SF Commercial Property Conversations

Dave Lucas joins Bruce Bean for a practical guide to triple net real estate and 1031 exchange planning. In this episode, Dave explains what investors need to know before moving from a management-heavy property like apartments into a more passive triple net investment. He also shares the biggest mistakes buyers make when they wait too long, move too fast, or fail to review the lease carefully. Bruce and Dave walk through the basics of triple net investing, including why these properties appeal to investors focused on capital preservation, cash flow, and simpler long-term ownership. Dave explains that while triple net properties can be a strong fit for later-stage investors and families planning for the next generation, not every deal is a good deal. The conversation focuses heavily on 1031 exchanges and the pressure created by the 45-day identification period. Dave shares why investors should begin searching early, build their team in advance, and avoid treating the deadline like a window to find the perfect deal. Instead, he recommends defining risk tolerance early and targeting a solid market deal before time runs out. Dave also breaks down his four-part quick test for reviewing triple net opportunities. He looks at whether the rent is replaceable, how the location performs at the unit level, the credit quality of the tenant, and the economic strength of the surrounding market. He explains why investors should never rely on the tenant name alone and why the lease is the main document that drives value.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

Breck Bard joins Bruce Bean to discuss his unique path from architecture to commercial real estate ownership and asset management. Starting with a background in computer engineering and architecture, Breck explains how macroeconomic shocks like the Great Financial Crisis and COVID-19 shaped his career decisions and perspective. He shares how earning an MBA helped him transition from design into the ownership side of CRE, ultimately leading to his work on major redevelopment projects like Hilltop Mall in Richmond. The conversation also dives into today’s challenging investment environment. With high interest rates, compressed cap rates, and ongoing uncertainty, Breck explains why his firm is choosing to stay patient rather than rush into acquisitions. A key highlight of the episode is Breck’s approach to using AI in real estate operations. From drafting tenant communications to improving workflow efficiency and even assisting with website SEO, AI is becoming a valuable tool—though still one that requires human oversight. Breck also reflects on how his architecture background continues to give him an edge in project management, especially when dealing with complex retail repositioning and tenant improvements.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

What does it really take to design buildings that can withstand earthquakes, support growing cities, and adapt to new technologies like AI? In this episode, structural engineer Natalie Tse shares how engineering decisions shape the safety, sustainability, and future of our built environment. Natalie Tse, a structural engineer with over 20 years of experience in the Bay Area, joins Bruce Bean to discuss the evolving world of structural design. From designing buildings to handle seismic forces to exploring new materials like mass timber, Natalie offers a practical and insightful look into how buildings are engineered to perform under real-world conditions. She explains how structural engineers account for forces like gravity, wind, and earthquakes, and how building codes and historical seismic data influence design decisions. Natalie also breaks down how performance-based design works, helping owners understand trade-offs between safety, cost, and post-earthquake usability. The conversation also explores current market trends. Natalie shares how her work has shifted over the years—from retail projects to schools, hospitals, and now a strong focus on affordable housing. With demand high and funding uncertain, engineers are constantly looking for smarter, faster, and more efficient ways to build.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

Bruce Bean sits down with longtime developer Greg Margetich to explore his decades-long career in commercial real estate and his latest project near the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center (TRIC). Greg walks through how he started in real estate in the late 1970s, transitioning from residential into commercial brokerage and eventually into large-scale development. Along the way, he worked on government-leased properties across the country and developed retail and office projects from the ground up. The conversation then shifts to his current 20-acre development in Silver Springs, Nevada. This ambitious project will include: A Chevron gas station with ExtraMile convenience store A casino and bar Two quick-serve restaurants Tesla supercharging stations A large RV park with over 150 spaces --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this conversation, Bruce Bean sits down with Howard Kline to explore his unique journey through commercial real estate law. Howard began his career as general counsel for a supermarket chain, where he gained hands-on experience in developing grocery-anchored shopping centers, leasing, and litigation. After experimenting with a career in real estate sales across multiple states, Howard realized his strengths were better suited to the legal side of the business. He returned to law and built a practice focused heavily on commercial leasing, negotiations, and landlord-tenant matters—areas that now make up the majority of his work. Howard also shares how he launched CRE Radio & TV during the early days of online broadcasting, using it as a creative way to connect with potential clients and build authority in the industry. During COVID-19, Howard leaned into his expertise, producing webinars on force majeure and lease renegotiation. This positioned him as a go-to expert and led to a surge in new clients, particularly in Northern California.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with real estate attorney Connor McNellis to explore how complex real estate transactions and renewable energy deals are structured—and what’s changing in today’s market. From life sciences leases to solar portfolio financings, Connor shares insights from both Big Law and his boutique firm experience. Connor McNellis is a co-founder of Sunridge Legal, a San Diego-based boutique transactional law firm focused on real estate, renewable energy, and finance. After starting his career at a large international law firm, Connor transitioned to building a nimble, client-focused practice that delivers sophisticated legal work with greater flexibility and efficiency. Connor shares his journey from the Midwest to California, including how his experience at a major law firm shaped his expertise in high-value transactions. He discusses the firm’s focus on complex deals across asset classes like life sciences, office, data centers, multifamily, and hospitality, along with large-scale renewable energy projects. A key highlight of the conversation is how renewable energy projects are financed. Connor explains how developers bundle smaller solar installations—like rooftop systems on warehouses or carports—into larger portfolios to secure financing through debt and tax equity structures. He also breaks down recent legislative changes impacting tax credits and how those shifts are influencing deal flow and project viability.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

You can’t buy healthcare on the internet. And because doctors and patients always need a place to meet, medical real estate tends to stay strong even when other parts of the market get shaky. In this episode, Bruce Bean talks with Colin Hart of ERE Healthcare Real Estate about a part of commercial real estate that many people overlook: helping physicians understand the value of the buildings they own. Colin explains how he started on the investment “buy side” and noticed that medical buildings often sold at great prices for investors, mainly because many doctors didn’t have strong representation when they sold. Colin’s team works as sell-side advisors for physicians, often guiding groups through sale-leaseback transactions. That means the doctors can sell the building, pull money out, and still keep practicing in the same location by leasing it back. Colin also shares why doctors can sometimes get better financing terms than most borrowers, and why lenders like the stability of healthcare. A big theme of the conversation is that the lease is the value. Colin walks through why an “institutional” lease matters if a doctor ever wants to sell the building, bring in partners, refinance, or sell the practice to a hospital or private equity group. If the lease is weak or rushed, it can limit options later.     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

Laura Kruger didn’t originally plan to work in real estate. She was on track for law school, studying political science at Pepperdine and working in Washington, DC at institutions like Georgetown Law. But a short break after college—and a little family property chaos—changed everything. In this episode, Laura shares how she returned home to help organize her family’s Bay Area real estate portfolio and unexpectedly found her career in property management. What began as a temporary project turned into a long-term professional path that eventually led her to launch her own company, Asset Locale. Laura and Bruce discuss what it takes to manage residential properties successfully in today’s complex regulatory environment, the realities of property management margins, and why good operations are the foundation of profitable real estate investing. Laura also shares her experience managing both long-term rentals and short-term or mid-term stays. From early experiments with Airbnb in the early 2010s to welcoming thousands of guests over the years, she explains how the San Jose market has developed a unique niche in extended-stay rentals for business travelers.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with entrepreneur and real estate connector Marie Antonette Waite to explore her remarkable journey from the Philippines to the United States and how she built a career centered around connecting people, businesses, and opportunities. Marie shares stories from her unique upbringing in the Philippines, where her grandfather helped introduce karate to the country and her family became well known in the martial arts and film community. Those early experiences shaped her resilience and discipline—qualities that later helped her navigate the challenges of immigrating to the United States and building a career in business. After moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Marie faced the challenge of adapting to a new culture and language. Despite early struggles with English and cultural differences, her skills and determination quickly stood out. Within two years, she earned multiple promotions while working in the healthcare sector. Marie later relocated to California, where she spent over a decade working as a financial analyst for major hospital systems, helping design and manage decision support systems and financial modeling tools. Eventually, her entrepreneurial spirit led her to pursue real estate.     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

What does today’s commercial real estate financing market really look like — and how should investors prepare for the $865 billion maturity wave ahead? In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Niko Tsiplakos, Commercial Mortgage Banker at Slatt Capital, to unpack what’s happening in middle-market CRE financing across the Bay Area and California. Niko shares how he transitioned from traditional banking into the brokerage world — starting at Slatt Capital just days before the COVID shutdown — and how he built a thriving middle-market lending practice focused on debt and equity placement for commercial real estate investors.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

Is retail really dying — or is it just evolving? In this episode, Bruce Bean welcomes back Ravi Jagtiani to talk about why service-based retail continues to thrive, how syndication fits into today’s market, and why small businesses are seeing a surge in demand. Ravi shares how his firm focuses on retail shopping centers and single-tenant properties that are resistant to e-commerce disruption. Instead of big-box retailers, Ravi invests in necessity-based tenants like childcare centers, hair salons, dental clinics, chiropractors, and neighborhood restaurants — businesses people physically need to visit. He explains how blending investment-grade tenants with local mom-and-pop operators creates balance and stability within retail centers. Ravi also dives into his expertise in the childcare space, where he sells a significant share of daycare businesses across California. With many owners retiring and buyers actively seeking recession-resistant businesses, this niche remains strong.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

What happens when public infrastructure meets private property? In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Lara Boyko to unpack the world of easements, right-of-way work, and the human side of infrastructure real estate. If you’ve ever wondered how roads widen, pipelines get built, or utilities cross private land, this conversation pulls back the curtain. Lara shares how she transitioned from traditional real estate into right-of-way and infrastructure work after law school. Although she holds a JD and is not a practicing attorney, she found her niche blending legal knowledge with real estate expertise. Today, she runs Skyline Land Services, working independently on projects across the country. In this episode, Lara explains: • The difference between a right-of-way and an easement • How cities and utilities obtain access to private land • Why communication with property owners is critical • The real-world challenges of working in rural areas • Current trends in infrastructure, oil and gas, renewable energy, and data centers   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, Bruce sits down with Christy Schnurle to talk about two powerful sides of commercial real estate: reducing construction costs without sacrificing quality, and investing through a fund-to-fund strategy. Christy shares her journey from USC’s Marshall School of Business into multifamily development consulting and eventually launching her own investment company. She explains how CDK Enterprises helps developers lower construction costs through smart value engineering — not by cutting finishes, but by rethinking what’s behind the walls and under the floors. Bruce and Christy also dive into the current development market, financing challenges in 2025, affordable housing projects, union jobs, modular construction, and how developers can stay on budget in an unpredictable cost environment. If you’re a developer, investor, or real estate professional navigating today’s tight financing and rising construction costs, this conversation is packed with practical insight.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, we sit down with Mark Goldfinger, General Manager of Mindspace North America, to explore how the boutique flexible workspace provider is shaking up the global real estate landscape. From his early days at WeWork to leading the U.S. operations at Mindspace, Mark shares an insider’s look at what sets Mindspace apart in a crowded field of co-working solutions. Mark discusses the company’s global footprint—including standout success in Germany and Romania—and reveals how Mindspace’s hospitality-first, highly customized approach to workspace is attracting everyone from startups to Fortune 100 companies. He explains the financial advantages of switching to flexible office solutions and how Mindspace is helping companies rethink commercial real estate post-pandemic. You’ll also hear how AI is shaping their marketing strategies, why brokers are a critical part of their growth, and where Mark sees the next big opportunities across the U.S. Oh—and we wrap with the all-important sandwich question.   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

How has warehouse construction changed since COVID? What does it really cost to build a tilt-up industrial building today? And how do owners protect themselves from costly change orders? In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations, Bruce Bean sits down with construction management professional Nick Hughan to unpack the realities of industrial development in Southern California. From growing up playing with Legos to managing large-scale tilt-up warehouse projects, Nick shares how he found his way into construction management and what he’s learned along the way. Nick walks through the economics of warehouse construction, explaining how a 268,000-square-foot tilt-up building once cost roughly $51 per square foot (excluding land and city fees) — and how those costs have nearly doubled in recent years depending on size and scope. He also explains how projects are entitled, why permitting can take two to three years, and how new state regulations are reshaping where warehouses can be built. The conversation dives into the shift in tenant needs. Twenty years ago, a 100,000-square-foot warehouse might include 20,000 square feet of office space. Today, tenants may only want 3,500 square feet. That shift is driving significant tenant improvement (TI) work, including demolition of outdated mezzanines and reconfiguration of office space.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

What does it look like when a real estate developer thinks like a builder, an engineer, and an investor all at once? In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Tyson Dirksen to explore how science, sustainability, and smart underwriting come together in modern development. Tyson shares how he got his start in real estate at just 15 years old—painting units, managing apartments, and sitting in on negotiations with his parents. After attending Brown and later earning a Master’s in Real Estate Development and Finance from MIT, he graduated straight into the 2008 financial crisis. That experience shaped his long-term philosophy: minimize downside, build resilience, and focus on performance. Instead of chasing trends, Tyson doubled down on building science. He studied high-performance building systems, envelopes, HVAC, air sealing, and commissioning—then launched a construction company focused on durable, healthy, luxury homes. Over time, he expanded into mixed-use urban infill projects and now approaches development the way institutional funds and family offices underwrite deals. Bruce and Tyson dive into two major projects currently in development. The first is a mass timber, transit-oriented mid-rise project in Boise featuring approximately 80 units over retail and commercial space. Designed as a “life in a building,” the project emphasizes long-term durability, energy efficiency, rooftop solar, and thoughtful design from the building enclosure inward.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

What happens when a U.S. Air Force Special Operations officer trades deployments for Delaware Statutory Trusts? In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Steve Haskell, founder of Anchor 1031, to discuss his journey from military service to raising over a billion dollars in capital for passive real estate investments. After seven years on active duty and time spent deploying around the world, Steve made the decision to prioritize family life — and that pivot led him into commercial real estate. Steve shares how he entered the world of syndicated real estate, helped scale a capital raising firm to $600 million per year, and later launched Anchor 1031 after serving in leadership at Realty Mogul. Today, his firm specializes in helping investors complete 1031 exchanges into Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs) — offering passive, diversified access to institutional-quality properties. For more information: www.anchor1031.com   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

Artificial Intelligence is changing everything — and commercial real estate is no exception. In this episode, Bruce Bean sits down with Matt Hagar, founder of AiCRE Partners, to talk about how AI is transforming brokerage, investing, and the future of commercial real estate. Matt shares his journey from growing up in Brentwood to leading the commercial division at Intero for 10 years, and now launching AiCRE Partners — a brokerage built around Artificial Intelligence Commercial Real Estate and Asset Investing Commercial Real Estate. With over 15 years in the industry and prestigious designations including SIOR and CCIM, plus a Master’s in Real Estate from the University of San Diego, Matt brings both experience and innovation to the table.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest

What if a personal crisis led you to discover the true power of real estate investing? In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, Bruce sits down with Kathy Fettke, founder of RealWealth, to talk about how she turned a life-altering moment into a mission to help others build passive income through smart real estate investing. Kathy shares how her husband’s melanoma diagnosis forced her to rethink everything. With an over-leveraged home in California and little backup protection, she quickly learned how rental income could provide financial stability. That experience sparked her journey into interviewing top wealth experts, including Robert Kiyosaki, and discovering key principles that still guide her investment strategy today. She explains the four fundamentals she looks for in a market: job growth, population growth, affordability, and infrastructure expansion. That framework led her to invest in Dallas before the 2008 crash — helping her and many others avoid financial disaster while building strong cash flow and long-term appreciation.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest  

How does someone go from painting and opera singing to designing a $230 million studio campus in downtown LA? Architect Tima Bell shares his journey from fine arts to founding Bell Design Group and leading complex, global architectural projects. In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, architect Tima Bell takes us through his unique and passionate journey into architecture. Starting with a background in painting and art, Tima reveals how a desire to better understand space led him to architecture school—and ultimately to co-founding Bell Design Group. Tima discusses the evolution of his career, from hands-on design-build projects and furniture design to creating world-class studio campuses and civic projects. He shares insights into designing under complex zoning conditions, building a multi-country team, and why creativity and passion are core values in his firm.     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re excited to feature your voice in the conversation about building wealth and legacies through commercial real estate. Join us to share your journey and insights with our growing audience! Learn more and apply at https://sfcommercialconversations.com/guest