COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT REAL ESTATE
12 January | February 2018
by Sarah Hoban
"I
'm very niche-focused," T.C. Macker, CCIM, says.
In the competitive Los Angeles real estate market,
that focus has proven successful for Macker,
president and managing director of Coldwell Banker
Commercial WESTMAC. During the past 14 years, he's earned
a consistent string of awards from Coldwell Banker Commercial,
and was the company's second-highest producer in 2016.
The L.A. native started his career
as a leasing agent for Grubb & Ellis
and joined Coldwell Banker Commer-
cial WESTMAC in 2002. He talked
to Commercial Investment Real Estate
about how to stand out in a crowded
market.
CIRE: How did you get into
commercial real estate sales?
Macker: I was burnt out on leasing,
and when I joined WESTMAC, I was
able to do a sale. Once I did that, I knew
selling was what I wanted to do.
But I needed to educate myself; I don't even think I could
calculate cap rate. I took the CI 101 class, and all of the sudden,
my calculator became my partner at every meeting. I took all the
classes in about a year and earned my CCIM designation.
Today all I do is sales. I'm mostly selling buildings in the $1
million to $20 million range. I'm below the institutional level,
although I do sell an institutional building occasionally.
My niche is really sales to high net-worth investors and small
funds. I'm geographically focused; my market is West L.A. to
downtown for office and retail on major streets — Sunset Bou-
levard, Wilshire Boulevard, and Santa Monica Boulevard.
CIRE: Has this focus made you stand out?
Macker: There aren't many CCIMs doing what I do, so that's
certainly helped me. I've just focused on this particular geography
and made it my turf.
CIRE: What types of marketing have been
most effective?
Macker: I do it all. Snail mail, social media, and I write a blog.
I try to ensure that my name is out there, so that if someone has
a need, I'll get the call.
I'm active with my high school alumni, I've got three kids in
school, and I tell people what I do. I'm not pitching them, but I
don't just say 'I'm a commercial real estate broker.' I say, 'I sell
CCIM
Q & A
T.C. Macker
Jim
Corwin