How I work
How I work for tenants
Research, a search that covers the whole market, landlords competing for you, and someone keeping track of your dates for years afterwards. I start with what you need, look at every available space from every brokerage, get landlords to compete in writing, and track your renewal dates long after the deal is done.
The short version
Every deal has a real problem to solve, two sides with their own reasons, and a balance where both can win. My job is to find all three, then get it in writing.
Research first
Every good conversation with a landlord starts with homework. Who owns the building and why they hold it, what similar spaces actually rent for, how long the space has been empty, and what the landlord would lose if you walked.
Most of it is public record, so it’s quick homework. The rest comes from asking direct questions.
Market your requirement like a campaign
I’ve worked in advertising and communications since 2010, and I treat your search the same way. A clear, anonymous “wanted” notice goes out to commercial agents and landlords across the market, so space that’s coming up reaches us before it hits the listing sites.
Look at the whole market
I search listings from every brokerage, not one firm’s inventory. Then I compare them on the same basis: rentable versus usable area, net versus gross, net effective rent and total cost over the term.
Ask more than one landlord
Different landlords value the same tenant differently. One has empty units, another has a waiting list. I ask several for proposals at the same time, and the spread between them is often where the savings come from.
Even if you stay where you are, a renewal measured against real alternatives is a better renewal.
A signed offer isn’t the finish line
Conditions, the lease document, permits and the build-out still need managing, and surprises turn up. I stay on it until you have the keys.
After the deal
I keep a calendar of your renewal notice dates, rent steps and option deadlines, and I can get in touch well before they arrive.
Stalled or unusual deals
A search that’s going nowhere, a landlord who has gone quiet, a deal that fell apart on financing, or a property nobody knows how to price. These need a fresh look, and they’re the kind of work I like best. Most stalled deals are structure problems more than price problems.
The people around the deal
Commercial lenders, real estate lawyers, accountants, inspectors, environmental consultants, property managers and sign makers. I can introduce you to the right person when you need them. You hire them directly, and if I ever receive anything for a referral, I’ll tell you.
Go deeper
If you’re looking for more details
What you get from me, step by step
- A first call about the business as well as the space.
- A search across every brokerage, plus spaces I know are coming.
- Tours I set up and attend with you.
- Written proposals side by side, on real cost.
- Negotiation of the offer to lease.
- Help through conditions, the lease and the move.
- Your key dates tracked for years afterwards, starting with the renewal notice.
What I ask of you
- Tell me the real budget and the real date.
- Let me know if anything changes in the business.
- Bring your lawyer in early for the lease review.
Next step
Tell me what’s going on with your space.
Fifteen minutes is usually enough to work out what you should do first. If I’m not the right person for it, I’ll tell you and point you to someone who is.