I called a local commercial real estate broker the other day. I just called the first name on their list of "Our People". It turned out to be the Chairman of the Board, D'oh!

He told me to call the next guy on the list who turned out to be the President and CEO! I start firing questions at him about resources that he would recommend I start looking into to build a career in commercial real estate. He asks what background I have and I tell him a little, but I end it with "I would gladly trade compensation for knowledge right now". He thanked me for the enthusiasm and told me to send him an email with some more info.

I sent it and just received a email back! About 3 days later! I didn't expect any response back honestly. I figured I would have to follow-up in a couple weeks. His email read, "I have asked her (Person in charge in personnel) to call and provide info on {Blank Company} and to request a behavior profile testing ." Well, I guess I came on a little strong, huh?

Well, it will be well worth it to get an opportunity to learn the commercial end of the business! Wish me luck guys....

Sounds good. You should go for it. It is good to be versatile in this business.

Thanks Rich, the only problem may be that I just accepted a position with another firm with a salary. I wonder if there is any kind of salary with them as a trainee.

Behavior profile testing is very common.

If you have questions regarding it - just search on the internet. There are 31253265266 sample tests so you can get a feel for what you will be encountering when you show up.


Good luck.

that's great. I've never heard of behavioral profile testing before. I just searched google for free tests. I could see why companies would want to test this before hiring someone. I wonder if you could still do work with the other company part time

I asked and they said no.

Did you make a decision as to whether you were going to switch companies? Or just sticking with the paying job for now?

Your first post said "I would gladly trade compensation for knowledge right now".

Well, if it was just me I would be living in my car eating dry top ramen to learn this business. When you have a woman that relies on you and a 3 year old that couldn't survive without you things change. I took the paying job. I will pay down some debt, build a savings and take the proper steps when I am ready. I am still very active in the residential lending side though.

I feel your pain.

My wife and my elderly mom depend on me to financially provide for everyone.

I have been doing well but waiting for the big one to close and then I am going to take about a month off and then take over the world

I've heard of and done "Behavorial Profile Test"
I've taken several of them.

I think they are full of crap.
They ask things from different categories to throw you off.
Do you like children???????
If you saw your co-worker lying or stealing, would you turn them in.???
If you got home and discovered that the clerk did not charge you for an item, would you call the store and return it??
Do you think sexual harrassment is wrong?
Have you ever been sexually harrased?
If you found $10 dollars on the floor would you try to find the owner?????????
Those are the traumatic one's that I remember.
and they continue to ask the same questions, but in a different format. .......I guess they are trying to break through to your inner demons.??

I went away in each case, questioning if I had "Cooties" or something.

I am very impressed with the whole DISC profile thing though. In my experience its been dead on.

Behavior profile testing? Never heard of it until now, I just went on line to do a test after reading this thread and to me it just seems like another way of making money out of you for the online reports!?

So I met with the original company yesterday. I got a lot of good info and I am really looking forward to getting into the business. The person I met with said that '08 is expected to be a decent year, but '09 will be a slow year and many will drop out of the industry. 2010 is supposed to be the comeback year. What do you guys think?

The position they are hiring for, after the 1st of the year, is what's called a Runnership. Basically you are partnered up with a senior broker for a year and paid a small salary. You are the first in, the last out of the office. You do research all day, you prepare your senior broker for his meetings. Your weekends are spent looking at buildings, finding what tenants are where in your territory. Cold calling, making contacts, etc. I think it is a great way to learn the industry and still earn a small living. What are your thoughts on this type of training?

I'm just looking for feedback here, I am going to be calling some more commercial brokers today to see how they work and compare.

Hey, if youre really planning on concentrating on a strictly commercial career then I say go for it if it sounds good to you. Does sound like you'll be learning a ton of great stuff....stuff you can share with the lil folk on this board like me...way over on the opposite coast, out of your commpeting territoy...hehe.

Keep us posted. Sounds exciting. Myself I think I would need the flexibility and independence but who knows. I've thought about going straight commercial also....

Holy...your last post was 666. (plays creepy music....)
kidding

667...

I think it's great for you to be doing that.It sounds like you will start as the gopher to learn the ropes and that you will be doing mainly leases and such and maybe some business brokerage.

You will probably pass me in the leasing side of it.I tend not to concentrate on that and I am more on the front end of things.

What I do is work with developers on projects.I do the dirty work of going in and getting as close to the numbers as the developer wants and getting them on option contracts until we land the equity partner and then after do diligence and inspection they set up closing.

The developers I work with work on 5 to 6 projects at a time.What they do is do the zoning,planning,meet with city and county officials,create the pre-lim site plan,and package the deal to get the commitment from a national big time development company,the deal is based on the pro-forms which is the anticipated future returns after the project is finished out.

I get paid when they close on the land and then I am off to the next deal.The developer usually gets a percentage 3 to 4 percent of the after build value of the project in an equity share and then cashes it out.Construction usually take 1 to 2 years to finish out.

The big national developer handles all the leasing of the property during construction and after the project is finished.I am perfectly content being the land assembler on the projects.In 3 to 4 years the developer will have trained me on how to do projects from start to finish and do my own deals which is cool.

You will learn there are so many specialties in commercial even more so than residential.

good luck

The guy I met with said the same thing. He told me that I need to pick a specialty and run with it, then he started naming off specialties. Just after he said land he said "Don't be a land guy" with a stern shake of his head.

Hahaha! By golly...i've picked the wrong specialty!!
Land is great if you know what you are doing. It's also a great way to waste your time if you don't know what you are doing. It's all in your skillset- some people are well suited for land, some not at all.

The thing about land is you have to be protected.Not all developers are honest when you work with them.On assembling land some sellers don't want to pay you a commission or get mad when they find out how much you are making on the deal.If that's the case you have to have a seperate agreement with the buyers and I make it a part and attatched to the purchase and sale.Buyer won't wind signing it unless they planned on screwing you down the line.If they don't want to sign it's a red flag.


Part of assembling land is looking at the project they want you to undertake and what the market is doing.You don't want to spend a full year assembling land on a project that is iffy at best with a bad location and unrealsitic numbers.

You want to make sure it's a good project that has a high probably of happening and that you are dealing with professional developers who know how to handle political issues and get problems resolved and items passed through.

If you like land do it.I remember the developer telling me he couldn't believe I am so good at this and it's hard to find someone who can do this type of work.It's not for the weak of heart.Sometimes I have made over a hundred calls and gone back for months and months before we have a signed contract with just one owner.

good luck

this is the lifestyle of a prodigy? do you know this woman, or are they occasional encounters? no offense, but you sound like a homeless person. would you like a list of homeless shelters?

Is this for retail leasing?

Retail leasing, land assemblage, investment, etc... nothing in particular I guess.

Did you read what I said? If it was me I would be doing whatever it took to break into the business. I am married though (Yes I see her often) and I have a three year old son.

Shana sure does remind me alot of Ericka...who I havent seen around lately....hmmmm

I got that same feeling. Random off the wall responses that are close to almost making a little bit of sense.