by Jennifer Dawson of the Houston Business Journal

NAI Houston has become the latest commercial real estate firm to begin offering property management services during a down economy.

The firm is in the market to manage office, industrial and retail assets. And after a dozen years spent representing office tenants, the firm is now ready to sit on the other side of the table, as well, as a landlord representative in lease negotiations.

Sam Hansen, who spent the last 11 years working for Hines Interests LP, joined NAI Houston last month as director of property management and director of office project leasing. After seven years in property management at Hines, Hansen spent the last four years handling office leasing at Williams Tower, JP Morgan Chase Tower and six buildings in Greenspoint Plaza.

NAI Houston has 40 local brokers and 12 support staff, which ranks it as the 10th-largest commercial brokerage firm in Houston, according to Business Journal research.

Rhyne Brown, executive vice president of client development with NAI Global, says the Houston office is following a nationwide trend of adding property management because most brokers can do it, and the work adds some steady cash flow.

NAI executives say property management will generate income while business is slower, but the expansion has been part of a vision that dates back 10 years (see box).

“It’s always been part of our strategy to be a full-service firm,” says Jon Silberman, co-managing principal of NAI Houston.

The property management service might come into play quickly since NAI Global has been selected as one of three national real estate companies to help Citibank NA dispose of hundreds of foreclosed commercial properties around the United States. Grubb & Ellis Co. and Cushman & Wakefield of Texas Inc. are also working on the assignment.

Citibank will need property managers to take care of foreclosed assets while they are waiting to be sold.

Rob Chandler and Mark McGinley of NAI Houston have sold several small properties in the past for Citibank’s foreclosure unit. Pursuit of more business in that area led NAI Houston and NAI Global to bid on selling foreclosed properties for Citibank nationwide.

NAI Houston is a member of the NAI Global network, which is based in Princeton, N.J.

Another member firm that’s working on the Citibank assignment is Iowa-based NAI Ruhl & Ruhl Commercial Co., which will provide some property management services. NAI Global’s Brown says a confidentiality agreement prohibits disclosing which Citibank assets, or how many of them, are being handled by the firm.

NAI Houston proudly announces Ross Cannizaro has joined the firm as Vice President of our Investment Brokerage Services division. Prior to joining NAI Houston, Ross was a top producer at a national commercial real estate firm. Ross Cannizaro Vice President Phone: (713) 985-4614 Fax: (832) 448-2289 rcannizaro@naihouston.com Download vcard Zach Caraway Associate Phone: (713) 985-4603 Fax: (832) 448-2287 zcaraway@naihouston.com Download vcard Over his career, Ross has closed many different types of investment transactions; office, medical office, surgery centers, office-warehouse, office service center, single-tenant net leased, bulk warehouse, retail strip center, and land value deals. Ross’s area of expertise is in office and healthcare related asset sales. Zach Caraway has also joined NAI Houston as an Associate with Ross’s team. NAI Houston 1900 West Loop South, Suite 500, Houston, Texas 77027 – (713) 629-0500

[rebusinessonline.com]
HOUSTON – NAI Houston has arranged two leases in Houston. In the first transaction, First Call Field Service signed a lease for a 20,000-square-foot industrial building located within Northwest Green Business Park at 5123 Hiltonview Rd. The tenant was represented by Travis Land of NAI Houston. John Ferruzzo, also of NAI, represented the landlord, Capital Commercial Investments. In the second transaction, Dynamic Offshore Resources subleased 49,314 square feet of office space at 1301 McKinney St. from StatoilHydro. Josh Cheatham and Dan Boyles of NAI Houston represented the subtenant. Joe Peddie and Kevin Snodgrass of Cushman & Wakefield represented the sublessor.

NAI Houston notes CCS Energy Services recently signed a lease for 7,233 square feet at 363 North Belt. The Landlord, 363 North Belt, L.P. was represented by Terri Torregrossa and Griff Jaggard of Moody Rambin Interests. CCS Energy Services was represented by Griff Bandy and Jon Silberman of NAI Houston in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes Buckeye International, Inc. has renewed their 12,224 square foot industrial space lease at 16420 West Hardy. The landlord, Houston Industrial Properties, LTD was represented by Steve Carter of Granite Properties. Darren O’Conor of NAI Houston represented the lessee, Buckeye International, Inc., in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes Limin Properties, Ltd. has purchased a newly constructed 20,700 square foot building at 7310 West Road. The seller, A.E.N. West Rail Center, L.P. was represented by Steve Adkisson of The National Realty Group. Chris Caudill and Jon Michael of NAI Houston represented the purchaser, Limin Properties, Ltd., in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes Suderman & Young Towing Company recently signed a lease for 6,252 square feet at 2777 Allen Parkway. The Landlord, American General Life Corporation was represented by Bill Stone of Cushman and Wakefield, Inc. Suderman & Young Towing Company was represented by Griff Bandy of NAI Houston in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes Metal Works Properties, LP has purchased a newly constructed 50,740 square foot building at 8550 Telephone Road in Houston, Texas. The seller, Cerda Corp, LLC was represented by Stuart Rosen of Greater Houston Commercial Properties. Chris Caudill and Joel Michael of NAI Houston represented the purchaser, Metal Works Properties, LP, in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes Kintetsu World Express (U.S.A.), Inc. has leased a 6,500 square foot facility at 3340-A Greens Road, Suite 750. The landlord, AMB was represented by Chris Money of Stream Realty. Chris Kugle of NAI Houston represented the tenant, Kintetsu World Express (U.S.A.), Inc., in the transaction.

By Amy Wolff Sorter of globest.com

HOUSTON-After investigating a variety of options, Canadian electronics liquidator SLM-IQ Logistics Inc. has taken 27,401 square feet in the World Houston International Business Center. SLM-IQ signed a five-year lease with EastGroup Properties for space in the 129,151-square-foot World Houston 11, and will move in this week.

NAI Houston senior associate Chris Kugel tells GlobeSt.com that the space at 4660 N. Sam Houston Pkwy. East was SLM-IQ’s final choice out of six other options because it was ready for immediate move-in and required no TIs. Kugel, who represented the tenant with NAI Houston principal John Ferruzzo declined to discuss the lease consideration, only to say the rate was competitive and the deal included some free rent on the front end. Quoted lease rates on flex, warehouse and distribution space in Houston’s far north submarket range from $4.50-$6.50 per sf, net.

Ultimately, it was the space’s location that triggered the decision to move to World Houston. “The proximity to Bush Airport, Highway 59 and Beltway 8 was the key,” Kugel explains. SLM-IQ, which buys scratched and dented electronics, will use the space to test the electronics, refurbish them, then distribute them throughout South America.

“They ship by truck only,” Kugel says. “But they’ll use 59 to get to Laredo (Texas), then through Mexico and to South America. That was significant in this decision.” Though SLM-IQ isn’t planning to ship product via air, direct flights from Toronto to Bush Intercontinental Airport also played a factor in the decision. The remainder of the building is vacant, and Kugel says SLM-IQ has the option of expanding into the space if needed.

World Houston 11 is part of the Jackson, MS-based EastGroup’s two-million-square-foot World Houston International Business Center. World Houston is comprised of 26 completed flex buildings, with three more, World Houston 28, 29 and 30, currently under construction.
Insite Commercial Real Estate of Houston has the marketing assignment for the development. Insite Commercial’s Rives Nolen represented EastGroup in the SLM-IQ lease negotiations.

NAI Houston notes SLM-IQ Logistics, Inc. has leased a 27,401 square foot warehouse at 4660 N. Sam Houston PKWY E. The tenant was represented by John Ferruzzo, SIOR, and Chris Kugle of NAI Houston. Rives Nolen of Insite Commercial Real Estate represented the landlord, EastGroup Properties, L.P., in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes CIMA Energy, LTD has leased 20,254 square feet for the relocation of its corporate headquarters at 100 Waugh Drive, Houston, Texas 77007. CIMA was represented by Jason G. Whittington and Jon Silberman of NAI Houston. Greg Tilton of Transwestern Commercial Services represented the Landlord, LU12 Houston Waugh, L.P., in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes PLS, Inc. has subleased 9,548 square feet 1 Houston Center, 1221 McKinney, Houston, TX 77010. The Sublandlord, CIMA ENERGY, LTD. was represented by Jason G. Whittington and Jon Silberman of NAI Houston. John S. Parsley of Colliers International represented the subtenant, PLS, Inc., in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes Adams Valves,Inc. has purchased a 21,000 square foot Design-Build facility at Cutten Road Business Park. The buyer was represented John Ferruzzo and Joel Michael of NAI Houston. Charlie Christ represented the developer, Clay Development & Construction, in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes Veritrust, Inc. has leased 47,850 square feet of industrial space at 2000 Afton Road, Houston, TX 77055. The landlord, Prologis, was represented by Holden Rushing of Prologis. The tenant was represented by Chris Kugle of NAI Houston.

NAI Houston notes Strategic Protection Systems has leased 5,048 square feet at 14900 Woodham Dr, Houston, TX. The tenant was represented Jason Whittington of NAI Houston. Tom Brummett of Brummett and Company represented the landlord, 600 C.C. Business Park Ltd, in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes Snap On Tools has leased 2,400 square feet at 2170 Buckthorne Pl, The Woodlands, TX. The tenant was represented Josh Cheatham of NAI Houston. Tim Maczko of J. Beard Real Estate Company LP represented the landlord in the transaction.

NAI Houston notes the Korean Consulate has leased 7,382 square feet at 1990 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX. The tenant was represented by Dan F. Boyles, Jr. and Josh Cheatham of NAI Houston. Clint Bawcom of CAPSTAR Commercial Real Estate Services, Ltd. represented the landlord in the transaction.

PRINCETON, NJ, February 17, 2009 – NAI Global today named John Ferruzzo, Principal at NAI Houston in Houston, Texas, to the NAI Global Elite, a group comprised of the organization’s top performers and top producers. Ferruzzo qualified as a Top Producer based on production in 2008.

PRINCETON, NJ, February 17, 2009 – NAI Global today named Darren O’Conor at NAI Houston in Houston, Texas, to the NAI Global Elite, a group comprised of the organization’s top performers and top producers. O’Conor qualified as a Top Performer based on production in 2008.