By MICHAEL PETRO

When Kenney Shelton Liptak Nowak LLP considered relocating its Buffalo office to larger space, Tom Liptak said he and other senior partners in the law firm made it a priority to remain downtown.

Naturally, when selecting a commercial real estate agency to help in their search, they wanted to find one that was plugged into the city market.

The law firm ultimately chose Waterbourne Group, and the partners say they couldn't be happier with the end result. Kenney Shelton finalized a deal Dec. 30 to purchase the historic Calumet Building at the corner of Franklin and Chippewa streets, where soon its 50-person staff will occupy the second and third floors.

Tony D'Auria, executive vice president of Waterbourne Group, outlined some unique opportunities that would come with owning the building, which already has a downstairs tenant in Bacchus Wine, Bar & Restaurant. There is room for more tenants on the first floor and the top two floors are vacant. The law firm was sold on the idea of moving there and jumped to buy it for $705,000.  

It currently leases 12,000 square feet of space in the Rand Building. According to Liptak, the deal will give his firm expanded space and accommodate any future needs.

"We spoke with a number of agents and were very impressed with Waterbourne," said Liptak, adding that his firm wanted to stay downtown to maintain a city presence and stay close to the courthouse.

"Some of the senior partners here had seen signs for Waterbourne all over downtown buildings, so we thought they might work best for us," he said. "Their knowledge and connections to downtown are what brought us to them, and a relationship was built from there."

Any good agent would tell a client to do his or her homework before making a decision on who will handle a specific real estate transaction. That's according to Robert Schell, president of Pyramid Brokerage, a commercial real estate firm with offices throughout Upstate New York.

Just as important, Schell said, an agency must show potential clients that it has knowledge of the market and can accommodate their particular needs.

"You're talking something like a $400,000 proposition, so you need to have the very best people to help solve a specific (real estate) problem," he said.

"The result of who you choose could have a huge impact. A decision must be made whether you want an expert or just someone who meddles around in the business. Real estate is such a big investment; you have to make sure you have the right pro on your team."

Greg Oehler is chief operations officer for Hunt Commercial Real Estate brokerage services, which serves Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Watertown and Albany.

He said he encourages agents to choose an area or two in which to specialize such as office, industrial, retail and investment properties.

He also pointed to hospitality, restaurants, gas stations and mixed-use property as areas of specialty for commercial Realtors.

"Initially, I did everything and took anything, but I've learned you need to ratchet it down to a few areas and stick with them," said Oehler, who handles investment properties and office and tenant representation. He sees the latter as the most lucrative, he noted.

"If I can't do it, I assign it to someone who I know can," he said. "There are certain areas, like industrial, where I like to give those to someone with a passion for it. You need to put clients with the right agent so the client is not missing out on anything."

While some clients are satisfied with simply sifting through listings of available buildings and properties, Schell said they deserve more from an agency and usually get it.

"My expectations in this business would be far greater than that," said Schell, who opened the Buffalo office of Pyramid Brokerage in 1989.

"When a client hires a broker, they should expect expertise. All stones should be uncovered, and the agent should think outside the box, if need be, to find solutions to the problem or concern."

Liptak was looking for that level of expertise and figured a strongly connected agency could put together the right deal for Kenney Shelton.

"Through (D'Auria's) knowledge of downtown, he was able to make pretty quick connections," Liptak said. "We examined enough opportunities (brought to us by Waterbourne) to make us see that the Calumet was the way to go."

There is certainly more to becoming a commercial real estate agent than passing a written test to get a license. Schell is quick to point out it isn't just a job. Rather, it's a career in which clients count on you 24/7 and 365 days a year.

"The barriers to enter this field are far greater than in many other businesses," said Schell, who noted that his agents tend to become a walking/talking chambers of commerce. "There's a lot of legwork and knowledge to acquire before gaining clients."

True success comes from developing relationships with clients on both a personal and professinal level.

"The person who you develop a personal relationship with will be the person who will trust you with one of their biggest decisions," he said. "It's the second- or third-biggest investment for a company, after employees."

The commercial real estate market has seen lots of change, thanks to such things as advanced technology and the increasing use of the Internet by both clients and agents.

Still, Oehler said, there is no substitute for the personal touch.

"It's about meeting people and getting out there to know the inventory that is available," Oehler said. "It's a relationship business. You've got to get to know people and get your name out there so that clients recognize who you are."

While commercial and residential real estate focus on different things, they have this in common: commitment to clients.

"I treat each individual as you'd want to be treated yourself," said Dave Measer, a longtime residential broker associate who recently returned to Re/Max after a four-year stint at M.J. Peterson Real Estate. "It's a lot of hard work, and as much as you put into it, you'll get out of it. You have to put people first."

Measer said much of his success has come with the reputation he has built over 27 years in the business and the repeat clients he gets. It's important to be a "people person," he said, adding that agents should stick with what they know best.

"There's a fine line between a commercial and residential broker," Measer said.

"I wouldn't tap into commercial; it's a whole different ballgame," he said. "I have had a few commercial agents call me, but I decided it was out of my jurisdiction."

Michael Petro is a freelance writer from West Seneca and a frequent contributor to the Buffalo Law Journal.