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Top Resources for Commercial Real Estate Investors

Khary Reynolds
3 min read
Top Resources for Commercial Real Estate Investors

The key to success in any business venture is specialized knowledge and a good network of contacts and associates that can help you accomplish your business goals. Investing in commercial real estate is no exception. Here are a few resources that will help you to gain specialized knowledge in the commercial real estate industry and grow your network at the same time.

1.) Urban Land Institute (ULI)

The Urban Land Institute is an organization with members in 95 countries worldwide, that specializes in educating members on the full spectrum of land use and real estate development. ULI creates specialize training and research reports for several sectors of the commercial real estate industry, including:

  • Resort and Residential development
  • Retail and destination development
  • Office and industrial development
  • Transportation and parking
  • Real estate finance and capital markets

The Urban Land Institute also conducts regular member meetings and trainings all throughout the world and holds an annual “Real Estate School” training expo where over the course of a few days you can get specialized training in a variety of sectors in the real estate industry. You can even take specialized courses needed to earn a ULI professional development certificate, such as the Real Estate Development Certificate or the Real Estate Development Finance Certificate.

Overall, this is a great organization to join and even if you decide not to join, there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained on their website and attending their local meetings.

2.) The CCIM Institute

The CCIM Institute is the premier organization for commercial real estate professionals. Whether you are an Investor, Realtor, or just want to learn more about commercial real estate, this is definitely an association that you want to get involved with in some capacity.

In additional to the training and networking opportunities, the CCIM institute offers a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation that is considered to be a “PhD” in commercial real estate. This designation and your affiliation with the CCIM Institute will go a long way in positioning you as an expert in the commercial real estate industry.

3.) National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)

If you are looking to specialize in industrial, office or mixed-use properties then the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties is the organization for you. The NAIOP provides market analysis reports, educational classes and networking opportunities with other industry players.

4.) Meetup.com

Meetup.com is a GREAT place to find networking opportunities going on in your local area. Most of the meetings are free and you get the opportunity to network with commercial real estate professionals in your area. Registration on Meetup.com is free and all you need to do is simply enter your city or zip code and search for commercial real estate “MeetUps”. Meetup.com is also a good place to network with commercial real estate professionals online as well. Definitely worth looking into.

5.) Marcus & Millichap

Marcus & Millichap is one of the largest commercial real estate brokerage firms in the country. Even though you may not be in the market to purchase property at this current moment, Marcus & Millichap regularly host online webinars about market trends in different property sectors and geographical area. There is a lot to be learned from these webinars and they are free. You can also search for commercial real estate listings on their site, which could help in learning your local market.

6.) Other Sites, Associations, & Resources

Here are a few other Resources that you should check out:

I hope these resources prove helpful to you in your journey thorough the commercial real estate industry. As always, if you have questions, we can carry the conversation over into the comments section below.

Photo: MDK1010

Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.