Lynn Drake

Lynn Drake’s status is well known in the industry: She’s the commercial realtor focused on maintaining “true north” for her corporate clients. It’s a reputation built on 35 years of commercial real estate experience. Lynn became a commercial realtor in 2001 after 15 years in corporate real estate. Thus far in her career, Lynn has successfully completed over 1,500 real estate transactions ranging from small business tenant leases to the sale and purchase of industrial complexes.

03

Dec2014

The Tour

by Lynn Drake / / Detroit, Landlords, Leasing
I always enjoy showing our clients space. It is interesting to see space through their eyes. I may think something is great and they may not. One of the biggest differences between residential and commercial real estate is the tour. When you working in residential, all an agent needs ... Read More
December 3, 2014Lynn Drake

19

Nov2014

Do You Need Your Offices Cleaned?

by Lynn Drake / / Brokers, Detroit, Landlords, Leasing
Janitorial is one of the items where we see a wide gap in what landlords provide. Some provide it and some don’t. Some will come in once a week and some will come in every day. I was working with a nonprofit and got them cleaning services with ... Read More
November 19, 2014Lynn Drake

05

Nov2014

What is With the Electrical Costs?

by Lynn Drake / / Landlords
Across the country, we see different rates for electricity charged by owners, based on their various climates. An electrical rate in Troy, Michigan is going to be far different than one charged in Phoenix, Arizona. The point of this post is to make people aware that even in the same ... Read More
November 5, 2014Lynn Drake

15

Oct2014

Renewing Your Lease? Don’t Overlook These 3 Critical Steps

by Lynn Drake / / Leasing, Relocations, Tenants
People tend not to take renewals all that seriously. They see it as simple, thinking they can just call the landlord and get their new rate. That way of thinking can cost your firm a lot of money. If you’re looking into renewing your lease, make sure not to overlook ... Read More
October 15, 2014Lynn Drake

29

Sep2014

Right Sizing Your Firm’s Office

by Lynn Drake / / Leasing, Relocations
When I managed the real estate for Kelly Services across North America, it was always laughable how often people told us they needed more space than they actually required. I had one guy who had been with his company for 30 years. He had gone ahead and had his office ... Read More
September 29, 2014Lynn Drake

24

Sep2014

The Last Minute Gotcha!

by Lynn Drake / / Landlords, Leasing
Your business is doing well, and you are happy with your current landlord. You may or may not notice that your lease is expiring in less than a year. You might think, since there’s been no word, that your landlord forgot. I guarantee you, this is not the case. Maybe ... Read More
September 24, 2014Lynn Drake

10

Sep2014

Hiring Agents: Core Values vs. Experience

by Lynn Drake / / Brokers, Entrepreneurs
When I first opened my business, it felt like we had a revolving door of people. We interviewed people who seemed perfect for the position, and perfect for the company, only to find out, weeks later, that we had made a mistake.Over the years, I’ve tweaked my hiring formula ... Read More
September 10, 2014Lynn Drake

20

Aug2014

Commercial Real Estate Is Never Boring!

by Lynn Drake / / Brokers
I love commercial real estate. Every day is a different day. Every customer has different needs. Whether we reduce their rent or find them that perfect space, our work is always very, very rewarding. We learn about all kinds of businesses. My favorite experiences are the ones where ... Read More
August 20, 2014Lynn Drake

06

Aug2014

Are You a Do-It-Yourself Person?

by Lynn Drake / / Goals, Landlords, Leasing, Tenants
I hate cold calling, and yet, it’s how I make most of my money. Experts will tell you cold calling is a waste of time, but I strongly disagree. Interestingly, when we call someone to offer our services, the biggest pushback we get is, “I’ll do it myself.” Are YOU ... Read More
August 6, 2014Lynn Drake

16

Jul2014

How Important Are Renewal Options?

by Lynn Drake / / Landlords, Leasing, Tenants
Are renewal options important? 95% of the ones I’ve seen set the renewal option at market rate, and the other 5% are set at a rate I would deem as “important.” How do you know? Well, you start by taking a look at a CoStar report to see what the ... Read More
July 16, 2014Lynn Drake