The Broker Who Thinks Like a Landlord: Inside Texas Retail Leasing with Tooba Patoli

Building a Practice, Chicago's Market, and the Future of Brokerage

Van Vlissingen & Co.'s Gordon Lamphere on Chicago's tale-of-two-cities office market, why energy access is the industry's most under-talked-about asset, and what it actually takes to build a podcast and a practice from scratch.  The Crexi Podcast connects commercial real estate (CRE) professionals with industry insights built for smart decision-making. In each episode, we explore the latest trends, innovations and opportunities shaping commercial real estate, because we believe knowledge should move at the speed of ambition and every conversation should empower professionals to act with greater clarity and confidence. Gordon Lamphere is a fourth-generation real estate professional, licensed Illinois and Wisconsin broker, and Vice President at Van Vlissingen & Co., the Midwest's oldest private commercial real estate firm. He advises owners, tenants, and investors across more than 100 transactions a year throughout greater Chicagoland, and hosts the Real Finds podcast, where he interviews developers, corporate occupiers, economists, and policy leaders shaping the built environment.  In this episode, Gordon joins host Shanti Ryle on how AI has changed the speed and sophistication of deal-making, why Chicago's office market is really a tale of two cities, the industrial and multifamily conversions filling the gap, and why access to power — not politics — may be the biggest driver of the next five years in CRE.  00:00 Welcome to The Crexi Podcast  00:18 Introducing Gordon Lamphere of Van Vlissingen & Co.  01:27 Fourth-generation real estate: growing up around the business  03:00 A detour to law school and Tulane's maritime program  06:00 Why brokerage won out over practicing law  07:00 The grind: 70-hour weeks, no money, no clients  10:30 How AI and digitalization sped up transactions  14:00 Higher client expectations: deal analysis, reporting, and AI  16:00 What lawyers still do that AI can't: real deal advice  19:00 AI isn't God: why brokers still have to seek the truth  22:00 Selecting clients: why he turns down more deals than he takes  25:00 Sniffing out tire kickers before wasting time  27:30 Chicago's office market: a tale of two cities  29:00 Why so much Class B/C office is functionally obsolete  30:30 Industrial and multifamily conversions filling the gap  33:00 Municipalities, zoning, and the housing crisis  35:00 Capital markets: why big deals move slower now  38:00 What makes a deal pencil in 2026  39:30 Sun Belt migration vs. the case for Chicagoland  41:30 Inside the Real Finds podcast: who he talks to and why  42:00 Energy as the most under-talked-about asset in CRE  43:00 Nuclear, hydrogen, and the race for grid access  45:30 Translating macro trends without losing the micro nuance  48:00 The double-edged sword of content creation  52:00 Advice for anyone thinking about starting a platform  55:00 Rapid fire: deploying $50M in real estate today  56:30 The worst advice he's ever gotten  58:00 What keeps him optimistic about Chicagoland.   Like this? Hop on over to our blog to check out the latest CRE hot tips and insights: https://bit.ly/3TAD75S  Subscribe and receive the latest in CRE from Crexi: https://www.youtube.com/c/CREXi?sub_c  Follow Crexi:  Website: https://bit.ly/3TAD75S  Instagram: https://bit.ly/3SxVtDk  Facebook: https://bit.ly/3DppaSH  Twitter: https://bit.ly/3D1Qe91  Linkedin: https://bit.ly/3zcDMCh    About Gordon Lamphere:  Gordon Lamphere is a Vice President and licensed broker at Van Vlissingen & Co., the Midwest's oldest private commercial real estate firm, where he advises owners, tenants, and investors on more than 100 transactions annually across office, industrial, and land assets throughout greater Chicagoland. He holds a JD from Tulane University Law School, where he majored in maritime and logistics law, and is an honors graduate of St. Mary's College of Maryland. Beyond his transactional work, Gordon leads Van Vlissingen & Co.'s media and marketing platform and hosts Real Finds, Chicago's leading commercial real estate podcast, where he interviews developers, corporate occupiers, economists, and policy leaders shaping the future of the built environment.  About Crexi: Crexi is reimagining commercial real estate with an AI-powered platform built to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions at every stage of the deal lifecycle. From real-time data and market insights with Crexi Intelligence, to targeted property marketing and seamless deal management through Crexi PRO, and a transparent, time-bound bidding experience with Crexi Auction — Crexi enables users to evaluate opportunities, maximize exposure, and close with speed and confidence. To date, Crexi has facilitated over $1 trillion in transactions, 8.6 billion square feet leased, and supports a growing community of more For show notes, past guests, and more CRE content, please check out Crexi’s blog [https://www.crexi.com/blog/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=simplecast&utm_campaign=BR2024__podcast&utm_term=na&utm_content=shownotes]. Looking to stay ahead in commercial real estate? Visit Crexi [https://www.crexi.com/?utm_medium=pod&utm_source=simplecast&utm_campaign=BR2021__podcast&utm_term=na&utm_content=home] to explore properties, analyze markets, and connect with opportunities nationwide.   Follow Crexi: https://www.crexi.com/ [https://www.crexi.com/]   https://www.crexi.com/instagram [https://www.crexi.com/instagram]   https://www.crexi.com/facebook [https://www.crexi.com/facebook]   https://www.crexi.com/twitter [https://www.crexi.com/twitter]   https://www.crexi.com/linkedin [https://www.crexi.com/linkedin]   https://www.youtube.com/crexi [https://www.youtube.com/crexi]   About Crexi: Crexi [https://www.crexi.com/] is reimagining commercial real estate with an AI-powered platform built to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions at every stage of the deal lifecycle. From real-time data and market insights with Crexi Intelligence, to targeted property marketing and seamless deal management through Crexi PRO, and a transparent, time-bound bidding experience with Crexi Auction— Crexi enables users to evaluate opportunities, maximize exposure, and close with speed and confidence. To date, Crexi has subsidized over $2.74 trillion in property value, 26 billion square feet listed, and supports a growing community of more than 23 million yearly users.

The Broker Who Thinks Like a Landlord: Inside Texas Retail Leasing with Tooba Patoli

Huntington Properties' Tooba Patoli on canvassing from zero, tenant mix strategy, the landlord hat, why AI is killing deals, and what it really takes to build a retail leasing practice in Texas. The Crexi Podcast connects commercial real estate (CRE) professionals with industry insights built for smart decision-making. In each episode, we explore the latest trends, innovations and opportunities shaping commercial real estate, because we believe knowledge should move at the speed of ambition and every conversation should empower professionals to act with greater clarity and confidence. Tooba Patoli left a corporate salary job at 22 to go make $0 in commercial real estate. Four and a half years later she's a senior retail specialist at Huntington Properties, leading a team that closed nearly 95 leases across 36 shopping centers in a single year. In this episode, Tooba joins host Shanti Ryle to talk about how she built her book from scratch through canvassing, why she thinks like a landlord even when she isn't one, what's driving Texas suburban retail right now, and why three of her deals recently fell apart because tenants used AI instead of an attorney. * Introducing Tooba Patoli of Huntington Properties * From corporate salary to $0 commission: why she made the leap at 22 * Why retail — and why mom and pops in high-growth Texas suburbs * How leasing fundamentals give you an edge in investment sales * Mentors, pattern recognition, and joining the right firm * 95 leases in a year: how the team pulled it off across 36 shopping centers * What her day actually looks like now versus year one * The landlord hat: why she never advises a deal she wouldn't take herself * Talking to tenants: why it's always case by case * The hot chicken deal that almost blew up — and the lesson she still teaches her team * She did a second deal with that same tenant four years later * Canvassing 101: always start with tenants, not landlords * 18,000 miles in year one and the script that actually worked at the door * Be a farmer: plant today, bloom in 12 months * What's driving Texas retail right now — and where Houston is heading * The shortage of quality second gen space and how landlords are getting creative * The concepts winning right now: food and bev, Pilates, personal services, froyo * TI negotiations, personal guarantees, and why it's a 50/50 market * Why AI is killing deals — and who she actually blames * The right way to use AI as a broker * Advice for new brokers: understand the fundamentals before you feed the model About Tooba Patoli Tooba Patoli is a Senior Retail Leasing Associate at Hunington Properties, where she helps lead the firm's third-party retail division across Texas. She specializes in retail leasing, tenant and landlord representation, and investment sales, working with property owners, developers, investors, and growing businesses. Tooba's approach combines proactive business development, market research, and relationship building to uncover opportunities and help clients achieve their goals. By staying closely connected to local business owners, monitoring emerging retail trends, and maintaining an active presence throughout the market, she helps clients make informed real estate decisions and position their assets for long-term success. For show notes, past guests, and more CRE content, please check out Crexi’s blog [https://www.crexi.com/blog/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=simplecast&utm_campaign=BR2024__podcast&utm_term=na&utm_content=shownotes]. Looking to stay ahead in commercial real estate? Visit Crexi [https://www.crexi.com/?utm_medium=pod&utm_source=simplecast&utm_campaign=BR2021__podcast&utm_term=na&utm_content=home] to explore properties, analyze markets, and connect with opportunities nationwide.   Follow Crexi: https://www.crexi.com/ [https://www.crexi.com/]   https://www.crexi.com/instagram [https://www.crexi.com/instagram]   https://www.crexi.com/facebook [https://www.crexi.com/facebook]   https://www.crexi.com/twitter [https://www.crexi.com/twitter]   https://www.crexi.com/linkedin [https://www.crexi.com/linkedin]   https://www.youtube.com/crexi [https://www.youtube.com/crexi]   About Crexi: Crexi [https://www.crexi.com/] is reimagining commercial real estate with an AI-powered platform built to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions at every stage of the deal lifecycle. From real-time data and market insights with Crexi Intelligence, to targeted property marketing and seamless deal management through Crexi PRO, and a transparent, time-bound bidding experience with Crexi Auction— Crexi enables users to evaluate opportunities, maximize exposure, and close with speed and confidence. To date, Crexi has subsidized over $2.74 trillion in property value, 26 billion square feet listed, and supports a growing community of more than 23 million yearly users.

Why Knoxville Is One of America's Fastest-Growing Markets

Avison Young's Justin Cazana on Knoxville's office boom, nuclear-driven growth, why tertiary markets quietly survived the office crisis, and how to build a dominant local practice. The Crexi Podcast connects commercial real estate (CRE) professionals with industry insights built for smart decision-making. In each episode, we explore the latest trends, innovations and opportunities shaping commercial real estate, because we believe knowledge should move at the speed of ambition and every conversation should empower professionals to act with greater clarity and confidence. Justin Cazana is a third-generation real estate professional and principal at Avison Young in Knoxville. Before commercial real estate, he spent nearly a decade in sports broadcasting — calling minor league baseball, SEC football, and Fox Sports Net Olympic coverage — before the family business pulled him home. In this episode, Justin joins host Adam Siegel on why Knoxville's office market never really broke, what Oak Ridge and nuclear growth are doing to demand, and why investing in people is the unlock most brokers miss. * Introducing Justin Cazana of Avison Young Knoxville * Third-generation CRE: sweeping warehouses and dinner table deal talk * From Auburn journalism to minor league baseball broadcasting * Hall of Famers in the same league and why he eventually walked away * Coming back to Knoxville and learning the business under his father * Opening Cushman & Wakefield's Knoxville office in 2010 with seven brokers * Managing people is the hardest part — and why hiring a COO changed everything * The 10x mindset: what are the 20 things only you should be doing * Assistants, VAs, and why every broker should view hires as investments * Why they left Cushman for Avison Young in 2015 * In tertiary markets, the relationship outlasts the flag every time * Knoxville by the numbers: a million-person metro, 24M square feet of office * Why tertiary market office never collapsed the way primary markets did * Smaller tenants, local ownership, and coming back to the office faster after COVID * The retention math: upgrading from Class C to Class A pays for itself * How HR became the real estate decision-maker * The 11-minute commute and what makes Knoxville an easy sell * No income tax, four seasons, UT football, and a Cubs AA ballpark * Oak Ridge, nuclear growth, and 180,000 square feet of engineering deals in one year * 92% occupancy, a supply problem, and developers ready to build on lease-up * Why institutional developers haven't moved in — and local developers fill the gap * Downtown Knoxville: no new office building since 1992 * The next three to five years: nuclear, airports, Smith & Wesson, and more   ABOUT JUSTIN CAZANA: Justin Cazana [https://www.avisonyoung.us/w/justin-cazana-sior-ccim] is a Principal and broker at Avison Young's Knoxville office, where he specializes in both tenant and landlord representation across office, industrial, and retail asset classes. He holds both the SIOR and CCIM designations and has deep expertise in the Knoxville market, where he has built a practice rooted in local market knowledge and client relationships. Justin's career path into commercial real estate was far from traditional. Before joining the industry, he worked in television and radio sports broadcasting, including minor league baseball, Fox Sports Net and Comcast Sports. After transitioning into commercial real estate over two decades ago, Justin played a key role in opening Cushman & Wakefield's Knoxville office and later helped lead the migration to Avison Young in 2015. Today, Justin works across most commercial asset classes but with a focus on the Knoxville market and has built a reputation as the go-to expert for understanding one of the country's fastest-growing tertiary markets. For show notes, past guests, and more CRE content, please check out Crexi’s blog [https://www.crexi.com/blog/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=simplecast&utm_campaign=BR2024__podcast&utm_term=na&utm_content=shownotes]. Looking to stay ahead in commercial real estate? Visit Crexi [https://www.crexi.com/?utm_medium=pod&utm_source=simplecast&utm_campaign=BR2021__podcast&utm_term=na&utm_content=home] to explore properties, analyze markets, and connect with opportunities nationwide.   Follow Crexi: https://www.crexi.com/ [https://www.crexi.com/]   https://www.crexi.com/instagram [https://www.crexi.com/instagram]   https://www.crexi.com/facebook [https://www.crexi.com/facebook]   https://www.crexi.com/twitter [https://www.crexi.com/twitter]   https://www.crexi.com/linkedin [https://www.crexi.com/linkedin]   https://www.youtube.com/crexi [https://www.youtube.com/crexi]   About Crexi: Crexi [https://www.crexi.com/] is reimagining commercial real estate with an AI-powered platform built to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions at every stage of the deal lifecycle. From real-time data and market insights with Crexi Intelligence, to targeted property marketing and seamless deal management through Crexi PRO, and a transparent, time-bound bidding experience with Crexi Auction— Crexi enables users to evaluate opportunities, maximize exposure, and close with speed and confidence. To date, Crexi has subsidized over $2.74 trillion in property value, 26 billion square feet listed, and supports a growing community of more than 23 million yearly users.

Dylan Walsh on NYC Investment Sales: Development, Debt, and Deals

Cushman & Wakefield Executive Director Dylan Walsh on NYC investment sales, development sites, debt maturities, and why pessimism in a down market is always the wrong call. The Crexi Podcast connects commercial real estate (CRE) professionals with industry insights built for smart decision-making. In each episode, we explore the latest trends, innovations and opportunities shaping commercial real estate, because we believe knowledge should move at the speed of ambition and every conversation should empower professionals to act with greater clarity and confidence. Dylan Walsh has handled more than 100 transactions and over $2 billion in NYC commercial real estate. After stops at Rosewood Realty and Marcus & Millichap, he returned to Cushman & Wakefield in 2022 as Executive Director overseeing capital markets. In this episode, Dylan joins host Shanti Ryle on NYC investment sales, why development sites are the hottest asset class, how lenders and sponsors are navigating debt maturities, and why staying contrarian is where the real money gets made. * Welcome to The Crexi Podcast * Introducing Dylan Walsh of Cushman & Wakefield * From Martha's Vineyard rentals to Cushman intern — and not getting the job * Three years at Rosewood Realty: the art of the call * Marcus & Millichap: team structure, suits every day, and why multifamily is the most nuanced asset class in New York * Still 80% brokerage: time blocking, pipeline reviews, and building a team * Class A office is back, residential vacancy is at 1.5%, and development sites are the hottest asset class * Office conversions, the June 2026 commencement rush, and the quagmire of Class B and C * The 485X abatement, the 99-unit workaround, and who is buying right now * 1031 exchanges, two seller buckets, and debt maturities coming to a head * How lenders and sponsors are navigating the foreclosure conversation * Retail up 30% from 2019, industrial running out of space, and rezoning to residential * Salesforce, AI, and why relationships don't commoditize * Finding windows of opportunity in every conversation * Rapid fire: Greenpoint, Ridgewood, and why bad markets create the best opportunities   ABOUT DYLAN WALSH: Dylan Walsh joined Cushman & Wakefield as an Executive Director in January 2022, to oversee the Cushman & Wakefield Capital Markets [https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/united-states/services/capital-markets]. His team is one of the most active in NYC commercial real estate sales and represents landlords on the disposition of their CRE in New York City. His experience spans all asset classes including office, land, multifamily, retail, industrial and development, air right transfers, coops and conversions. Dylan’s clients include private equity, institutions, family offices, high net worth individuals, debt funds and the government.  Dylan has handled the sale of over 100 transactions, totaling more than $2 billion worth of commercial real estate in New York City. He also specializes in transitioning his client’s debt and equity out of NYC into income producing properties across the country using the 1031 tax exchange. Dylan has over 12 years of brokerage experience and started his career as an intern at Cushman & Wakefield in 2013. Throughout his tenure, Walsh spent 3 years at Rosewood Realty in Manhattan and 6 years at Marcus & Millichap working in NYC for the New York Multifamily Team. He has a bachelor’s degree from St. Michael’s College in Vermont and has family located across New York and Denver. For show notes, past guests, and more CRE content, please check out Crexi’s blog [https://www.crexi.com/blog/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=simplecast&utm_campaign=BR2024__podcast&utm_term=na&utm_content=shownotes]. Looking to stay ahead in commercial real estate? Visit Crexi [https://www.crexi.com/?utm_medium=pod&utm_source=simplecast&utm_campaign=BR2021__podcast&utm_term=na&utm_content=home] to explore properties, analyze markets, and connect with opportunities nationwide.   Follow Crexi: https://www.crexi.com/ [https://www.crexi.com/]   https://www.crexi.com/instagram [https://www.crexi.com/instagram]   https://www.crexi.com/facebook [https://www.crexi.com/facebook]   https://www.crexi.com/twitter [https://www.crexi.com/twitter]   https://www.crexi.com/linkedin [https://www.crexi.com/linkedin]   https://www.youtube.com/crexi [https://www.youtube.com/crexi]   About Crexi: Crexi [https://www.crexi.com/] is reimagining commercial real estate with an AI-powered platform built to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions at every stage of the deal lifecycle. From real-time data and market insights with Crexi Intelligence, to targeted property marketing and seamless deal management through Crexi PRO, and a transparent, time-bound bidding experience with Crexi Auction— Crexi enables users to evaluate opportunities, maximize exposure, and close with speed and confidence. To date, Crexi has subsidized over $2.74 trillion in property value, 26 billion square feet listed, and supports a growing community of more than 23 million yearly users.

Nina Steiner: Hollywood's Tenant Rep and the Writers' Room Whisperer

Saxum West's Nina Steiner [https://saxumwest.com/saxum_agents/nina-steiner/] on finding space for Hollywood studios, the LA office market, proof stacking, and why the riches are in the follow-up. The Crexi Podcast connects commercial real estate (CRE) professionals with industry insights built for smart decision-making. In each episode, we explore the latest trends, innovations and opportunities shaping commercial real estate, because we believe knowledge should move at the speed of ambition and every conversation should empower professionals to act with greater clarity and confidence.   Nina Steiner spent years in television production before finding her way into commercial real estate. Ten years later she is one of the only tenant reps in LA who specializes in entertainment: securing writers' rooms, production studio space, and flexible offices for showrunners, studios, and production companies. In this episode, Nina joins host Adam Siegel to talk about what makes entertainment real estate different, how she built her niche, why she chose proof stacking over cold calling, and what staying in the game looks like. * Welcome to The Crexi Podcast * Introducing Nina Steiner of Saxum West * From TV production and internet new media to commercial real estate * The Santa Monica meetup that started everything * Getting licensed and choosing the tenant rep lane * What surprised her most: rules, vetting, and learning on the fly * Why having a previous career is an advantage in brokerage * Storytelling as a trust-building tool * How the stonecutter's creed changed her mindset * Why she chose tenant rep over investment sales and landlord work * Flexible workspace as a differentiator — volume where others saw small potatoes * How the entertainment niche evolved without a business plan * The showrunner rule: they want to be close to where they live * Eight leases closed in Sherman Oaks in Q1 * Why production people avoid managed flex: always in stealth mode * What entertainment clients need: perimeter offices, bullpen, large conference room * Working a UK writers' room placement across a 12-hour time difference * Staying calm, offering options, and not deciding for the client * Proof stacking: saying the same thing consistently even when there are crickets * Be niche, narrow your market, know your lane * Boutique versus big shop and why flexibility matters * LA's entertainment real estate ebbs and flows with content cycles * Amenities are now table stakes for landlords * Lease terms getting shorter: startups taking 3 months, not 3 years * Staying on the good side of both sides: communication first * Act when a space hits 90% of the boxes — a LOI is non-binding * Watching streaming as research for her next client * LinkedIn, proof stacking, and posting even when nobody seems to be watching * AI tools: Gamma for presentations, Claude for prompts and content * Building referrals through warm calls and doing right by people * The Vancouver referral: turning a cross-border deal into a handoff * Advice for early-career brokers: interview tenured brokers, pick one lane * The thrill of the hunt: what still gets her up in the morning * The 10-minute walk to the beach and why balance matters * Half a commission beats no commission     ABOUT NINA STEINER: Nina Steiner [https://tenantrepla.com/] has over 10 years of experience as a commercial real estate tenant representative in Los Angeles, specializing in office and retail leasing. Her unique background as a former television line producer gives her an edge in understanding the entertainment industry's specific needs, from securing writers' rooms to finding the perfect space for production studios. Nina focuses on providing customized solutions that fit each client's long-term business objectives, whether it's in traditional leasing or managed flexible office spaces around the globe. Nina approaches each client with empathy, putting herself in their shoes to understand their challenges and goals. Her niche expertise in finding creative spaces for Hollywood studios sets her apart, while her deep knowledge of the LA market ensures her clients get the best possible deals. Through regular social media updates and educational content, she keeps tenants informed about market trends and real estate opportunities. Nina is a trusted advisor for businesses looking to expand or relocate in Los Angeles. For show notes, past guests, and more CRE content, please check out Crexi’s blog [https://www.crexi.com/blog/?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=simplecast&utm_campaign=BR2024__podcast&utm_term=na&utm_content=shownotes]. Looking to stay ahead in commercial real estate? Visit Crexi [https://www.crexi.com/?utm_medium=pod&utm_source=simplecast&utm_campaign=BR2021__podcast&utm_term=na&utm_content=home] to explore properties, analyze markets, and connect with opportunities nationwide.   Follow Crexi: https://www.crexi.com/ [https://www.crexi.com/]   https://www.crexi.com/instagram [https://www.crexi.com/instagram]   https://www.crexi.com/facebook [https://www.crexi.com/facebook]   https://www.crexi.com/twitter [https://www.crexi.com/twitter]   https://www.crexi.com/linkedin [https://www.crexi.com/linkedin]   https://www.youtube.com/crexi [https://www.youtube.com/crexi]   About Crexi: Crexi [https://www.crexi.com/] is reimagining commercial real estate with an AI-powered platform built to deliver smarter, more efficient solutions at every stage of the deal lifecycle. From real-time data and market insights with Crexi Intelligence, to targeted property marketing and seamless deal management through Crexi PRO, and a transparent, time-bound bidding experience with Crexi Auction— Crexi enables users to evaluate opportunities, maximize exposure, and close with speed and confidence. To date, Crexi has subsidized over $2.74 trillion in property value, 26 billion square feet listed, and supports a growing community of more than 23 million yearly users.