Frequently Asked

The questions we hear most.

Grouped by service. If you don't see yours, ask, and we'll answer personally.

Residential

How much home can I actually afford?

Buying a home involves more than just the monthly payment. We help you calculate property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, maintenance costs, and opportunity costs so you understand the total cost of owning a home before you buy. Explore our residential real estate services for guidance on your home purchase.

Should I sell before I buy, or buy before I sell?

Deciding whether to buy or sell first isn't one-size-fits-all. We analyze your liquidity, home equity, current market conditions, financing options, and risk tolerance to determine the smartest real estate strategy for your situation. Explore our residential real estate services for guidance on coordinating your purchase and sale.

How long does a typical transaction take?

A typical home purchase or sale closes within 30–45 days from the accepted offer. From inspections and financing to closing day, we provide clear communication and guidance at every milestone. Learn more about our residential real estate services and support throughout the closing process.

Commercial

Do you handle both leasing and acquisition?

Yes. We represent commercial real estate tenants, landlords, buyers, and sellers across office buildings, medical offices, retail properties, industrial spaces, and triple net (NNN) investment properties. Whether you're leasing, buying, selling, or investing, we provide expert guidance tailored to your commercial real estate goals. Explore our commercial real estate services for leasing, acquisitions, and dispositions.

What is a CCIM designation and why does it matter?

CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member) is one of the most respected commercial real estate designations, recognized for expertise in commercial property investment analysis, financial underwriting, market analysis, and property valuation. Working with a CCIM professional helps buyers, sellers, and investors make more informed commercial real estate decisions. Explore our commercial real estate advisory services to learn how we support your property decisions.

Can you help with a 1031 exchange?

Yes. We assist commercial real estate investors with 1031 exchanges by coordinating with qualified intermediaries and helping identify suitable replacement properties within IRS identification deadlines. Our goal is to help you defer capital gains taxes while supporting your long-term real estate investment strategy. Explore our real estate investment guidance for help evaluating replacement properties.

Property Management

What's included in your management fee?

Marketing, screening, leasing, rent collection, maintenance coordination, monthly reporting, and year-end financials. Explore our property management services for details on how we support property owners.

How do you screen tenants?

Every rental application undergoes a comprehensive tenant screening process, including credit history, income verification, employment confirmation, rental history, background checks, and reference verification. We carefully evaluate every applicant while ensuring full compliance with all Fair Housing laws and regulations, helping property owners secure qualified, reliable tenants.

Learn more about tenant screening and placement through our property management services.

How quickly are maintenance requests handled?

Emergencies within hours; standard requests within 48 hours. Owners are looped in for approvals above set thresholds.

Explore our property management services to learn more about maintenance coordination and owner support.

Investors

I'm brand new to investing — will you still work with me?

Yes. Many of our successful real estate investors began by purchasing their first investment property. We believe education is a key part of the process, providing the guidance, market insights, and investment strategies you need to build confidence and grow your commercial real estate portfolio over time.

Explore our real estate investment guidance for support with your first investment property.

Browse our educational resources.

How do you find off-market deals?

With more than 30 years of experience and strong relationships throughout the Middle Tennessee commercial real estate market, we often learn about off-market commercial properties before they are publicly listed. Property owners trust us to handle confidential sales, giving qualified buyers access to exclusive investment opportunities that aren't available on the open market.
Explore our real estate investment guidance to learn more about our approach to sourcing and evaluating opportunities.

What returns should I realistically expect?

Expected returns vary based on your investment strategy, property type, and current commercial real estate market conditions. We perform detailed financial underwriting, including base-case, downside, and upside scenario analysis for every investment opportunity, so you can make informed decisions with realistic expectations and a clear understanding of potential risks and returns.
Explore our real estate investment guidance to learn more about evaluating potential risks and returns.