Willard Jones Real Estate

If these last few months have taught us anything, it is how truly fragile life can be. Collectively, we have witnessed way too many horrific tragedies and natural disasters as of late. The Las Vegas shooting, along with Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria, have caused permanent destruction – both physically and mentally – that have altered many innocent lives forever. While human life supersedes everything else, there is also a palpable element of buildings and businesses being crippled and in some cases, ruined beyond repair. Everything is seemingly fine one moment, then in the blink of an eye, everything can change.

The latest example, albeit on a smaller scale, happened a few days ago when a local storefront theater in my neighborhood burned down due to a freak electrical fire. I had tickets to attend a children’s show there with my daughter this past weekend. If the show would have been scheduled one week earlier, the fire would have occurred right as the show was beginning. Though it was incredibly lucky that no one was hurt, the theater now needs to be re-built from scratch. The founder worked so hard to create this business from the ground up, putting in incredible amounts of time and capital. It took a few years, but recently the theater seemed to hit its stride and fill an important niche in the community; just like that, it is all gone.

The sad reality is that tragedy can strike any one of us at a moment’s notice. It is borderline terrifying to ponder, but as a business owner or manager, it’s necessary for an action plan to be in place. There are many important points to consider and questions to ask to ensure that you are prepared should something happen.

Here are a few key questions to keep in mind so that you are equipped to handle any emergencies :

• Is there a contingency plan in place? Do you have the necessary updated insurance lined up if the unthinkable happens, including business interruption insurance? As the business grows, insurance should be adjusted accordingly to adequately reflect new circumstances.
• If your business suffers a catastrophe due to a fire or natural disaster, will you be completely shut down until repairs are made or can you work remotely? If not, can a temporary office space be obtained to help get through the reconstruction period? Does your landlord have other buildings in the area which can be offered as interim space? After the hurricane in Houston, many firms moved their office to co-working facilities while their buildings were being repaired.
• Modern technology has made it easier to work from home or at a local coffee shop for a few days. In case of a fire or natural disaster, is all of your data backed up sufficiently, whether it be in the cloud or on backup drives? Without this, working remotely may not be an option.
• If the catastrophe strikes during the business day, does everyone in the office know the proper evacuation route? Other than calling 9-1-1, are there any contacts within your building who could be of assistance?
• Is your building or facility properly equipped with smoke detection systems and sprinklers in case of a fire?
• Does your place of work have a proper security system in place, whether it is a guard on the premises or an alarm or buzzer to keep out unwanted guests?
• If crisis counselors are ever needed to assist fellow staff members in coping with a particular occurrence, do you know who to contact?
• In the case of a small business run by a sole proprietor, is there a contingency plan in place if something abruptly happens to the owner? Will employees continue to get paid? Can the business continue to function?

Ultimately, while tragedies and trying conditions are never going away, the more you prepare when times are calm, the better the chance you will be able to successfully cope.

Outside of debating who the Bears’ starting quarterback should be, the number one topic of discussion in Chicago these days involves Amazon’s headquarters announcement. Do we really have a chance to land HQ2? Are they seriously considering other cities? How many people would they hire?

I have never seen a story take on a life of its own so quickly but it’s fascinating to ponder the possibilities. On the surface, it appears as if Chicago really does have a legitimate opportunity to make this happen. Sure, other venues such as Atlanta, Boston, Denver, New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC are formidable contenders indeed, but in my semi-biased opinion, Chicago really does check all of the boxes.

1. We have the population. There over one million people in the metropolitan area. We have access to first class universities both in the city and in the immediate Midwest region. We have the necessary public transportation and an international airport with numerous direct flights to and from Seattle (where Amazon’s current headquarters is located). Not to mention the culture, a vibrant tech scene and of course, plenty of solid real estate options.

2. We have the Amazon presence. The company just expanded into 70,000 square feet at the Franklin Center and added 8 warehouses and a sorting center.

3. We have a vast history of housing corporate headquarters. We all remember when Boeing decided to fly its headquarters from Seattle into town back in 2001. National department stores, like Sears and Montgomery Wards, once called Chicago home and one can argue that Amazon’s platform is the next logical progression from these catalog houses that ruled the way Americans shopped for so many years.

So when news of the story broke, my immediate thought for this month’s blog was to analyze all of the potential city locations for the corporate headquarters. After reading 20 different articles already doing this, however, I decided to back off and take a different angle.

While landing Amazon would be quite the coup for Chicago, suppose that they do eventually bring in 50,000 new jobs. How would this impact the city? The positives are substantial: they would make a reported $5 billion dollar investment in the area, add increased tax revenue (eventually), amplify prestige–which could very well attract more corporate headquarters in the future, create an almost certain tightening of the real estate market (both residential and commercial), generate more development in all sectors, and a produce a strengthened job market.

While the benefits are appropriately touted, there is another side being neglected in the analysis…

•Can downtown really support 50,000 more people?
•Given the anticipated vast number of relocations to Chicago, where will these people live?
•How will they get to work?
•Can the CTA and Metra handle the additional demand?
•Whether it be more frequent trains and additional cars on each route, are the funds available to run additional service?
•Can our already-packed expressways handle more volume, or will suburbanites working downtown need to leave at 6:00 AM in order to arrive to work at 8:30?
•How will our aged infrastructure hold up with increased demand?
•Can the schools handle more students if people are moving to the city?
•Can emergency services handle the additional demands?
•Will the increased demand for real estate end up driving people out?
•Will Chicago become too high priced, a la Manhattan?
•Will downtrodden neighborhoods gentrify to the point that there will be no more affordable housing?
•Will the city and state be able to get their act together to put together an incentive package great enough to lure Amazon?
•Will the amount needed to lure them be so great that it will be counter productive?

These are just a few of the questions that need answers. At the end of the day, though, Amazon HQ2 in Chicago would truly be a transformational experience for our city; it would impact all Chicagoans and certainly take some getting used to. Can we handle it? I would love the opportunity to see us figure it out.

I recently listed to a town hall style interview/concert with the legendary musician Billy Joel. I have always been a fan but never realized until now how truly meaningful the titles and lyrics are in many of his songs.

I also noticed that some of his sage advice applies remarkably well to the real estate industry. Since he will be bringing his brilliant act to Wrigley Field on August 11, this is a timely opportunity to take a closer look.

I. Applicable Song Titles

• Movin Out
The deal is done and notice is given to all parties involved. We are blowing this pop stand and heading on to greener pastures.

• The Longest Time
For those lease deals that should take a month–two, tops–to complete, but actually take a year to close.

• Honesty

The one courtesy to always extend to all participants in a transaction.

• Pressure

This one is self explanatory. Need evidence? Check out my rapidly thinning hairline.

• A Matter of Trust
The key to a successful relationship between either a broker and client, or tenant and landlord.

• New York State of Mind
For all of our respective New York clients who insist on always telling us how things are done in the Big Apple. With all due respect, this is Chicago. We don’t care!

II. Relevant Lyrics

• Why Should I Worry
Once you hit on that first deal, you feel like the city is your oyster.

The rhythm of the city
But once you get it down
Then you can own this town
You can wear the crown
Why should I worry? Tell me.
Why should I care?
I Said, I may not have a dime. Oh!
But I got street savoir faire.

• Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
Obviously, the key to a happy life is having a good office, right?

Things are okay with me these days
Got a good job, got a good office

• Summer, Highland Falls
In honor of the many ups and downs we endure.

Now we are forced to recognize our inhumanity
A reason coexists with our insanity
Though we choose between reality and madness
Its either sadness or euphoria

• You May Be Right http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cih0btgJw8s
For those times when you offer advice to those know-it-all clients, only to have them look at you as if you need professional help.

You may be right
I may be crazy
But it just may be a lunatic you’re looking for
Turn out the light
Don’t try to save me
You may be wrong for all I know
But you may be right

• The River of Dreams
When clients insist on searching and searching for that perfect space that doesn’t exist:

I know I’m searching for something
Something so undefined
That it can only be seen
By the eyes of the blind

• It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me
In the world of office leasing, tenant preferences and demands constantly change. While you need to keep up with the times, the fundamental lessons of real estate still remain the same.

Oh, what’s the matter with the crowd I’m seeing?
“Don’t you know that they’re out of touch?”
Well, should I try to be a straight-A student?
“If you are then you think too much
Don’t you know about the new fashion, honey?
All you need are looks and a whole lotta money”
It’s the next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways
It’s still rock and roll to me

• Big Shot

When you open your know-it-all mouth one too many times…

Because you had to be a big shot, didn’t you
You had to open up your mouth
You had to be a big shot, didn’t you
All your friends were so knocked out
You had to have the last word, last night
You know what everything’s about
You and to have a white hot spotlight
You had to be a big shot last night

• The Stranger
We all screw up from time-to-time. No one is perfect. Pick yourself up, try again and be supportive when others make mistakes.

Don’t be afraid to try again
Everyone goes south every now and then
You’ve done it
Why can’t someone else
You should know by now
You’ve been there yourself

• The Downeaster Alexa Working on commission can be rough. At the end of the day, we have families to support and the pressure mounts when deals are not getting made.

I got bills to pay and children who need clothes
I know there’s fish out there but where God only knows
They say these waters aren’t what they used to be
But I got people back on land who count on me

• This is the Time http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M443VsY4XI
We may gripe and moan about our jobs a lot, but admit it, we would miss it if it was gone.

This is the time to remember
Cause it will not last forever
These are the days
To hold on to
Cause we won’t
Although we’ll want to
This is the time
But time is gonna change

•I Go To Extremes
When a deal is about to go south and we are just about at the breaking point.

Sometimes I’m tired, sometimes I’m shot
Sometimes I don’t know how much more I’ve got
Maybe I’m headed over the hill
Maybe I’ve set myself up for the kill
Tell me how much do you think you can take
Until the heart in you is starting to break?
Sometimes it feels like it will

• Keeping The Faith
Don’t worry, it WILL get better…

You can get just so much
From a good thing
You can linger too long
In your dreams
Say goodbye to the
Oldies but goodies
Cause the good ole days weren’t
Always good
And tomorrow ain’t as bad as it seems

• Vienna
Billy Joel sums it all up perfectly in this song. It is a good reminder to work hard, but not let the profession consume your life. There are so many salient points in this masterpiece; I have decided to close this blog by presenting all of the lyrics in their entirety. See you at the concert!

Slow down, you crazy child
You’re so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you’re so smart, then tell me
Why are you still so afraid?

Slow down, you crazy child
And take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile
It’s all right, you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?
And you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want or you can just get old
You’re gonna kick off before you even get half through
Why don’t you realize, Vienna waits for you

Life isn’t fair!

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Why me?

What have I done to deserve this?

Why must I suffer like this?

In life, tragic events that simply defy logic and explanation occur on a regular basis. It is common for so many people to continuously utter the aforementioned expressions and possess such self pitying thoughts. Matt Gould was never one of these individuals. Heaven knows he had every right to be, but that is just not the way this remarkable and inspirational individual was wired.

Matt passed away this week at the way-too-young age of 44. If you work in the real estate industry, there is a good chance you had the privilege of meeting Matt at some point over the past two decades when he worked either as an office broker at Real Estate Consultants, Rubloff, or for the last 11 years as a retail broker at Mid-America.

Matt’s spirit was unparalleled. He was the most positive, energetic and kind-hearted person in the business; no one ever had a bad word to say about him. He worked hard, always kept things light-hearted, played by the rules and cared deeply about his clients. They, in turn, reciprocated.

Matt and I met early on in our respective careers when he brought a client by to see a space I was marketing. We hit it off instantly and, from that point forward, went out of our way to try and do business together. After attending an industry event with Matt one night–having had just a bit too much to drink–we determined that we had to find a way to work together. The next day, I called the owners of Rubloff and told them that we needed to add this guy to our team. We quickly set up a meeting and fortunately, they saw the same traits in Matt that I did. Our 5 years together at Rubloff were filled with many ups and few downs. I often told him that as co-workers, we were better as friends. Still, I honestly enjoyed every minute.

While I struggle to make sense of what happened, I take comfort in our many joyous memories. It is difficult to mention them all, but here are a few of those clean enough for sharing in a public forum.

Matt and I complemented each other well and shared a similar mindset, as well a few silly superstitions. For example, prior to doing a showing for a good sized vacancy we had been marketing in the South Loop, we stopped in a greasy spoon for lunch. For some reason, we both ordered a plate of turkey and broccoli smothered with cheese sauce; it was utterly disgusting. However, we ultimately ended up making the deal and there was no doubt in our minds that it was due to this very meal. From then on, whenever we had a big meeting, we would first stop at this restaurant and “enjoy” the same dish.

Then there was the frustrating and futile attempt at leasing the dysfunctional Pittsfield Building. Initially, we were excited to get the listing, but really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. The building was falling apart, the owner would not spend money and invoices were never paid on time. On our first day, it took us 7 hours to get through all of the many vacancies. I had my fill early on, but like he did with everything in life, Matt powered through and refused to give up. As always, he made the best of the situation. He befriended a group of very difficult tenants and even won over the owner, who I am convinced never liked a broker in his entire life until he met Matt.

I think back to our endless sports debates that usually led to disagreements (with the exception of our mutual love for the White Sox). We always overanalyzed everything related to fantasy football but our favorite topic was the NBA. The biggest Lakers fan in Chicago? Matt Gould. I would be a billionaire now if I had a penny for every time I heard the names Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O’Neal.
Without a doubt, however, my favorite Matt Gould memory has to do with his saint of a wife, Janel. I am proud to report that I can take at least partial credit for making the introduction. Janel had been working in the Office of the Building at 100 West Monroe, where our office also happened to be located. It was obvious that sparks were flying the moment they laid eyes on one another. After a few days, she commented that they “connect on an entirely different level”. Matt thought they were keeping their dating a secret, but everyone was on to them and could not be happier that they found one another. After some time of their indiscreet office dating, they decided to take it to the altar. Their wedding was one of the best I ever attended and I was honored to be part of that special day.

Some time later, Matt informed me that he had accepted a job with Mid-America; it was tough for me to swallow. On one hand, I knew it was a great opportunity that he could not pass up but I was saddened to see him go and knew that the office would never be the same. He made the right move, though, as he instantly found his niche in the industry and enjoyed significant and deserved success while touching many people along the way.

He was so altruistic and was always willing to put someone else’s needs before his own. I think back to the time I had a health issue which kept me out of the office for an extended period of time and Matt seamlessly picked up the slack and never once complained. A few years ago, when Janel courageously endured a health challenge of her own, Matt never lost his positive outlook on life. I knew he was torn up inside and terrified at what might happen, but he never let on. He simply supported her unconditionally and held the family together. Not only was he an amazing husband, but also a remarkable father to his adorable twin girls, Ava and Olivia.

Just a few months after Janel returned to good health, we learned of Matt’s cancer diagnosis. Everyone was completely floored; I still cannot wrap my mind around it. In true Matt form, however, his approach to life never changed. Throughout the endless number of chemotherapy sessions, he continued enjoying life to the fullest, never stopped joking around, and refused to give up. This darn guy even ran a marathon–and finished!–to raise money for cancer research while undergoing treatment.

Even in his hardest times, he was consistently one of the most positive and inspirational people I knew. It is rare when one is fortunate enough to meet a person who truly changes your life.

My Sunday mornings will never be the same without his endless number of text messages asking who he should start in this week’s fantasy football game. I will miss our mutual pep talks about our respective struggles in real estate and his smartass, juvenile, yet hilarious sense of humor that would always brighten my day. As painful as it is to lose him, I am heartened by that fact that Matt truly got every ounce out of his life.

Matt, thank you for all that you shared. Thank you for being my friend. I will never forget you.

Matt’s family requests that donations in his honor be made to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org).

Back by popular demand, I hereby present: More of the Most Outrageous Stories that I Have Encountered During My Career. While I would not necessarily place these in the Murphy’s Law category, looking back, they are quite amusing. Here we go.

1) In a building I formerly leased, a corner retail space became available on a prominent Loop corner and we had substantial interest. Perhaps the most persistent prospect was a well known fast food establishment. The use was not exactly what we had in mind, but their national real estate director was able to persuade the owner into a face-to-face meeting. He entered into the owner’s office dressed in a nice suit with a presentation in hand that he clearly spent a great deal of time on. His introductory words were barely out of his mouth when the owner cut him off with a question I will never forget: “I just have one single question for you: How the hell are you going to prevent my building from smelling like your f***ing hamburgers all day long?” Yada yada yada, a bank is now located at this site.

2) For that same retail space, we ended up having two financial institutions actually get into a bidding war, so the owner decided to meet with the respective bank presidents before making a decision. One was a national player who had a clear advantage going into the meeting; the other was a growing local bank and on the day of the meeting, the president and his attorney came in with a long, drawn out presentation. Frankly, this was not the right approach to win over this particular owner. Right in the middle of the meeting, the owner excused himself, walked into the adjacent room (still in clear sight of everyone) and opened up a wooden closet which contained a sink. He unzipped his fly and took care of business, essentially right in front of the bank president. Clearly flustered after that, the presentation came to a quick end. Afterwards, the owner said that he needed to get that guy out of his office and that was the best way he could think of to make that happen. We also learned that his coffee mug that he was incessantly sipping on throughout the meeting was filled with beer.

3) While working at Rubloff, one of the owners asked me to accompany 4 developers in town from Seoul, South Korea on a tour of several Class A Loop properties so they could get ideas for a new office tower they were planning to develop. Three of the four individuals did not speak a word of English and the one who did was shaky at best. Halfway through the tour, we took a break for an hour, went our separate ways and decided to meet back up on corner of Michigan and Wacker Drive. I showed up to what I thought was the designated meeting place but the group was nowhere to be found. This was pre cell phone, so I had no way to reach any of them. I was in a complete panic and feared an international incident was on the horizon. I just started walking around and miraculously, there they appeared … on Michigan and Wacker Place. They had gone shopping at Marshall Fields and bought me a picture frame to thank me for my time.

4) In a rather dysfunctional building that I used to lease, we rented a space to two gentlemen claiming to be jewelers. The build out was not very complicated and the tenant needed to take occupancy within 30 days of lease signing. As we crept up on the possession date, I walked into the space to check on the progress and not a single thing had been done. The property manager completely dropped the ball. The tenant was furious and made all kinds of threats against everyone, myself included. Ultimately, we ended up letting them out of their lease. Fast forward to two months later, someone from the Department of Homeland Security showed up to the building with pictures of these two individuals and asked many questions. As it turned out, they were being investigated on the suspicion of participating in terroristic activities.

5) My favorite lobby attendant ever was an 80-year old gentleman named Nick. All of the tenants loved him and I purposely showed up early prior to tours just so we could talk. Nick was not a big guy, but even at 80 years old, it was best not to mess with him. Case in point, a messenger was riding down the elevator with a woman and as the elevator doors opened, the messenger forcefully grabbed her purse and starting running. She screamed and Nick went chasing after him, actually caught him and held him down until the police arrived. He lectured the messenger the entire time to do better and make something out of his life, making for quite the memorable surveillance video.

6) One of the more difficult clients who I had the (mis)fortune of representing for nearly three years really put me though the ringer. I actually tried to fire her several times, but she told me that I was not her father and could do no such thing. Fortunately, we eventually found a space for her store. Unfortunately, patience was not her strong suit and she started construction early without either a permit or landlord approval. Her second-rate contractor promptly cut a main power line which effectively shut down the building’s parking garage for three days. The owner was not too happy and stuck her with the bill. Predictably, this was all my fault for introducing the space to her in the first place.

7) An owner who I used to do work for often liked to meet with prospective tenants if we ever needed help getting across the finish line on a deal. I took him up on the offer once when we had a few stubborn lease issues that could not be resolved. The owner was in his 60s at the time, while the two principles of the firm were in their early 20s. From the start, it was oil and water. The meeting ended after ten minutes with the owner yelling (something I never witnessed before), “You young whippersnappers think you have all the answers, but you do not know the first thing about running a business. Get out of my building; I will never rent space to you.” The tenant yelled back with a few choice words to the “old man” and left. The owner then looked at me and said, “If I need to experience that kind of treatment, I can call my son. He will gladly treat me that way.” As a side note, the owner was exactly right (as always). A year later, the business was caput.

8) A halfway decent vacant space that I was showing in an otherwise drab building always had one door that was locked. My master key would not open the door and even for showings, the manager refused to unlock it. One day when the manager was on vacation, I complained about the locked door to the building engineer. He took me up to the space, removed the lock and we discovered an elaborate computer network. It turned out that the manager had a day trading operation set up where he would hide out for several hours each day during trading hours. After he was confronted about this, he magically got a new job elsewhere shortly thereafter.

9) My shortest leasing assignment ever was at a star crossed Loop building. I was excited to get the listing because in spite of past problems at the property, it was very well located and there was a good amount of vacant space. After I went over to the owner’s office to hand over the signed leasing agreement, he said, “Well, this is probably as good of a time as any to tell you that I actually have no money right now and will probably have a tough time paying commissions and funding build outs. Will you still stick with me while I figure things out?” Uh, no.

10) A building I formally leased was expertly cleaned for many years by two wonderful ladies of Polish descent who did not speak English very well, or at least that is what everyone thought. One afternoon, one of the women came into the Office of the Building and, with nearly perfect English, described an encounter where she walked in on an attorney and his secretary “having relations” on the conference room table. I’m not sure if we were more shocked by act itself or the graphic description she rattled off; we had no idea she could speak English, let alone describe (in detail) something like that. The next day and from that point forward, it was as though it never happened and we heard maybe 10 words of English out of her mouth.

Lucky for you, I’m still accumulating these “experiences” so don’t worry, I’ll have plenty of blog material for the next few years.

After quite the extensive renovation and expansion, the new Hannah’s Bretzel at 180 W Washington is back open for business. As one of the food places in our spaces, I had to see it for myself (and grab some lunch).

The space, which was previously more of a to-go spot with a few small tables, has been totally revamped with new furniture and designs that encourage you to sit and stay a while. Walk past the ordering counter and you’ll find a bright yet cozy seating area–benches with throw pillows and private nooks. Even with its open layout and natural light, though, candles and lamps throughout create a peaceful, welcoming ambiance among the buzzing lunch crowd.

One thing that didn’t change? The deliciousness of those pretzel bun sandwiches.

Check out a few pictures of the new space:

Hannah’s Bretzel’s hours

Monday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Thursday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Sunday: Closed

As with most things in life, a certain degree of luck comes in handy. However, it seems that Murphy fellow and his wicked Law is always lurking–something out of your control goes awry, thereby wrecking the event.

During my career, I have endured my fair share of these experiences.

For brokers, showings are a critical component of the job. Simply put, showings lead to deals. If we are not leasing space, there is no food on our respective tables. On a typical tour, prospects see several properties in sequence and there is a very limited window to make a positive impression; failure to do so means the deal is going elsewhere.

As a nod to Murphy’s Law, I thought back on a few different times when it truly seemed that whatever could go wrong, did go wrong. Here are a few notable examples. (Names and addresses have been excluded but will be revealed in my book due out in 2033).

1) I have one building where it seems like the locks are being changed on the vacancies every two weeks for no apparent reason. Once, a janitor was supposed to meet me at 9:00 AM sharp to unlock a space. After standing aimlessly with the prospect outside the entry door for a few minutes, I starting calling. On the fourth try, he finally answered in a groggy voice and said, “Dude, I am hung over and somewhere in Indiana. You best break down the door because I ain’t coming.” Since this was a small building with no onsite management, the tour ended abruptly, never to be rescheduled.

2) I scheduled a tour for a vacancy that had not been shown in a few weeks. When I opened up the door, it was magically occupied by a tenant who just moved in. It turned out that the building manager leased the space without bothering to tell me. Later, I learned he did that thinking he could keep the commission for himself.

3) During a tour, I took a prospect into a seldom shown vacancy on the 9th floor. When we entered the only office in the suite not facing the alley, a dead mouse was found right in the middle of the room. After a loud scream, the prospect was quickly out the door.

4) In the same building, on numerous occasions, I encountered roaches (dead and alive) during showings and often had to strategically hop from one area to the next in an attempt to cover the creatures up with my shoe, all while usually receiving puzzled looks. As a side note, why does every building engineer in Chicago emphatically refer to roaches as “waterbugs” and vehemently deny what these really are?

5) While conducting a tour in a building with notoriously awful elevators (even after a multi-million dollar modernization), a prospect and I got stuck on the ride up. The woman started to hyperventilate and I seriously thought she was going to die. After 20 minutes, the elevator doors finally opened and we found the fire department waiting with crowbars in hand.

6) Continuing with the elevator theme in a different property, I showed up 5 minutes before a scheduled showing to learn that the only two elevators were both out of service. The only way to access the floors was by walking the stairs. Of course, the space I planned to show was on the 12th floor. That was quite a message to deliver prior to starting a showing. The broker said he would contact me to reschedule, but shockingly, the client lost interest.

7) While patiently waiting for a tardy showing, a disheveled male entered the lobby and demanded to use a bathroom. Since the gentleman did not have an appointment with anyone, the guard denied access and asked him to leave. The man then promptly unzipped his pants and started urinating all over the security desk. On cue, my showing entered right as this was going on and said, “Oh wow, does this sort of thing happen often here?” As a matter of fact, yes it does.

8) A property I formerly leased had a small tenant who assisted the less fortunate with money management skills. A very good cause, indeed, but it also attracted some unique individuals. Case in point: while finishing up a positive showing, one of their clients, a 250 pound man with a bushy red beard and wearing a dress was seated with his legs wide open. Yep, you guessed it, no underwear. The prospect took note and then was no longer a prospect.

9) While bringing a prospect into a former coffee shop that I was marketing, we heard some rustling behind the counter. When I went for a closer look, I found the building manager lying naked on the floor wrapped up in a sheet. She said, “Oh, I wasn’t expecting you. Let’s keep this between us, okay?” 17 years later, I still cannot get that frightful image out of my mind.

10) On another retail showing, I approached the space and noticed homeless person nestled up against the front door and snoring up a storm. He was a rather large individual and would not move. Quite a first impression! Thank goodness for back doors.

11) While waiting to do a showing in a building with a school, a student thought it would be cool to pull the fire alarm. When my tour showed up, the relatively small lobby was filled with over 100 students and staff, plus a countless number of paramedics and firemen. Given there was nowhere to move and the elevators were shut down, it was time to chalk up another loss.

12) I leased a space to a tenant who had misrepresented its use (and subsequently was evicted as a result). It turned out to be a de facto union hall who decided to make the building a gathering point for a sizable rally being held downtown. Hundreds of people showed up in a building with a small lobby and tiny elevators. Not only could my prospect coming by to look at space not get into the building, neither could many tenants. It took a rare visit from a furious building owner to clear everybody out.

13) To save money, the owner of a basement office condo I was marketing decided to stop paying the electric bill and had the power shut off. Yes, showing a space in complete darkness makes it quite easy to lease (the fact that it showed better in the dark than light is a separate story).

14) Years ago, I was given the green light to start showing a small suite where the tenant was getting evicted. Being new to the business, I made a rookie mistake of not touring the space first before bringing someone inside. The manager told me it was exactly like another suite in the building, so I thought that was good enough. I opened the door with the prospect by my side and the space was a complete mess. Taking a closer look at some of the debris, we discovered several copies of Playgirl magazine and a box full of porn movies on VHS. We later found out the tenant was running a male escort service out of the space.

15) When showing spaces on two contiguous floors, I often will bypass the elevator and take the stairs instead. Well, I regretted that decision mightily one day when we encounter the building manager making out with the engineer. Both were married at the time, but not to each other.

As the saying goes, you cannot make this stuff up. Truth be told, I could probably fill another blog with additional stories. I cannot wait to try and top these moving forward.

You have to admit, downtown Chicago is a pretty amazing place to work; transcendent architecture, premier accessibility, fascinating cultural attractions, restaurants at every corner, and miles upon miles of shopping. Very few cities come close to topping what we get to enjoy.

As glorious as these elements are, however, I have to say my favorite thing about the city is the “buzz.”

The second I exit the train every morning and step outside into the Loop, there is a certain energy that strikes me right away and it simply cannot be matched. It is difficult to describe, but you know it when you see and feel it.

Crowds of people rushing from place to place, cars darting in and out of lanes, “L” trains racing around the tracks, gleaming skyscrapers in all their glory, the brilliance of the Chicago River and accompanying Riverwalk, the truly Magnificent Mile, the street musicians and peddlers, all framed by Lake Michigan in the background. Every piece comes together and crescendos into a certain kind of rush where you just know you are somewhere important.

My fascination with the city started long before my daily Metra commutes to work. I can still remember two instances from my youth that shaped my love of downtown Chicago.

The first time I felt the “buzz” was when my grandmother would take me with her to shop at “dime stores” (am I dating myself?) on State Street. We would ride the Ravenswood train (now the Brown Line) and spend hours walking around the late State Street Mall. The visit was always capped by a visit to the soda fountain at Woolworths for a root beer float.

My other memory was when I was in 5th grade and we took the greatest field trip ever–next to my senior ditch day excursion to Great America, but that is a story for another time–to downtown Chicago. I vividly remember going up and down the glass elevators at the recently-opened State of Illinois Building (now the Thompson Center) over and over until a security guard threw us out. We got to visit the Skydeck at the then-Sears Tower and even ate lunch at McDonald’s. From that moment on, I was hooked and I just knew I had to find a way to work downtown.

No disrespect to the suburbs, but I cannot imagine myself working in one of those far away office campuses and having to drive everywhere. They seem so ordinary and sterile compared to downtown. It totally makes sense why all of these corporations are relocating to downtown Chicago, or at least establishing a satellite office. Most people today want to work downtown; they want to be part of the buzz.

All these years later, the thrill is as strong as ever. One of the great things about my job as a downtown real estate broker is being right in the middle of the buzz on a daily basis. If the day starts to drag, all I need to do is leave my office and take a short walk around the block. That is as good as a jolt of caffeine. It is gratifying to play a role, no matter how small, in contributing to this phenomenon. As stressful as the job can be, I never lose sight of how fortunate I am to work in the center of such a dynamic place.

The good ol’ days. Is there such a thing? I like to think there was a different sort of peace before hashtags and online profiles. Recently, I found myself immersed in the show Mad Men, which takes place primarily in the 1960s and was surprisingly nostalgic, given I wasn’t even alive during that time.

After binging on all 8 seasons, I found myself comparing the way they work, seal deals and celebrate, to what it’s really like today. Of course, the added factor is that it is a TV show but I let my mind wander anyway.

This year, Mad Men is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the premiere. As a nod to the show, Heinz is using the promotional materials from the show in their own advertisements today. I wondered, “If an ad from a show based on the 1960s still holds up, how would some of the other things from the show compare to today?”

I decided to take a few of the situations from the show and compare it to how I think those situations would play out in this day and age:

How it goes on Mad Men: Call a company (any company) and get put right through to the CEO/decision maker.
How it would probably go for me: I make a call and get the automated voice menu. Patiently listen to options 1-9 without finding what I’m looking for; push 0 for a real person. Get connected to Amanda in sales from the San Francisco branch. After explaining my call, get transferred 4 times and end up at the voicemail of someone who will probably never call back.

How it goes on Mad Men: Pitch an idea to a client to get their business but they’re not interested. The execs take the potential client out to an expensive restaurant that the company practically begs them to go to. They eat some shrimp cocktail, down a whiskey neat or three and the client changes their mind right there and signs a deal with the waiter’s pen.
How it would probably go for me: Talk to a client and find they’re not interested. Take them out to lunch, order some shrimp cocktail, find out they have a seafood allergy.

How it goes on Mad Men: Take a nap on the couch in a private office (for who knows how long) and no one cares.
How it would probably go for me: Decide to take a nap on my couch. Realize I don’t have a couch. Settle for a nap that is actually just my open eyes glazed over, looking into the distance for 20 seconds before I realize what I am doing and snap back to reality and the work I need to do.

How it goes on Mad Men: Client shows up in the meeting room, eats a pastry and looks at one or two print advertising concepts. The client picks one on the spot and the meeting adjourns.
How it would probably go for me: Spend weeks going back and forth about the design of a new building marketing campaign. Create several versions with different color schemes and headlines, and then present it to the client. They note that something just seems “off” but can’t put a finger on it. Switch around a few more things, incorporate their exact ideas, and present it again. They decide that they like the first version best. But only for the email marketing idea, the regular informational concept should be slightly different, they just don’t know how exactly.

How it goes on Mad Men: Sign a deal. Celebrate by asking the personal secretary to fetch the ice while others pop the top off the custom glass vodka bottle from the bar cart in someone’s giant private office. After downing that drink, head to the bar to celebrate again. Then off to dinner with steaks and more drinks.
How it would probably go for me: Sign a lease (this particular one taking 8 months to come together). Breathe a sigh of relief. Have a drink…of water. Onto the next.

So maybe my expectations for the entire 1960s era are a little glamorized from the TV show; at the end of the day, I think some of the problems–picky clients and long work hours–are the same, but the tools we have are different.

We’ve traded typewriters for computers and cell phones (I can’t imagine life without a backspace key), secretaries for voicemails, and private couches for communal nap pods.

I think I may be able to move on from the nostalgia and be happy with the fact that we don’t celebrate by drinking straight liquor in someone’s giant corner office. I’m more of a piña colada person anyway.

The other day, a youngster who recently started in the real estate industry asked me about the most significant differences in the commercial real estate business today as compared to the time I first began in 1996. Those getting started today know only about the immediacy of emails on cell phones and easily-organized Gmail address books without a clue as to how it really used to be.

Over the past 20 years, the industry has evolved quite a bit and fortunately, (mostly) for the better. Here are some of the biggest differences between then and now that I could think of:

1) Cell phones – I vividly recall waiting in the lobby of buildings for hours upon hours trying to track down brokers running late for showings. I would bother the security guard every 5 minutes and use the land line phone at the security desk to call the broker’s office, knowing full well that they were probably out on the tour and not going to hear my message until they returned. I had to invent a “20 Minute Rule” where I would wait 20 minutes, call, wait another 10 minutes and then leave if no one showed up (inevitably, the tour would always show up the second I returned to my office).

2) Computers – Remarkably, I did not have a computer of my own until my third year in the business. I actually had a secretary who prepared all of my proposals. Of course, all documents were saved on floppy disks and everything was printed out and filed away.

3) Internet – It is such a luxury today to research prospective tenants by performing a Google search. Back in the day, I was limited to the Sullivan’s Law Directory, industry trade publications, the Yellow Pages and good old fashion door-to-door canvassing.

4) Communication – You want to communicate with someone? Pick up the phone and call! No email or texting was utilized 21 years ago. Everything was done over the phone or in person. Either listen to your answering machine or voice mail (a revolutionary feature back then) or sift through your mountain of pink message sheets and spend hours returning calls. Out for the day in meetings and need to check messages? Go find the nearest pay phone and hope you have proper change in your pocket.

5) Mail – Before the days of email, getting the mail delivery every day was a big deal. CoStar didn’t exist, so receiving an updated copy of Black’s Guide or the Metro Chicago Office Guide was a monumental day in my office. We would study each page, examining the revised vacancy lists, change in occupancy rates and asking rents and new leasing agency assignments. Also exciting was opening up the endless number of flyers and promotional materials. This is the one thing that I miss, since so much is done over email today.

6) Marketing – With computers and email just starting to become mainstream, proposals and marketing materials were either mailed or sent over the ever-popular fax machine. There was always quite a bit of unnecessary angst wondering if the fax was received and if the cover sheet was sufficiently informative. I spent hours each month in front of the fax machine sending blast faxes to brokerage firms stating on the cover to “please distribute to all brokers.” I wonder how many firms actually did that.

7) Paper –File cabinets and paper everywhere. No significant electronic data storage was available, so we would have to keep piles and piles of paper records. Going to sign a lease? Print and sign 3 hard copies. One of the buildings I represented at the time actually used a pre-printed lease form and typewriter to make changes to the document.

8) Customer Relationship Management – My CRM for many years was an elaborate system utilizing color coded 4″ x 6″ index cards stored inside shoeboxes. Every broker and tenant I came across from canvassing had a card and all interactions were properly documented. It was the most cumbersome method of recordkeeping ever, but it somehow worked. I still have all of my cards today and they take up an entire drawer in my file cabinet. I have not looked at these in years, but cannot bring myself to dispose of them due to all of the time put into maintenance.

9) Floor plans – Need a space plan? Pull out the roll of 1/8-inch scaled blue prints. I wasted an incredible amount of time trying to figure out how to fit the blueprints on the copy machine so the plans would photocopy in a manner that looked only somewhat professional. Scissors, scotch tape and white out were key components of this operation.

10) Office Hours – Getting bogged down with all of these menial tasks mentioned above created a need to work longer hours and physically be present in the office. I was sitting at my desk just about every Saturday trying to catch up on tasks so I could devote business hours to prospecting. While the time commitment to the job can still be overwhelming today, it is so nice to have the option of working from home or another place remotely.

It’s easy to say that today we live in a much more technologically dependant society and the real estate industry has followed suit. To me, the net result is that we are able to function in a much more efficient manner across the board. As far as we have come, I shudder to think how different things will be 20 years from today. Look for my follow up blog on your mini projection screen glasses then.