ATLANTA (Jan. 16, 2009) - Commercial Realtors need to maintain a positive outlook and work with economic development officials to help create new jobs to ensure the real estate recession ends as quickly as possible, a Grubb & Ellis' national business development executive said today.
"As a community, let's have one program in place, with [the Georgia Department of] Economic Development, with the [Metro Atlanta] Chamber of Commerce and create the jobs," said Brett Hunsaker, shown at left in photo. "The next 24 to 36 months, if we start the initiative now, we can create new jobs in the marketplace and all of us will benefit."
Hunsaker, aka "Mr. Schmooze," made his comments during the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors Annual Business Meeting, held Jan. 16 at the Four Season Hotel in Atlanta. During the meeting, Hunsaker was sworn in as 2009 president of the group.
Hunsaker left CB Richard Ellis to join Grubb & Ellis as executive vice president, business development, in May. He has a national reputation as a relationship guru and broker extraordinaire.
His first order of business as ACBR president was to advise the brokers in attendance to "be positive." He reminded them that the commercial real estate business has a pattern of good times followed by bad times, which are followed by good times again.
"It's a cycle," he said. "That's my message for the year. Hunsaker also said, in jest, that the recession will end Oct. 4. His guess is as good as any of those economists who "don't know anything anyway," Hunsaker said.
In addition to installing a new president, the 3,345-member Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors also handed out its annual awards. Charlie Lockwood of The Westminster Group was named Realtor of the Year, and Steven Barton, left, of CB Richard Ellis received the Community Service Award. Craig Hall of GE Commercial Finance won the Affiliate of the Year Award. Billy Hobbs of CresaPartners won the President's Award. Peter McGuone of TPA Realty Services was named Young Realtor of the Year. U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, a former Realtor himself, won the Henry H. Robinson Award that goes to someone outside of board membership who works the hardest to help Realtors.
Finally some positive message from US colleagues! With 45% sales drop in December in Toronto many realtors feel really worried. I think it's really time for the whole sector to act together!
Best wishes!
Elli
Posted by: condos in Toronto | January 25, 2009 at 01:32 PM