The Long Game: How Early Engagement with Realtors Drives Business and Community Growth (Sponsored Content)

In the world of commercial real estate, relationships can be as valuable as property itself. Tom Rankin, a 35-year veteran in the industry, has built his career on this principle, demonstrating how early engagement and long-term partnerships between business leaders and a trusted commercial realtor can drive success not just for individual companies, but for entire communities.

At the heart of Rankin’s philosophy is a story that began 25 years ago when he met Charlie O’Reilly, a respected business leader who would become his first investor. “Charlie O’Reilly was my first investor, and I’m still doing projects with Charlie’s family today,” Rankin shares. This enduring relationship has been the cornerstone of numerous successful ventures, including the North Creek Business Park.

This long-term relationship, and others like it, have allowed Rankin to align real estate strategies with his clients’ business goals, creating a synergy that has benefited investors and businesses over the decades. It’s a model Rankin believes can and should be replicated.

“I think business owners need to consider how real estate impacts their business,” Rankin advises. “If they want sales to grow, does that require them to occupy more real estate? If so, does it make more sense for that space to be leased or owned?” By involving a professional in these strategic discussions early on, businesses can make decisions that support their long-term objectives rather than just solving immediate space needs.

The benefits of this approach are multifaceted. Not only does it allow companies to avoid the pitfalls of outgrowing their space or being locked into unsuitable leases, it taps into the real estate professional’s market knowledge. “We have to know the market,” Rankin emphasizes. “A broker that’s been around knows the players, knows the city, knows who is developing projects, and knows where the growth is taking place.”

It’s this understanding of present and future plans for surrounding areas that is so critical when making business real estate decisions, as it can impact both immediate success and long-term community development. A real estate professional with deep local knowledge can provide invaluable insights into upcoming zoning changes, infrastructure improvements, or new developments that may affect property values and business opportunities. This foresight allows businesses to strategically position themselves in areas poised for growth or complementary development.

“For better or worse, it’s not a nine to five job,” Rankin explains. “It’s our job as brokers to stay informed in every way possible so that when somebody is looking for another piece of property, you can let them know, ‘Hey, well, there’s going to be a 100-unit apartment complex built a quarter mile away, or there’s going to be a new McDonalds opening across the street,’ or whatever the case might be.”

Beyond individual business success, this knowledge enables a more cohesive approach to community development. By aligning business real estate decisions with broader urban planning initiatives, companies can contribute to creating vibrant, mixed-use developments that benefit residents, workers, and visitors alike. This synergy between private business interests and public development plans fosters sustainable economic growth and enhances the overall quality of life in the community.

“Real estate is not a get-rich-quick scheme,” Rankin concludes. “You’re in for the long haul, and when you have that mindset, you are just going to take care of people, you want to seek collaborative wins, and by putting your client’s interests first, everything else will fall into place.”

This content is brought to you by SVN/Rankin Company.