I realize this is a newb questions but I am transitioning from residential real estate. So I reached out to a company inquiring about broker or property management positions. After they read my resume and cover letter they said they didn't have any of those positions available but suggested I speak to their investment sales department. What types of positions would fall under this?
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Selling income producing commercial real estate. Same thing that you would call a broker in residential real estate. Here is the common team structure. With reputable firms it will be very difficult if not impossible to enter above the associate level if you don't have CRE experience. Note that different firms have different titles.
Positions: Analyst: (analysis work including underwriting, research, getting comps and prepping OMs). More learning less adding value.
Senior Analyst: Analyst that know what they're doing. Beginning to add value.
Associate: Supervises analyst and helps manage the transaction.
Associate Director / AVP / VP / Director: Brings in business or gets delegated business from MD. Most likely to communicate with client with interactions that are more than "will you please send me this document" (associate / analyst communications). Knows deal very well.
Managing Director: Brings in big clients and talks to top guys at client firms and potential buyers. Manages team. Pretty high level deal knowledge (not in the weeds).
So correct me if I'm wrong its essentially support work at the lower levels and then networking and bringing in new deals at the higher level? What is the difficulty of joining a firm with little knowledge if the firm is reputable within its own region but isn't a CBRE or JLL type? Also what is typical interview process like for these positions, to be honest I have done no prior prep because I didn't even think about this side of the business.
Interview process will include finance type questions, general market knowledge and fit. My guess is coming residential real estate the interviewer will make sure you understand the valuation of CRE (this is what I would quiz you on). My advice to you and you're probably not going to like it is to study up for a while before you just fire off emails and cold call IS shops. As you know first impressions are huge. If you fumble around and make a fool of yourself you could be locked out from good firms when you get your feet under you.
Yes, exactly re: support work vs production.
By reputable I meant CBRE, JLL, HFF, Eastdil, Cushman etc the guys that sell the kind of buildings you think of when someone says "commercial real estate". Yes, there are firms that will hire you at the production level but know what you're getting into (likely 100% commission, cold calling and not near as nice real estate). Nothing wrong with that at all just be realistic with yourself.
I'm an investment sales broker.
There are a few types of investment sales shops. The top tier firms like CBRE, Eastdil, and Cushman will almost always require you to start out as an analyst if you're new. A poster on this forum mentioned to me that he was offered an analyst position at an institutional CBRE group and they told him he wouldn't be allowed to go and source deals for 5 years. This makes sense as it's a relatively sophisticated game and a big fund isn't going to want some kid in his mid 20's running with their deal. After the analyst stint is up you'll start handling more property tours and getting out there to interact with clients, often times in a supervised fashion.
The next tier of shop is Marcus & Millichap (M&M) and various iterations of their business model. You see a lot of firms like this in the net-leased retail space. These shops are boiler rooms in that they hire young kids to cold call and whoever makes it makes it. The smarter shops are pickier about their hiring and they give the good hires a draw for a year or two which the new agents have to burn off out of their gross fees. The M&M model is a minimum of 250 cold calls per week and to book as many meetings as possible. You'll take a senior agent on the meetings as they'll help you win the business and in turn will get a the lion's share of the fee should the deal end up getting to the closing table.
The last type is your local brokerage that does investment sales and leasing. These are typically found in secondary and tertiary markets. Some of these shops do very well but it's all dependent on who the senior guys are and the culture at the firm. You can learn a lot at a shop like this if the top guys are legit and do a high volume of deals. The negative is that it will take A LOT of deal-making and networking if you want exit-opps to a top tier team such as CBRE's tri-state institutional team.
I also participate in interviewing new hires. Personality fit is key along with being presentable. You need to look the part for meetings with building owners. We don't ask a lot of finance questions, if any at all, since that part can be trained (I operate in non-institutional assets). Investment sales isn't finance heavy unless you're at one of the top tier shops in which case it's important as you'll be working on larger and more complex transactions. If you go and work at Stan Johnson (second tier like M&M) you can be taught how to value a property in 10 minutes.
The main thing that's looked for in new hires below the top tier level is ambition and the desire to run through a wall to win business. You're going to be cold calling a lot so you need to be able to put up with the rejection and the long slog ahead of you.
+1 good post
Good post.
I met with a MD at boutique IS shop after cold emailing..shop is in in major market. He was pitching me on his firm and such (as I am trying to break into RE finance and said it would be great opportunity) and would entertain the idea of me meeting with team and such to see if I was good fit for an Analyst position..however, everyone at his firm, including Analyst ( only like 6 total guys in firm) are commission based from top down. Is this normal for a non CBRE/JLL/CW/Eastdil shop? They have pretty good deal history, but it is just not financially feasible for me to work on all commission.
Sometimes Analysts and Associates are all commission, BUT they get a cut of the deals they work on. So while they are commission technically, they don't have to source business instead maybe 5% of all deals that they work on.
You should inquire, because how can you be an analyst and be expected to have time to cold call. That would seem unreasonable.
What's typical comp for analysts at the big shops and middle tier shops?
Big shops you'll make over 100K easily total comp but base salary will be low.
Hopefully @Non-PC Broker will chime in on the MM space
Some second and third tier firms will pay a base salary of around 30-35k and then you'll get a piece of whatever deals you source. This number is not for a NYC or San Fran market though. I'd assume something in the 45-50k range in those markets. Then you'll typically have a worse split with the house on commissions you earn until the house earns its money back.
It will usually take 6-12 months to close your first deal, so in the first year all-in comp is probably in the 40-60k range in secondary and tertiary markets. The second year is when it should pick up as you'll have built a pipeline.
The key to brokerage is being able to stick it out for a few years. The barrier to entry at GS and BX is knowledge and pedigree; in brokerage it's how well you deal with surviving the grind. There are definitely brokers in their late 20's making 500k+/yr in major metros and they could have garbage degrees. It's not a rosy career though.
So I am currently in the midwest and the firm I am trying to get a position with is many miles away and it appears most firms want more "local" candidates. Logic says never move without a job, however would you view moving to an area where you want to be and taking a filler job a wise move until you get into the job you want? Also are there any recommendations for resources on learning more about these positions?
Commercial real estate investment sales (Originally Posted: 07/09/2016)
To any and all investment sales brokers out there. I am a new associate at a well known commercial real estate brokerage focusing on multifamily investment sales.
Here is my question: For any of the newbies or experienced brokers, are you preparing your own proposal/pitch books? I am new to the business and have no trouble getting meetings and proposals but then having to create them myself from scratch takes an enormous amount of time and keeps me off the phone prospecting.
Do you brokers have dedicated staff who handles proposals and marketing? Or are you brokers doing the packages yourself? If so, how do you find time to get back on the phone?
My ideal workplace would be one where all I have to do is call, go on meetings, pick up rent rolls/expenses and hand them over to staff so that I can get back on the phone. Does this exist anywhere?
Yes. Some IS teams have marketing professionals who will create pitch books. On other teams, the analysts also do the pitch book creation. If you don't have this, when you are making enough money, you can hire a marketing professional to do this for you as it is your business and they would be on your payroll.
what market?
Los Angeles
When I was a broker, we had a dedicated marketing team, but they were glorified secretaries to be honest. We built the pitch books together, which consisted of me re-doing most of their work.
It shouldn't take that long though. All "well known" brokerage firms have a basic platform to use. After that it's just copy & pasting and making sure the written parts are intelligent.
It's a good skill set to learn but yeah, as time goes on you're going to have staff do those for you. If you're at M&M you're going to be doing those yourself for some time. At CB, with the guys I know, from day 1 most never touch the OM except for review.
I always make the pitch book, it is a major pain in the ass. But it is good to do, and helps with the meetings. You will probably be making them until you become a big producer. Do you work on a team?
No, I work on my own. I was previously on a team but found my senior to be completely useless.
Hahaha yeah I've seen that with many people. I'm actually looking for another jr to partner with and make a team. These Sr's don't care but want 50% of your deal.
I see and hear this so much. I know someone at M&M. She's has 11 years exp working for a bond fund that lent hard money. She was in the trenches. Now she brings in all her own deals and splits with the house and a Sr.
Since we are all MF guys here. Any of you had any success with prospecting with postcards/letters?
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