was–“The Power of Perspective?” What does this mean and how can we apply it to everyday CRE?
Karen: When you claim your power to perceive, you realize you have the ability to shape your life. Knowing how you want to be perceived is key to all your relationships and how you will communicate with others in your personal as well as professional life. When you have an intention, you can make decisions that will drive you closer to achieving that goal. What is your intention? You should always know the answer to this.

How you communicate with others and how you are perceived by others will impact business decisions. This can be a game changer for us all in all of our CRE careers. Always be mindful of what the person sitting across from is hearing from you and what their perception is. You have the power to create perception!

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

5 for Friday with Brian Heller of Sperry Van Ness/Rich Investment Real Estate Partners

Brian Heller, Senior Advisors, SVN/Rich Investments Real Estate Partners
Brian Heller, Senior Advisors, SVN/Rich Investments Real Estate Partners

This week, our 5 for Friday features Brian Heller, Senior Advisors with SVN/Rich Investment Real Estate Partners based out of Los Angeles, CA.

1. What is your geographic market and product specialty?
I specialize in commercial investment transactions in the Greater Los Angeles area; with further focus in the West Los Angeles submarkets including Beverly Hills, Westwood, Brentwood, Santa Monica, Palms, West Hollywood, and Pico-Robertson.  Additionally I’m part of a team with our Managing Partner Dan Baird and Advisor Michael Chang that collectively specializes in the areas including Downtown LA, Koreatown/Mid-Wilshire, Hollywood, and the San Fernando Valley.

My prime focus is representing clients in the acquisition and disposition of apartment buildings, sourcing real estate investment opportunities, marketing properties, negotiating contracts, financial and market analysis, 1031 exchanges, and escrow management.  Furthermore, I’m proficient in property management and am currently overseeing multi-family units in West Hollywood.

2. What’s your latest best practice tip that you can share?
Improve your social media presence on LinkedIn.  Have a strong profile with a professional photo along with your skills and experience, links to your Sperry Van Ness Bio, personal website, etc.  Add two or more connections weekly, and devote thirty minutes a week to posting off market deals, joining groups, and sharing news articles and personal updates with your sphere of influence, clients and related industry connections.  It’s a great way to add value to the relationship and helps illustrate you are an expert in your market and product type!

3. What’s been the biggest change over on how you run your business in the past decade?
Two Words: Constant Contact.  A good email marketing campaign is now more effective than a good call.  I’m not saying that cold and warm calling isn’t a huge part of our business, but if you can get the information to your entire client database in two seconds, and let them come back to you for more information, you’ve immediately determined who the top candidates are for the deal without having to make 2,500 calls.  If your deal doesn’t get sold from the “first responders” you can still make those calls.

4. What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues?
“Getting To Yes” by Roger Fisher and William Ury. Bottom line, it’s all about negotiating the coveted “win-win” scenario and based on the work of the Harvard Negotiation Project, a group that deals continually with all levels of negotiation, conflict resolution from domestic business to international.

5. What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you?
I worked on several seasons of the acclaimed reality television show Survivor, helping to produce the Challenges and Rewards.  You can’t imagine how much time, effort, manpower, money, coordination and government support is required to make a hit television show, especially in China, where I lived for three months while on set.

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

Les McKeown Talk at the Inc. 500 | 5000 Conference

Les_McKeown
Les McKeown, President & CEO of Predictable Success

SVNIC was recently honored for its remarkable achievements and being one of America’s fastest-growing privately held companies at the Inc. 500 | 5000 Conference in Washington DC on October 10-12. Always a crowd pleaser, Les McKeown, best-selling author (Predictable Success: Getting Your Organization On the Growth Track – and Keeping It There) and builder of more than 40 start-up organizations worldwide, gave a powerful talk to thousands in attendance at the Gaylord Convention Center. McKeown focused on the 4 stages every business goes through in a comedic, yet insightful presentation.

These stages, include:

    1. Early Struggle
    2. Fun
    3. White Water
    4. Predictable Success
    5. Treadmill
    6. The Big Rut

Les_McKeown 1

 

He also pinpointed key leadership roles in every organization and his/her characteristics. Definitely worth the read! For more information about McKeown’s speeches, his successful organizations and more, go to Predictable Success.

 

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

CRE Tech Talk Denver

More than 40 advisors from across the nation attended our “Tech Talk Denver” on Thursday evening, October 24. The event preceded the 2013 CCIM Live Conference.  Diane Danielson, CPO, Bo Barron, CCIM and Karen Hurd, Sales Director spoke about how the SVNIC team leverages the latest technology for profitability. They touched upon the importance of establishing an online presence and credibility using social media. Advisors from the following states were represented: CO, KY, MD, AZ, CA, OR, IL, GA and MA. Great insights, food and drink were had by all. Many thanks to those who attended.

CRE Tech Talk Denver

Sperry Van Ness was also a sponsor of the CCIM conference. See our Facebook page for photos by clicking here.

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

Inc. 500 | 5000 Conference Keynote Speaker, Jim Collins

Inc. 500 | 5000 Conference Keynote Speaker, Jim Collins
Inc. 500 | 5000 Conference Keynote Speaker, Jim Collins

SVNIC was represented at the Inc. 500 | 5000 Conference in Washington DC, October 10-12. Best-selling author and researcher, Jim Collins (Built to Last, Good to Great) was a keynote speaker. His inspiring talk, entitled “From Company to Combat: How to Lead in Any Environment” was attended by thousands. Collins focused on how to build great businesses, bringing your business to the next level and the power of a “Level 5 Leader.” Collins also outlined 12 important questions every organizational leader should ask him/herself each month. Some example questions, include:

  1. Do we want to build an enduring great company (or social sector enterprise), and are we will to strive for
    Level 5 Leadership?
  2. On what core values and enduring purpose will we build our culture for 100 years?
  3. Do we have the right people on the bus, and are 95% of our key seats filled with the right people?
  4. What are the brutal facts and how can we better live the Stockdale Paradox?

Check out the rest of the questions on Collin’s website or click here.

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

5 for Friday with Steve Martin of Sperry Van Ness/Martin Commercial Group

This week, our 5 for Friday features Steve Martin, CCIM, CPM, Managing Director with SVN/Martin Commercial Group.

Steve Martin, CCIM, CPM, Managing Director, SVN/Martin Commercial Group
Steve Martin, CCIM, CPM, Managing Director, SVN/Martin Commercial Group

 1.   What is your geographic market and product specialty?
We have two offices with one in Evansville, IN and the other in Indianapolis, IN. Our geographic market is primarily from Indianapolis to Evansville, IN through Western KY down to Nashville, TN. My product specialty is apartments although my team does a fair amount of NNN in our as well.

2.  What’s your latest best practice tip that you can share?
Keep your technology simple and yet effective. I love technology and yet it is easy for technology lovers, like myself, to look at the capabilities and forget about the difficulty of implementing it when multiple people are involved. The biggest challenge is learning how to effectively use technology to improve our business instead of using it because it is the latest and greatest gadget. We are working hard this year to make our technology effective but simple for our team’s success.

3.  What’s been the biggest change over on how you run your business in the past decade?
There are two major changes for me. First, I have become a firm believer in Richard Flint’s mantra, “Behavior Never Lies”. Whether it’s clients, employees, advisors, friends, family or just “people”, I have changed my approach to business by watching their behavior more and listening to their spin less.

Secondly, we are changing to a much more collaborative accountable & mobile organization and believe we will be paperless by the end of 2014. This requires totally different management styles and business approaches than paper and filing cabinets has in the past.

4.   What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues?
I have a “Mastermind Group” of people of a similar age with many of the same business issues but in unrelated, non-competitive industries. We meet every month and always have a book that is part of our self-examination of the members of the group. We started with “Good to Great” by Jim Collins and it is a staple of our discussions and actions. It has paid great dividends for everyone in the group. Our current book is “The 4 Disciplines of Execution” by Sean Covey. It is likewise making a great impact and I recommend it highly.

5.    What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you?
I have only had one job other than owning The Martin Group of Companies and it lasted 6 months after college & then my Father and I embarked on building an apartment development company.  That was 36 years ago and I am blessed to work with my father everyday for the past 36 years.  In addition, I asked my wife to fill in for us in accounting for a few weeks 14 years ago but I’ve never stopped her temporary job!  Lastly, our third generation (Alex & Andy) is now joining us in our Indianapolis office and we are most excited about the future.

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

Join SVNIC at the CRE Tech Tools Seminar in Denver, Colorado

SVNIC will also be hosting a live “CRE Tech Tools” seminar on Thursday, October 24th in Denver, Co. Come join us for tech talk and complimentary cocktail reception and learn more about how you can use LinkedIn, Twitter, online publishing, CRM and other tools to grow your business as well as learn about the Sperry Van Ness® franchise platform. For additional details or to register, CLICK HERE.

TT Seminar

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

Kevin Maggiacomo Wakes up the American Dream in #TEDx Talk

In September, Kevin Maggiacomo, President and CEO of Sperry Van Ness International Corporation was asked to speak at TEDxOrange Coast. Watch the video below to hear his unique take on why and how we all need to wake up the American Dream.

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

5 for Friday with Tim House of Sperry Van Ness/Team Southwest, Inc.

Tim House, Managing Director, SVN/Team Southwest, Inc.
Tim House, Managing Director, SVN/Team Southwest, Inc.

This week, our 5 for Friday features Tim House, Managing Director with SVN/Team Southwest, Inc.

 1.   What is your geographic market and product specialty?
My geographic market is Albuquerque and Santa Fe, NM, but I cover the US, working on net leased properties for investment clients. My focus is on NNN investment properties as well as REO disposition for several banks that are long time clients.

2.  What’s your latest best practice tip that you can share?
Maniacal focus on business and personal goals and working with a coach to assist with that focus.

3.  What’s been the biggest change over on how you run your business in the past decade? 
The use of virtual assistants, electronic marketing and web meetings. The changes have increased my available time and decreased time to market and expenses. I work with a marketing assistant in Pennsylvania and an administrative assistant in Texas. My team has access to  listings, buy side assignments, forms, etc. at all times from anywhere.

4.   What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues?
“Selling the Invisible” by Harry Beckwith

5.    What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you?
I was a contractor and builder prior to getting active in commercial brokerage and built high end adobe homes in Santa Fe. I miss the artistic component so for relaxation I build doors and furniture in my workshop which is an old dairy barn (circa 1910). I also help family and friends with construction projects.

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

5 for Friday with John McClellan of SVN/Miller Commercial Real Estate

John McClellan, CCIM, Senior Advisor, SVN/Miller Commercial Real Estate
John McClellan, CCIM, Senior Advisor, SVN/Miller Commercial Real Estate

This week, our 5 for Friday features John McClellan, CCIM, Senior Advisor with SVN/Miller Commercial Real Estate.

 1.   What is your geographic market and product specialty?
The Eastern Shore of Maryland and Delaware. I specialize in office, industrial and retail properties.

2.  What’s your latest best practice tip that you can share?
I have found great success in 3 key areas:

  • Daily planning
  • Using my spreadsheets to track all deals by date and probability
  • Blocked time with phones and email shut off to “get stuff done”

3.  What’s been the biggest change over on how you run your business in the past decade? 
The biggest change would have to be the surge in how we use technology to connect with and update potential buyers and clients. The use of social media, websites, even apps for iPads and other devices, have become invaluable tools in how I conduct day-to-day business.

4.   What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues?
“Brokers who Dominate” by Rod Santomassimo

5.    What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you?
I am a passionate but conflicted college football fan having graduated from Penn State but with two kids in college at South Carolina and Alabama.

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

SVNIC Exhibiting at the 2013 CREW Convention & Marketplace

The 2013 annual CREW Network Convention & Marketplace will be held October 9-12 at the Omni Hotel in Dallas, Tx. This 3-day event offers industry professionals access to top speakers, educational sessions, leadership training and industry exhibitors.

Sperry Van Ness International Corporation will be an exhibitor at the marketplace event at this year’s convention. This event is dedicated to networking, doing business, and sharing innovative ideas. In attendance from SVNIC will be Diane Danielson and Karen Hurd.

CREW Invite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*All Sperry Van Ness® offices are independently owned and operated.

5 for Friday with Bill Menish of SVN/Ward Commercial Group

This week, our 5 for Friday features Bill Menish, CAI, AARE , senior advisor with SVN/Ward Commercial Group in Louisville, KY.

Bill Menish, CAI, AARE, BAS, Owner/Auctioneer, Erler Menish Auctions
Bill Menish, CAI, AARE, BAS, Owner/Auctioneer, Erler Menish Auctions

1.   What is your geographic market and product specialty? 
My geographic market is Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Southern California.  My specialty is Auction.

2.  What’s your latest best practice tip that you can share? 
My latest best practice tip is that when cold calling on bank clients to help them sell their OREO, if you can offer something new, innovative, creative with a track record for success, they will talk to you.  I’ve also found that inviting them to a lunch presentation works well because it helps them drop their guard and really listen to what you are pitching.

3.  What’s been the biggest change over on how you run your business in the past decade? 
My biggest change has been moving from selling non-distressed properties for sellers to selling distressed properties for banks.

4.   What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues?  
The Success Principles by Jack Canfiel

5.    What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you? 
That I am an actor and a singer and I was Harold Hill in The Music Man.

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

Sperry Van Ness Western Regional Conference 2013

Portland, Oregon–More than 70 advisors, managing directors and operational staff came together September 11 and12 for an insightful Regional Training session. The event was produced by regional franchisees and organized by Curt Arthur, SIOR, Managing Director Sperry Van Ness, Salem, Oregon and his amazing team Meghan Salinas and Christy Bailey.

The corporate team was pleased to be in attendance and kicking off the events was Sperry Van Ness CEO and President, Kevin Maggiacomo. Other speakers included–Diane Danielson, Chief Platform Officer, who revealed exciting new technology advances that the company will be using in the near future. Bo Barron, Vice President of Development, spoke to using key performance indicators and using peer accountability for improved performance and profitability. From specialized break out sessions (delivered by regional managing directors, including: Karlin Conklin, Tom Hoban, Neil Sherman and Steve Kawulok and Vice President, Tony Yousif) to guest speakers and market updates, this training session covered it all.

A special thanks to Curt Arthur, and his team for producing a topnotch event enjoyed by all in attendance.

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

5 for Friday with Bill Bosley of Sperry Van Ness/GASC Commercial

Today’s 5 for Friday features William Bosley, CCIM, Senior Advisor at Sperry Van Ness/GASC Commercial in Hilton Head Island, SC.

William Bosley, Sperry Van Ness/GASC
William Bosley, Sperry Van Ness/GASC

1. What is your geographic market and product specialty?
Our offices are located on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. We cover all of South Carolina and coastal Georgia. My specialty is asset/property management along with the attendant leasing and sales that comes from management. We serve as asset managers in South Carolina, Georgia and Texas.

2. What is your latest best practice tip that you can share?
Treasure and serve your existing clients beyond their expectations.  Give more than you must. Make it a habit to always deliver more value than others expect. Give unselfishly and don’t require others to acknowledge you. Your paydays will come.

3. What’s been the biggest change over how you run your business in the past decade?
Serving as a receiver. We have and are serving as receivers over several commercial properties , for several large banks, throughout the South Carolina Low Country.

4. What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues?
I strongly recommend “Transformational Leadership in the New Age of Real Estate” by Christopher Lee. This is a phenomenal guide to real estate practice today and in the future.

5. What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you?
I was born and raised in Toronto Canada, moved to the United States in 1982, became a naturalized U. S. Citizen in 1992 and carry dual citizenship. I have an adopted son, now 17 years old who shares my passion for hockey. My hobby is photography.

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

Mid-year review of apartment market

According to the 2013 mid-year report from US Capital Trends (a division of REAL Capital Analytics) on the apartment market, the commercial real estate apartment market is doing well as of the end of Q2 2013, with strong sales, including fewer distressed properties on the market.

Apartment sales are strong—$17 billion in Q2—but slowing in comparison to the steep rise experienced since Q4 2009. Transaction volume has moderated due in part to interest rate hikes that started in May. Mid/high-rise properties are appreciating at a slightly higher rate than garden properties.

Sales of distressed properties fell below $1 billion for the first time in more than three years. Because of improving prices, lenders have less pressure to liquidate troubled properties. More than a quarter of distressed properties are located in the Southeast (Miami, Atlanta) and in tertiary markets.

Investors are looking to lagging markets “where fundamentals may outperform over the near term” such as Orlando, Northern New Jersey, Minneapolis and Jacksonville. Volume in major metropolitan areas declined by 6% and grew by 12% in non-major markets. Secondary and tertiary markets are experiencing activity spikes whereas primary markets such as Manhattan and Houston have seen flat or declining volumes. A very active area appears to be the Washington, DC suburbs, where activity increased 118% in the first half of 2013, making it second only to Manhattan.

The top apartment buyers buy investment volume are Equity Residential and Avalon Bay Communities. The top apartment brokers (for all types of apartments) are CBRE and HFF.

To read the complete report, including breakdowns by region, selected sales transactions, sales summaries by type, please download the US Capital Trends Apartment 2013 Mid-Year Review.

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

Smart social media moves for commercial real estate professionals by Diane Danielson

Diane Danielson
Diane Danielson, Chief Platform Officer at Sperry Van Ness International Corporation

Diane Danielson, Chief Platform Officer at Sperry Van Ness International Corporation, recently shared her top (and smartest) social media tips for commercial real estate professionals in a guest blog post on GlobeSt.com (the website dedicated to all things real estate).

Diane recommends several smart social media moves, among them:

1. Use Twitter like a pro and search for relevant hashtags like #CRE and other industry terms.

2. Create customized lists of people so you can make sure to read their tweets and add that stream to a Twitter client such as Hootsuite.

3. Make the most of LinkedIn’s beefed up company pages by following important companies in your area (including your competitors).

Read Diane’s smart social media insights in the Globest.com article here.

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

5 for Friday with John Brandhorst of Sperry Van Ness/Bluestone & Hockley

Five for Friday turns the spotlight on John Brandhorst, a senior advisor at Sperry Van Ness/Bluestone & Hockley in Portland, OR.

John Brandhorst, Senior Advisor, Sperry Van Ness/Bluestone & Hockley
John Brandhorst, Senior Advisor, Sperry Van Ness/Bluestone & Hockley

1.     What is your geographic market and product specialty? 
My geographic market is the Portland MSA and my product specialty is office and industrial sales and leasing.

2.     What’s your latest best practice tip that you can share? 
I can’t emphasize enough the power of a team. Studying Mike Lipsey’s material and reading Rod Santomassimo’s book, “Brokers Who Dominate” recently, a common thread among highly successful brokers is that they were able to break through to the next level by building strong teams. I’ve teamed up with Steve Hagan in our office and we brought in Matt Simpson to help round out the team. Our skill sets complement each other well and we’re quickly realizing the efficiencies of working within a team environment. We’re excited about what we can do together in 2013!  The best advice I found was to be patient and seek out team members who have differing but complimentary skill sets so that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

3.     What’s been the biggest change over on how you run your business in the past decade?
Things are so much different in this business than they were when I started just ten years ago and I’d say that the majority of those changes are directly related to the advent of new technologies – smart phones, iPads, new software programs and the like. They’ve allowed us to become so much more efficient than we used to be.

4.     What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues?
From above, Brokers Who Dominate by Rod Santomassimo.

5.     What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you? 
When I was supposed to be a freshman in high school, I dropped out for a year to hang out in Thailand with my dad, who was on a Fulbright exchange as a professor at Mahidol University and I spent a year traveling and having fun in Southeast Asia. I had to make up the year of school but it was well worth it – it was an incredible opportunity and definitely helped develop my love of travel and exploring other cultures.

 

*All Sperry Van Ness® offices are independently owned and operated.

 

5 for Friday with Henry Hanna

This week, our 5 for Friday focuses on Henry Hanna, CCIM, SIOR, senior advisor with Sperry Van Ness/Miller Commercial Real Estate in Salisbury, Md.

Henry Hanna, CCIM, SIOR, senior advisor at Sperry Van Ness/Miller Commercial Real Estate
Henry Hanna, CCIM, SIOR, senior advisor at Sperry Van Ness/Miller Commercial Real Estate

1. What is your geographic market and product specialty?  

The eastern shore of Maryland and Delaware and I specialize in industrial.

2. What’s your latest best practice tip that you can share?

Get to know the economic development officers on a local and state level in your market and have lunch or a meeting with them once a quarter.

3. What’s been the biggest changeover on how you run your business in the past decade?

Ten years ago I focused on a much smaller area. I considered myself a general commercial broker in one county.  Today my market is seven counties and I brand myself as an industrial specialist.

4. What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues? 

Brokers Who Dominate by Rod Santomassimo.

5. What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you? 

My first job out of college was as a high school librarian.

 

*All Sperry Van Ness® offices are independently owned and operated.

 

SVN Crossroads Property Management Taps Kirsten Helma as New COO

Kirsten Helma has joined Sperry Van Ness Crossroads in Schaumburg and Chicago, Ill. as its chief operating officer (COO). Kirsten will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the full-service property management franchise, including its existing portfolio and financial services department. SVN|Crossroads provides in-house institutional quality services including property & asset management, sales and leasing, tenant improvement, entitlements, construction, day-to-day maintenance, and accounting services.

Kirsten Helma, COO, SVN Crossroads Property Management
Kirsten Helma, COO, SVN Crossroads Property Management

Founded in 2006, SVN|Crossroads currently manages more than two million SF of property. Kirsten Helma brings more than 15 years of experience in financial services and real estate portfolio management to the company. As a former vice president and manager of real estate dispositions at MB Financial Bank, Kirsten offers expertise in Other Real Estate Owned (OREO) portfolio management, compliance and FDIC reporting.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the already-successful SVN|Crossroads team,” said Kirsten Helma. “I look forward to drawing from my experiences in commercial real estate banking in order to fuel continued growth of the organization in the months and years ahead.”

“Kirsten has managed more than 10 million SF of assets during her career and has been involved in commercial real estate transactions in excess of $2 billion,” said Michael Nortman, principal at SVN|Crossroads. “She understands the needs of the banking industry, but what makes her unique is her ability to think like an owner, which fits in well with our philosophy of returning maximum property value to our clients.”

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

 

Commercial real estate activity growing in Nevada County, CA

Managing Director, SVN/Highland Commercial
Managing Director, SVN/Highland Commercial

In the Q2 2013 report from Lock Richards, managing director of Sperry Van Ness Highland Commercial in Nevada City, CA, we learn that overall real estate activity in Nevada County has increased, especially in contrast to the previous quarters.

Lock Richards is sharing his  commercial real estate expertise with readers of The Union newspaper in a monthly column. The new column  made its debut on July 19,  and says that now is a good time to buy or lease commercial property in Nevada County. Lock writes:

“The good news is that the difference in the level of activity during the last three quarters (since fourth quarter 2012) is in extreme contrast to the previous four recessionary years. I believe the majority of investors and tenants have now come to realize that the timing is perfect to purchase or lease commercial property. Add to this still historically low financing rates and plentiful debt and equity sources, and today’s market could not be much better for buyers and tenants. That said, with numerous bank-owned and other distressed properties closing in Q4 2012 and Q1 2013, from a pricing standpoint we remain at the bottom of the market, even with the increasing activity levels. Barring an unforeseen macro-economic event, we predict slowly increasing prices over the next two years in most commercial property types.”

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

Bo Barron’s advice for success featured in Commercial Investment Real Estate

What skills, knowledge and tools does a commercial real estate adviser need to succeed?   That is what Commercial Investment Real Estate (the magazine of the CCIM institute) wanted to learn from Bo Barron, CCIM, vice president for organization development at Sperry Van Ness International Corporation (SVNIC).

Tenacity, systemization and accountability

Bo Barron, VP of Organization Development
Bo Barron, Vice President of Organization Development at Sperry Van Ness International Corporation

Bo, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps before pursuing his real estate career, discusses how tenacity and the other skills he learned in the service, such as systematization and accountability, have helped him to succeed. He says: “I am convinced that tenacity is the most important trait required to succeed in commercial real estate.”

Prospect on a daily basis

Bo, who works with SVNIC’s advisers to raise their productivity and profitability, also shares what sets top producers apart: “My experience has also taught me that top producers must systematically prospect on a daily basis,” because “those who consistently prospected throughout the downturn [in 2008] have continued to succeed.”

Embrace new technologies

“Social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn as well as blogs have made it possible  for CCIMs to become known as market experts and thought leaders faster than ever,” said Bo, who blogs at www.bobarron.com, and who joined SVNIC because of its emphasis on technological innovation, among other things.

Read the entire interview in the July/August 2013 issue of Commercial Investment Real Estate magazine.

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.

Diane Danielson named to Forbes Forty Women over Forty to Watch List

Diane Danielson, Chief Platform Officer.
Diane Danielson, Chief Platform Officer, Sperry Van Ness International Corporation

Diane Danielson, Chief Platform Officer, Sperry Van Ness International Corporation (SVNIC) has been named to the inaugural Forbes Forty Women over Forty to Watch list. This list recognizes the achievement of women around the world, working in various industries, who are upending the perception that 40 is past your prime.

In the commercial real estate industry, where women are few, Diane Danielson has taken on the second-in-command post at SVNIC. As CPO, Danielson oversees operations and is the company’s national brand evangelist. She leads the planning and execution of strategic initiatives to expand the franchise network, optimize services and develop innovative technology and communication platforms for our franchisee. Danielson believes that franchising is a way for women, minorities and younger generations to own their own business and change the face of the commercial real estate industry.

To view the press release in its entirety, click here.

To view the complete list of recipients, click here.

 

*All Sperry Van Ness offices are independently owned and operated.