Time to Take Advantage of Today’s Real Estate Climate

If you think perhaps you’ve missed the “real estate boat” on taking advantage of the economic downturn, think again.  Things ARE beginning to improve and real estate inventories are beginning to shrink, but Landlords are still eager to make great deals on leases and fill their buildings after a 3-4 year leasing drought.

An invaluable asset of my association with ITRA (International Tenant Representation Alliance), which connects CARMEN Commercial Real Estate Services to a network of real estate firms that, like CARMEN, specialize in representing tenants in 80 countries, is that it allows me to tap into some of the finest real estate minds worldwide, and take advantage of the opportunity to share their insights and knowledge with my own clients and friends.

I am linking a fantastic (and funny!) article Lease Negotiations: Part Dance, Part Dogfight regarding the art of lease negotiation, which was written by my friend and colleague, Will Gary, of ITRA MacLaurin Williams in Denver.  Will’s depiction of lease negotiations as “Part Dance, Part Dogfight” pretty much hit the nail right on the head when describing what tenants should look for and what they should watch out for when renewing an existing lease or entering into a new lease.

I would be happy to personally guide you through either part, Dance or Dogfight, or answer any questions you may have regarding your company’s real estate position and how you can still get in on some of the best lease rates available in years.

Donation of space provides competitive advantage to dozen’s of Indiana students

T2 Systems' Break & Collaboration Area

The Mayor pointed out that Indy just threw the World’s Greatest Super Bowl….proof positive that when people who do what they do best collaborate with each other and enlist the assistance of others whose passion and drive contribute to the resulting success, amazing things can be accomplished.  And that model of success was not just invented here in Indianapolis to host a Super Bowl; it is the way we do business, foster economic development, improve our communities, and build our brand as a city that continues to grow and improve.

Economic development, by attracting new businesses and keeping those already established, is critical to the success of every city.  Indianapolis boasts a thriving community of technology and life sciences “start-ups” and is proud of the infrastructure that supports new business growth, and its reputation and track record of launching some of Indianapolis’ (and America’s) most successful businesses

Critical to sustaining that growth though, is the availability of skilled workers, educated and trained in advancing technologies.  And that is where Indianapolis may be coming up short:  attracting and/or keeping a workforce large enough and capable of sustaining the tech growth.    The competition for Indy’s best and brightest is fierce, and requires companies to up the ante in ways that make their places of business attractive to that workforce.

In case you missed it in the IBJ, here is a commentary on that very subject by Jim Zaloudek, CFO of T2 Systems, a client of CARMEN Commercial Real Estate Services.  Jim nicely articulates the prevailing industry problem, and shares with us the unique solutions T2 Systems has deployed to ensure they attract and keep their share of the qualified workforce.

The success of CARMEN Commercial Real Estate Services is directly affected by the success of its clients specifically, and the health and well being of Indy’s economic climate in general.   Our goal is always to provide our clients, like T2 Systems, with the real estate expertise necessary to maximize the opportunities and value in every office space, ultimately resulting in that client’s expression of its corporate culture, efficiency, and financial goals.

CARMEN now at 8831 Keystone Crossing

Taking some of our own best advice, CARMEN Commercial Real Estate Services has relocated its office to Keystone at the Crossing.  The new office is not only home to the CARMEN team, but to a growing number of start-up companies to whom CARMEN is renting affordable office space complete with furnishings, internet, and all the amenities that Keystone at the Crossing has to offer.

For nearly 20 years, CARMEN has been the real estate partner to many of Indianapolis’ most successful tech companies throughout their growth.  By providing low-cost office space for some of Indy’s newest emerging companies, CARMEN’s commitment to real estate services in an even broader sense is being realized.  CARMEN is also piloting a “loaner program” of office furnishings for young client companies who are moving beyond the “incubator” stage, but who are still allocating most of their resources to development and need some assistance furnishing their first private office.

“Our sole focus has always been on the services we provide our tenant clients, ” said Chris Carmen, President of CARMEN Commercial Real Estate.  “And the start-up space and furniture loaner program are great additions to the scope of services we can provide for our emerging business clients.”  The new address is 8831 Keystone Crossing, Indianapolis, IN  46240, www.carmenrealestate.com