By Jane Peterson
Commercial Inc. Editor
To Levi Smith, serving his clients means giving them the whole package, not just a few pieces of the puzzle.
When considering the needs of his clients, Smith
looks at not only the amount of space they need, but also the location, the
markets and the cost. Obstacles don't stand in his way.
Along with Marilyn Meredith, salesperson and director
of research, if Smith finds the perfect space for a client that is not on the
market, he will go the extra mile and contact the owner or manager to
investigate the possibility of obtaining the space anyway.
An example of this is a company that requested
office space with signage along University Drive in Rochester. Smith zeroed in on a particularly attractive
spot, but his research showed no vacancies.
That didn’t stop him. He
contacted the building’s owner, pointed out the advantages to both companies
and was able to negotiate a deal that benefited everyone.
It was the ability to create win-win deals
that first attracted Smith to the industry. A graduate of Wayne Law School,
Smith practiced general law in California and Michigan until 1980. After a
four-year stint as a commercial broker, he brokered the sales of hotels for the
brokerage firm Borland, Reiss, Murphy & Rembiesa.
In 1988, Smith co-developed some office buildings in
Livonia and Southfield. This gave him a solid understanding of the position of
land- lords and property managers.
"To be a good negotiator you have to understand
both sides of the table," he said.
Smith switched career paths for mostly
personal reasons.
"I thought law was too adversarial, there
had to be a winner and a loser," he said. "Real estate was more of a
win-win situation."
And Smith was no stranger to the industry. The
grandson of Barney Smith, who owned and managed Detroit-area apartment
buildings and the son of Robert Smith, who built houses and apartment
buildings, he grew up around commercial real estate.
In 1988, Smith ventured out on his own. Based
on his on-the-job experiences, he decided to concentrate on representing
tenants. His firm represents tenants and buyers exclusively.
While tenants generally don't have time to analyze
the market, learn commercial real estate vocabulary and become aware of the
landlord's bottom line, Smith does.
"I saw corporate tenants as being the
underdog in negotiations. Landlords deal with negotiations every day, but
commercial tenants only need to every five years or so," he said. "I
like helping people and negotiating the best deal I can for them. I thought
this would be a good niche for me and it is."
As a result, Levi F. Smith Real Estate, Inc. has
saved clients millions of dollars since 1988 by negotiating on their behalf.
Clients also know they can count on Smith even when it's not negotiation time.
If they have a concern with a landlord, they feel
free to contact Smith anytime. He encourages it.
"It's not just a transaction," he said.
Smith is also able to assist his clients nationally
thanks to his membership in the Alliance of Tenant Representatives
organization. This group of 20 companies in North America meets specific
standards so instead of referring clients to just another company, Smith knows
the people he is recommending.
Levi F. Smith Real Estate, Inc. serves
companies of all sizes with honesty, hard work and humor.
"We work hard for the small guy and the big guy
and try to make it fun," he said.