Summertime in Tampa, Florida, has a lot to offer: warm weather, abundant sunshine, and sandy shores. In 2024, it was also the site of the annual RE/MAX Global Commercial Symposium, a business-building event for the brand’s commercial real estate professionals.
For three days, RE/MAX Commercial brokers linked up with fellow professionals from around the world, talked strategy, and built their referral pipelines.
“The energy during the RE/MAX Global Commercial Symposium is unmatched. Attendees are highly motivated, eager to grow, and passionate about commercial real estate,” said Kristie Kimnach, Executive Director of RE/MAX Commercial. “This event serves as a key point of connection for the growing RE/MAX network of commercial brokers. Nearly everyone comes away with new ideas and new contacts for future business.”
Symposium attendees received a close-up look at several new offerings from RE/MAX Commercial. One was the all-new MAX/Tech Commercial platform, a comprehensive technology suite – including CRM – powered by RealNex, a prominent industry tech provider. With the new tech hub, RE/MAX Commercial brokers will be able to build their own standalone websites, promote listings, market effectively, generate leads, and keep their business organized in one space.
They also previewed the RE/MAX Commercial Resources Website, a new collection of commercial resources coming later this year.
“RE/MAX Commercial technology is making big moves, and we’re really bolstering the resources our affiliates can leverage in their own businesses,” Kimnach said. “Additions like these solidify the brand’s strong value proposition to industry professionals in commercial real estate.”
RE/MAX Commercial brokers span a wide variety of specialties, like multifamily dwellings, retail units, hotels, golf courses, farms, ranches, and much more.
Rod Canterbury, Managing Broker of RE/MAX Advantage in Eufaula, Oklahoma, who has 17 years in the business, moderated the Symposium’s “Unveiling the Potential: Developing Land for Commercial Purposes” panel. Reflecting on his unique land deals in multiple Midwest and Western states, Canterbury offered his advice for others looking to explore this facet of commercial real estate.
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“Find somebody that has experience in selling ranches and work with them as a mentor. Or team up with them and let them teach you. If you start selling farms or ranches or land, you get to see things that most people don’t ever see,” he explained.
Fellow event attendee David Watkins, a commercial broker with RE/MAX Hallmark First Group Realty in Whitby, Ontario, shared that mindset.
“If you’re going to get into commercial real estate, make sure you start with a really good mentor. And one of the best areas to start in is commercial leasing, which allows you to learn from the ground up and really understand [the business],” he said.
Watkins credits referrals – created through networking events like the RE/MAX Global Commercial Symposium – as a generator of new business.
“I’ve been in commercial real estate for over 25 years. And today, as a member of the RE/MAX Top 100 commercial [brokers] in Canada and worldwide, it’s fantastic because the business is still chasing me,” he said. “I get a lot of business from my RE/MAX colleagues and other commercial real estate professionals.”
Customer service is a cornerstone in his operation.
“My business is centered on taking care of my clients. I don’t care if it’s a $12 million-dollar cashflow property or if it’s a small apartment rental for one of my long-term plans, I’m going to approach it with a lot of skill and care,” Watkins added.
The culture of helping others is paramount at RE/MAX. After all, the brand’s commercial division is choc-full of top industry producers with all levels of experience. On Tuesday of the event, Mark Hulsey, Managing Broker of RE/MAX Results Commercial Group in Saint Paul, Minnesota, hosted the “Unveiling Success: RE/MAX Commercial Top Producers” panel.
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This is a conversation Hulsey keeps going all year round, too. As an Education Partner of RE/MAX University® (RU) – the brand’s exclusive digital education hub – Hulsey hosts a top-producer class and houses a series of top-producer interviews through the RE/MAX platform.
Ultimately, no matter your skill level or top producer status, learning – from sessions and individual conversations – is a journey that never ends.
“This year’s event is a true testament to the power of the RE/MAX Commercial brand,” Kimnach said, noting how the gathering in 2024 garnered more than 14 industry sponsors. “When brand affiliates lean into these gathering opportunities, they understand the industry from new perspectives – and come away with skills they can implement in their businesses right away.”
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Written by RE/MAX News
