Seen one local agent really step up marketing and presence in commercial market. He has a lot in MLS and Loopnet but barely anything that sold. He may be hungry now but one day may pay off big. A lot of commercial brokers in my area are close to retirement age. I am tempted to join this specialty area if worth it.

If many of the commercial brokers in your area are near retirement age, it might be worth looking into. However, if most of the soon-to-be "pensioners" were not producers, then, it won't matter much. Also, don't forget the leasing side of the business - if you're in a small(er) market you may need to do sales & leasing and do office, industrial, retail, etc. If you're in a larger market, it might be better to specialize in a sector.

Most sales above 5 million are not moving right now. Those closings are down about 90 percent.

This is why the big boys CB Richard Ellis,Grubbs and Ellis,Cushman and Wakefield,Brennan Goddard etc. are all humping it right now. All of their big clients can't unload those expensive properties unless they take a huge loss. With little big sales the companies are going in the red because their profit models are built on big business.So the big companies are being glorified landlords squeezing every last dime out of their clients properties for cash flow. I absolutely hate anything to do with ongoing tenant management and stay far away.

Right now smaller parcels are moving like for building banks,pharmacies,restaurants. Existing buildings that are distressed in good location make for good rehabs (retrofits)

Land development the financing is dried up on Wall-Street and developers and VC partners are nervous about Obama eyeing new tax laws that would tax partnerships at ordinary income up to 35 percent instead of the capital gain long term of 15 percent.

Most future commercial sales will be distressed or foreclosures in the next 3 to 4 years. Cash investors,developers,reit's,hedge fund groups,pensions,vc groups all want in on the action.

I have about 18 commercial listings and only foreclosure,distress sales,and highly desired small parcels are moving. The others I tell to not sell as it's a waste of time. Most lenders won't loan out on properties that are reducing in income so you are left with cash (vulture) buyers.

Not many of the big banks and sit down restaurant chains are doing deals either. In my market, there are a lot of fast food guys looking for sites though. For pharmacies, if you can control/list a 1.75 - 2 acre pad at a signalized intersection of two main streets with strong traffic counts...and there's no Walgreens or CVS within a couple of miles...tee it up! Rite-Aid isn't doing anything much except disposition.

Yeah when the economy was better they were putting Walgreen's and CVS stores closer together from other locations. Now they want to expand but play it safer.

Rite-aid is definitely a dying breed. Once they took over from Eckerd they just cannot compete with CVS and Walgreens.

I don't mind as this is right up my wheelhouse. Do you work with any cash buyers looking for distressed properties. I have a few and PM contact info if interested.

In our area, we have had very little activity in the commercial market. I also read an article that in 2010 the foreclosure rate for commercial is going to go through the roof, just as residential did in 2009. If you can get in with the banks to sell the foreclosed commercial properties, that may be a good market.

Best of luck!

Very tough right now. The only good thing about the market is that their are less "pipe dreamers" wasting commercial real estate agent's time. Atleast that is what we have found on our end as of late.