Commercial Real Estate Insights

By: Hyatt Tullu, Commercial Real Estate Intern 2025 In any development project, success is defined not only by what is built but also by how much value it creates at the end of the day. One of the most effective, yet often underappreciated, ways to ensure a project’s financial success is by involving an investment sales broker early in the process. Why Engage an Investment Sales Broker? An investment sales [...]

Written By: Hyatt Tullu, Commercial Real Estate Intern, 2025 A build-to-suit deal is a common structure in commercial real estate where a developer constructs a building specifically tailored to meet the needs of a tenant, who then agrees to lease the property upon completion. Unlike speculative development, where a developer builds a property without a signed tenant and hopes to lease it later, a build-to-suit begins with a lease commitment [...]

Site selection is an essential component of a successful STNL investment. Selecting the right site is the cornerstone of a successful Single-Tenant Net Lease (STNL) development project. These projects, often referred to as triple-net or NNN investments, depend heavily on strategic location choices due to their long-term lease structures and single-tenant focus. For national developers, mastering site selection means balancing hard data, local market conditions, and tenant business needs to [...]

Written By: MA Sadik, Commercial Real Estate Intern, 2025 Zoning is a foundational concept in real estate development that directly affects what can be built on a piece of land, how it can be built, and what it's ultimately worth. For anyone involved in land use—from investors to developers to policymakers—understanding zoning is essential to making smart, legally sound, and profitable decisions.   What Is Zoning? Zoning is a set [...]

Written By: MA Sadik, Commercial Real Estate Intern, 2025 In real estate, particularly in commercial and net lease development, knowing who your tenant is goes far beyond simply collecting rent. It determines your property’s financial performance, marketability, long-term value, and investment risk. Whether you're a developer or investor, understanding your tenant is one of the most strategic advantages you can have. Here's why: Tenant Creditworthiness Directly Impacts Valuation The tenant [...]

Written By: Hyatt Tullu, Commercial Real Estate Intern, 2025 Overview: In a typical land development contract, the inspection period is the buyer’s opportunity to investigate the property before moving forward with the purchase. During this time, the buyer evaluates key factors that could affect the feasibility, cost, or timeline of the project. If major issues are found, the buyer often has the option to cancel the contract without penalty. What [...]

Site planning is a critical initial step when evaluating potential locations for single tenant ground up development. By carefully considering setback requirements and zoning regulations upfront, developers can save time, money, and avoid potential roadblocks. Let's explore why this process is so valuable and what factors to consider.   Understanding Setback Requirements Setback requirements dictate the minimum distance between a building and the property line. These regulations serve several purposes: [...]

If you're a savvy real estate investor, you've likely heard of a 1031 exchange. But what exactly is it, and how can it benefit you? Let's dive in! A 1031 exchange, named after Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, is a strategy that allows real estate investors to defer capital gains taxes when selling an investment property and reinvesting the proceeds into a “like-kind property”. In simpler terms, it's [...]

When it comes to commercial real estate development, due diligence is key. One crucial step in this process is the Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (ESA). But what exactly is it, and why might you need one? A Phase II ESA is a more in-depth investigation of a property's environmental conditions, typically conducted when a Phase I ESA has identified potential environmental concerns. It involves collecting and analyzing samples from [...]

A NNN ground lease in commercial real estate is a specific type of long-term lease agreement between a landowner (lessor) and a tenant (lessee) with unique characteristics. NNN ground leases are commonly used for single-tenant retail developments like a quick service restaurants, automotive businesses, or free standing retailer uses. Below are some key points about this type of lease…   Key Features Land Only - A ground lease covers only [...]

Overview The land entitlement process involves obtaining the necessary legal approvals to develop land for specific commercial use. It is a key step in real estate development, ensuring that any changes to land use or appearance follow local regulations. Importance of Land Entitlements Legal Compliance: This is essential for changing land use, particularly for commercial development. It ensures that the project adheres to local laws and regulations. Project Viability: The [...]

Key Take Aways from The Car Wash Show - Nashville 2024 The car wash industry is experiencing shifts in consumer preferences towards professional services and express models, improved labor efficiency due to subscription models, and evolving business sentiments. Takeaways Employees per location decreased by about 15% Revenue per store nearly doubled. Significant increase in professional car washing since the 90s. Overall customer satisfaction shows subscribers have higher satisfaction. Shift from [...]

An ALTA survey is a valuable tool for developers and real estate purchasers to understand a property's characteristics, rights, and encumbrances. Here are some key points about ALTA surveys: Comprehensive information: ALTA surveys provide detailed information about property boundaries, easements, improvements, access, zoning, and flood zone classifications. Title-related matters: They include survey-related exceptions from the title commitment, such as rights-of-way, easements, and encroachments. Comparison with title documents: It's important to [...]

Marketing for retail land development includes selling not just a real estate location, but a vision of possibilities. Five must have’s for marketing materials for land development opportunities are as follows…. 1.Define the area in discussion. Simply pointing to a property with a designated parcel size next the arrow is not enough information. Instead provide the boundary lines or a survey if your seller can provide one to you for [...]

A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is a common due diligence item performed when purchasing land for development. Its purpose is to identify potential or existing environmental contamination liabilities that could impact the property's value and pose threats to the environment or human health. The intent is to evaluate the historical and current uses of the property to evaluate whether these uses have affected the soil or groundwater. Phase [...]

A geotechnical report is a common form of due diligence performed when purchasing a property and a crucial document that assesses the subsurface conditions of a parcel intended for development. It provides valuable insights and recommendations that are essential for the successful planning, design, and construction of a project. Here’s an overview of what a geotechnical report entails and its value to developers. A geotechnical report is prepared by geotechnical [...]