The Commercial Experience Course Description: There are striking differences between residential and commercial real estate. Commercial brokerage covers a much broader range of property types and specializations with different appraisal, financing, and pricing methods and a much longer and complicated “due diligence” process. Regardless of which commercial real estate “lane” you choose to pursue, there’s new information to be learned, new skills to be developed, and new relationships to be nurtured. Users and investors, buyers and sellers, landlords and tenants are seeking your expertise and specialized services.

The Commercial Experience is a two-day course providing a solid foundation of technical knowledge, skills and strategies. You are introduced to different commercial property types, how they’re evaluated, marketed, financed, taxed, sold or traded – incorporating simplified (or complex) analysis methods, along with always-complicated real estate tax laws – information and insight that’s too often overlooked by investors, lenders, and residential real estate agents. You will learn how to calculate various “rates of return,” recognize the “time value of money” – how to price, measure and scrutinize. Explore available resources to search and research, including specialized real estate trade groups. Perhaps even more importantly, learn how to convert all this knowledge into daily practice and satisfied commercial clients!

This course allows ample time for improving individual math and calculator skills, while internalizing often complicated terms and topics. In addition to specific property examples highlighting each topic or concept (depreciation or tax basis, for example), there’s a practical case study each day, to help integrate these principles and concepts, and give students an opportunity to explain it in terms suitable for prospective investors and users. 

Marty Rueter is the Executive Vice President (managing director) of Coldwell Banker Commercial Metro Brokers, one of Atlanta's largest commercial real estate firms with over 100 independent contractors, providing commercial sales, leasing and related real estate services throughout Metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Commercial entity ranked #7 CBC firm worldwide in 2020..