It's all about connections and creativity
By Jim Lambrecht, MiCAR President
Lambrecht Properties, Inc., Bingham Farms, MI

Commercial brokerage requires us to be at the top of our game, all the time. We’ve got to know our markets, know our clients, and know finance, requiring not only business knowledge, but true gut instinct and saavy. More than anything, however, succeeding in this industry boils down to not what we know, but who. Knowing people in our communities and how to connect with them in a meaningful way makes today’s deal.

We have to look toward relationship-building and partnerships as the cornerstone of our projects. Almost anyone can take a calculator and figure out a lease rate. Not everyone can network effectively enough to bring clients in – and bring them back – or to find niches in the market for creative projects that create new business opportunities.

Examples of such projects and such creativity abound in all parts of the state. Look at Detroit’s Wylland Overland Lofts development, which is converting a former military production facility into a 70-unit condo development on the river. A military Jeep factory into a multifamily housing unit: a creative solution to revitalizing old city properties and creating new housing opportunities – and a tribute to relationships that work.

Or look instead at the Minervini Group’s The Village at Grand Traverse. Taking the old Traverse City State Hospital, a former mental institution run by the State, from the hands of local government, the Minervini Group is transforming the buildings on site into retail, condominium and residential space in a village setting. It’s a creative solution to avoiding sprawl and protecting a historic treasure – and an example of how connections create new business opportunities.

Look too at the Grand Landing project in Grand Haven, managed by the city, which is taking a formerly contaminated site and applying state loans and grants to create a residential and commercial zone. Developed by Grand Landing LLC, the environmental clean-up required will be extensive but will result in a mix of residential, retail and hotel space and will create an estimated 600 jobs. It’s a creative solution to reuse of brownfield land and a great example of cooperation between with state government, local government, and developers to clean up valuable land and put it to good use.

How did all of these projects come to pass? Through making connections and networking. And that’s where MiCAR offers you as members unique opportunities to make new connections that will lead to new business. MiCAR provides the continuing education credits, financial sponsorship, and strategic planning for the Synergy conference, where this month more than 800 in the industry are expected to gather. MiCAR provides a full day of continuing education and networking events at the MAR convention each September, where commercial practitioners can find unique deal-making opportunities through links with the residential real estate community. And MiCAR sponsors more than $13,000 worth of networking events, in coordination with IREM, CCIM, SIOR, CBOR, CAR and other groups around the state. Everywhere you go in Michigan, everywhere a deal is made, MiCAR’s networking dollars are being put to work for you.

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Marketing reports

MarketView - Grand Rapids - Retail, Vol 1, 2006
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MarketView - Greater Lansing - Retail, Vol 1, 2006
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MarketView - Grand Rapids - Office, Vol 1, 2006
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MarketView - Greater Lansing - Office, Vol 1, 2006
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MarketView - Grand Rapids - Industrial, Vol 1, 2006
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MarketView - Greater Lansing - Industrial, Vol 1, 2006
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Colliers International Market Report - Detroit - Industrial, 4th Quarter, 2005
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Colliers International Market Report - Detroit - Office, 4th Quarter, 2005
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Industrial Market Trends - West Michigan - 4th Quarter, 2005
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Metropolitan Detroit Market - Signature Associates - Year-End Market Report, 2005
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Market Report - Friedman Real Estate Group, Inc. - Steve Eisenshtadt
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MiCAR provides continuing education for Synergy 2006

MiCAR continues to provide value to the commercial practitioner by again providing the continuing education for the Synergy conference. Synergy 2006 will be held on April 26 at the Breslin Center at Michigan State University. As a benefit to Michigan’s commercial practitioners, attending REALTORS® can complete half of their required continuing education credits for the year in one day at Synergy!

Continuing education topics that have been approved by the state include:

• Commercial Information Exchange with Nancy McKellar of CPIX/CBOR - 1 hour
• Real Estate Negotiation J622 with nationally-known presenter Mike Lipsey - 1 hour
• Financial Literacy with Steve Chaben of Marcus Millichamp -1 hour
• Landlord Representation with nationally-known presenter Mike Lipsey - 1 hour
• Tenant Representation with nationally-known presenter Mike Lipsey - 1 hour
• Environmental Update with Sandy Clark of Applied EcoSystems-Great Lakes, Inc. in Flint - 1 hour
• Logistics Management with Andrew Brown of UPS - 1 hour
• Jeopardy, presented by the real estate division of Warner, Norcross & Judd - 1 hour

The event will also feature additional courses, as well as a panel on eminent domain with state legislators, a Leadership Panel featuring the state’s top brokers, a panel on corporate real estate perspectives with executives from Michigan’s largest companies, and networking opportunities.

For more information, or to register, visit www.synergymichigan.com .

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MiCAR Monthly
April 2006

• President's Letter
• Marketing Reports
• Synergy News
• Member Profile
• RPAC Contributors

MiCAR interviews member Joe Banyai, CCIM, SIOR, Signature Associates, Southfield.

Read the interview here