What investors should expect from their broker
For property investors, the question is rarely, “Can you lease or sell the property?”
The better question is: Can your broker help you make better strategic decisions before the deal ever gets to market?
Most sophisticated investors already know the public information. They see the listings. They track the major transactions. They know who the large landlords are and where vacancy is showing up.
What they need is the layer underneath: the hidden opportunities, the market motivation, the competitive strategy, and the practical insight that helps them decide what to do next.
As Alika Cosner, Senior Vice President at Colliers, put it: “The stuff that’s public, they know it. Every time I ask, ‘Did you see that property on the market?’ they’ve looked at it already. So the questions should be: What’s not on the market? What might be a hidden opportunity?”
That is where a strong brokerage team adds value.
Seeing what is not obvious yet
For owners and investors, the most useful market intelligence is often forward-looking.
What properties may come to market soon? Why might they come to market? Is an owner selling because of debt pressure, succession planning, liquidity needs, a death in the family, or a broader portfolio strategy?
That motivation matters.
A property that looks like “just another listing” may actually be an opportunity — or a warning sign — depending on the story behind it. Likewise, a competitor’s strategy may tell an owner how aggressive they should be on rate, concessions, tenant retention, or capital improvements.
Owners want to know:
What are other landlords doing?
Where are they getting aggressive?
Where are they holding firm?
How are they thinking about rising expenses, tenant retention, and new competition?
“We give them clarity,” Cosner said, “and peace of mind that they’re making the right decision.”
Knowing the competitive landscape
In Hawaii’s industrial market, competition is not just the building across the street. It can be a new development, a government project, a zoning change, rail construction, or a major tenant movement that creates a ripple effect.
For landlords, that means market strategy has to account for more than the current vacancy rate.
New projects may shift tenant expectations. Rail construction may change traffic patterns. Zoning changes can affect long-term use and value. A tenant moving out of one facility and into another can create “musical chairs” across the market.
A broker who is actively in the market every day can help owners understand those shifts before they show up in a quarterly report.
That insight matters when making decisions like:
Should we push rate or prioritize occupancy?
Should we invest in improvements now or later?
How do we position this vacancy against competing options?
Which tenant profile is the right fit for this asset?
Running the process well
Market insight is only one part of the equation. Execution matters just as much.
On the investment side, Cosner says the team’s value often comes down to process: positioning the asset correctly, building demand, selecting the right buyer, and managing the transaction all the way to closing.
“It’s not just about getting the right price,” he said. “It’s the guys who can close at the end of the day.”
That means identifying issues early, keeping the process moving, and creating a smoother path from contract to close. A strong buyer at a slightly lower number may be better than a higher offer from a buyer who can’t see the deal through.
The same principle applies on the leasing side. Institutional investors care about budget, occupancy, retention, and credit quality. They need a broker who understands where the market is, how tenants are behaving, and how to position the asset to attract the right users — not just any user.
“We’re really focused on tenant retention,” Cosner said. “We’re good at hitting our marks. We position the properties right, and we have a pulse on where we need to be to hit the mark.”
The real value: Better decisions
At the highest level, investors should expect more than activity from their broker. They should expect judgment.
A good broker brings listings, tours, calls, and market data. A strategic broker brings context.
They help owners understand what is working, what is not, what competitors are doing, what risks may be missed, and where the next opportunity may be forming. That’s especially important in a market where public data only tells part of the story.
The right broker team helps investors move with more confidence — whether they are holding, leasing, selling, repositioning, or preparing for what comes next.
