The Key Difference to Longevity as a CRE Broker
Trusted Advisors vs Commodity Brokers.
This one may be even more important because it‘s the key to unlocking longevity in the brokerage world.
It’s what all the best CRE brokers that you look up to do, and it goes much further than just being a “good” vs “bad” broker.
But first, what is a commodity broker?
A commodity broker is someone who waits for deals to happen.
They:
- React rather than initiate
- Lack a proactive approach
- Focus on individual transactions without building a long-term vision.
- Fail to offer personalized insights or strategic guidance for their clients.
Important: This is different from being a “bad” broker.
Commodity brokers can still see financial success. But it often leads to a career that’s ultimately unfulfilling with:
- Shallow relationships
- High-stress levels, and
- A constant fear of being overtaken by the competition (i.e. the trusted advisor who you’ll learn about below).
Common language commodity brokers use are:
- “Let’s see what happens”
- “We’ll go from there”
- “Let me know if something comes up.”
- “We’ll deal with it if it becomes an issue.”
Before you continue reading, I want you to ask yourself whether or not you have commodity broker tendencies!
How is a trusted advisor different?
Instead of being reactive, brokers who position themselves as “trusted advisors” market themselves consistently, offer meaningful advice, and stay ahead of the curve.
They understand that the information needed to succeed is actually readily available – what sets them apart is their ability to persevere, adapt, and provide real value to their clients.
No matter how high-tech you go, clients want a human. AI plays a huge role here, sure, and anyone who follows us knows that we’re at the cutting edge of its application in CRE brokerage (I’ve actually built a brand new tool using AI this past week that you can access for free in the next few scrolls).
But I don’t want to focus on that (at least not here).
Trusted advisors dig deeper into their specific market to understand things like:
- The construction pipeline
- The debt landscape
- The Specific deal boxes of active buyers, owners and tenants
Put simply, it means proactively guiding clients through every phase of ownership (acquisition, operation, and eventual exit).
Trusted advisors show to their clients that they’re in it with them for the long haul, not just until the ink is dry.
Real success comes when you position yourself like the trusted advisor in your market – someone clients turn to in any market condition (making you 10x more valuable than commodity brokers).
Common language commodity brokers use:
- “Let’s tackle any challenges before they arise.”
- “I’ve identified some key opportunities for you.”
- “Here’s the strategy I recommend.”
- “It’s a challenge, but nothing we can’t overcome.”
When I was growing up in my pre-teens, I would love watching Bruce Lee’s films.
It’s funny, as you get older, and you rewatch these films, you realize all of the profound lessons inside them that you just never picked up on as a youngster.
One of them that I recall well, that I think fits perfectly into the theme of what encapsulates a successful CRE broker is this:
“To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.”
This mindset isn’t just a lesson from the movies – it’s a reminder that in our industry, resilience and proactive thinking separate the top performers from the rest.
An important step to start separating yourself is to get crystal clear on the volume of activities it will take to achieve your commission goals in 2026. I’ve built what I’m calling the Massimo Money Metrics, a calculator designed to do EXACTLY that.
