Commercial Real Estate Experts: ‘RE/MAX is a Leader in Our Industry’

In 2022, Commercial Brokers are in high demand, from listing urban structures to revitalizing suburban shopping centers to transacting land deals. Rural ranchers and city-dwellers alike agree: The industry is adapting and active.

The best professionals in the commercial real estate business, however, know the importance in re-charging along the way by re-upping education, staying atop of market trends, and building up their referral pipeline. RE/MAX Commercial Brokers gathered at the largest-ever RE/MAX Commercial Symposium in Tucson, Arizona from September 11-13 for just that.

“The neat part about working with RE/MAX is that you’re getting on the ground floor of a huge commercial brand,” says attendee Brandon Hughes, an Associate Broker with RE/MAX Commercial Capital in Alberta, Canada.

Industry titans and those newer to the business came together from around the globe to advance commercial real estate business. Plus, event sponsors like FRE Auctions, the REALTORS® Land Institute, Crexi, CCMI, and more, bolstered the event with resources and education for RE/MAX affiliates.

Enhancing industry skills

Education is a cornerstone value during the annual business-building event.

“I’m here at the Commercial Symposium just to expand my education. There’s no better place to do it than RE/MAX,” says Audra Soto, leader of Team Soto with RE/MAX Signature in Phoenix, Arizona, who is currently venturing into the commercial real estate sector.

Attendees heard about marketing strategy from Mark Hulsey, Managing Broker of RE/MAX Results in St. Paul, Minnesota. A marketing connoisseur who teaches courses and workshops – often through RE/MAX University – on marketing tactics for Commercial Brokers, Hulsey also led a powerful all-day workshop during the event on becoming a top-producing Broker or real estate team.

He took to the stage to demystify marketing, sharing that it shouldn’t be seen as an extra business practice, but rather essential, working in tandem with other daily business practices to complete transactions.

“I am a marketing professional and a real estate professional. I marry them together to have a very successful boutique listing brokerage,” says Hulsey.

“If I’m the listing Broker, it’s all about that [property] – from packaging up that asset to taking it to market and giving it the best light, and exposing it in the best way,” he says. “Marketing sells properties and increases brand awareness.”

Different from residential transactions, Hulsey explains why the commercial real estate audience needs to be captured differently.

“Marketing helps agent gets referrals [and] marketing influences the influencers… [From] bank presidents [to] big investment companies, you need to be in front of the most important people in your marketplace,” he says.

Exploring land transactions

One of the most complicated types of real estate transactions was unpacked for interested agents to gain a better understanding.

A Monday panel dedicated to land – and hosted by Aubrie Kobernus, CEO of the REALTORS® Land Institute (RLI) – explored the potential of tapping into the land sector. RE/MAX Commercial Brokers who specialize in land deals – from ranches to farms – agree on the differences in process, timeline, and background knowledge in comparison to other types of real estate transactions.

The panelists quipped that there are significant differences for transactions rooted in acres, rather than square feet. They shared with fellow Commercial Brokers that land deals – especially when involving animal agriculture – will often involve understanding irrigation complexities, navigating water access and rights, finding purpose with transitional land among families amid inheritance, and more.

The takeaway? Becoming the expert on local geography is at the root of success for top-performing Commercial Brokers specializing in land.

“Something that routinely is a struggle for us in Wyoming is in reference to water … we’re in high desert country,” says Todd Kittel, an Associate Broker with RE/MAX The Group in Casper, Wyoming, who previously served as game warden for the Wyoming Fish and Game Department. “Everyone is trying to make a living growing cattle and sheep herds. I can probably [sell land] in Montana because we share a lot of commonalities that way, [and] could even step into what used to be peanut ground in Oklahoma. I’m certainly not going to touch the Southern Illinois because it’s not anything I’m familiar with.”

Kobernus shares that in 2021, land sale prices in the U.S. rose 6.8%. Opportunity for commercial real estate professionals in land, it seems, are prevalent.

Expanding the RE/MAX referral network

“At RE/MAX, we have such an opportunity here [for referrals],” says Doug Jennings, President of RE/MAX Commercial Alliance in Arvada, Colorado.

Jennings hosted the “Referral Success” session on Tuesday to teach attendees his tricks for establishing a solid referral pipeline. Being proactive – rather than reactive – when it comes to referrals means creating a structure which revolves around collaboration, rather than viewing them as a side stream of business.

“[Referrals] can happen by accident – somebody can call you out of the blue… But when you want to get into volume [and] you want to try doing something of substance, you want to [put] a little more organization behind it,” says Jennings.

He credits RE/MAX for empowering Commercial Brokers to build business their own way with the backing of a global brand.

“We have a better way to do commercial real estate because [you] have the freedom to grow your business the way you want… We have a better way that’s built into the culture of our company,” the RE/MAX Platinum Club member says.

With over two decades of industry experience himself, Jennings is a proponent of serious Commercial Brokers attaining their Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation to advance their expertise on investment properties and transactions, a key component of commercial business for many Brokers.

Acknowledging that impactful credentials can play a role in affiliates expanding business ventures, RE/MAX hosted the CEO of CCIM himself – Paul Rumler – onstage to address evolving education needs in today’s climate. He spoke to the benefit of affiliating with a real estate brand that welcomes continued education and specialization for the utmost professional network.

“RE/MAX is a leader in our industry because you encourage your affiliated members to get [designations],” says Rumler.

And to expand knowledge in the land sector, Commercial Brokers can attain their Accredited Land Consultant designation through the RLI. Rod Canterbury, Broker and Manager with RE/MAX Advantage in Durant, Oklahoma, is an ALC who credits the networks of both the RLI and RE/MAX for increasing his industry connections and referral opportunities.

“Referrals come in from all over the United States,” says Canterbury. “[Being an] ALC plus [being with] RE/MAX is amazing.”

RE/MAX Commercial affiliates have access to discounts for membership and education with CCIM, RLI, and more.

Togetherness – and helping one another achieve success – remains a leading value for RE/MAX Commercial affiliates. Delanee Clark, a Commercial Broker with RE/MAX Landmark in Terrell, Texas, says it best.

“With the RE/MAX brand, the support they provide I think is pretty unbeatable,” she says.

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