There are a million brokers and brokerages out there to choose from and really most of them are better then the next for their particular niche or client. But nothing really beats a local listing broker for land and commercial property. Early on I decided to become the Westfield Indiana SR 32 expert for all things Real Estate related and to this day still consider myself the leading broker in the area. It took a lot of work and many hundreds of hours studying land owners and the GIS as well as staying 100% current on anything happening locally, but its been worth it. So below I am going to explain to you the 3 top reasons you should never rely on anyone other then a local expert to list your commercial property or land.
- Market Knowledge – You would never go to a Ford dealer to ask about the specifics of your Porsche 911 so why would you ask a downtown broker to tell you about the market in Westfield? We spend each and every day in the market, engaging with buyers and sellers as well as local officials to know more about that real estate then any other broker. So asking or expecting an out of area broker to even compete is a waste of time. Sure they can put a sign out and market online but things like pricing, saturation and other competitors will never be known unless you are practicing daily in the area of that listing.
- Who’s Who – I bet I have to introduce 75% of new tenants and buyers to city planners or officials to discuss options and I cant imagine not knowing who the key decision makers are. I can text, email or call and get an answer to many of the questions before the out of town broker can visit the city website and loft an email to who they hope my be the right contact. I have received referrals from other brokers that work in nearby markets that felt they just weren’t serving their client best because they couldn’t figure out who to connect with in the city in a timely manner. Sure they could spent days trying to get to the right person but in the end they are wasting everyones time and probably going to find several other barriers by not being in the know of who’s who locally. On the other hand a planner or official can also contact us or refer us directly as they are looking for information on a particular site for economic development reasons. Sometimes they need a quick answer and them knowing me and how to reach me can be a real treat as they are engaging with a potential user.
- Customer service – I would imagine any succeeding broker has a high focus on customer service but sometimes we get spread too thin. The last thing I am wanting to do is run to the westside on a Friday evening to show a property or check a sign, but only listing local gives me an opportunity to be readily available for my listings. I cant tell you the number of times I show property on the way to dinner or while running my daily errands and with very little notice. I am always within minutes of my showings technically and love to be responsive whether its knowing my signs look bad or giving access to another broker. Being close by gives me a huge advantage against a large company that has an office 20 miles away and broker that lives in another city or county. I am around, I am available and I am paying attention daily to each and every one of my listings.
Do I think I am the only broker out there that is doing what I do? Of course not but I do think early on I set a niche and habits in play that gave me a heads up to other brokers trying to work in my area as things progress. The chance to be the best option for local owners and sellers when there are hundreds of other brokers that would jump at any of these listings was a blessing and I will continue to be the best most knowledgable broker in my market.
Curt has been in the Indianapolis Real Estate business for nearly 20 years and spent his first years learning all aspects of commercial management and brokerage. He has had great success in managing existing commercial projects and new retail and office developments. Curt specializes in building owner representation and purchases in the Westfield Indiana market as well throughout the Indianapolis Metro area. Curt is passionate about growing the local Westfield community and in his free time volunteers with Westfield Youth Assistance, Student Impact and raising 2 children with his wife Jennifer.
