“Chuck Mitchell, president of First Capital Property Group, has experienced the highs and the lows of working in commercial real estate in Central Florida, from working through the intricacies of a deal made more difficult due to the political atmosphere to the problems of finding the right property for tenants in a still “anemic” economy. Here, he shares his insights:

What’s the most unusual request you’ve had from an office tenant? I have had prospective tenants like the space they were touring and say they will take it, but at a ridiculous rate. When I said the owner would never agree to that low of a deal, their reply was, “The building down the street will lease at that rate.” My follow-up response to them was, “Go lease the space down the street and take that cheap space off the market.”

What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen added to an office this year? Seeing an entire open office space set up with desks that can adjust the height to become a stand-up desk

How often do potential office tenants ask about SunRail or public transit access? SunRail is only discussed when the building is in the city’s core and a short walking distance from the building.

What was your biggest office deal in the past 12 months? We sold the 1516 Hillcrest Building in August 2015 for $2.45 million. A Dutch owner had purchased the property in 1999, but due to the loan’s large defeasance penalty, we missed selling at the top of the market in 2008. Because of the strengthening of the dollar to the euro this year, the owners determined the currency difference was enough not to wait for the office market to improve further. Fortunately, we were able to find the perfect buyer.

What was the biggest office deal in your career? Ron Rogg and I sold the Winter Park Business Center, three phases totaling 128,000 square feet, for $10.2 million. We were able to combine our strengths, Ron’s knowledge of buyers and my knowledge of the property and tenants, to complete the deal.”

Read the entire article here.