What Size Warehouse Do I Need for My Business?
July 07, 2026
Start with Your Inventory The foundation of any warehouse decision is your inventory. How much product are you storing, and how is it packaged?Palletized goods, bulk storage, and small-parts shelving all require different amounts of space. A good rule of thumb is to calculate your current storage needs in pallet positions or cubic footage, then acc...
Emma CarpenterThe Real Estate Development Process: From Raw Land to Stabilized Asset
July 01, 2026
1. Site Identification and Acquisition Every project begins with the land. The goal at this stage is to identify a site that aligns with market demand, zoning potential, and long-term investment objectives. Location fundamentals—access, visibility, surrounding uses, and infrastructure—carry significant weight.Once a site is selected, the acquisitio...
Emma CarpenterWhy IRR Matters More to Some Investors Than Others
March 19, 2026
What Is IRR? Internal Rate of Return (IRR) measures the annualized return an investor expects to earn on an investment over a specific period of time. Unlike a simple return calculation, IRR takes into account the timing of cash flows, including initial investment, ongoing income, and the eventual sale of the property. In commercial real estate, IR...
Emma CarpenterWhat is a Land Broker and When Should You Hire One?
March 12, 2026
What Does a Land Broker Do? At its core, a land broker helps connect landowners with buyers while maximizing the property’s value. However, the work often goes well beyond simply marketing a listing. A land broker typically provides services such as: Market and value analysis Land pricing depends heavily on location, zoning, infrastructure, and fut...
Emma CarpenterWhat Investors Really Mean When They Ask for a “Preferred Return”
February 23, 2026
A Clear Definition A preferred return (often shortened to “pref”) is the minimum rate of return that investors are entitled to receive before the sponsor or operating partner participates in profits. It’s typically expressed as an annual percentage and applies to the investor’s contributed capital. In plain terms, it means the deal is structured so...
Emma CarpenterHow Zoning and Entitlements Impact Commercial Land Valuation
February 09, 2026
What Zoning Really Does (and Why It Matters) Zoning is straightforward in theory, but it becomes more nuanced once you start evaluating land value or development potential. At its core, zoning defines what uses are permitted on a property, but it also influences how efficiently a site can be developed and how the market evaluates risk. Where invest...
Emma Carpenter76-Acre Site Near Knightdale Sold for New Development
February 05, 2026
A 76-acre property in a prime location near Knightdale is set to become a new single-family neighborhood, adding more housing to a fast-growing part of eastern Wake County. The site at 5805 Grasshopper Road in Raleigh sold yesterday for $2.8 million and is located just off the outer loop. Pickett Sprouse Commercial Real Estate broker Vernon Averett...
Robyn MooringCommon Mistakes First-Time CRE Investors Make
February 02, 2026
1. Underestimating the Importance of Location and Market Dynamics In residential real estate, location matters—but in commercial real estate, it’s often the single most important factor driving performance. First-time investors sometimes focus too narrowly on the building itself: the price, the condition, or the projected return. What gets overlook...
Emma Carpenter