As we are approaching the end of another year, salespeople are starting to work on developing their business plans for 2016. For those of you that do not use business plans to monitor your results–congratulations if you are doing well, but you ...
San Francisco's Modern Day Tech Boom and Future Bust
Surging rents, skyrocketing real-estate prices and booming tech companies––sounds like San Francisco in 2015, right? It also describes the city just before the tech bust of 2000. The Bay ...
In November of 1986, San Francisco voters passed Proposition M, a citizen-sponsored initiative that created the first annual limit on high-rise development [...]
Initiating Oakland's Tech Boom
With San Francisco's booming commercial and residential market, New York Stock Market money is now zeroing in on Oakland [...]
Why do Buyers and Sellers ask this question? What difference does it make? Are they concerned about paying too much on a per square basis if they are [...]
You Need to Move, But You Can't Find Service Fast Enough
When I started as an office-leasing agent in 1984, the process to secure office space took on [...]
I took my first personality test in high school. As a 16-year old growing up in the early 70s in San Francisco, I was idealistic and wanted to save the [...]
There seems to be a clamor among the natives that all the construction in the City is creating monumental traffic gridlock, displacing people, and changing [...]
In the 1970's, I was working in the vending food business. Our company operated in San Francisco and was the largest independent vending machine company [...]
Top Reasons Why You Should Sell Your Property Today
There is lots of chatter explaining why you should invest in commercial real estate. However, there [...]
Several years ago, I had asked a prominent San Francisco architect what he thought about our city's structural design. His response surprised me when [...]
As a salesperson, our special sauce is the ability to close deals. Yet close ratios for most of us are less than 50/50 chance. Why is this? If a customer [...]
I have owned three smart watches in my life to date. Recently, I purchased the Apple Watch. I had previously owned a Samsung Gear S. I have always been [...]
We recently had a shoe salesman connect with us about joining our firm as a commercial real estate agent. He had ten years of sales experience and was [...]
The residential real estate bubble isn't the only office space challenge facing startups in Silicon Valley. For years, the rule of thumb in determining [...]
San Francisco was once again included in fDi Intelligence's American Cities of the Future list. The biennial list, published by a magazine owned by the [...]
The dot.com boom in the late 1990's and 2000 was organically generated as a new way to socialize and interact with one another across the globe came into [...]
The size and configuration of office space that a firm needs has drastically changed as a result of our use of technology such as the Internet, social [...]
After writing these articles for a number of years now, some people think of me as some sort of expert. I suppose after having been in commercial real [...]
With the introduction of the Apple Watch, a lot of attention has all of sudden been directed to smartwatches. The reality is that smartwatches have been [...]
The HP 12C handheld calculator changed the real estate industry when first introduced back in the 80's. Today, every once in a while, you will see an [...]
I have been in commercial real estate sales for over 30 years. Each day, up until two years ago, I drove my car to work and used my car for tours. Today, [...]
In the late 1950's San Francisco's population swelled to 895,000 people. This was the "high water" mark of growth that took off after World War II ended [...]
"I know a guy," or "I know someone who can help" are sweet words to a salesperson that is working to make a deal.
Back in the old days, all that mattered [...]
San Francisco's Planning Commission is pending approval on a 427,000-square-foot "innovation campus" to be built at 100 Hooper Street. The campus will [...]
As salespeople, we really get excited when someone tells us they are interested in our product or service. We automatically get excited at the idea of [...]
As we dive into the New Year, many of us salespeople are preparing to meet with our sales managers to review the annual business plan. Goals and objectives [...]
San Francisco, CA, January 27, 2015 - Starboard TCN Worldwide is pleased to announce the lease and Grand Opening (soon) of House of Garlic Noodles, A [...]
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – January 23, 2015 -- Members of Associated Realty of the Americas (AREA), a national real estate referral network, announced [...]
I have been a commercial real estate broker for over 30 years now. I have witnessed three boom and bust cycles during my career. The first bust was through [...]
San Francisco, CA, January 5, 2015 - Starboard TCN Worldwide, one of the fastest growing commercial real estate service providers in the marketplace, [...]
As soon as we entered the online world, the commercial office market was destined to shrink. Employers thought workers could work from home, leave their [...]
Over the years I have seen some truly great salespeople. I've also met some pretty mediocre salespeople who might not have had prior experience in sales. [...]
For the first time ever, Amazon has announced its plans to expand its business beyond e-commerce and open brick-and-mortar stores. The retail giant, set [...]
Years ago, I had the pleasure of working with one of the best brokers in town. He controlled over half of the industrial market for over ten years in [...]
Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR), otherwise known as the debt coverage ratio (DCR), is one of the main tools that lenders use when deciding whether [...]
Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to have met with several of our U.S. Presidents, as well as other national leaders. I have also had the privilege [...]
As a born-and-raised San Franciscan, I take immense pride in my city. It's where I was born, where I have lived my whole life, and where I have raised [...]
I had a past partner who had a degree as a Certified Public Accountant. She approached her work as a salesperson from a very analytical perspective. She [...]
It's no surprise that San Francisco's marketplace is currently the "hottest" office market in the country. Tech is the name of the game and office vacancy [...]
San Francisco, CA - Starboard TCN Worldwide is pleased to announce the lease and Mid July opening of Essence Spa at 505 Beach Street, San Francisco. The [...]
Most retail businesses live by the golden rule of thumb for success; if you pay your rent through gross sales within three days of business, then you [...]
This week, San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar introduced a proposal to increase restrictions on chain stores in San Francisco. The new formula retail restrictions [...]
Finding ways to change how we do things by using online tools is what new technology firms solve. Over the years, emails have replaced the US Postal Service [...]
Joe Alioto was Mayor of San Francisco from 1968 to 1975. During that time, San Francisco witnessed the fastest change to its skyline as office buildings [...]
As a salesperson, we are always busy working on deals that we sometimes fall behind on latest technology that can actually allow us to be more efficient [...]
I asked a well-known architect friend of mine what he thought of San Francisco's architecture. His answer surprised me. He responded, "I don't."
He went [...]
Proposed Upzoning Around San Francisco's New 4th Street Transit Corridor and in SOMA: A Look at New Development Opportunities
The publication of an EIR [...]
San Francisco continues to be one of the hottest office markets in the nation. As commercial real estate brokers in San Francisco, our phones are always [...]
I asked a well-known architect friend of mine what he thought of San Francisco's architecture. His answer surprised me. He responded, "I don't."
He went [...]
I recently read a great article that spoke about the key to sales. The article stated that sales is not about what you are selling, but about making friends [...]
I was visiting an old client of mine, an angel investor who had just invested in another company who would eventually need help with their office space. [...]
Most of us know that our residential real estate market was on fire in 2013: the second year in a row. Average home prices were up 17%, while condominiums [...]
To offer truly effective service to customers, companies need to complement the information they gather with powerful narratives that give it meaning. [...]
I run a commercial real estate company and I am also an independent contractor as a commercial real estate broker. I currently have insurance through [...]
The SEIU union has embarked on a national fight to increase the minimum wage for fast food workers to $15.00 an hour. From McDonalds to Burger King, workers [...]
We are so blessed in the United States to have such a diverse cultural background. There is no place in the world where you may find so many cultures [...]
"Motivation comes from the brain, while inspiration comes from the heart. It might take a lifetime to make the connection."
Our reason (or excuse) [...]
The summary bullet points from the Planning Department’s just completed 2012 Commerce and Industry Inventory for San Francisco which covers a 10-year [...]
San Francisco, CA - Starboard TCN Worldwide, one of the fastest growing commercial real estate service providers in the marketplace, announced the leasing [...]
I just attended the national TCN Conference where Dave Hibbert was the guest motivational speaker. Dave came out of a successful commercial real estate [...]
Supervisor Mar has just introduced an ordinance to expand the definition of Formula Retail to include businesses that have eleven or more other outlets [...]
San Francisco, CA - Starboard TCN Worldwide is pleased to announce the lease and October opening of Andersen Bakery's newest location in San Francisco [...]
The new leader in extreme sporting events around the world is the "Tough Mudder" competition. These are a series of crueling events that test your physical [...]
We are now entering the 4th quarter of 2013, if you have exceeded your goals for this year thus far congratulations! For those that have not met their [...]
As a salesperson you know that in order to remain competitive you must keep up with the times. You also have to consistently monitor what your competition [...]
The definition of a hunter is a predator that hunts game; it is also the definition of a successful salesperson that hunts for deals. Unfortunately, 80 [...]
Storytelling is the most important form of communication in the history of mankind and sadly, the threat of its extinction is close at hand. The way that [...]
Have you been watching the Transbay Terminal take shape? The project started in 2010 with the demolition of the 1939 Mission Street bus terminal. It is [...]
There are a large number of both bank, and non-bank lenders, willing to make loans at a price. One of the most important factors in determining the cost [...]
At the time of San Francisco's dot-com boom, the overall vacancy factor for office space dropped to less than two percent while a housing boom quickly [...]
SocketSite recently published an article on the San Francisco Planning Commission's rejection of Starbucks' proposal to take over the existing corner [...]
I recently taught a masters degree class in Real Estate Finance as a guest speaker. I came prepared to answer hard questions and have a good discussion [...]
San Francisco's commercial office market is on fire - vacancy rates are dropping quickly while rental rates are rising rapidly. Yet, just across the bridge [...]
In a recent report on the state of the office market by Cassidy Turley, new office development is down 30 percent while office vacancy has only grown [...]
In 2011, San Francisco passed a retail ordinance requiring any chain retailer with more than eleven stores to undergo a special review process in Neighborhood [...]
I was recently asked to teach at both a law school real estate class and an undergraduate class – bringing me back to my former universities after [...]
San Francisco launched into 2013 with a head start as 2012 ended in a flurry of activity. Here's a recap of some of the first months achievement and what [...]
Windows and Blackberry have both launched new phones and operating systems in hopes of once again becoming relevant in the mobile phone industry. Samsung [...]
As a commercial real estate broker, housing availability is not normally something that is on my radar; but with a market like the one we are currently [...]
Last February's Pulse of the Market Have we Hit Bottom? stated that the San Francisco residential market had hit bottom. Results for 2012 confirm that. [...]
Father Harry from San Francisco once said "Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, and God gave us a gift of today which is why it is called the [...]
In the Beginning
During the 2000 - 2010 decade, about 10,000 condominium units were constructed south of Market Street. It all started in 2000 with 219 [...]
On December 6, 2012, the Planning Commission voted 7-0 to adopt the Western SoMa Plan. The Plan was approved with certain changes discussed below.
Of [...]
San Francisco's Tech boom persists as new startups and existing tech firms continue to expand and grab office space. Vacancy rates continue to fall while [...]
For years my New York friends would come to San Francisco looking for nightlife only to find quiet downtown streets. While bars, nightclubs and restaurants [...]
It is now November and we have less than two months left in 2012 to finish the year with a bang. Great salespeople understand that November and December [...]
Globe Street, a news service for the commercial real estate industry, ran an
interesting poll recently asking: 'What do you make of the recent employment [...]
The Little Engine That Could: A great children's story and a great reminder of the importance of small businesses in this country. As the owner of a small [...]
As salespeople we now have a variety of ways to market our product or services aside from mailing information. When I started in the commercial real estate [...]
This week, the San Francisco Business Times ran an article stating that San
Francisco office space subleases have increased by 35 percent over last [...]
San Francisco has been experiencing incredible increases in commercial rents
over the last two years - rents in most areas have jumped over 40 percent. [...]
"Keep it Simple Stupid" - simple words that are so powerful and more relevant
now than ever to compete and more importantly, win as a salesperson. With [...]
Do you know what the hip people in LA call their downtown these days? A piece on NPR said it is DTLA.
Last week the city celebrated DTLA's new Grand [...]
Two years ago San Francisco implemented the largest zoning change in the history of the city and one of the largest changes to zoning in California – [...]
As salespeople we are hunters. Our job each day is to hunt for new
opportunities - the rest is the business of selling your service or product.
It's [...]
San Francisco to Mountain View has seen an economic boom that has resulted in lower office vacancies and higher prices over the last 18 months. Overall [...]
San Francisco got its start as a missionary city when Mission Dolores was founded in 1776 and then gained worldwide recognition during the Gold Rush of [...]
Can you believe we are already reaching the mid point of 2012? As a commercial
real estate brokers in San Francisco, we are enjoying the best start [...]
For years our country's communities have been built and supported by one
industry that supports each community. Historically, factories hired the
majority [...]
As salespeople today, we are constantly being bombarded with new tools and services that we are told are necessary to remain competitive. Most seminars [...]
This past week I attended the Principal's Meeting of TCN Worldwide in Toronto Canada; TCN Worldwide is one of the world's largest commercial real estate [...]
Starboard TCN Worldwide Commercial Real Estate is pleased to announce the
lease of the 3rd & 4th floors at 735 Battery Street, San Francisco,
CASan [...]
Over the years I have heard some great lines from salespeople that have stuck with me: one of the best is from a salesperson that said the worst thing [...]
San Francisco tenants in the market today are getting hit with a double whammy - higher rental rates and higher costs of improvements. Rents are up nearly [...]
I was recently in an old law office space that had been freshly vacated and consisted of individual offices at least twelve by sixteen feet in size. All [...]
It is astonishing to me the number of salespeople who sell products and services
everyday without knowledge of what the original product costs and how [...]
Just before the holidays I toured a client who was looking for 3,000 square feet
of office space around the financial district in San Francisco. We [...]
Yes and here's why...
We all know that the economy goes through cycles, and of course, the real estate market does as well. The last few years have witnessed [...]
In 1966 my elementary school class was taken on a field trip to downtown San
Francisco to see the planned renovation of the new Moscone Center and mid-Market [...]
As we enter 2012 we already have a number of doomsayers that are predicting a poor 2012. Economic uncertainty throughout Europe, the slowdown of economies [...]
Garcia Architects & Advisors assists companies assess their commercial real
estate portfolios to determine how to gain efficiencies. Companies with [...]
RealUp, a national commercial real estate listing website, has announced a new
partnership agreement with TradeAddresses.com, a referral property listing [...]
With the holiday season fast approaching along with the end of 2011, we as salespeople are trying to conclude our last deals of the year to get our end [...]
REZONING OF LOTS IN EASTERN NEIGHBORHOODS HAS MADE ILLEGAL AT LEAST A THOUSAND RESIDENTIAL, OFFICE AND RETAIL SPACES.
LEGALIZATION APPLICATIONS MUST [...]
Kilroy, a major new player in commercial real estate acquisitions in the San
Francisco Bay Area, recently paid $400.00 a foot for a near vacant office [...]
In 2004 the Planning Commission removed from the Eastern Neighborhoods rezoning process the area of the City referred to as Western South of Market (Western [...]
Having worked as the landlord's architect for the likes of Equity Office
Properties, The Irvine Company, and Bank of America, we have established an [...]
We are nearing the end of 2011 and as salespeople we need to start planning
for 2012. The problem is that most salespeople suffer from ADD type symptoms: [...]
There are two property tax increases that could happen in the near future, both of which could have devastating effects on our weak economy. Both taxes [...]
Most people think of "group housing" as a residential use in which a
non-profit owns a building and rents furnished rooms (at very low prices) on a [...]
Architectural fees are generally proportional to construction costs. A higher construction cost represents more complex details and finishes. More complex [...]
A couple of weeks ago, I attended our TCN National Convention of independent real estate firms from around the world. Over and over again I heard stories [...]
Not since the introduction of the smart phone has there been a device that is truly a game changer in terms of the ways one can now do business; the mobile [...]
Small business owners are looking everywhere to find ways to get more productivity out of smaller staff. The design of office space, in addition to efficient [...]
The parallels between sports and sales can be found in every aspect that leads to either a win or a loss in both sports and sales. However, the comparisons [...]
THE CENTRAL SUBWAY CORRIDOR TO BE ALLOWED GREATER HEIGHT AND
DENSITY
The Central Subway Project is the second phase of the Third Street Light Rail [...]
There was an interesting article that hit the national news services about
whether jobs are slowly becoming extinct. Technology has certainly changed [...]
AMNESTY PERIOD ENDS JANUARY 2012
RECENT REZONING OF LOTS IN EASTERN NEIGHBORHODS HAVE MADE ILLEGAL AT LEAST A THOUSAND RESIDENTIAL, OFFICE AND RETAIN [...]
Every morning I glance at CNBC while having my coffee and reading the New York Times. I have never heard the word investment spoken on the show, at least [...]
San Francisco is enjoying a tech boom not seen since the dot-com boom of 1997-2001. Social networking, mobile applications and gaming firms have quickly [...]
In the last couple of weeks I stopped and visited two shopping centers: Stonestown in San Francisco and the Mall of America in Minnesota. I had not been [...]
The end of summer is upon us. Kids are going to back to school and we have four months left to close enough deals to make 2011 a good year. This is the [...]
Office tenant improvements are a specialized niche that require specialized
expertise. The architect must often negotiate between the tenant's goals [...]
Many people have asked lately, "how's the 1031 Exchange business?". Although volume is down as a result of the overall market conditions, investors continue [...]
As a commercial real estate broker in San Francisco I am experiencing a
pretty solid year. Why? Because I work in a unique environment where newfound [...]
It's official - San Francisco is experiencing an economic boom this year. Driven by growth from technology firms in social networking, gaming and mobile [...]
With the March 2000 opening of AT&T Park serving as a catalyst, the neighborhoods South Beach, Yerba Buena, SOMA and Mission Bay (north of Mission [...]
For years we have heard of the salesperson that could sell anything to anyone. Great lines come to mind like: "Sales are contingent upon the attitude [...]
At the 2011 Real Estate Finance and Investment Conference in New York,
members of commercial capital markets were debating whether the next commercial [...]
Supervisor Avalos wants to put a measure on the ballot to allow a competitive bidding process to occur regarding our waste management services for San [...]
As a native San Franciscan, I have lived through a variety of mayors, some good and some bad. Over the years, San Francisco has seen leaders arise out [...]
This week, unemployment figures set off a down turn in the stock market while President Obama spoke about the bumpy road to recovery that we are still [...]
The San Francisco commercial real estate market is hot. With the expansion of social networking, gaming and mobile application firms San Francisco is [...]
Everybody from economists, politicians, business people, to the guy on the street have all been asking when we are going to see a real start to an economic [...]
Under new zoning (called the "Eastern Neighborhoods Rezoning") effective January 19, 2009, the Board of Supervisors has created a number of new areas [...]
As salespeople, we have different directions we can take to either succeed or fail. Some salespeople succeed by following a methodical approach each day; [...]
Since Twitter won a payroll exemption by moving their office into mid Market Street, the city of San Francisco is now debating the subject of revising [...]
RECENT REZONING OF LOTS IN EASTERN NEIGHOBORHOODS HAVE MADE ILLEGAL AT LEAST A THOUSAND RESIDENTIAL, OFFICE AND RETAIL SPACES WHOSE ALTERATION PERMITS [...]
As America digs itself out of a severe recession, it is important to note that in general the office market across the country has seen a fairly decent [...]
I am ambivalent. On the one hand, I feel good: on the other hand, I feel bad. Here’s my conundrum. In the last few weeks, I have read a number of [...]
In sales there are three players: The buyer, the seller and the salesperson who brings the buyer and seller together. All three players each care about [...]
The recent decision to offer Twitter a break on city taxes in favor of them staying in San Francisco has caused heated debate about giving a tax break [...]
The San Francisco office market is seeing tremendous improvement in activity in a very short period of time. Tech is leading the way to our recovery as [...]
The word "networking" in sales today has many meanings. As part of what you need to do to become a successful salesperson, everyone will say that networking [...]
Father Harry once said 'Life consists of three things: The past, which is the
past, the future, which is the future, and the present which is called [...]
There are a number of inside jokes between real estate developers who have gone through the ups and downs of economic cycles that only developers themselves [...]
As we enter the New Year as salespeople, we are all thinking of ways to improve ourselves so that we can increase our productivity. Today there are more [...]
It has been over three years now since we started to witness a slow down in real estate transactions. For us, the change started in September 2007. By [...]
I have been a commercial real estate broker for 26 years now and frankly I have not experienced such a different landscape in deal flow as in the last [...]
Around the United States, traditional office space markets are taking a back seat to an unconventional and newer office product. Today, the conservative [...]
By the time you read this article we will be in the middle of December. As a
salesperson you are thinking about Christmas and New Years and the fact [...]
If you are a tenant ready to make a year-end move, now is the time to think not only about the move but also about contingency plans in case something [...]
A couple of weeks ago I attended a presentation by Carole Rodoni. I have been to many of her presentations, but this one was so good that I thought I [...]
Metaphors
In many ways, the game of baseball is not only a metaphor for life: often times it is a metaphor for real estate. As kids, we dream of standing [...]
For most of us 2010 has shaped up to be a year very similar to 2009; lots of uncertainty, lack of available cash, and lack of available bank credit. For [...]
The growth of small business has lead this country to recovery in nearly every recession since World War II. Small business typically develops in down [...]
Just when you think you have heard it all from our great city of San Francisco leaders - comes a new proposed fine - this time on vacant storefronts. [...]
If you are a salesperson today, it is not easy. No matter what you are selling-your clients have little cash, less sales, and want the absolute lowest [...]
No matter what business you are in, have you ever considered what other business opportunities you can create for yourself by asking more questions of [...]
A year after the Obama Administration announced that it would be working on
freeing up credit options to create more available business credit, as part [...]
In the current environment, where all aspects of your life from your job to your way of life feel threatened by all of the uncertainty that is out there, [...]
The San Francisco Chronicle's story that city workers make 20 percent more in
wages than the private sector really brought home what is truly wrong [...]
The good news is the startups are back and looking for space; the bad news - for landlords and real estate brokers - is that they are all looking for [...]
Hall of Famer Ernie Banks was once asked after he got inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame what type of player he would have been in today's era of baseball. [...]
Market and economic forces influence condominium supply and demand and thus prices. Sometimes political forces trump market and economic forces with unintended [...]
With strong office leasing activity ending the first quarter of this year, we are now seeing some life with the retail-leasing sector as well. For over [...]
Today everyone is familiar with social networking sites such as Linkedin, Plaxo, Facebook, and Twitter. Many of you have registered for these sites, have [...]
Do you remember being a kid in the 6th grade, looking at the clock and wondering - when lunchtime would ever come? Then at 2pm asking - when the day would [...]
This Pulse is about the San Francisco condominium market.
Where are we in the cycle? Are we at the bottom: will there be a double dip?
A typical Realtor [...]
As we approach the end of the first quarter, office and retail leasing is showing strong signs of recovery-the phones are ringing again at commercial [...]
Last month I was stunned to learn that over 55,000 people read my articles. This is an absolutely staggering figure given that my articles are not posted [...]
The Lipsey Company, a third party training and consulting firm specializing
in the commercial real estate industry, recently announced the results of [...]
For investors looking for deals through distressed properties you may be surprised at the competition. During the last collapse of the commercial real [...]
I got the idea for this Pulse from an article about real estate securitization that appeared in the New York Times in January. "The size, scope and complexity [...]
When 2008 ended we all
said thank goodness! We knew that 2009 would not be easy, but we never expected
that it would be worse than 2008. Entering [...]
With office vacancy rates
climbing and rental rates dropping this is a great time for tenants to take
advantage of lowering their office costs and [...]
2009 is my 25th year as a
commercial real estate broker and it certainly was one of my toughest years. The
worst year in my career closings was 1990. [...]
This has been an extremely difficult year for California state and local governments; deep cutbacks are affecting services in every department throughout [...]
For years mid-Market Street in San Francisco, CA, between 5th and 8th Streets, has been ignored by investors, retailers, developers and real estate brokers. [...]
If I were to say Seven Sisters, what would come to mind? For me, it would be the seven major oil companies that ruled the world before the Arab states [...]
Over the last few months we have been seeing a number of new startups looking
for office space. This is a very good sign that the economy is turning [...]
I
recently had a deal stall as a result of an option. Instead of a “true” fair
market value option, the landlord wanted a fair market value or the [...]
In casting about for a Pulse topic this month, I kept coming back to this video
about the impact of social networking, and trying to figure out what [...]
A common theme I am hearing from sales organizations is "where is everybody?" Sales offices involving outside sales are seeing their offices go quiet [...]
In September 1609, just 400 hundred years ago, Manhattan looked like the
image above when Henry Hudson sailed his small wooden ship into the
Muhheakantuck [...]
I was playing golf the other day with a marketing guy. He heads a team of salespeople and was on vacation as I was. We both had our smart phones with [...]
In today’s economic climate many businesses are facing declining sales by 20 percent or more from the time they originally signed their lease. With the [...]
Yeah. Every buyer has the same mantra.
If you check in with CNBC in the morning, as I do, you see talking heads
discussing today's best trade. The [...]
California voters recently rejected state budget measures intended to shore up our declining budget, which has stirred up talk about the need to revisit [...]
In October 2008, I wrote a Pulse entitled 9.0 Worldwide Earthquake! San Francisco Survives. Much to my amazement, I found that not everyone reads my Pulses [...]
Two stories:
My friend Michael, his wife Joan and 15-year old daughter, Maggie, were in New York for a few days and were shopping at Barney's. Everything [...]
Recent rezoning of lots in Eastern Neighborhoods have made illegal at least a thousand residential, office and retail spaces whose alteration permits [...]
The Lipsey Company, a third party training and consulting firm specializing in the commercial real estate industry, recently announced the results of [...]
“No”, arguably the most important word in the world. The use of the word “No” has had the most important impact for all us personally as well for everyone [...]
As salespeople we have a high ego drive, we are also assertive, creative and multi task well. We usually have a strong idea orientation and can think [...]
In good times with lower vacancies and higher rents, the importance
of providing the highest standards of property management is not always
emphasized. [...]
As a salesperson do you feel frozen in these uncertain times? Are you finding it harder and harder to make your sales calls, concentrate on your marketing [...]
You are not going to see any mention of this in the Chronicle, but a couple of robins have been spotted. To wit: a condominium on Russian Hill, listed [...]
The Magic Line is Back- Great Way to Secure Office Space in a Soft Market
When I entered the commercial real estate business back in 1984, I entered [...]
In 1993 then President Bush was ridiculed for suggesting that if every American bought just one pair of socks we could get out of a recession. In concept [...]
I recently took a sub-lease listing from yet another one of my clients who is faced with difficult times and can no longer afford his rent. All of [...]
“Uncertain Times” Forget it its Opportunity Time
Are you tired of hearing that we are in “uncertain times”? What does it mean anyway? Aren’t all times [...]
With all of the bad economic news the realty is that San Francisco is holding its own as far as commercial real estate leasing is considered. Bottom line [...]
One of my cold callers was commenting on what a successful week she had. She landed six qualified appointments in one week. She said that people seemed [...]
Are you tired of hearing that we are in “uncertain times”? What does it mean anyway? Aren’t all times uncertain unless you have a plan?
My best year [...]
Mr. Opportunity - a short, fat man with a long beard and a bald head. When he knocks, if you don't grab him by the beard, he will turn and be gone in [...]
“Don’t Worry Be Happy”
As I get older I now get it about having experience over youth. When you have been around awhile you start living through cycles [...]
“Don’t Worry Be Happy”
As I get older I now get it about having experience over youth. When you have been around awhile you start living through cycles [...]
Recent headlines that the San Francisco Bay Area office market is ready for steep increases in their office vacancy rate are at best premature. CB [...]
Many real estate investors believe that if there is no appreciation on the sale of an investment property, no taxes are owed. This is often incorrect. [...]
Folks, we just had the equivalent of a 9.0 financial earthquake, this one with an epicenter in New York City and London, and it was all man-made. The [...]
Back in the 1980’s the buzz term to describe that generation was known as the “Me” generation. It was about how can I personally benefit, grow and [...]
The passing of Tim Russert reminded me about the power influence and overall greatness of what is known as the servant leader. In leadership there [...]
The San Francisco Business Times headline, “500 Thousand Square Feet of Office Space Will Be Dumped Into the Marketplace”. All of the major financial [...]
Yes, there are three things in life you can count on “Death”, “Taxes” and a “Lease coming up”. The beauty of a career in commercial real estate is that [...]
2008 is a challenging year for business, but in San Francisco you would not know it in terms of the office space market. Rents are still at a seven-year [...]
We are now at the half way point of the year. You look at your original goals for the year and you are behind. Gas is heading past $4.00 a gallon. [...]
Planning Now to Revitalizing Retail in our Neighborhoods
San Francisco neighborhood retail is facing enormous challenges that need immediate attention [...]
The front-page San Francisco Chronicle headline on June 25, 2008 read “Bay Area Home Prices Take New Hit.” The article states that the price of a typical [...]
Turning 60 - the Pulse, not me. This being my 60th Pulse, I thought I would use the occasion to reflect a bit on some of the residential real estate changes [...]
Prior to the introduction of the automobile most people either lived in large urban areas or small town farming communities. Starting after World [...]
End of April Bay Area vacancy rate figures remained unchanged. San Francisco held at 6 percent, the same rate since January. San Mateo at 7 percent, [...]
After 46 long years starting with my first game in 1962 (Giants vs the Colt 45's) I finally caught a foul ball yesterday. (Rockies vs Giants) April 28th [...]
A friend of mine sent me a client newsletter from an investment manager. I would like to share a few excerpts…
"We don't invest based on expectations [...]
The year 2008 will be year of uncertainty in the office market nationwide. The speculative buying of commercial real estate over the last several [...]
The year 2008 will be a year that real estate brokers in both residential and commercial real estate will be needed more than ever; and, as a result [...]
Between 2008 and 2011, San Francisco will see more than 3 million square feet of new office space come onto the market. This will be the largest increase [...]
It has been awhile since any new mobile tools have been introduced that could truly make you more efficient, but that is about to change. A new generation [...]
I have been in sales my entire business life: first in the food service business; next as a mortgage broker; and, now in commercial real estate. I learned [...]
In the next five years San Francisco will be adding an estimated three million square feet of new office space. This is the most new office space to be [...]
As a salesperson in commercial real estate I believe that I am also a salesperson selling my city. Without a strong belief in my city there is no way [...]
Office space comes in many sizes and shapes. You have rectangular looking spaces and more squared looking spaces. In addition, many office spaces have [...]
Can “Branch Cities” Maintain “Headquarter Cities” Rental Rates
I just came back from Boston and visiting with an affiliate there. As he described [...]
For those of you that have read my articles over the years you have often read my comparisons between baseball and life. As we approach the half way mark [...]
You are scheduled to move into your new office space on August 1st and you just found out that the existing tenant would not be ready to move out in time; [...]
It is hard to believe but we are fast approaching the middle of the year; and, now is the time to perform some important tasks to insure that you have [...]
In over twenty years of being an office leasing broker in San Francisco, I have never witnessed such a price variance between similar buildings. Today’s [...]
As a practicing commercial real estate broker specializing in office leasing and sales for over twenty years, I made a mistake eleven years ago that [...]
My grandmother had some simple quotes that seemed to explain so much about how we live and should live. One great quote was “If our body had a choice [...]
A recent Wall Street Journal article ranked New York and San Francisco as the top two office markets in the country. Although both markets are expected [...]
If recent vacancy rates hold true, San Francisco is absorbing office space faster than anticipated in 2007. Current vacancy rates in San Francisco [...]
During college I took a job with a family friend and ended up working for him for ten years. When I started, there were two employees; by the time I left, [...]
One of the toughest lessons for any salesperson to learn is how to find the right decision maker and how to speak to that person. As salespeople, we may [...]
With reports that San Francisco’s office vacancy rate has fallen to 10.5%, tenants and brokers are concerned that there may not be enough space to keep [...]
When San Francisco voters passed Proposition H (Relocation Assistance for No Fault Tenant Removal) earlier this month, they moved closer toward killing [...]
With San Francisco commercial property rental rates up 20% or more during the past three years, subleasing a space can be quite profitable for both [...]
At the TCN Worldwide recent national convention in San Francisco, affiliates from across the country reported strong leasing and sales activities in [...]
Six years ago I hired a coach to improve the way I do business. It was one of the most important and successful moves I have made in more than 20 years [...]
September and October are traditionally some of the strongest office leasing months of the year because that is when businesses make the decision to [...]
In 1984, San Francisco Class A office rents were in the low 50s. Twenty-plus years later, these same buildings are hitting the 30s to mid-40s. Rents [...]
There are several “dos” and “don’ts” that should be followed by both the landlord and the tenant in a leasing transaction to secure office space. Here [...]
A Housing Market Slide Would Effect the Commercial Real Estate Market
Coming out of the 1980s office-building boom, San Francisco office space vacancy [...]
I must be getting old: I am spending way too much time thinking about the “good old days.” A friend reminded me that I need to realize that people [...]
San Francisco will choke in traffic congestion if it does not implement a long-term plan to address new mass transportation alternatives and to add [...]
Is cold calling a lost art? Why do even the most successful salespeople fail to schedule cold calling as a daily top priority? The desire to skip cold [...]
Looks Like a Typical Leasing Year for Bay Area Office Space
Last year was the best year in office leasing since the dot-com boom. But now the office [...]
My college son is interning this summer in my commercial real estate office. Craig is doing a little bit of everything this summer: attending sales meetings, [...]
Textbook terms can be used to describe various types of leases, categories of buildings, and ways to measure space in commercial real estate, but in practice, [...]
No matter what type of sales product or service you have, over 80% of any sales that you generate will come from word of mouth. Someone that you have [...]
As the saying goes, baseball is life. Any real-life situation can be matched to a baseball fact, rule, or happening. This season, Barry Bonds may pass [...]
Equity Office recently announced that it would begin construction on a new 10-story office building at Foundry Square to house Barclay Bank. Foundry [...]
TCN Worldwide—ranked as one of the largest commercial real estate organizations in the world—recently held its western regional meeting in Las Vegas. [...]
Ten Reasons Why a Client Will Not Work with You
If you’re in the commercial real estate field, at some point you’ve questioned why a client didn’t [...]
Today, thanks to email, PDF files, faxes, cell phones, and instant messaging, it has become increasingly easy to stay in touch with clients, friends, [...]
By the end of the year, the long-awaited Bloomingdale’s will open, making the combined Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s center one of the largest urban [...]
Rating Your Performance and the Necessity to Make Changes in 2006
As we begin a new year it is important for any salesperson to look back at 2005 [...]
Tips If You Have a Lease Renewal in 2006
If your office lease is expiring in 2006, you will be facing some tough decisions in the near future. In [...]
This past year was a very good one for commercial real estate. Commercial property sales outpaced supply. Office leasing rates showed real gains for [...]
With oil prices heading past $3.00 a gallon could such high prices create a fundamental change in where we live and do business. I believe that a [...]
Language Does Make a Difference
The Difference Between a Proposal and a Letter of Intent
Years ago, the president of the commercial real estate firm [...]
Where Is the Money?
A recent edition of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the medium price of homes in the city increased more in one year [...]
Governor Schwarzenegger recently announced that he was backing off his plan to abolish 88 state boards and commissions that oversee everything from [...]
When Mayor Gavin Newsom sided with the hotel workers union last week, he compromised his position as the best person to negotiate a settlement to end [...]
We are entering the "dog days of summer” when things slow down, people are not around, and decisions are not made as quickly. During a recent email blast, [...]
Although vacancy rates and rentals have started to stabilize and tenants are coming back to the marketplace, landlords are faced with a new problem that [...]
News that San Francisco has the highest percentage of city workers to its population does not come as a shock to long-time San Francisco residents. With [...]
When property is subject to a lease and the tenant makes improvements with the landlord's knowledge, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers may have [...]
The word “attorn” simply means to recognize someone as your landlord and to have that person recognize you as his tenant. In the current market where [...]
How carefully do you examine the waivers of subrogation and other insurance clauses in your major tenant leases? Do you assume that the large corporate [...]
Many large corporate tenants prefer to carry their own fire and casualty insurance rather than have the landlord carry it and then reimburse the landlord [...]