There are real estate agents, and then there are commercial real estate agents – agents working in a narrower and more specialized niche. A good commercial real estate agent must be skilled, dedicated, experienced, and an expert in her arena. But who wants good when you can have great. Here, then, are the 5 signs of a great commercial real estate agent in Alameda County.
1. Easily Stated Pertinent Experience
A great commercial real estate agent in Alameda County should be able to explain her experience in terms that go far beyond just years in the business. Your agent should be able to explain and illustrate:
- Education and background
- Mentors and their influence
- Specific niche markets (both knowledge of and experience in these}
- Successful strategies used to overcome common transaction obstacles
Really, there is no place for false humility here.
Perhaps most important, a great real estate agent will have experience in the markets you’re interested in. For example, if you’re looking to buy apartment buildings, you wouldn’t want an agent with experience almost exclusively in strip malls. And this means that a great agent will also be able to state and explain her limitations in this regard, being upfront about exactly what she can and can’t do.
To find out more about commercial agent specialization, contact a Alameda County agent at (408) 893-1866 .
2. Professional Relationships and Network
In addition to experience, a great commercial real estate agent will also have plenty of quality professional relationships and a broad network, including inspectors and escrow companies. Here’s why . . .
“Networking may come easier to some people than others, but nobody will argue the importance of it. Commercial real estate is a people business. A commercial agent is in the business of helping people solve a problem – helping a tenant find a place to lease, helping an owner sell his property, etc. It’s important to network with other professionals in [the] market.”
3. Persistence
A commercial Alameda County agent is actually an entrepreneur. There’s no guaranteed salary, and success depends entirely on making clients happy by serving their best interests, on building the business to bring in more commissions. And that means that persistence is an important quality in a great agent.
Here’s the advice from industry experts for a commercial real estate agent: “To be successful in this field, persistence and the desire to succeed are necessary traits. You will have good days where everything seems to be working out perfectly, and then there will also be days where it seems like everything is falling apart. You must be persistent through both the good times and bad; persistently making calls, persistently scouting out properties, and persistently doing everything you can to become an expert in your market.”
4. Mastery of Technology
No longer can agents just put out a couple of print ads and then sit around waiting for the phone to ring. No, today, a successful commercial real estate agent absolutely must master technology and digital marketing. The result is wider reach and the ability to stay connected from anywhere.
“The commercial real estate professionals who have adapted to the current technologies available to them are using social media, websites, and blogs to reach their audience and showcase their expertise. They are using a CRM that allows them to have all their contacts, deals, properties, and marketing data in the palm of their hands anytime, anywhere. And they are utilizing services such as MailChimp and Buildout to create high-quality marketing pieces.” And a great commercial agent will also utilize video-conferencing platforms and drone photography.
5. Honesty
This may seem too obvious to need mentioning, but, unfortunately, it’s not. Honesty is one of the top qualities you should look for in your Alameda County commercial real estate agent. You have to know that your agent is looking out for your best interests, and that requires a trust built on honesty.
Again, the advice industry pros give to commercial agents is: “Never lie to get a new client or close a deal, as it will only come back to bite you in the future. Instead, focus on being as open, honest, and transparent as possible. Clients will appreciate your honesty – even if the news isn’t exactly what they want to hear – and they will return to you again and again because they know that they can trust you. In this industry, your reputation is everything.”
Where to Find Your Agent
These are indeed some reliable signs of a great commercial real estate agent. The difficulty, though, lies in sorting through all the potential agents – weeding out the good from the bad and distinguishing the great from the merely good. The whole process takes tons of time and effort: getting recommendations, reading reviews, interviewing agents, reviewing track records, and so on.
But there is a quicker and easier way. And that is to go through an agency noted for its quality agents. So if you are looking for a great commercial real estate agent in Alameda County, contact us today at (408) 893-1866 .