Sometimes investors, especially but not exclusively companies, don’t want their competitors or the market in general to know what they’re up to. That’s fine. There’s a number of ways this kind of campaign can play out, but a few of the tools that might be considered are valuation reports (so the vendor can be confident of receiving a good price without market feedback) and non-identifying advertising. Generally, though, we put our heads together with the vendor and come up with a likely shortlist of buyers. (We have decades of experience in commercial property and literally thousands of contacts in development, retail, syndication and investment.)
Then it’s a matter of controlling the information flow very carefully while we find the right buyer and negotiate the right price. Non-disclosure agreements can play an important role here, but they’re not the ultimate tool. We believe strongly in win-win relationships and when everyone is respectful and wants a deal to go ahead, there’s plenty of up-side for all parties.
Here’s a tip for running an off-market campaign: don’t forget your neighbours. Your agent should be happy to approach other businesses and property owners in your area (without disclosing your details of course). Expansion plans and acquisition strategies can change every day and sometimes, despite nation-wide interest, the successful purchaser is right next door.