Frequently asked questions.

In a triple net (NNN) lease, the tenant pays base rent plus their share of property taxes, insurance, and maintenance (CAM) on top of it. Triple Nets increase yearly.

Each spring, the Bexar Appraisal District (BCAD) mails a Notice of Appraised Value. If you believe it's too high, you file a written protest with BCAD by the deadline shown on the notice (typically May 15 or 30 days after the notice is mailed, whichever is later). You'll usually get an informal meeting with an appraiser first — many cases settle here. If not, you present evidence (comparable sales, income/expense data, or condition issues) at a formal hearing before the Appraisal Review Board (ARB), an independent panel that decides the final value. You can also hire a property tax protest company to handle the process on your behalf — they typically work on a contingency fee based on your tax savings.

There's no single "good" cap rate — it depends on the property type, price point, and the return you're targeting. A cap rate is simply a measure of risk and return: lower cap rates generally reflect lower risk (strong tenant, prime location, newer building), while higher cap rates reflect higher risk or more upside potential. The right cap rate for you depends on your investment goals, not a market-wide benchmark. We're happy to walk through current comparable trades for your specific property type and help you evaluate what a fair number looks like.

It varies significantly based on the deal. A cash purchase can close in as little as 30-45 days, while a financed deal often takes 60-90+ days to allow for lender underwriting and appraisal. The feasibility (due diligence) period also plays a major role — this is when the buyer inspects the property, reviews leases and financials, and confirms zoning or environmental conditions, and it can range from a couple weeks to 60+ days depending on what's negotiated. We can help you set realistic expectations for your specific deal once we know the property type and financing situation.

During the feasibility period, you'll typically order a property inspection, review the title commitment and survey, verify zoning, examine existing leases and financials (if the property is tenant-occupied), and, for many deal types, complete an environmental Phase I report. More complex properties — like land requiring entitlements or larger multi-tenant assets — often warrant a longer period. We can help structure a feasibility timeline that fits your specific property and risk tolerance.

A 1031 exchange lets you sell an investment property and reinvest the proceeds into a new "like-kind" property while deferring capital gains taxes on the sale. To qualify, you must identify a replacement property within 45 days of selling and close on it within 180 days, using a qualified intermediary to hold the funds in between (you can't touch the sale proceeds directly). It's a powerful tool for building wealth across multiple properties over time without a tax hit at each sale — but the timelines are strict, so planning ahead with your CPA and a qualified intermediary is essential.

Residential valuation relies heavily on recent comparable sales. Commercial valuation is part art, part science — especially in Texas, a non-disclosure state where actual sale prices aren't publicly reported, making true comps harder to pin down. Commercial properties are also valued using different methods depending on the asset: income-producing properties are often valued off their P&L and net operating income. Others lean more on location, condition, and property type. Since no two commercial properties are truly alike, valuation typically blends several approaches rather than relying on one formula.

The right zoning entirely depends on your intended use — a small retail shop, a restaurant with a drive-through, and a warehouse each have very different zoning requirements, and even a change of use within an existing building may need to be verified against current zoning. We're happy to help you determine what a specific property allows or what zoning you'd need for your business plan.

An owner-user purchase means the buyer will occupy the property to run their own business. An investment purchase means the buyer is acquiring the property purely for the income it generates, typically leasing it out to a tenant rather than occupying it themselves. This distinction matters for financing (owner-users often qualify for SBA loans with lower down payments), and for how the property is evaluated — owner-users focus more on suitability for their operations, while investors focus on cash flow, cap rate, and tenant strength.

Start with the property's trailing 12-month financials if it's already leased — actual property tax bills, insurance premiums, utilities, maintenance, and management fees give you the most reliable baseline

A BOV is a broker's professional estimate of a property's market value, typically including a summary of the property's key characteristics, an analysis of comparable sales and active listings, relevant income and expense data (for income-producing properties), current market conditions, and a recommended value or pricing range. It's less formal and less costly than a full appraisal, and is commonly used to help owners decide whether to sell, refinance, or hold. It's not the same as an appraisal — a BOV isn't intended for lending purposes, but it's a useful, fast way to understand where a property likely stands in today's market.

Interest rates directly impact both financing costs and property values. When rates rise, borrowing becomes more expensive. Rising rates can also slow transaction volume, as sellers holding lower-rate debt are less motivated to sell and buyers face tighter underwriting. On the flip side, falling rates tend to support higher valuations and increased deal activity. Because of this, timing, loan structure, and rate environment are all important factors to weigh alongside the property itself when making an investment decision.

Our bilingual team guides investors through acquisition structuring, financing coordination, and closing across the US–Mexico corridor. We connect our clients with bilingual attorneys, CPAs, and lenders experienced in cross-border deals. Our position along the South Texas corridor gives us direct insight into the investment patterns and needs of Mexican and Latin American buyers entering the U.S. market. If you're investing from outside the U.S., we can walk you through exactly what to expect and who you'll need on your team

Our primary focus is representing buyers and sellers in commercial real estate transactions. We take on landlord and tenant leasing representation on a limited, case-by-case basis rather than as a core service. If you're looking for leasing help, reach out and we can let you know if it's a fit for what we're currently taking on.