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THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE NEWSLETTER VOLUME 14 ISSUE 3 FALL 2013

COMMERCIALCONNECTIONS

www.REALTOR.org/commercial

THE LATESTRPR Commercial launches in new markets. 2

INTERNATIONALBUSINESSWhen the world becomes local.By the Numbers 4

PUBLIC POLICIESNAR continues the fight forproperty rights.Capitol Report 6

TECHNOLOGYUNTETHEREDTechnology tools that move you.Tech Savvy 9

26800_CommConn Sept2013_16_Layout 1 10/23/13 11:01 AM

NAR PRESIDENTGary Thomas

Anaheim, CA

NAR COMMERCIAL LIAISONJim L. Helsel, GRI, CCIM, CPM, CRB, CRE, SIOR

Camp Hill, PA

NAR COMMERCIAL COMMITTEE CHAIRLinda St. Peter, CCIM, CIPS, GREEN

Wallingford, CT

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTJanet Branton

Commercial & Global ServicesVICE PRESIDENTJan Hope, RCE

Commercial & Global Services

COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT & SERVICES DIRECTOR

Jean Maday MARKETING MANAGER

Jorge Rivera MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR

Melanie Sligh POLICY REPRESENTATIVE

Vijay YadlapatiCOMMERCIAL RESEARCH MANAGER

George Ratiu

Reach any of us at:[email protected]

430 N. Michigan AvenueChicago, Illinois 60611-4087

800.874.6500

DESIGNERDave Hunterwww.dhdd.net

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THE LATEST

2 COMMERCIALCONNECTIONS | FALL 2013

REALTORS® PROPERTY RESOURCE (RPR)COMMERCIAL LAUNCHES IN LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NORTHERN ILLINOIS, KENTUCKY,MICHIGAN & NEBRASKARPR RECENTLY LAUNCHED its Commercial Application with licensed CIEintegrated data to the REALTOR® members of the Louisiana CommercialDatabase, the Mississippi Commercial Association of REALTORS®, NorthernIllinois Commercial Association of REALTORS®, Kentucky Commercial RealEstate Alliance, Michigan Commercial Board of REALTORS® and MidlandsCommercial Information Exchange in Lincoln, Nebraska. RPR is anexclusive benefit only to REALTORS® as part of your dues. It carries noadditional cost to members, and there is no public access. This commercialmember benefit includes: public records, tapestry segmentation,demographic, psychographic and valuable consumer spending data withnationwide coverage. RPR Commercial will help a REALTOR® identify thebest location for a business, the best business for a location, and createdetailed Trade Area and Market Reports.

To learn more about how you can take advantage of all RPR Commercial has to offeryou, visit blog.narrpr.com/commercial

COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTFREE WEBINAR: PLACEMAKING - LIGHTER QUICKER CHEAPER

Find out how to take small, incremental, low cost steps to quickly turn yourcommunity’s vision into reality and build momentum for furtherimprovements. Lighter Quicker Cheaper (LQC) is an approach involvingseveral small projects in a neighborhood where, taken together, will make theneighborhood a better place to live, work and play. These hands-on projectscan be proposed and finished in months or even weeks and will provide atangible, welcoming benefit to your community. December 4, 2 p.m. EST.

Register online at http://bit.ly/EconomicDevelopment

COMMERCIAL CONNECTIONS PODCASTSGOT 15 MINUTES? Visit REALTOR.org/CCP and listen to commercialprofessionals share their tips for success on a range of topics. Currentlyposted are podcasts featuring CCIM President Wayne D’Amico who shareshow earning the CCIM designation has helped him in his career, DaveLewand discussing strategies for building a web presence, and JillDuemeland offering her advice on balancing your work week. TheCommercial Connections Podcast program is just one of your many memberresources we deliver to you each month. CC

Is there a topic you’d like to see us feature? Send us an email [email protected]. www.REALTOR.org/CCP

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COMMERCIALCONNECTIONS | FALL 2013 3

CCIM INSTITUTE’S NEW ONLINECOURSES EXPAND MARKETKNOWLEDGE AND SKILLSWARD CENTER FOR REAL ESTATE STUDIES LAUNCHESFOUR NEW TOPICS FOR INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. A LEADER IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE education andnetworking, CCIM Institute launched four onlinecourses aimed at building communication skills, usingonline marketing strategies, understanding auctions, andutilizing industry software to streamline transactions.

The new courses are taught by CCIM Instituteinstructors, well-regarded for their practical approach toeducation and their expertise in commercial real estate.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS - DOING IT LIVE SENIOR INSTRUCTOR Mark Polon, CCIM, offersparticipants a fresh look at how vital effectivecommunication is in the commercial real estate industry.The 1.5-hour course provides “the dos and don’ts ofsuccessful business relationship building very relevantto my business,” says a course participant.

HIGH-TECH MARKETING FOR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE USE VARIOUS ONLINE RESOURCES, such as blogs andother social media, to effectively market commercial realestate, including using these tools to generate leads.Presented in four two-hour sessions, the course providesa personalized approach to online marketing.

FUNDAMENTALS OF REAL ESTATE AUCTIONSTHIS COURSE provides real estate professionals with anoverview of the key factors regarding real estate auctions.In a 1.5-hour online session, participants learn how toprofit from auctions, structure and participate in auctions,and create strategies for selling properties at auction.

UNDERSTANDING ARGUS: WHAT IT DOES, HOW ITWORKS, AND INTERPRETING ARGUS OUTPUT THIS COURSE will introduce real estate practitioners tothe basics of Argus Valuation DCF, one of the industry’smost-used software applications. Participants learn howArgus performs calculations and how to interpret andanalyze results using standard Argus reports and CCIMmethodologies. The two-hour course concludes withstudents using the Argus trial software to input a simpleanalysis and manipulate the data output.

A VARIETY of other short-format online courses arescheduled in November and December of this year,including:

■ CREATING RELIABLE VALUATIONS

■ USER COST OF OCCUPANCY

■ ADVANCED MARKET ANALYSIS FOR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

■ DISPOSITION ANALYSIS FOR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

CCIM’s Ward Center for Real Estate Studies also offersone-day classroom workshops to build confidence andcredibility on relevant topics such as residential realestate financial analysis, commercial real estatenegotiations, and financial analysis tools forcommercial investment real estate.

To learn more about these courses, sign up to receive ournewsletters, and register for upcoming sessions, visitwww.ccim.com/education/ward-center.

ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2013, the Environmental ProtectionAgency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers(Army Corps) announced a joint proposed rule thatpurports to clarify which streams, wetlands and otherwaters are “waters of the United States” and subject tojurisdiction under the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA).The agencies sent the proposed rule to the WhiteHouse’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) buthave not yet released it to the public. The OMB has 90days to act on the EPA’s submission.

In support of the proposed rule, the agencies havereleased a draft science report titled “ Connectivity ofStreams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters: A Reviewand Synthesis of the Scientific Evidence” . REALTORS®

Land Institute is collaborating with NAR on this issue towork closely with industry partners and the WatersAdvocacy Coalition to refute the conclusions of the studyand conduct an economic impact analysis of theproposed regulation.

Read more about RLI and land issues by visitinghttp://www.rliland.com/

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COMMERCIAL AFFILIATE UPDATE



o matter where in the world you practice realestate, globalization impacts business. To asignificant degree international investors viewU.S. commercial real estate as a desirableinvestment. Foreign purchases of U.S.

commercial properties are estimated at $24.1 billion in2012 − up 5 percent from 2011 and up 55 percent from2010.

Types of markets international buyers appear tofocus on: 1. Metropolitan Statistical Areas or MSAs that are

relatively large in terms of total employment, but withrelatively slow employment growth. Examples includeAtlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, NewYork, and San Francisco. These MSAs are well knownto be major national or regional financial, mercantile,and trade centers.

2. MSAs that are relatively large with above mediangrowth in GDP and employment. Examples includeAustin, Houston, Denver, San Diego, Seattle, andWashington, D.C. Economic growth has been aboveaverage and these metropolitan areas are frequentlymentioned in terms of their potential for additionalgrowth.

A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE: ECONOMIC GROWTH—URBAN AREAS AT THE FOREFRONTThe markets that traditionally attract internationalinvestors will likely continue to draw global interest asthey are major mercantile centers. However, employmentand GDP are significant drivers of real estate demand,and those areas within the US with strong job growth willlikely be increasingly attractive.

BY THE NUMBERS

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

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While New York is known toattract the most attention frominternational buyers looking forU.S. commercial investments,the level of international salesin markets across the nation issubstantial. The Association ofForeign Investors in Real Estate(AFIRE) has identified 12metropolitan area marketsparticularly attractive to foreignbuyers, accounting for wellover half of foreign commercialreal estate purchases:1. New York2. San Francisco3. Washington, DC4. Houston5. Boston6. Los Angeles7. Seattle8. Chicago9. Austin

10. Atlanta11. Miami12. Denver Lz

MSAs that currently havesignificant levels ofinternational commercial salesand appear likely to attractfuture attention include:1. Charleston, SC2. Raleigh-Durham, NC3. San Antonio, TX4. Las Vegas, NV

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MSAs that have been near thetop in recent years in terms ofgrowth and will probably seean increasing level ofinternational investor interest inthe future include: 1. New York2. San Francisco3. Washington, DC4. Houston5. Boston6. Los Angeles7. Seattle8. Chicago9. Austin

10. Atlanta11. Miami12. Denver

According to datafrom Real CapitalAnalytics, the top

5 countries ofinvestor origin

were:

In a recent NARsurvey of commercialmembers (July 2013),46% of REALTORS®

reported working withinternational clients.The top countries of

origins include:

Canada

Germany

Switzerland

Israel

United Kingdom

Canada

China

India

Mexico

United Kingdom

“LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIESIN THE INEVITABLE CHANGESIN OUR INDUSTRY. IT’S INCHANGE WHERE WORLDSOF OPPORTUNITIES RESIDE.”

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TIPS TO HELP BUILDCROSS-CULTUREBUSINESS SKILLSListed below are some basic cross-cultural do’sand don’ts to help you reduce the risk of making acultural faux pas when working withinternational clients.1. Saving face: In the western business world,

brutal honesty (for better or for worse) is oftentimes appreciated. However, this is not auniversal opinion, rather, a western attitudethat could unknowingly cause offense. As a ruleof thumb, never do anything to embarrassanother person, either in that person’s eyes, orin the eyes of others. This principle may soundobvious, but in practice, blunders are easy tomake, especially if you are working with a first-time investor. A foreign client may not befamiliar with all of the local, state, and federallaws that accompany U.S. commercial propertytransactions. If you are educating your clientand you sense uncertainty, be careful with yourexplanation. Avoid statements like, “You lookconfused. Let me clarify”. While your intentionis good, this statement could be deemedinsulting. The statement “Can you provide mewith some ideas for consideration” may help indifficult situations.

2. Build the relationship: When you are firstintroduced to someone, do not try to create aninstant friendship. Wait to be invited before youuse first names. In many cultures, first meetingsare for getting acquainted. The pace of “gettingdown to business” varies from culture toculture. Dinners, cocktails, and social eventsbuild team spirit. CC

REALTORS® LAND INSTITUTE2014 National LandConferenceMarch 12-14, 2014Charleston, SC

INSTITUTE OF REAL ESTATEMANAGEMENT (IREM)Leadership and LegislativeSummit featuring Capitol Hill Visit DayOmni Shoreham HotelApril 5-9, 2014Washington, DC

SOCIETY OF INDUSTRIALAND OFFICE REALTORS®

(SIOR)2014 Spring WorldConference April 22-25, 2014The CosmopolitanLas Vegas, NV

COUNSELORS OF REAL ESTATE® (CRE)2014 Midyear MeetingsMay 4-7, 2014Austin, TX

UPCOMING AFFILIATE EVENTS CONTINUED


TAX REFORMCONGRESS HAS EXPRESSED THE DESIRE to overhaulthe tax system, with some indicating that “everything ison the table.” While there are no specific proposals yet,both the House Ways and Means Committee and theSenate Finance Committee have begun discussions tolook at all current-law tax provisions, which mayinclude the following issues of importance tocommercial real estate practitioners:

■ LEASEHOLD IMPROVEMENTS: The provisionpermitting the cost of leasehold improvements to berecovered over 15 years expires at the end of 2013.Without it, leasehold improvements will bedepreciated over a period which has no relation tothe economic life of the assets and will artificiallydepress rates of return. Although there is nocontroversy over the merits of this provision, theextension may take a backseat to overall tax reformin Congress. NAR’S ACTION/POSITION: NAR supports efforts toestablish a permanent rule that more accuratelyreflects the depreciable lives of buildings and toconform amortization periods for tenantimprovements more closely to the term of the lease.NAR supports the 15-year recovery period, but wouldeagerly support an even shorter term.

■ 1031 LIKE-KIND EXCHANGES: The like-kind exchangerules permit the deferral of capital gains taxes, if the

taxpayer satisfies numerous requirements andconsummates both a sale and purchase within 180days. Real estate investors and NAR commercialmembers place a very high priority on retaining thecurrent like-kind exchange rules. So far, Section 1031has not been singled out as a target in tax reformdiscussions, but NAR continues to monitor thissituation closely.NAR’S ACTION/POSITION: NAR opposes any changethat would undermine the deferral mechanismsassociated with exchanges. Safeguards should beavailable to protect the real estate investor’s assetsduring every phase of the transaction, particularlyduring the phase when the qualified intermediaryholds property and funds on behalf of the investor.

HOW THIS COULD IMPACT YOU: Correcting thedepreciation rules and the tenant improvementamortization rules allows upgrades for technologyand modernization to be more economicallyfeasible. These types of improvements assure thatnonresidential buildings will be adequatelymaintained and remain technologically current,and such properties are more readily bought andsold.

NAR ACTIONS ON PUBLIC POLICIES

CAPITOL REPORT




“NAR SUPPORTS THE BASEL COMMITTEE’S GOAL OF PREVENTINGANOTHER FINANCIAL CRISIS.”

■ DEPRECIATION: Current law depreciation rules setsthe cost recovery periods for real property at 27.5-and 39-years. NAR supports a depreciable life forreal estate that accurately reflects the economic lifeof the property, which would make real estate a moreattractive investment. NAR’S ACTION/POSITION: A working group thatconvened in 2001 determined that a more realisticdepreciable life for real estate would be about 22-24years, which NAR supports.

■ BONUS DEPRECIATION: The American Taxpayer ReliefAct of January 2013 contained a provision extendingthe current 50% expensing provision for qualifyingproperty purchased and placed in service beforeJanuary 1, 2014 (before January 1, 2015 for certainlonger-lived and transportation assets) and alsoallowing taxpayers to elect to accelerate some AMTcredits in lieu of bonus depreciation.NAR’S ACTION/POSITION: NAR supports the currentbonus depreciation treatment, and hopes it willcontinue to aid in the economic recovery of thecommercial real estate sector.

■ CARRIED INTERESTS: Carried interest compensation istreated as ordinary income, instead of being taxed atthe capital gains rate. However, if tax reform doesoccur it may be a target as a way to offset loweringgeneral tax rates. Real estate accounts for almost 50%of the partnerships in the U.S., so changes to thistreatment would be an increase on a substantialamount of real estate activity. NAR’S ACTION/POSITION: NAR opposes any policy thatwould eliminate capital gains treatment for any carriedinterest of a real estate partnership. The current-lawtreatment of carried interests helps better align realestate managers’ interests with those of investors, andthe existing policy has played an important role ineconomic development and job creation.

LEASE ACCOUNTINGTHE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD

(FASB) and International Accounting Standards Board(IASB) proposed lease accounting changes which couldbe detrimental to commercial real estate businesses.They require using a “right-to-use” accounting modelwhere both renters and property owners recognizeassets and liabilities arising from lease contracts, asopposed to the current rules which allow many leasesto be classified as “operating expenses,” which do notshow up on balance sheets. Under the proposedchanges, some companies may see their debt-to-equityratios increase, and find it more difficult to obtaincredit; it could also affect the length of time lessees wanta lease to last, and the amount of space they are willingto rent, which could negatively impact commercialproperty owners and force them to increase rent ratesdue to market uncertainty. The proposal will likely befinalized in 2014, effective 2017. NAR is working closelywith FASB/IASB and other groups to assure thatmodifications to lease accounting rules will notnegatively impact commercial real estate practitioners.

HOW THIS COULD IMPACT YOU: The exchange rulesoften provide NAR Commercial Members with anopportunity to facilitate two transactions: the saleof the relinquished property and the purchase ofthe replacement property. Any curtailment of theexchange rules will make both pieces of exchangetransactions more difficult to conclude.

HOW THIS COULD IMPACT YOU: A more realistic rateof return on depreciable assets would make realestate a more attractive investment.

HOW THIS COULD IMPACT YOU: When the currentbonus depreciation provisions end, businessespurchasing depreciable assets will revert to themodified accelerated cost recovery system or othermethods for determining annual depreciationdeductions. This will reduce the first-yeardepreciation deduction on most business assets,which then extends the time over which businessesrealize the benefits of reduced tax liabilities by costrecovery deductions, and increases the upfrontcosts of acquiring business assets.

HOW THIS COULD IMPACT YOU: Real estateinvestments that are held in partnerships withboth general and limited partners would beharmed by changes to the treatment of carriedinterest compensation. By increasing the taxburden on these real estate partnerships, andparticularly on those with operational expertise,such changes would make real estate a lessattractive investment.


NAR’S ACTION/POSITION: NAR is concerned that thenew lease accounting proposal will be detrimental tothe economy by reducing the overall borrowingcapacity of many commercial real estate lessees andlessors, and is also opposed to lease accountingchanges that would treat the income producing realestate business as a financing business on companybalance sheets. NAR continues to work withFASB/IASB and other stakeholders to ensure that anymodifications to lease accounting rules will notnegatively impact commercial real estate practitioners.

BASEL IIIIN 2012, BANKING REGULATORS RELEASED BASEL III, aproposal to help improve bank capital standards. Itproposed high risk weights for certain commercial assetclasses, creating a new risk-based capital category forcommercial acquisition, development, and constructionloans. In response to the proposed changes, it is likelybanks would substantially change their current lendingpractices and reduce the amount of availablecommercial real estate credit in order to avoid thehigher capital charges associated with those loans.NAR submitted a comment letter to the relevantagencies voicing these and other concerns with theproposed rule. In July 2013, the Federal Reservereleased the final U.S. implementing regulations forBasel III, which unfortunately includes many of theprovisions that apply to commercial real estate lending.

NAR’S ACTION/POSITION: NAR supports the BaselCommittee’s goal of preventing another financialcrisis, but is concerned that requiring banks to holdfar more capital could further exacerbate creditchallenges for real estate and broader credit capacity.Furthermore, NAR seeks to protect and enhance theflow of capital to commercial and residential realestate by making sure that the capital rules do not

require excessive capital to be held by banks. NARsubmitted comments to the Federal Reserve, FDIC,and OCC prior to the agencies’ October 2012comment deadline expressing its views on andconcerns with the proposal, and sent several lettersto Congress on the proposal as well.

NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCEPROGRAM (NFIP)IN JULY 2012, CONGRESS REAUTHORIZED THE NFIP forfive years with the “Biggert-Waters” Act. This act alsophased out subsidized flood insurance rates forproperties purchased after July 2012 and“grandfathered” properties which are allowed to keeplower rates based upon older flood maps when newmaps are issued. It also directed FEMA to report onthe affordability of these reforms to Congress in orderto consider their impact; that report is now overdue.The possibility of a delay in the rate provisions isuncertain at this point.

NAR’S ACTION/POSITION: NAR supports renewing andstrengthening the long-term viability of the federalflood insurance program, maintaining funding toupdate and improve the accuracy of flood maps, andincluding comprehensive coverage for propertiesincluding non-primary residences and reforms toensure “full risk” premiums for properties withrepetitive insured losses. NAR has sent several lettersto Congress on the issue, and was deeply involved inthe reauthorization process in 2012.

To find out more about what NAR is doing on behalf ofcommercial real estate, view our Issues & Actions piece onREALTOR.org/Commercial

HOW THIS COULD IMPACT YOU: If ratified, theproposal would hurt businesses of all sizes,especially lessees and lessors of commercial realestate. With more bloated balance sheets, somecompanies may see their debt-to-equity ratiosincrease and find it more difficult to obtain credit,especially those with heavy debt loads.Additionally, the elimination of off-balance-sheetfinancing would be detrimental to commercialproperty owners, causing more frugal lessees towant less space and shorter term leases withoutrenewal options or contingent rents, which willdecrease cash flow for property owners.

HOW THIS COULD IMPACT YOU: The Basel IIIproposal will require banks to hold more capital.The changes could significantly curtail the flow ofcapital to real estate and harm the commercial andresidential property market and property values.

HOW THIS COULD IMPACT YOU: Without NFIP, 5.6million home and business owners in 20,000communities nationwide would not be able toobtain a mortgage or insurance to protect theirproperties against flooding. CC

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“NAR supports renewing and strengtheningthe long-term viability of the federal floodinsurance program…”



TECH SAVVY

BY CHAD CURRY, MANAGING DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR REALTOR® TECHNOLOGY

HARDWAREHARDWARE MOBILITY is key in today’s business worldand staying connected can mean the difference betweenclosing a deal and losing a deal. To help you workefficiently in today’s fast-paced mobile climate, we’ve listeda number of tools that will allow you to remain portableand connected.

Pebble Watch $150http://getpebble.com

THE PEBBLE WATCH makes it easier for you to stay ‘inthe moment’ while not losing track of communication. ThePebble Watch looks like a standard wrist watch, but syncswith your smartphone to provide you with a quick way toreview incoming email and text messages without havingto reach into your pocket or bag for your mobile device.This is a low-key way to check-in without causingdistractions. With a number of apps already developed,you can customize the Pebble Watch to meet your needs.

Cocoon Grid-It $14.99-$59.99http://www.cocooninnovations.com

IF YOU’RE CONSTANTLY digging around looking for yourcharger, headset, adaptor, or other mobile accessory, theGrid-It is a helpful product designed to keep all yourmobile accessories stored and organized in one place.Constructed as a web of woven elastic straps of varioussizes, it can hold whatever you need it to. There are severalsizes to choose from, and all will fit comfortably into astandard shoulder bag or purse.

Karma 4G Wifi Hotspot $99-$279 (1GB of data @ $14)http://www.yourkarma.com

THERE ARE MANY 4G Wifi Hotspot brands availabletoday, but the Karma is different. It’s presented as ‘pay-as-you-go’ data, with a twist. By using your Karma, you cangain more data by sharing with other users nearby. Forevery person who connects to your wifi hotspot for the firsttime, you get 100mb of data to use. So, if 8 people use yourhotspot, you’ve gained 800mb of data for your use on theKarma. There’s no limit on how much data you can collect.Each person who connects also gets 100mb of data.Starting at $99 with 1GB of data, you can be well on yourway to building a nice little data cache between coffee shopstops and hotel lobbies as you connect on the go.

Logitech Solar Bluetooth Keyboard K-760$79.99http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/wireless-solar-keyboard-k760-for-mac

THIS IS A FAVORITE tool of mine. It’s a portable keyboardthat comes with three inter-changeable bluetooth pairings.So, you can go from working with your desktop to youriPad to your iPhone with the touch of a button. This isgreat for mobility, especially dur-ing those times when youmove from the office to an off-site meeting. The solarpanels work with indoor light as well as sunlight. I’ve neverhad to worry about having enough power for this device.Note: It says it’s for Mac, but as long as you have bluetoothon your computer, this should work for you.

UE Mobile Boombox $99.99http://ue.logitech.com/en-us/product/mobile-boombox

ANOTHER LOGITECH PRODUCT that I love. Constructedas a small black box, this speaker de-livers great sound ata nice price. The speaker also features a built-inmicrophone, which is perfect for conference calls. I’vepersonally used this speaker for webinars and participantssaid the audio quality was great. It allows for 2simultaneous bluetooth connections should you need toswitch between devices quickly.

TECHNOLOGYUNTETHERED

“We have more options for connectivitythan we’ve ever had in the past.”

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SOFTWAREThe beauty of the devices we are carrying is that they canbe anything at any time. We have more options forproductivity and communication than we’ve ever had in thepast. Below are a few apps and software programs that canhelp you be more productive while you’re out and about.

TrelloHigh-quality project management at a steal of a priceFree version & Pro Version – $200/yr for your grouphttp://trello.com

THIS IS BY FAR my favorite app right now. It’s a great toolfor organizing yourself and organizing teams. Best part isit’s free. To say Trello is like this product or that productdoesn’t do it justice. It can become what you need it tobe. You have file storage, check-lists, due dates, taskassignment. All of it. It works fully over the multi-deviceworld we live in. They have apps for iOS, Android andMicrosoft Surface. The Free Version is robust and has themajor functionality needed. The Pro Version allows formore access control as well as finer control of memberparticipation.

VideoliciousVideo composition made easyFree to Enterprise Versionhttps://videolicious.com

VIDEOLICIOUS IS A WONDERFUL TOOL for creatingwalkthrough and presentational videos. Record video withyour phone and edit within the app including addingvoiceover and branding. You can do all of this withinseconds of recording the video. The quality of video isreally great and the interface is very intuitive. This is agreat low cost option for doing video tours like this one:https://videolicious.com/examples/video-tour.

Aurasma and Layar – AR BrowsersBoth Browsers are Free | Layar Creator service has pricing tiers.http://www.aurasma.com/ | https://www.layar.com/

AR STANDS FOR Augmented Reality and it’s a pretty hotfield right now. Augmented Reality in practice is theoverlay of additional information on today’s world.Conceptually, think about the football games on Sundayafternoons that show you where the first down is locatedwith a yellow line. That’s AR. You would point browser ata marker that would trigger the AR.

Both of these browsers also have a set of tools for creatingoverlays as well, with Layar having a tiered-pricing systemand Aurasma’s being free (they call them Auras and youcan create private as well as public auras). Why would youuse this? You could use it to show the potential in acurrently vacant property to a client. You could show how

different sections of a space could be utilized or dependingon the business the client’s in have different ARs created tofit their needs. Take a look at some of the examples forAurasma here:http://www.aurasma.com/campaigns/ and for Layar here:https://www.layar.com/augmented-reality/inspiration/

SitegeistDemographic Data for wherever you are.Freehttp://sitegeist.sunlightfoundation.com/

A BIG THANK YOU to REALTOR® Bill Lublin forintroducing me to this amazing little app. Sitegeist givesyou a quick way to find demographic data about the exactspot you are standing in. This was created by the SunlightFoundation as a proof of concept of what could be donewith large amounts of data. Quickly find out gender, age,average residential rent, popular local spots and so muchmore. Information is power and this app is a great way tostay informed.

BombBombVideo Email MarketingPricing varies from $25/month to $129/monthhttps://bombbomb.com

BOMBBOMB is an NAR REach® company and they’ve gotemail marketing figured out. They have created a systemthat allows for video to be played in the email. It’s a greattool for reaching people quickly without chunks of textsitting in their inbox. Create engaging emails that get yourpoint across quickly. You can track open and play rates tosee which videos are performing well. Great tool forworking with large teams or market-ing your properties.They offer a free 14-day trial. CC



Commercial Economic Issues & Trends ForumFriday November 8 1pm – 3pmAlways standing rooms only meeting, hear NAR’s ChiefEconomist Lawrence Yun offer his perspective on thecommercial trends across the country.

Commercial Designations ConnectionsNetworking at Expo Friday November 8 3:30pm – 4:30pmDo you have a commercial designation? If you are aCCIM, CPM, ALC, SIOR or CRE then head to theCommercial Block to make connections and meet otherdesignees at this networking event just for you.Leadership from each of the commercial affiliates willbe on hand to network too!

Commercial Caffeinated Networking Breakfast Saturday November 9 7:30am – 8:45amTickets will sell out to this event! Charge up for a full daywith coffee and breakfast and get a boost with ourkeynote speaker.

Building Business through the Use of the 1031 ExchangeSaturday November 9 11am – 12pmLearn more about how this type of commercialtransaction can benefit your clients, and help you getdeals done in this education session.

Creating Places to Enhance the Value of Your Community, Education SessionSaturday November 9 11am – 12:30pm

Power Networking: CommercialSaturday November 9 1:30pm – 2:30pmMake sure to bring plenty of business cards as you“speed network” your way with practitioners from acrossthe country.

Repurposing Real Property to Reenergize a CommunitySaturday November 9 1:30pm – 3pmLearn how community development is being spurred byturning lifeless properties into something new again inthis education session

REALTORS® Commercial Red Carpet Reception Saturday November 9 6:30pm – 8pmWind down, have a cocktail and mingle with hundreds ofcommercial members at one of the premier venues inSan Francisco.

Negotiating the Commercial LeaseSunday November 10 11am – 12:30pmA fantastic education session with NAR Signature SeriesSpeaker Richard Muhlebach.

Commercial Block at the REALTOR® ExpoVisit the exclusive space for commercial vendors andNAR’s Commercial booth at the Expo. There will be mini-education sessions throughout the conference, space foryou to meet with colleagues and of course – meet yourNAR Commercial staff team and ask them any questionsyou might have. CC

Not attending? Get details on how you can purchase recordingsof all conference sessions at REALTOR.org/Conference. See youin San Francisco!

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THIS YEAR’S EVENT promises to be a valuableexperience for commercial practitioners, with over adozen commercial education sessions, multiplecommercial specific networking opportunities and theExpo- the question is not whether to go to SanFrancisco, but what to do once you get there?

COMMERCIAL “MUST GO TO’S”AT REALTORS® CONFERENCE & EXPO


COMMERCIAL & GLOBAL SERVICES430 N. MICHIGAN AVENUECHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60611-4087

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