Where to Find Commercial Properties to Sell: The Ultimate 2024 Guide for Brokers and Investors

Top commercial real estate brokers close $5-10 million in deals annually, but here’s the secret nobody tells you: they spend 60% of their time just finding where to find commercial properties to sell. The properties don’t magically appear—they’re hunted, researched, and pursued relentlessly through channels most agents never think to explore.

I’m going to show you exactly where to find commercial properties to sell, with specific strategies you can implement today to build a consistent pipeline of listings. Whether you’re a seasoned broker or just starting in commercial real estate, knowing where to find commercial properties to sell is the difference between struggling and thriving in this competitive market.

Why Knowing Where to Find Commercial Properties to Sell Matters

Let’s start with why mastering where to find commercial properties to sell is crucial for your success.

The Commercial Real Estate Reality

The commercial market works differently than residential. Deals take 3-18 months to close. Relationships matter more than marketing. And here’s the critical part: 40-60% of commercial transactions happen off-market, never hitting public listing sites.

What This Means: If you only know where to find commercial properties to sell through obvious channels like LoopNet, you’re missing more than half the market. The best properties get sold before the general public ever sees them.

The Competitive Advantage

Brokers who know where to find commercial properties to sell from multiple sources have several advantages:

• Exclusive listings before competition arrives
• Better relationships with property owners
• Higher commission potential on unlisted properties
• Consistent deal flow regardless of market conditions

Building Your Pipeline

Understanding where to find commercial properties to sell isn’t about one magic source. It’s about creating a systematic approach with multiple channels feeding your pipeline constantly.

Online Sources: Where to Find Commercial Properties to Sell Digitally

Let’s start with the most accessible places where to find commercial properties to sell online.

LoopNet: The Obvious Starting Point

LoopNet is the largest commercial real estate marketplace, and while everyone uses it, it’s still valuable for knowing where to find commercial properties to sell.

How to Use LoopNet Effectively:

• Set up saved searches with specific criteria
• Check new listings daily, preferably morning
• Contact listing brokers about pocket listings
• Research sold properties to identify active investors
• Monitor properties that have been on market 90+ days

Pro Strategy: Don’t just look at active listings when determining where to find commercial properties to sell. Check “recently sold” to identify investors who might be ready to sell again. These owners have proven they’re willing to transact.

Limitations: Everyone has access to LoopNet. Competition is fierce. The best properties often disappear within hours. This is why knowing additional sources is essential.

CoStar: Professional-Grade Intelligence

CoStar provides comprehensive data that’s invaluable.

Cost Consideration: CoStar subscriptions run $3,000-5,000+ annually. That’s significant, but for serious brokers, it’s worth it for the intelligence.

Key Features:

• Comprehensive property ownership information
• Sales history and comparable data
• Tenant information and lease expirations
• Market analytics and trends
• Contact information for property owners

How to Maximize CoStar: When researching where to find commercial properties to sell, use CoStar’s ownership data to contact property owners directly. Buildings with upcoming lease expirations are particularly valuable—owners might consider selling if they’re facing costly tenant improvements.

Crexi: Emerging Marketplace

Crexi has become increasingly important, especially for smaller deals and secondary markets.

Sweet Spot: Properties under $5 million in secondary and tertiary markets.If your target includes these deals, Crexi is essential.

Advantages:

• Less competition than LoopNet
• More user-friendly interface
• Growing inventory
• Good for quick deals with motivated sellers

Public Record Databases

Public records are goldmines, yet many brokers underutilize them.

County Assessor’s Office: Every county maintains public records with ownership information. This is foundational knowledge.

What You Can Access:

• Property owner names and mailing addresses
• Purchase price and date
• Current assessed value
• Tax delinquency status
• Zoning information
• Building specifications

Actionable Strategy: Download ownership lists for your target property types. Create a database by filtering for:

• Out-of-state owners (often more motivated sellers)
• Properties owned 10+ years (higher likelihood of selling)
• Multiple property owners (professional investors)
• Properties with tax issues

Specialized Commercial Platforms

Reonomy

Reonomy combines public records with proprietary data, making it powerful for researching where to find commercial properties to sell.

Key Features:

• Property owner portfolios
• Skip tracing capabilities
• Predictive analytics showing likely sellers
• Integration with CRM systems

Cost: $200-400/month depending on features. Worth it if you’re serious about systematically finding where to find commercial properties to sell.

CommercialEdge

Yardi’s CommercialEdge is another resource for where to find commercial properties to sell, particularly strong in multifamily.

Best For:

• Multifamily properties
• Market analytics
• Tenant information
• Both for-sale and for-lease listings

Offline Strategies: Where to Find Commercial Properties to Sell Through Direct Outreach

The best sources for commercial properties to sell often aren’t online at all.

Direct Mail Campaigns

Direct mail remains one of the most effective strategies, because you’re reaching owners directly.

Creating Effective Campaigns: When using direct mail , personalization matters. Generic postcards get thrown away.

Sample Letter Structure: “I noticed you’ve owned [specific address] for X years. The market for [property type] in [neighborhood] has changed significantly, with recent sales showing premium prices. I specialize in [property type] and have qualified buyers actively searching. Would you consider a confidential conversation about your long-term plans?”

Targeting Strategy: Your knowledge improves dramatically when you target:

• Out-of-state property owners
• Properties owned 10+ years
• Recent inheritance transfers
• Buildings with code violations
• Owners with multiple properties

Frequency: Send mailings every 45-60 days. Consistency matters when establishing yourself as the go-to broker who knows.

Door Knocking and Property Visits

Old-school? Yes. Effective ? Absolutely.

What to Look For: When physically surveying areas to understand:

• Deferred maintenance (financial difficulties?)
• Vacant spaces or “For Lease” signs
• Properties that look neglected
• Buildings with owner contact info posted

The Approach: Leave your card with a note. Take photos for your records. Talk to on-site managers. These conversations often reveal insights that you’d never discover online.

Networking: Building Relationships

Your professional network is invaluable.

Other Commercial Brokers

Collaboration is key. Most deals involve co-broking anyway.

How to Network:

• Join local commercial real estate associations
• Attend broker opens and networking events
• Share leads that aren’t right for you
• Provide market intelligence freely

Why It Works: Brokers who specialize in different property types or markets can feed you deals. Building these relationships expands your knowledge exponentially.

Property Managers

Property managers are goldmines for information.

Why They’re Valuable: Managers know which owners are:

• Tired of managing properties
• Facing financial pressure
• Planning retirement
• Dealing with problem properties

Building Relationships: Take property managers to lunch regularly. Refer them business when possible. Provide market updates. These relationships become your inside track.

Commercial Lenders

Lenders have unique insight because they see:

• Which loans are maturing (refinance or sell?)
• Properties in distress
• Owners expanding or contracting portfolios
• Cash flow problems

Networking Approach: Attend banking events. Join business networking groups. Provide market intelligence they find valuable. Be discreet with information they share .

Commercial Attorneys

Attorneys handle transactions:

• Estate planning (heirs often sell)
• Divorce proceedings (forced sales)
• Business dissolutions (assets liquidated)
• Entity restructuring

Relationship Building: Offer market analysis services. Attend legal networking events. Maintain strict confidentiality. Provide referrals when possible.

Industry Events and Associations

CCIM (Certified Commercial Investment Member): Monthly meetings connect you with other professionals who can point you.

NAIOP (Commercial Real Estate Development Association): Developer-focused group where you learn about upcoming projects.

SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office Realtors): Industrial and office specialists share information in their niches.

Urban Land Institute (ULI): Research and trends that inform your understanding.

Leveraging Technology: Where to Find Commercial Properties to Sell Using Modern Tools

Technology amplifies your ability to discover where to find commercial properties to sell.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems

A CRM is essential for tracking your efforts.

Best Options:

• Salesforce (most comprehensive)
• HubSpot (user-friendly, free basic version)
• LionDesk (real estate specific)
• Follow-Up Boss (strong automation)

Why You Need One: You’ll meet hundreds of potential sellers. Without systematic follow-up tracking, opportunities disappear.

Key Features:

• Follow-up reminders (90-day cycles)
• Track all interactions with property owners
• Segment lists by property type and motivation
• Automate email campaigns
• Monitor pipeline progress

Driving for Dollars Apps

Mobile apps help you systematically identify while driving target neighborhoods.

DealMachine:

• Take photos of properties
• Automatically looks up owner information
• Sends direct mail campaigns
• Tracks responses
• Cost: $49-99/month

PropStream:

• Property data and skip tracing
• List building tools
• Marketing automation
• Cost: $97-197/month

Strategy: Dedicate 2-3 hours weekly to driving target neighborhoods. Tag properties systematically. This becomes a reliable source.

Social Media and Digital Marketing

LinkedIn: LinkedIn is powerful for discovering through professional connections.

Content Marketing Strategy:

• Post market updates regularly
• Share sold property case studies
• Provide industry insights
• Establish expertise

Direct Outreach:

• Connect with property owners in your market
• Send personalized connection requests
• Share relevant market information
• Offer free property valuations

Facebook: Join local business owner groups where discussions might reveal.

Facebook Ads: Target property owners by interest and demographics. Offer free market analysis. Build your database.

Niche Strategies: Where to Find Commercial Properties to Sell by Property Type

Different property types require different strategies.

Finding Multifamily Properties

Apartment Association Meetings: Local landlord associations are networking goldmines in multifamily.

Property Management Companies: Build relationships with multifamily managers. They manage multiple properties and know where to find commercial properties to sell.

Code Violation Lists: Properties with multiple violations often have owners ready to exit. This is a targeted source.

Mom-and-Pop Owners: Target buildings owned 20+ years by individual owners approaching retirement. These are prime sources.

Finding Industrial Properties

Industrial Brokers: Collaborate with specialists in industrial sectors.

Logistics Companies: They’re constantly evaluating facility needs. Conversations reveal where to find commercial properties to sell.

Manufacturing Associations: Local manufacturing groups provide networking opportunities.

Port Authorities: Near ports, distribution facilities turn over regularly.

Finding Retail Properties

Retail Brokers: National retail specialists often need local expertise. Partner with them.

Shopping Center Directories: ICSC directory helps identify ownership of retail properties, informing where to find commercial properties to sell.

Tenant Brokers: They know which centers are struggling.

Chain Restaurant Real Estate Departments: Build relationships with corporate real estate teams in retail.

Finding Office Properties

Class B and C Buildings: Often owned by individuals or small groups, more likely sellers than institutional Class A owners. Focus here for where to find commercial properties to sell.

Medical Office Specialists: Medical buildings have unique characteristics. Specialists know where to find commercial properties to sell in this niche.

Law Firm Administrators: Law firms often own their buildings and may sell when restructuring. They can point to where to find commercial properties to sell.

REIT Dispositions: Public REITs regularly sell non-core properties. Monitor REIT activity for where to find commercial properties to sell.

Building Your Own Database: Where to Find Commercial Properties to Sell Systematically

Create a proprietary system for tracking.

Data Sources to Combine

Purchase Public Records Data: County assessor information forms your foundation.

Professional Database Subscription: CoStar or Reonomy provides ongoing intelligence.

Networking Contacts: Systematically add contacts to your CRM, creating an ever-growing network

Email Campaign Responses: Track who engages with your outreach, indicating interest in discussions

Segmentation Strategy

Primary Lists:

• Properties you’re actively pursuing
• Warm leads with past engagement
• Cold prospects never contacted
• Past clients (repeat business)

By Property Type: Separate lists for multifamily, office, retail, industrial, and land make your research more targeted.

By Owner Type:

• Institutional (REITs, pension funds)
• Private equity
• Family offices
• Individual owners
• Partnerships

By Likelihood to Sell:

• Hot (actively considering)
• Warm (might sell in 6-12 months)
• Cold (education phase)
• Long-term (relationship building)

Regular Maintenance

Weekly:

• Add new contacts from networking
• Update interactions and notes
• Set follow-up tasks
• Send targeted emails

Monthly:

• Review and clean data
• Remove unresponsive contacts
• Update property information
• Analyze campaign effectiveness

Quarterly:

• Deep clean database
• Segment refinement
• Strategy adjustment based on what’s working for where to find commercial properties to sell
• Performance analysis

Creating a Systematic Prospecting Schedule: Where to Find Commercial Properties to Sell Consistently

Consistency beats intensity when discovering where to find commercial properties to sell.

Monday: Data and Planning

Morning (2 hours):

• Review new public records
• Check LoopNet and CoStar for new listings
• Update CRM with weekend notes
• Plan week’s outreach strategy

Afternoon (2 hours):

• Research properties for targeted outreach
• Prepare personalized outreach messages
• Schedule follow-up calls
• Review pipeline progress on where to find commercial properties to sell

Tuesday and Thursday: Outreach Days

Morning (3 hours):

• Direct calling property owners (50-75 calls)
• Email campaigns to segmented lists
• LinkedIn connection requests and messages
• Social media engagement

Afternoon (2 hours):

• Follow-up calls from previous outreach
• Respond to inquiries about where to find commercial properties to sell
• Schedule property tours
• Update CRM

Wednesday: Networking and Relationships

Lunch: Property manager, lender, or attorney lunch meeting to discuss where to find commercial properties to sell.

Afternoon:

• Attend industry association meeting
• Coffee meetings with referral partners
• Broker collaboration discussions
• Strategic partnership development

Friday: Field Work

All Day:

• Drive target neighborhoods
• Visit properties in person
• Attend property showings
• Site visits with potential sellers
• Market tours with clients interested in where to find commercial properties to sell

Common Mistakes

Avoid these pitfalls in your search for where to find commercial properties to sell.

Mistake #1: Relying Only on Online Sources

The Problem: Everyone can access LoopNet and CoStar. You’re competing with hundreds of brokers for the same listings.

The Solution: Spend 70% of your time on offline strategies for where to find commercial properties to sell: networking, direct outreach, relationship building.

Mistake #2: Inconsistent Follow-Up

The Problem: Most property owners aren’t ready to sell when you first contact them. Without systematic follow-up, you miss opportunities regarding where to find commercial properties to sell.

The Solution: Implement CRM with automated reminders. Contact prospects every 60-90 days until they explicitly opt out.

Mistake #3: Generic Outreach

The Problem: “I’m a commercial real estate broker. Want to sell?” doesn’t work.

The Solution: Research each property. Personalize every message with specific details about their property, market conditions, or opportunities related to where to find commercial properties to sell.

Mistake #4: Only Pursuing Motivated Sellers

The Problem: By the time sellers are motivated, they’re talking to multiple brokers. Competition is fierce.

The Solution: Build relationships before owners are ready to sell. When they decide to sell, you’re already their trusted advisor on where to find commercial properties to sell.

Mistake #5: Not Specializing

The Problem: Trying to sell every property type means never becoming expert in any.

The Solution: Choose 1-2 property types. Become the recognized expert. Your focused knowledge of where to find commercial properties to sell in specific niches generates more referrals.

Your 90-Day Action Plan

Here’s how to implement your strategy for where to find commercial properties to sell.

Days 1-30: Foundation Building

Week 1:

• Set up or optimize your CRM
• Define target property types and markets
• Create professional marketing materials
• Set up email marketing system

Week 2:

• Purchase or access public records for your market
• Subscribe to one commercial property database
• Join at least one local CRE association
• Create your LinkedIn content strategy

Week 3:

• Build initial property owner database (500+ contacts)
• Design direct mail campaign template
• Schedule 5 networking lunches/coffee meetings
• Set up driving for dollars routine

Week 4:

• Launch first direct mail campaign (250 pieces)
• Begin daily outreach (25 calls, 25 emails)
• Attend first association event
• Start weekly property visiting schedule

Days 31-60: Momentum Building

Focus:

• Increase outreach volume to 50 calls and 50 emails daily
• Send second wave of direct mail
• Attend 2-3 networking events weekly
• Schedule 3-5 property visits weekly
• Follow up on all responses from first month
• Refine messaging based on feedback

Goals:

• 10+ property owner meetings scheduled
• 3+ exclusive listing presentations given
• 1-2 listings signed
• Expand database to 1,000+ contacts

Days 61-90: Scale and Refine

Focus:

• Continue consistent outreach
• Implement monthly newsletter
• Expand networking to new groups
• Partner with at least one broker for co-broking
• Systematize processes that work for where to find commercial properties to sell
• Eliminate activities not generating results

Goals:

• 15+ property owner meetings monthly
• 5+ listing presentations
• 3+ signed listings
• Self-sustaining referral pipeline starting

Final Thoughts on Where to Find Commercial Properties to Sell

Knowing where to find commercial properties to sell isn’t about having one perfect source. It’s about creating a system combining multiple sources and touching property owners through various channels consistently.

The brokers closing the most deals aren’t smarter or more talented. They’re more systematic, more consistent, and more persistent than their competition regarding where to find commercial properties to sell.

Start with strategies that feel most natural. If you’re great with people, focus on networking and relationship building. If you love data, dive deep into public records and databases. If you’re creative, emphasize content marketing and social media.

But whatever you do, start now. Don’t wait for the perfect system. Launch with what you have and refine as you go regarding where to find commercial properties to sell.

Remember: every successful commercial broker started exactly where you are today, wondering where to find commercial properties to sell. The difference between them and agents who struggled? They took action consistently, learned from results, and adapted their approach.

Your first deal might come from LoopNet. Or from a cold call. Or from a networking lunch. Or from knocking on a property door. You won’t know until you try everything and see what works for you in your market.

The commercial properties are out there. Hundreds of them in your market alone. Owners who’ll be ready to sell this year, next year, and five years from now.

Your job is making sure when they’re ready, they call you.

Now you know where to find commercial properties to sell. The next step is taking action on this knowledge. Start prospecting today!