The REALTOR® Commercial Alliance (RCA) at GTAR has more exciting events in store for those agents signed up for CAP (Commercial Ambassador Program). CAP is for agents interested in Commercial Real Estate sales but who lack Commercial sales experience or are currently Residential Real Estate agents. Must you have signed up for CAP to take part in some or all of the remaining events? NO! Agents who have not signed up for CAP can still take part in the Commercial learning activities (given space availability) except they are ineligible for the graduation luncheon and certificate that is presented to agents who sign up and completed this entire introductory Commercial Real Estate program. Please join us! Note: some events require advanced registration and fees.
What was the latest commercial excursion? On June 22, CAP participants arrived at GTAR early in the morning and boarded one of two commercial buses for a trip to Winter Haven to visit the CSX Intermodal Transportation Center. CSX is a very dynamic center. While there, we witnessed state-of-the-art advanced freight transportation. CSX provides railroad transportation for goods used throughout the United States from Chicago, San Francisco, New York and other locations. We saw ultra- efficient electric cranes (see photo) which lift cargo containers off rail cars and place the cargo on the back of an 18-wheel truck bed. Truckers haul this cargo container to a warehouse or manufacturing space. We traveled from CSX to Polk State College. While we enjoyed a delicious lunch in their auditorium (see photo) Mr. Bob O’Malley, CSX Resident VP, presented a PowerPoint presentation with details on the socio-economic impact of the Center. He explained that the Intermodal Transportation Center is an approximate 4 hour truck ride to most warehouse locations in Florida. This means that truck drivers from Florida can haul goods from Winter Haven to the required destination in Florida and return home that evening. Fewer trucks from out-of-state are now on our highways due to this transportation advance. In 2015, almost 250,000 cargo containers were transported from rail to warehouse via truck. Plans to double this amount in the near future should encourage the sale of Industrial properties throughout Florida. After Mr. O’Malley’s presentation, the group received a tour of the college which has excellent technical and vocational training programs to train workers for jobs with now computer-based technology (farm equipment, metals lab, production labs, and even a 3D printing lab).
What is next for CAP? In the next couple of months, CAP will offer its “do-not-miss” programs. On July 27, CAP will hold its ‘circle-training’ featuring experts in the field of Risk Management and Due Diligence, followed by “Commercial Legal Update” with Michael Boutzoukas, Esq. from Bay Area Real Estate Council.
On August 31, CAP will hold a bus tour of Pinellas County’s future development plans. Pinellas offers an extraordinary quality of life, a relatively low cost of living, diverse housing options and high-quality colleges and universities. Anchored by the urban markets of Clearwater and St. Petersburg, Pinellas has the second largest base of manufacturing employment in Florida. Relocating businesses can move to Pinellas and expect to begin growing immediately.
One of the stops we hope to make is the future home of the EB-5 Center in Pinellas County. An EB-5 Center is administered by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and provides an entrepreneurial program for non-U.S. citizens (and their spouse/children under 21) to live in the United States and apply for a green card (permanent residence) if they: 1. Make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States, and 2. Plan to create or preserve 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers within 2 years. Twin towers are being constructed next to the Hyatt at Pier 60 in Clearwater for the EB-5 Center.
Come join us to see what is up and coming in commercial economic developments of Pinellas County.
Do you have an interest in Commercial Real Estate sales? It is not unusual for any agent to be asked if they can help buy or sell a friend or relative’s business/store/apartment building. Remember that Commercial sales can be complicated and may lead to legal and financial trouble if you don’t understand the law. The goal of CAP training is to help agents understand some of the complexities of Commercial sales and know when to refer the business to an experienced Commercial agent or find a mentor to guide you through a commercial transaction.
Join the REALTORS® Commercial Alliance (RCA) at GTAR if you have interest in or practice Commercial Real Estate. You can help plan future CAP tours and expert panels. RCA meets the first Wednesday of each month at GTAR, 10:30AM.
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