Every real estate deal tells a story — of problem-solving, leverage, and timing. This one — a 12,948-square-foot multi-tenant retail building in San Leandro, California — was fading fast. Once full of tenants, now 100% vacant, vandalized, and slapped with a $92,474 fine and a lien from the City, after tagging the property as “unsafe.”
The majority owner, a CPA who had inherited her share, called The Ivy Group to help lease it out. Then we ran the numbers together, to see whether leasing made sense.
Starbucks intended to lease about 3,000 sq ft, on the condition that the owner spends nearly a million dollars in tenant improvements, and the landlord receives zero rent for nearly two years while remodeling the space. There is still 9,000 square feet of vacant space waiting to be filled.
To watch as a 3-min short introduction video
To listen as a 3-min short intro podcast
👉 visit https://theivygroup.com/course-category/cre-strategies-tactics/, and access the full case study and companion video for a small fee.
Should all the co-owners trade it up to a 1031 Exchange real estate commercial property to defer capital gain taxes, or just sell it and pay the taxes?
We helped our client weigh pros and cons, and cut through complexity. If you are interested in learning about our decision matrix, you can pay a small fee to access the exclusive full case study and companion video at: TheIvyGroup.com/Courses.
We brought the property to market. Eight offers came in, but one stood out: a buyer with 1031 Exchange real estate funds: Real cash. Tight deadline. Real urgency.
The buyer asked for price cuts. The full article will explain our negotiation strategies that protected our client’s price.
Just before closing, a curveball:
The city’s lien and fines — $92,474 — blocked the title from transfer.
The Ivy team turned this crisis into a collaboration between the private and public sectors. The full article will tell the story how we erased the fines and removed the lien.
To walk you through our decision matrix, negotiation framework and lien resolution process:
👉 Access the FULL case study and the accompanying video (for a reasonable fee).
The deal closed at $3.36 million.
The building’s lights came back on.
A new restaurant is opening.
A retail corner once abandoned now brings people back.
This is what strategy looks like when analysis meets action, and when experience turns obstacles into leverage.
To learn exactly how we successfully navigated this complex sale – from assessing lease options, selling, and 1031 exchange, to price protection negotiation with a 1031 Exchange buyer, to lien removal from the City – visit https://theivygroup.com/product-category/deal-structure-1031-exchange/, and access the full case study and companion video for a small fee. You will discover how clear thinking, simplifying complexity, and leveraging optionality can change the outcome.
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The Ivy Group is a commercial real estate brokerage specializing in sales, leasing, and investment advisory and representation in Fremont, CA, Silicon Valley, and across the greater San Francisco Bay Area. When you need to sell, buy, or lease a commercial property, the Ivy Group is ready to help you reach your goals with more than 100 years of combined experience in real estate, deep market insight, and professional designations including SIOR and CCIM. The Ivy Group delivers strategic solutions for complex real estate transactions with additional expertise in investment, technology and engineering. Contact us with your next real estate needs.
Copyright ©️ 2025 by Tim Vi Tran, SIOR, CCIM. All rights reserved.
