This past September I celebrate 1 year with XAG, and I am extremely grateful for the wonderful opportunity to see a true insight in the commercial real estate industry. I have the pleasure of diving in to all the positions of the company from development to investments to brokerage and understanding how all parts must work in unison to get a project done and achieve results. Let’s take the time to review what I have learned, and the skill set I have possessed being in these positions.

I was able to understand how a retail project begins and ends starting from the acquisition of the land and community analysis; reviewing what a community needs, the number of rooftops in the area, and being able to perceive 5 years into the future to see the potential of an area. Once a pad site is selected, my position as an agent is tied in to understand the legal verbiage of a contract and all the minuscule details that involve a commercial transaction. Patience is a skill that is a necessity in real estate. Also, the due diligence period is crucial for the analysis of a project to make sure the development will be successful.

Once the land is acquired, the development team and investment team simultaneously work for the success of the project. As part of the development team, I got the chance to communicate with architects, engineers, counties, surveyors, contractors, and many other individuals for the civil and building plans of the project to prepare for construction. At the same time, the investments team prepares the legal entities, deck of the project, potential earnings analysis, budget, and oversees the capital accumulation. Communication is key in this stage since we are all working together for one common goal.

And lastly, leasing the retail center has been my focus of the past few months which involves prospecting potential tenants, building a relationship with small business owners, aiding in the underwriting process, and guiding them from being a lead to signing a lease. Learning to understand the impact of specific tenants and how that effects the evaluation of the project has been rewarding. This process creates rental income for the investors, lowers the capitalization rate, and appreciates the value of the real estate.

Overall, being a sponge and I have had the time to absorb this entire process because of my mentor and CEO, Nathaliah Naipaul. This company has taught me team work as well as healthy competition, patience as well as speed when closing a deal, and confidence as well as humility. Thank you XAG for the enriching experience and constant support.