GRCA Commerce Quarterly Winter 2020 - 16

Feature

Your Guide to Property
& Asset Management
Q & A with NAI Keystone
Q: We all see the NAI Keystone signs in front of
retail and industrial buildings; what does NAI
Keystone really do?
A: We do three very distinct things:
1. We help commercial clients (think office
buildings and retail buildings) and industrial
clients (think factories, logistics and distribution
centers) buy or sell buildings. This can be as
simple as listing a vacant commercial property
or as complex as helping a multi-national
manufacturing corporation find a new home that
matches their technical specifications.
2. We help building owners lease their vacant space
or help people looking to find a new space that works perfectly for
their needs.
3. And, we provide property and asset management services.

Q: What changes are shaping this market?
A: Companies such as NAI Keystone have made
investments in software to allow property managers
to see, capture and manage all data about their client
sites. This data then drives reporting features that
can be provided monthly or delivered in real time
via a client portal. For asset management clients,
the owner or their asset manager can access site
and tenant specific data. In some asset management
companies, this kind of support isn't just for big,
corporate accounts; it's available to owner-occupied
sites or for investors who seek maintenance on just
one building.
Q: What does the future hold for property and asset management
as a market?

A: Right now, it's very difficult to find qualified technicians to do this
work. At NAI Keystone, our average staff member has more than
Q: What is property management?
15 years of experience in a trade. Technicians who work for asset
A: An individual, company or investors may own commercial or and property management companies are required to be experts in
industrial properties. Things like shopping malls, office buildings, HVAC, mechanical systems and most building techniques.
office parks, manufacturing sites and industrial parks need daily
care and most businesses are smart enough to focus on their As a region, our community needs to focus on workforce development.
primary business and not dedicate precious time and human assets Second, we need timely and robust data. Owners expect to see
to activities that can distract. Property management includes the instantaneous information about their investment. Tenants want
daily care and maintenance of buildings, grounds and infrastructure access to service requests, and lease and maintenance costs. This
on the owner's behalf. A property manager ensures the grass is cut, need for immediate information will only accelerate as businesses
shrubs are trimmed, snow and ice removed, and building systems try to do more with less. Lastly, as the labor market becomes even
function as they should. There are several companies in Berks tighter, employers are far more aware of the importance of the safety,
County that provide these services.
appearance and image of their sites. "Good enough" is no longer
acceptable.
Q: What is asset management?
A: Asset Management takes care of the building and grounds, and Q&A with Kress Schwartz, Business Manager, NAI Keystone. NAI
Keystone is part of the NAI Global network with more than 6,000
adds the complexity of collecting rent, managing all the expenses of
employees and more than 375 offices around the world.
the property, preparing financials, and, for investment properties,
distributing proceeds to the building's ownership. If you think
about an industrial park with 1,000,000 sq. ft. of leased space
with 20 or 30 tenants, you start to understand the task that "Asset
Management" can be. There are fewer companies in Berks providing
this level of service.

16 COMMERCE QUARTERLY WINTER 2020

GRCA Commerce Quarterly Winter 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRCA Commerce Quarterly Winter 2020