'I'm The Brand': CRE Compensation Angst Fueling Job Searches And Even Spinoffs At first glance, this appears to be a terrible moment to switch jobs or start a new business in commercial real estate. Deal volume is down, and financing presents significant hurdles to any new enterprise. But angst around compensation and bonuses and frustration around cuts and resource allocation may be creating a groundswell that could lead to talent looking for new opportunities, even if they are few and far between. “The reaction is, there aren't a lot of great places to go. It’s not like these other firms are paying great bonuses,” said Chris Papa, founding partner of Jackson Lucas, an executive search firm focused on real estate. “I think people are looking to make moves to firms that maybe are a little better positioned, maybe don’t have as many office assets in their portfolio.” 
Last summer, 43-year-old Phoenix retail broker Eddie Gonzalez and a group of co-workers at SVN Desert Commercial did the numbers and decided it was exactly the right moment to hang out their own shingle. They discovered they were giving away roughly half of their commission to SVN and realized they… Read the full story here. | 
