2026 Women in Commercial Real Estate: Karla Service, Hanna Commercial Real Estate - Binghamton

What was the most rewarding project or deal you’ve worked on in the past 12 months, and why?

I have learned over the years to notice what is missing in a market, and to fill the gap. I manage properties for Umbrella Properties, of which I am a partner. In a growing market where there is constant construction and expansion happening all around us, we cater to groups of traveling professionals--contractors of all kinds--by providing furnished corporate housing in a “home setting” as a strong alternative to a hotel. We provide what few other companies do, and on a scale that has not been reached in our market. People pay for convenience when they travel.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women entering commercial real estate? 

Be educated about what is needed in your own specific market. Choose one area that plays to your strengths, and know everything there is to know about it. Find the best mentor available, buy them lunch, bring your questions, and listen. Be willing to work for free next to someone who can teach you. Read the national AND local business news. Meet the mayor, the code officer, the economic development people, and the planning department in your target area. Read: How to Win Friends and Influence People, Swim with the Sharks, and Beware the Naked Man Who offers you His Shirt.

What leadership lesson has made the greatest impact on your career?

I was taught a long time ago to listen more than I speak and, while I was listening, to pick up on what another person’s “pain” is. If I can then take that pain away by filling a need with what I can offer, than it is a win-win for everyone. I have also learned that it is okay to tell someone that your product is not for them. If you take what you’re offering off of the table, you will either part as friends, or they will pursue you in order to win back what they’ve lost.

What trend or change in commercial real estate do you believe will have the biggest impact over the next five years?

In growing markets, the majority of customers are not looking for a house to buy, people are looking for an apartment to rent or - in markets with more advanced consumers - an apartment to buy. Residents of large markets are mobile, embedded in their careers, and too busy to maintain a property. As more people understand co-ops, I believe that developing these will be the highest and best use of any land used for housing.