Bob's Published Perspective

Mansour Gavin's tenant rep broker Bob Garber, a principal at the Cresco Cushman Wakefield brokerage in Independence said "Representing a firm that is well known as a leading counsel in real estate, zoning, land transactions and eminent domain had challenges beyond the typical ones in a two-year search for a new location that called for examining the market in detail."

"The partnership team (at Mansour Gavin) is comprised of very savvy decision makers who challenged each other and us to assure they were making a great business decision for today's leadership and that of tomorrow."

"Mansour Gavin law firm moving to new downtown office" by Stan Bullard, Crain's Cleveland Business — April 17, 2014

Bob Garber, a principal a Cresco who works in industrial real estate, said the industrial market has tightened up so much that prospective tenants are making multiple offers daily for competitive buildings, a switch from the recent past.

"Real Estate" by Stan Bullard, Crain's Cleveland Business — January 7-13, 2013

“The crystal ball that was fogged over in 2009 became clear,” Mr. Garber said. As companies closed or grew to replace defunct competitors, he said, “The business (for brokers) came back.

“Developers are gun-shy,” Mr. Garber said. “I don't think there is a ton of product on the drawing boards."

That means space users dominate the business.

"Commercial Brokers optimistic as property markets improve" by Stan Bullard, Crain's Cleveland Business — March 19, 2012 

Robert Garber, a principal at Independence-based Cresco Real Estate, surveys the suburbs and asks: “What spec buildings are you seeing built? None. What new (commercial) land developments are you seeing? None.”

However, Mr. Garber also says the market is stirring as companies look to spend money again, conservatively, because the surviving firms need to expand.

A lot of owners are saying, "I'll take my lumps now and sell the building or lease the space,'” Mr. Garber said. “"I'll lick my wounds now and not look back.' Times in 2009 were tough, in 2010 we muddled through and in 2011 we started turning toward normalcy. I think 2012 will get us toward normalcy.

Landlords are starting to negotiate bumps in rent of 2% several years down the road, he said, which they were unable to do the last few years.

"Economic Outlook: Real Estate" by Stan Bullard, Crain's Cleveland Business — January 2, 2012 

Robert Garber, an industrial expert and principal at the Cresco real estate firm, said from a distance it looks like the buyers “got a hell of a deal.” He said unimproved industrial land in the high-demand Twinsburg market is worth at least $15,000 an acre.

"Reporters' Notebook: The Price Seams To Be Right" by Stan Bullard, Crain's Cleveland Business — July 25, 2011