What are your predictions for commercial real estate in 2012?
We see a continued segmentation of the Manhattan market whereby certain markets like the Park Avenue South, Flatiron and Meatpacking districts will continue to remain strong with rising rents, receding landlord concessions and declining vacancy while other locations like Midtown will remain stable but will move sideways. We expect more of the same until the national elections in November of 2012.
What was your greatest professional accomplishment in 2011?
We are very proud of our complete upgrade of the brokerage department. We significantly improved the market research department, the marketing materials and our new website. I am a big fan of technology and I make every effort to improve the quality of life of every broker at MHP. We are a collaborative organization and my job is to put the brokers in a position where they can succeed and we make it a priority to continue to do that every day. Having been a broker, I know more than most exactly what it's like to be working without a net, trying to create something out of nothing.
What was your most notable project, deal or transaction in 2011?
I am proud to serve on the board of directors of TCN, our affiliate organization. TCN covers more than 200 markets on 4 continents with annual transactions of approx. $20.7 billion. In 2011 we made some great headway with many new firms including attracting 3 dynamic firms in Canada, Terramont in Montreal, Barclay's covering Calgary and Edmonton and The Smith Company in Toronto. We brought in a terrific retail group in Chicago, Paine/Wetzel and York Properties joined us from the Raleigh/Durham area. We are actively speaking with a number of other firms.
What are your resolutions for 2012?
For decades, the commercial real estate industry has been a men's club. We are fortunate that we have eight smart, sophisticated, very productive female brokers and I would like to continue to empower them. Tags: