While market reports and economic headlines swing between optimism and doom, one veteran commercial real estate broker argues that success depends more on daily discipline than trying to time market cycles.
“You hear a lot of reports and everything in your inbox, and it’s, you know, one day, it’s a good outlook. The next day, it’s tragic,” says Matthew Antonis of Friend Commercial Real Estate. “But I focus on what’s in front of me, how I dial in my prospecting, having the conversations.”
According to Antonis, this focus on fundamentals rather than market timing has proven effective across different market conditions. “No matter if the interest rates are super low or they’re super high, we’re still creatively getting deals done,” he explains. “We’re able to focus in on having conversations, trying to generate opportunity putting certain parties together for certain opportunities.”
This approach has allowed his team to maintain momentum even during periods of market uncertainty. “We’re able to drive our own economy with the deals we’re getting done, not really focusing on all these outliers that may be impacting the market,” Antonis says.
While acknowledging market cycles are inevitable, Antonis argues that brokers need to focus on what they can influence. “That’s out of our control, but what we control is what we come to the office with, what we put out, and the tenacity we bring into the deals we work on,” he explains.
This philosophy extends to how his firm approaches business development. Rather than relying on passive marketing strategies, they emphasize direct outreach and relationship building. “We believe in constant communication, just talking about it, making calls, being proactive,” Antonis notes.
The emphasis on consistent effort over market timing has yielded results. Antonis points to several successful off-market transactions currently under contract, including an industrial development deal that’s moving forward despite higher construction costs.
“If people are willing to accommodate the market and the interest rates and have a reasonable ask on the price, you’ll get deals done,” he observes. This pragmatic approach has helped him maintain deal flow even as market conditions have shifted.
While market uncertainty may continue, Antonis believes success will keep coming to those who maintain their focus on fundamentals rather than trying to predict market moves. His experience suggests that consistent prospecting and relationship building can create opportunities regardless of broader market conditions.
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