Megan Atkin has been a commercial real estate agent with Grubb & Ellis Phoenix Realty Group since April.
WHY GO INTO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE?
Atkin said she liked the fact that commercial dealt more with buildings. “I like buildings. I knew with commercial there were more facets and opportunities. I feel that the women that are in commercial are successful. This is a male dominated industry so I think it is interesting to see women in this industry succeed and I wanted to be one of them.”
HOW DID SHE GET THE JOB THERE?
She has worked for Grub & Ellis Phoenix Realty Group since 2003 while she was in college. “I originally worked in the multi-family department part-time. That kind of fizzled, so I worked with the industrial brokers for a while, but that wasn’t really what I was interested in. I got my real estate license in 2004 and worked on the retail side for a while and I really enjoyed that. I was also interested in office as well.”
WHY FOCUS ON OFFICE?
“I knew I wanted to go into commercial real estate, I just didn’t know which area. When you have to make a decision, it comes down to a company and where their strengths are. This company’s strengths were industrial and office. If I was going to stay with this company, I needed to be where that was. When I graduated I needed to make a decision whether I was going to stick with retail division or go into the office division and I chose office.”
Atkin specializes in the sale and leasing of commercial and office properties with her emphasis focusing on tenant and landlord representation.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE?
“I like the flexibility of commercial real estate. I really enjoy this industry so much. I learn something new every day.”
MENTORS?
“I’m definitely in a learning stage. You have to gain the knowledge before you can be successful. There are wonderful people here in the office and they have all been my mentors throughout the past few years. I’m so fortunate to have had that experience. She works closest with Bert Smith, vice president with Office Services Group, and Jim Sebesta, director of Office Group.
COLLEGE
She earned her bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in business administration from the University of North Florida.
HOW HAS HER DEGREE HELPED HER?
“I love to write. Everything that I learned from the communications side was very broad. I can use that in the marketing that I do for myself and for the company. Writing is everything. I definitely feel I can use my degree in any profession that I choose to go into.”
CLIENTS?
Atkin said she has worked with delivery services, attorneys, doctors and insurance companies. A few past clients were Tandy Leather and Edible Arrangements.
MOST CHALLENGING THING ABOUT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE?
“There is a lot to learn. Jacksonville is a very large market and there are so many sub-markets. It’s not a hard thing; it’s just something that comes with time.”
BEST PROFESSIONAL ADVICE RECEIVED?
“Gain the knowledge first, money will come.”
AREAS SHE CONCENTRATES ON?
Northeast Florida.
LESSONS LEARNED?
Patience.
ADVICE FOR A NEW COMMERCIAL REALTOR?
“It’s not easy and it takes time. When people think of commercial real estate, or real estate in general, they think of money, but that doesn’t come right away. I was very fortunate to be able to touch the different areas and go through different doors to see which area of commercial real estate I wanted to do. There are a lot of questions you need to ask yourself to make that decision.”
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
International Council of Shopping Centers and National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.
- by Michele Newbern Gillis