Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Most traditional brokerage firms derive the majority of their revenue by representing landlords.  Although these firms may have individual practice groups who focus on tenant representation, the firm and their management are clearly aware of which client provides the majority of the revenue and thus which client will ultimately win out when push comes to shove.   This dynamic creates a clear conflict of interest.  Tenants represented by conflicted brokers do not receive the full range of benefits they would obtain from an occupier, only broker. This holds true even if different agents are employed by the same broker to work with different parties in the transaction.  By engaging a firm who is solely focused on representing occupiers you can be confident that your interests are aligned with your representative, and not those of the landlord they may represent or hope to represent in the future.   As an exclusive occupier representation firm, SilverPoint Advisors is committed to tenaciously representing our clients without worrying about upsetting a current or future relationship with a landlord.

As the leasing of commercial property became more complicated, expensive, and critical to companies, the need for specialized professionals who understand the ins and outs of leasing became apparent.  These professionals help level the playing field with landlords who traditionally held all the knowledge, know-how and leverage.   With the changes in technology and the commoditization of market information, tenant representation has become more a suite of services and less about “finding space”. 

This is a commonly asked question and a difficult one to answer.  Every tenant likes to believe they achieved excellent results with their chosen representative, however if you take a step back and answer some fundamental questions it may raise some doubts.

Does my representative represent landlords?
Does my representative’s firm represent landlords?
If so, how much revenue is earned by my representative or their firm from representing landlords?

Is there a possibility my representative or their firm may represent my Landlord in the future?
If so, how much revenue would they earn from that relationship? And how does that revenue compare to the revenue generated by representing my company?

If you can answer any of these questions in the affirmative, there is certainly a possibility you did not achieve the best possible results.  This in essence is the issue with conflict of interest.  If you cannot be certain your representative will fully represent your objectives, then why hire them?  Using an exclusive occupier representation firm will give you the peace of mind that your representative is representing your needs and only your needs.

The commercial real estate market is fluid. Changing economic conditions such as increased vacancy or a change in ownership can create opportunities to renegotiate leases for significant savings. It is important to address leasing needs on an ongoing basis, rather than just when the lease expires.  Understanding when these opportunities are present and how they should be approached can yield significant savings.  SilverPoint Advisors has the expertise and understanding of how to take capitalize on opportunities such as these, to the advantage of our clients.

Making sure you have enough time to negotiate a renewal or find a relocation option is critical to a successful negotiation. If you don’t have enough time before your lease expiration, it drastically reduces your leverage as the Landlord is aware you won’t be able to move before your lease expires. We recommend the following timeframes based upon how much space you will need.

1,000 SF – 3,000 SF: 6 to 8 months.
3,000 – 10,000 SF: 8 to 12 months
10,000 – 20,000 SF: 12 to 18 months
Above 20,000 SF: Up to 2 years in advance

I will most likely just renew my lease, do I need a broker?

Your landlord considers you a captive tenant who is unlikely to move and therefore willing to pay a premium to what is considered market, renewals are the single most profitable transactions for a landlord By not hiring representation you are broadcasting to your landlord that you have no desire to move and that you have no knowledge of what other landlords are offering in the market.  This significantly reduces the leverage you possess at a point of time where leverage and competition are critical to achieving the best results for your company.  SilverPoint Advisors creates competition for your tenancy by leveraging other landlords against your current landlord and by treating your current premises as just one of many options. This forces your landlord to be competitive in pursuing your tenancy.  In our experience the fear of loss is a great motivator and can be used create excellent results.

Absolutely.  SilverPoint Advisors represents our clients both locally and nationally.  We have represented clients in virtually every state and in every metro area.  Our flat organizational structure and hands on approach allows us to provide customized solutions to our clients with locations nationally.    Unlike larger firms who are only interested in clients with significant space requirements, SilverPoint can represent small and mid-sized companies with all of their real estate needs.  Our national representation team is the single point of contact and accountability for every location no matter where it may be located.  Although we do engage our network of local market experts to assist with market information, SilverPoint handles all negotiations.  We act as our clients outsourced real estate department, adding significant value not just in terms of real estate costs but also in time savings.  By engaging us to handle all of your real estate you have a trusted partner who is familiar with your needs and can execute transactions quickly and seamlessly allowing you to focus on the priorities of running your business.

Unlike our competitors who tend to disappear once the transaction is complete, SilverPoint Advisors routinely communicates with our clients to ensure that any issues related to the lease or their real estate is addressed.  Additionally, SilverPoint reviews our clients operating expenses annually to make sure that they are being properly calculated and that any expenses are in accordance with the provisions of the negotiated lease.

SilverPoint Advisors is dedicated to the representation of occupiers.  Our conflict-free platform along with the active involvement of our Principal Partners (who collectively have 100 years experience) on all transactions, provides our clients with unmatched service and expertise.  These unique distinctions coupled with our Guarantee of Value, is the SilverPoint Difference.

Yes. SilverPoint Advisors is an occupier representation firm; we can provide all the services an occupier requires including selling a property. By only representing occupiers of real estate we are uniquely situated to navigate the nuances of occupier owned real estate. Although many brokers will tell you that selling a building is the same regardless of whether the buyer is an investor or owner/user, that is simply not the case. Owner/Users evaluate real estate requirements based upon the objectives of the business not upon investment objectives. This difference changes how the property is marketed and to whom. Our deep relationships with Tenants and Owner/Users enables our clients to sell properties faster and higher prices.

Yes. Many of our clients want to explore the possibility of buying a building rather than focusing on just for lease options. Our occupier representation model is designed to help our clients determine the best real estate opportunities, both purchase and lease. Purchasing a property is not the right option for all of our clients but for occupiers with stable occupancy needs, a long term real estate plan or specialized improvements purchasing may make more financial sense than leasing.

If you are leasing or purchasing a property, SilverPoint Advisors is paid a commission by the Seller or Landlord respectively.  Similar to when you purchase a home and the fee is paid by the seller.  There is no cost to our clients for our service as we split the commission with the landlord’s leasing agent, broker, or management company.  In the event you chose not to have representation the entirety of the commission will be paid to the Landlord’s representative.  Since a commission is already embedded in the transaction, whether the tenant has representation or not, our involvement does not increase the cost of the transaction, limit negotiating leverage, nor do we cost you any money.

If you are selling a property a commission is paid by you, the seller. The commission paid will compensate both SilverPoint and the buyer’s representative.