One of the best questions I was ever asked as a mentee by a long-time coach of mine (going on nearly 30 years), Dan Kennedy: “What do you feed your mind?” Think about that. Is it a steady diet of doom, gloom and dour thoughts and negative information? Nightly news that shows the world is […]

Well BEFORE He Was #45 or #47 About two months ago, I ran across some notes I took at an event in 2004. At that time, I had flown almost 7,000 miles and paid a small fortune to attend a real estate investors conference to hear Trump. Little did I know he was going to […]

Case Study: Albany, Oregon office property One of my favorite clients, a family who’ve really grown to be close friends, and partners on a few properties with me, sees hidden value where others do not. This is part of their real estate investing superpowers. They see value left to be uncovered, much like Trump did […]

It’s times like this and for the inevitable near-term where smart investors remember the first rule of investing: Don’t lose your principal.  Why would I say such a thing now, in the middle of perhaps the greatest real estate run up the Willamette Valley has ever seen? Simple: What I see now takes me back […]

Searching for a true partner to manage your commercial real estate investments? Look no further. Pikes Northwest is the mid-Willamette Valley’s premier commercial property management company. Pikes Northwest manages over 1.3MM square feet of commercial property with a value in excess of $140MM, covering the entire Willamette Valley. Based in Salem, Oregon, we bring over 25 […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Irvine, Calif. (September 21, 2022) — Sperry Commercial Global Affiliates announced today that Pikes Northwest is joining as an affiliate serving the greater Willamette Valley. Led by Owner and Broker Jerry Jones, Pikes Northwest supports clients from development through construction, lease-up, management, and sale of their investment properties. The brokerage takes a […]

If you’re preparing to lease a space or you’re in the middle of a negotiation now – maybe the LOI stage or the actual lease review – now’s the time to involve your property manager. Unfortunately, most owners only share the lease after it’s been signed.  Why is it a good idea to get input […]

Not long ago we met with a prospective client with a wonderful mixed-use complex. Prior to our first meeting, we looked the property over and noted that a lot of money was being spent on keeping the place up to snuff and pride of ownership was present. For example, the parking lot had been sealed […]

Income and expenses help determine the value for most commercial properties. It’s one thing to raise rents when a new tenant signs a lease, but it’s another to keep a lid and control expenses over the long-term. Since every dollar saved in expenses, to include capital expenses like HVAC or roof replacements, goes right to […]

Before we begin, let me wish you a Happy New Year. Blessings to you and your family. With that said, let’s talk about some aspects of financing. I made my first loan in August 1972 while working for a finance company. It was an unsecured note loan for $300. (Average monthly income at that time […]

Imagine a strategy that could, for every $1,000/month saved in expense, potentially increase the value of your property by $200,000 at a 6% cap rate. Interested? Who wouldn’t be, right? It’s nothing sexy or too exciting for sure. In fact, it’s something many of us get pretty grumpy about when it comes time to write […]

What’s your first reaction when someone tries to explain something to you that you can’t quite grasp? First, you’re confused. Then, if you just can’t figure out what they are saying or trying to convey, you bristle and push back. Doubt creeps in. And, finally you begin to wonder if they are trying to pull […]

Commercial property ownership, like most things we own for investment or pleasure, can be incredibly rewarding or challenging. It can even be all that in one day! However, it’s not necessarily like owning a boat – and if you know what that means, you’re either a current or former boat owner. Having owned a few […]

We’re property managers; it’s what we do and we like it. We help people whether it’s property owners, tenants, contractors, or vendors. We keep the wheels greased and fix the stuff that breaks and try to catch things before they become a problem. It’s a challenge and keeps everyone on their toes. It also gives […]

NOTE: This is the first in a series of three articles. Pay Attention to your Neighbors! In buying commercial or residential properties, a lot can go wrong.  Over the last three decades, great strides have been made for real estate professionals to utilize standard sales documents that are neutral and fair to both sides.   Through […]

Effective December 1, 2020, Pikes Northwest will be relocating our offices to 3550 Liberty Road South, Suite 200, in Salem, Oregon. Our Commercial Property Management services for Salem, Oregon property owners and investors will continue uninterrupted during our move. If you are a commercial property owner or investor and you are seeking property management services, […]

The Oregon Court of Appeals recently issued a decision that may impact property management professionals. In December 2019, the Oregon Court of Appeals in Berrey v. Real Estate Agency, 301 Or App 613 (2019), held that Berrey engaged in unlicensed professional real estate activities by managing properties without a license for compensation despite his partial […]

Everybody has heard that one. It usually follows someone lamenting repeatedly “only if,” or “what if,” repeatedly. Going through annual budget forecasts really is a game of “what if.” Usually the challenges are minor and the variations don’t amount to a great deal. Once in a while a pipe breaks, a roof has a leak, […]

As an investor seeking the best returns with the least hassle, be careful. Be very careful. The old adage rarely fails: If it sounds too good to be true, it more than likely is. The enticement of low property management fees are no different. Buffet said it best: “Price is what you pay, value is […]

The name of the game in commercial real estate is attracting and keeping tenants. If a building has few (a lot of vacancies) or no tenants, there often is little to no value to an investor. And, rare as a hen’s tooth (my wife’s favorite store in Sisters, OR) is it you’ll find a savvy […]