Archive for June, 2007

In a first for your’s truly, I got two leases executed in one morning. In one trip to Lakewood Ranch I flipped the status or two of my listings from “For Lease” to “Leased”. BestTechnology’s space at International Place in Lakewood Ranch was the first, then the 2nd floor of a Ridge Gate Office Park on Bee Ridge was the second one.

Many thanks to Karen Cashell for hanging in there through the long negotiations!

With all the upheaval and uncertainty rippling through the CCIM circles, it seems the leadership decided to go with Loopnet’s Looplink service. While not as user-friendly or well-appointed, it’s better than nothing. In my opinion, the Catylist service was more sophisticated, more useful and more forward thinking but it seems none of those can compete with being a well-run business with a million eye-balls looking at you everyday.

And while I believe Catylist is the better platform and would whip Loopnet in a head-to-head comparison, it just doesn’t have the traffic or established network to be running with THE Big Dog of commercial real estate listings. In a Fool.com recommendation a couple months ago, I picked up a few shares of Loopnet based on this analysis. It’s given back a 32% return since then so I’m happy.

I’m hoping for CCIM’s sake they don’t simply run with the Looplink just because it’s there, but negotiate for some added features such as listing breakdowns by type and agent for each office. It’s just a database people, it should take them a month to roll something beta out and then roll out the tested version 30 days after that.

The Sarasota Young Realtors is proud to announce it’s First Annual Economic Summit. Slated for September 7th, the event will be hosted at the SAR Auditorium at 3590 S. Tuttle Ave. Our committee is assembling a panel of market leaders who are thriving in this market to gain long range perspective on changes in our economy and their impact on real estate. We are going to have developers, bankers, brokers, politicians and the movers and shakers all together. Don’t miss this chance to pick their brains and network with some of Sarasota’s movers and shakers.

This event is sponsored by the Entrust of Tampa Bay. They are providing lunch at 12 pm, with the panel discussion going from 12:30 – 1:30.

The event costs $15, and you can register online at sarasotarealtors.com. Click on Education Registration, log in and then follow the links from Register/View Education Course to Membership Meeting and select Sarasota Young Realtors Meeting. Or email your credit card # and expiration date to Teri@SarasotaRealtors.com.