How to Get Into Commercial Real Estate in 2023

How to get into commercial real estate in 2023

If you’re here, you’re probably on the hunt for a way to break into the commercial real estate game.

Whether that’s brokerage, development, investment or another angle, there are a few key steps you should take to get started. Here’s how to get started in commercial real estate in 2023:

  1. Up first, educate yourself

The commercial real estate market can be complex and nuanced, so it's important to do your research and gain a solid understanding of how it works. This can include:

●      Reading industry publications, from groups like the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and CCIM

●      Attending seminars, workshops, or taking online commercial real estate courses

●      Watching YouTube videos (like this one here) or listening to podcasts on the go

●      And, of course, networking with other professionals in the field

Not only will you get a better grasp of how the industry works as a whole, but you’ll be creating relationships that will help you land a job opportunity or get deals across the finish line in the future.

2. Then, determine your focus

The commercial real estate market is broad - incredibly broad - and includes many different types of properties, from strip centers and warehouses to hotels, office buildings, self storage, and more. It's important to decide which type of property you want to specialize in and focus your efforts on building expertise in that area. That’s not to say that you can never work on multiple different types of properties - at my development firm, we have just about everything from simple retail renovations to mixed-use town center developments. But it will help getting started to gain specialized knowledge and expertise in one area. That will help you understand how to look at deals faster, find better opportunities, and build a solid network.

3. Build your team

Commercial real estate is a team sport. While there may be individuals out there who appear to be the sole member of their ventures, they will often have a support team around them helping with:

●      Site selection

●      Land use and planning

●      Financing

●      Architecture, engineering, and construction

●      And more throughout the process

Success in the commercial world really requires a team approach. It’s next to impossible to become an expert at every single aspect of a deal, so you'll want to find the professionals who can help you navigate the market and successfully close out projects. This team can include brokers, lawyers, lenders, and other advisors.

4. Get Licensed

Getting my real estate license was one of the best moves I made in the commercial real estate game.

Not only did it help me get a job as a commercial broker where I could learn how these deals work from the ground up, but I was also getting paid to learn! And it’s not a bad way to maintain cash flow for yourself while you’re going through your initial investments.

Depending on which direction you decide to take, you may be required to have your license in order to legally work in the commercial real estate market. You’ll need to complete a certain number of educational hours and pass a licensing exam, which can be accomplished in a few weeks at a relatively low cost.

Now, I know getting licensed isn’t for everyone since you would need to make it a full time job for it to make sense, but it can be a benefit to you in the long run.

5. And again - network, network, network

Real estate, in general, is all about who you know.

The more brokers you know, the easier it will be to find deals. The more people you know in the capital markets world, the easier it will be for you to fund that deal.  And if you’re looking to land a job in commercial real estate, everyone you know and network with could be a potential employer or partner down the line.

Over the years, many of my brokerage clients became development partners. By building a relationship with them while selling or leasing their development projects, I learned more about how they work and what they look for and have been able to put together many deals that way. You can meet these individuals through:

●      Cold calling and emailing (LinkedIn can be pretty good here)

●      Social media - slide into those DMs (I have people interested in commercial real estate do this to me all the time)

●      Attending industry events, such as ULI’s annual Emerging Trends or local real estate investors groups

●      Asking you network for referrals to groups they know

By diving all-in to the market this year and not just dipping your toes in the water, you can break into the commercial real estate game through educating yourself, figuring out which sector of the industry you want to focus on, building the right team around you, and being intentional about networking

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3641 Trousdale Drive - Industrial, flex space for lease in South Nashville
The Most Overlooked Asset Class for Experienced Investors

If you’ve been investing for a while, you know the grind.

You’ve closed deals, managed contractors, worked through leases, and seen both wins and setbacks. Maybe you’ve owned single-family rentals, a few duplexes, or even some small commercial buildings. You understand the fundamentals: how to run numbers, navigate debt, and keep properties occupied.

But here’s a question that hits at a different level: are your investments giving you leverage or just more responsibility?

As your portfolio grows, so does the complexity. More tenants often mean more phone calls. Bigger buildings bring additional systems, staff, and liability. And while your equity might be growing on paper, your time can get stretched thin across too many directions.

That’s why more experienced investors are quietly shifting toward asset classes that offer something rare in commercial real estate: simplicity that still delivers strong returns.

Two of the most overlooked categories in this space are flex industrial and industrial outdoor storage (IOS).

They’re not flashy. You won’t find them in luxury investor decks or high-end brochures. But these properties produce solid returns, attract long-term tenants, and are surprisingly light on operational headaches. Best of all, they give seasoned investors a way to keep growing without being consumed by the demands of their portfolio.

In this post, we’ll walk through:

  • What makes flex and IOS so attractive

  • The numbers behind why they work

  • How they fit into a growing portfolio

  • And why they might be the most strategic asset class you haven’t explored yet

This is not about going bigger for the sake of scale. It’s about going smarter.

Because the goal is not more units. It’s more freedom.

The Long-Term Vision for Your CRE Portfolio: From Asset  1 to Legacy
The Long-Term Vision for Your CRE Portfolio: From Asset  1 to Legacy

“Most people think about their first deal. Few think about their last.”

That quote stuck with me the first time I heard it. It’s a reminder that in commercial real estate, the endgame matters just as much as your entry point. Too many investors pour all their energy into getting that first property across the finish line only to realize they never thought about where it was actually taking them.

Commercial real estate isn’t just about buying buildings. It’s about building something bigger than yourself: a business, a portfolio, a legacy. Without a clear vision, your investing journey can start to feel like spinning plates, one more deal, one more tenant, one more issue to solve. But with the right long-term strategy, every property becomes a stepping stone toward financial freedom, generational wealth, and impact.

This post isn’t about your next deal. It’s about your last one, the one that makes the whole journey worth it. Whether you’re on property one or property ten, this is your guide to thinking bigger and building a CRE portfolio that lasts.

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48 Hours in East Nashville: A Local’s Guide to the Perfect Stay

There’s a certain rhythm to East Nashville — slower than downtown, grittier than the suburbs, and richer in stories than most places you’ll visit in the South. Cross the Cumberland River and you’ll find a neighborhood that’s quietly resisted the gloss of rapid development while still embracing change on its own terms. It’s where musicians, chefs, makers, and misfits all seem to converge — and somehow, it just works.

If you’re looking for a weekend that blends small-town comfort with big-city flavor, East Nashville delivers. The kind of place where you can drink single-origin coffee in a converted garage, shop vintage denim next door to a tattoo parlor, and end the night with world-class cocktails under string lights — all within a few blocks.

Tucked into this creative corridor is the Salt Ranch Hotel, a boutique hideaway that serves as the ideal jumping-off point for exploring East Nashville. It’s not trying to be the scene — it’s quietly part of it. With a design that nods to the neighborhood’s roots and a layout that encourages both solitude and serendipity, it sets the tone for a weekend that’s intentional, immersive, and unmistakably local.

Your 48 hours start here.