DO

• Be realistic about value.

(There is a well-established science to determining your property's current market value. Hire a broker that knows the three approaches to commercial property valuation and applies the most current market data to those models.)

• Hire a broker who invests in high quality photos and marketing. Higher quality marketing has proven time-and-time-again to achieve higher sales prices.

• Hire a broker who markets your property to the entire world and cooperates with other brokers on commission splits. (Your property should be fully advertised on the internet, Costar, Loopnet & the MLS.) 

• Hire a broker with an office nearby who actively canvases most likely buyers and tenants with specific targeted marketing.

• Hire a real commercial real estate broker from an established firm with a track record of success.

• Hire a broker who specializes in your neighborhood and  can commit the time and energy that you and your property need. 

DONT

• Hire a broker just because they promise you the highest sales price.

(Many brokers make unrealistic promises to "win the listing." This will get you nowhere but frustrated and stuck on the market for years, throwing away hundreds of thousands in property taxes.)

• Hire a broker who advertises your property with low quality cel phone photos. This is a sure way reduce the amount of interested buyers & the price you achieve.

• Hire a broker who only markets the property to their internal network and does not split commissions with other brokers. This significantly reduces your pool of potential buyers. Less exposure and less competition means lower price. Every time. 

• Hire a broker from an office 10+ miles away who just puts a sign in the window and waits for tenants and buyers to call.

• Hire your cousin or friend who just got their real estate license and have very little or no commercial experience.

• Hire the biggest name broker you can find who has too many other listings all over the market.