Neighbors To The Rescue in a Commercial Estate Sale

Here’s another example of why it always pays for me to get to know the neighbors when I list a commercial property. When my client’s father passed, his commercial property in White Center transferred to the estate she now managed. The family was grieving the loss of their father so I took the utmost care to provide sensitivity and efficiency. She wanted to liquidate this asset, without investing money into upgrades that might not provide a positive return on a vacant building. The building had great streetfront exposure on 1st Avenue South, but it was boarded up and needed a lot of work to become show ready.

A neighboring business owner expressed hope that a competitor wouldn’t move in next door. I offered a guaranteed solution: buy the property and control what happens to it. As the new owner, he could either expand his business or control the placement of a new tenant. Either way, opportunities arise to turn a fear into a positive cash-generating venture. The deal closed within a month with multiple offers, freeing my client to fulfill the estate wishes while the new owner could move forward on his own schedule with only one immediate bill to foot: new door locks.