CCIM Feature
CCIM Connections(3)
CCIM’s core curriculum offers a
solid foundation on which to build a successful career in commercial real
estate, but the education program doesn’t end with the designation. The Ward Center for
Real Estate Studies offers workshops, Webinars, and online courses that are
designed to help commercial real estate professionals profit in a fast-changing
industry. Here, CCIMs discuss the Ward Center courses that changed the way they
do business.
Universal Application
The managing director of
the Real Property Acquisition and Disposal office of the U.S. State Department
sponsored the two-day Advanced Negotiation Workshop for our division.We
manage the purchase, lease, and disposition of all U.S. diplomatic properties
outside U.S. borders. I was a CCIM candidate at the time, so I knew how
consistently excellent CCIM courses are.I was able to encourage most of
my colleagues to take advantage of the opportunity and their feedback was
extremely positive.
I have since used the
negotiating techniques learned during the class in a number of international
real estate actions for the department.The perspective and approach to
negotiating are universally applicable, regardless of language barriers or
cultural differences.I now prepare for the negotiation process by studying
the needs, interests, and possible motivations of all the principals. Applying
the skills acquired in the course, I build trust with the people across the
table and demonstrate that I am not there to take advantage of them, but rather
to work toward a mutually beneficial outcome.
—David Lauster, CCIM, CIPS
Negotiate With Confidence
The techniques I learned
in the Advanced Negotiation Workshop helped me tremendously when I listed a
two-story office building. An individual who had made a low-ball lease offer
was interested in purchasing the property. I told him we had a recent appraisal
from the bank for $3.6 million, so that would be the price.We went into
negotiations and he made another low-ball offer — $2.8 million. We countered
with $3.3 million and told him to take it or leave it.He took it and we
went to escrow.
However, during his due
diligence period, the buyer had the building inspected and came back with an
offer of $2.9 million. I advised the owners not to respond. Ten days later, I
received an email from the buyer’s attorney.I simply replied: “The price is now $3.6
million.” The
next morning, the buyer called me and said, “We’re going to have to negotiate this.” I replied that we had
negotiated in good faith and he had the property in escrow at $3.3 million. The
techniques I learned in the Advanced Negotiation Workshop led to the successful
close of this deal at $3.3 million.
—Kent Clifford, CCIM
Expanded Service
I participated in the
Troubled Assets Workshop led by Mark J. Polon, CCIM, in Atlanta in February.
The best tip I picked up is that banks need all types of assistance with
troubled assets aside from broker opinions of value and help with selling their
properties. I specialize in the sale of commercial real estate-owned properties,
and I have increased my volume of listings by simply offering to help the asset
managers with anything they need, rather than just going after listings on
specific properties.
—FredGunther, CCIM
Instructors Approve
I’d known Mark Cypert, CCIM,
for a few years, and I’d
been working to bring him to Albuquerque to teach the Advanced Market Analysis
for Commercial Real Estate course. Mark has run several large funds that
invested heavily in office buildings all over the country, and his application
of the tools he teaches in this class has made him and his investors a pile of
money.
When we finally had our
course, it was a gigantic success. The
classroom sold out, the students loved the new tools and market insight, and we
received some fabulous comments such as, “Best class I’ve taken all year.”
—Todd Clarke, CCIM, CCIM
Instructor