The $200,000 Mistake Most Healthcare Providers Make
Update: 2025-09-29
Description
In this episode of The Aligned for Success podcast, Nikki welcomes Colin Carr, founder and CEO of CARR, the nationwide leader in healthcare real estate, for an eye-opening conversation about the costly mistakes healthcare providers make in commercial real estate.
Colin shares his unique journey from representing landlords to advocating exclusively for healthcare providers after witnessing countless doctors get "completely annihilated" in commercial real estate negotiations. Operating from Castle Rock, Colorado, Colin's company was born in 2009 from his realization that healthcare providers were going up against highly sophisticated professional negotiators without proper representation—creating what he calls "a completely unfair fight."
Throughout this revealing conversation, Colin exposes the three biggest mistakes healthcare providers make: not hiring professional representation (the number one error), failing to negotiate with multiple landlords simultaneously, and accepting whatever terms are initially presented without understanding market alternatives. He breaks down how easily doctors can lose $100,000-$200,000 on standard-sized spaces through overpaying just $3 per square foot, missing free rent opportunities, or accepting unfavorable annual increases over a 10-year term.
Colin explains the critical difference between simply "getting a lease signed" versus securing favorable economics and business deal points, emphasizing that major corporations like Starbucks and Amazon never handle their own real estate negotiations. He details how the strategic approach of working with multiple properties simultaneously in non-binding negotiations puts healthcare providers in control rather than at the mercy of a single landlord's terms.
The conversation also covers essential considerations for practice transitions, including lease assignability clauses, timing of renewals relative to practice sales, and the importance of matching lease terms to loan periods. Colin delivers powerful insights on when to consider purchasing versus leasing and how proper representation can position both current owners and future buyers for success.
This episode serves as a wake-up call for any healthcare provider who has handled their own real estate negotiations, making it a must-listen for anyone approaching a lease renewal, expansion, or practice transition.
Join Full Send here! Sign up here for $33!
Follow me on Instagram: DrNikkiCottis
Ready to protect yourself in your next real estate negotiation? Visit https://carr.us/ for expert healthcare real estate representation and educational resources.
Colin shares his unique journey from representing landlords to advocating exclusively for healthcare providers after witnessing countless doctors get "completely annihilated" in commercial real estate negotiations. Operating from Castle Rock, Colorado, Colin's company was born in 2009 from his realization that healthcare providers were going up against highly sophisticated professional negotiators without proper representation—creating what he calls "a completely unfair fight."
Throughout this revealing conversation, Colin exposes the three biggest mistakes healthcare providers make: not hiring professional representation (the number one error), failing to negotiate with multiple landlords simultaneously, and accepting whatever terms are initially presented without understanding market alternatives. He breaks down how easily doctors can lose $100,000-$200,000 on standard-sized spaces through overpaying just $3 per square foot, missing free rent opportunities, or accepting unfavorable annual increases over a 10-year term.
Colin explains the critical difference between simply "getting a lease signed" versus securing favorable economics and business deal points, emphasizing that major corporations like Starbucks and Amazon never handle their own real estate negotiations. He details how the strategic approach of working with multiple properties simultaneously in non-binding negotiations puts healthcare providers in control rather than at the mercy of a single landlord's terms.
The conversation also covers essential considerations for practice transitions, including lease assignability clauses, timing of renewals relative to practice sales, and the importance of matching lease terms to loan periods. Colin delivers powerful insights on when to consider purchasing versus leasing and how proper representation can position both current owners and future buyers for success.
This episode serves as a wake-up call for any healthcare provider who has handled their own real estate negotiations, making it a must-listen for anyone approaching a lease renewal, expansion, or practice transition.
Join Full Send here! Sign up here for $33!
Follow me on Instagram: DrNikkiCottis
Ready to protect yourself in your next real estate negotiation? Visit https://carr.us/ for expert healthcare real estate representation and educational resources.
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