entrepreneur

In the News

Wasn’t there a Chili’s here yesterday?

The Regina Leader-Post published an article in 2008 with Stu Rathwell, a franchise partner in the new Regina’s Chili’s Grill and & Bar.

Stu shared that his Saskatoon location would be open by that year’s end.

His optimism about the Chili’s brand was hopeful; if things took off as he was hoping, he predicted people could expect to see several more open across the province.

Fast forward to 2019.

If you happened upon Saskatoon’s Preston Crossing the last week of February, you may have caught sight of Stu’s dream deflating right before your eyes.

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Real Estate industry

10 questions to ask yourself before considering a career in commercial real estate

You may be in your last year of university and considering your career options or, have just come to the realization that your current professional path is not going to be your lifework.

The idea of a career in commercial real estate sales is appealing. What’s your next step?

Talk to a few different Brokers. There can be significant differences between commercial real estate companies.

It’s beneficial to gain the perspective of more than one Broker to determine if the career is right for you.

If you decide to move forward, you’ll have a good sense of which company you would prefer to work for and the process they go through to decide who and when they hire.

Here are some questions to raise during the interview process.

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Sales and Leases

What’s ideal amount to invest in Commercial Real Estate?

For the purpose of this conversation, let’s assume you are sitting on cash or liquid asset(s) and have decided to invest a portion of your available capital into commercial real estate.

What factors need to be considered to make a prudent investment decision?

I wrote about the advantages of partnerships, but let’s say the idea of a partnership does not interest you.

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ABC's of Leasing

1,000 lease changes later

Receiving that first response from a Tenant we’ve not encountered before, after waiting for their review of a lease, it is always interesting.

We represent both Tenants and Landlords; this article has been written from the perspective that I am representing the Landlord.

At times the Tenant is prepared to execute the document “as is” and at times they will request hundreds or more of changes. We have seen request that number exceed 1,000 changes.

We know all commercial real estate leases are written with a bias towards the Landlord, but what are the main reasons that Tenants object to the document?

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Market

Prime retail space elusive in Saskatoon

One of my biggest challenges is being unable to find the right fit for tenants. In a commercial landscape that remains under-serviced for retail it’s not exactly my fault.

We did see some new construction of retail in 2018, so it’s probably time to revaluate where the inventory levels sit versus vacancy, midway to the end of the third quarter of 2018.

Looking at the numbers by area, who do you ask: landlords or tenants?

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ABC's of Leasing

Hard tenant truths

As a commercial real estate agent my job is to line up tenants with landlords, and sellers with buyers.

Unlike a sale, where both sides part ways at the end of transaction, I think leasing is a lot about building a relationship.

However, much like in our personal lives, we all know some relationships are just not meant to be.

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Sales and Leases

Time kills deals

There is nothing worse than putting a transaction together that gets mired in a lengthy conditional period with no end in sight.

Whether it’s a court ordered sale or a deal that continually seems to get extended, time kills deals that take too long. Continue Reading →

Market

YXE Marquis Industrial facts you didn’t know

Up to and including June 13th, only five building permits have been issued since January 1st, 2017 within the Marquis Industrial Area.

There were four permits issued during the month of April however that number has remained unchanged since the end of April.

Spring is typically the season we see the greatest number of new industrial construction starts.

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Sales and Leases

What’s in a name?

Chrysler Building. Empire State Building. Rockefeller Center. What do these iconic New York City buildings have in common?

They are recognizable by name alone. They are examples of commercial real estate known throughout the world whether you’ve physically seen them or not.

How significant is a name when it comes to commercial buildings?

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Slice of Life

Empowering entrepreneurs

Seeing a business plan grow from a dream to a reality is not for the weak of heart. Financing and strategy necessitate accessing the best advice to develop a sound concept.

Part of our role as agents is to educate clients on the best commercial real estate options available in the market. More than once, I’ve had tenants and buyers reconsider their wish list after seeing the concrete results of a search.

I’ve been privileged to meet several local change makers in our community helping to empower entrepreneurs.

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