Listing a Commercial Property

If you are a Commercial property owner, you can be tempted to market and list your own properties for sale or lease. Is listing a commercial property easy and is it a one step process?

Are some brokers and agents more effective and efficient at marketing commercial property than others? Does it come down to just sticking the signs in the ground? Listing a commercial property is just the first step, there are many more steps than just listing a commercial property for sale or for lease. A good listing agent has a credible marketing plan and is responsive to requests unlike a larger percentage of average brokers who don’t return inquires or phone calls.

What are some of the factors to weigh when considering a solid listing agent -broker for your commercial property?

Visual representations

Will a listing broker or agent use up to date technological standards for shooting pictures of your property? Today, it isn’t just about taking photos with your mobile phone. Some brokers may or may not have good photographic skills. Are the promotional images of good quality and are they used using the tools provided to potential buyers and tenants?

Depending on the type of commercial property, will depend on what an image should look like. Obviously vacant land doesn’t require much photography that can’t be found on satellite images. Also there are drones today that can provide real time images of the land you are trying to sell. Most residential realtors use virtual tours, it has been our experience that most commercial brokers do not use them, however Shire Commercial does use Virtual Tours as a major benefit when we take on a listing.

Flyers and Collateral

Just because a flyer is made doesn’t make it effective, how is it marketed? And how often? Brochures or flyers must contain the most important information about a listing. Are the flyers detailed enough or are they missing key pertinent information? Some flyers are made without all the details just so the phone will ring from buyer or tenant reps or directly from potential clients because they are missing information. We have found over the past 12 yrs this really a time waster and doesn’t provide qualified leads.

• Can a flyer be updated periodically quickly and easily, is it marketed consistently?
• Flyers should be soft – copy for sure, hard copies are fine but with email today anything that you can hand somebody , you can always email them.
• Some residential agents use a 24/7 toll free line to access information, what about QR Codes are those being used?

This is not an all-inclusive list, there are commissions to be negotiated – standards that the industry uses as well as the ability to draft purchase agreements and leases for the owner.