Commercial Real Estate Agents – Property Inspection Reports Win More Business

In many respects, you as the local commercial real estate agent will have some geographical territory and property type in which you specialise.  When you specialise, you can provide much more value to the client with comprehensive local market information.  It also helps you greatly when it comes to pricing and marketing solutions.  Here are some tips from our Agents Newsletter.

To help you here, you can create a property inspection report process to be used for many different reasons and client requirements.  The report can become a checklist around which you can base your recommendations and marketing strategies.

Here are some categories that can be merged into your property inspection report.  Add to the list based on your specialist property type.  Also add the geographical factors that may have an impact on any listing.

1. The ownership of the property will need to be completely checked against the information provided by the client.  Make sure that you’re dealing with the right people and decision makers.
2. Review the description of the property and the title.  Check out any encumbrances and rights of way that may have some impact on the title, the tenants, and the property ownership.
3. You will sometimes find that there are issues relating to neighbouring properties and the local precinct that are not detailed on the title.  Boundaries are a good example of that situation.  Ask the client for an update regards any current outstanding issues that need to be resolved prior to the commencement of any listing and or marketing.  Take notes in this process given that the information can have significant impact on future negotiations, or leases, and contracts.
4. If the property contains tenants, you will need to review the leases comprehensively.  Each lease can have strengths and weaknesses that can apply to the income stream and the property ownership.  When looking at a property with a number of leases and tenants, take the time to go through the tenancy mix report, the tenancy schedule, and the lease profiles.  You will need original lease documentation to do that, and expect that the process will take many hours if not days.
5. Review the services and amenities that apply to the property and the current condition.  Add to that the details of property improvements, strengths and weaknesses, zoning, and rates and taxes.  It is worthwhile checking that the permitted use of the asset complies with the local zoning and approved development plans.
6. Review the income stream for the property both in gross rental, and net rental.  Review the outgoings for the property that apply on an annual basis.  Check those outgoings against similar properties in the same area today.  You need to know that your property is competitive when it comes to gross and net income.  The net income will have an impact on the potential price that you may achieve a sale.
7. Ask questions about the history of the property and the improvements over time.  The landlord, the tenants, and the neighbouring property owners will have some value in this process.

All of these things lead to a solid set of recommendations that can be made towards the property marketing program in today’s economic climate.  All of these things will give you relevant ideas to help in the promotional marketing activity.

You can get more tips like this in your Agents Newsletter.