Sean Ellington joined NAI Heartland as an associate of the brokerage team in October 2017. His primary areas of focus are landlord and tenant representation with regard to leasing, property acquisition and disposition of retail and office properties in the Kansas City metro area.

Ellington is a licensed commercial real estate agent in Kansas and Missouri. His current projects include:

· Cherokee South Shopping Center – Overland Park, Kan.

· Former Kneaders Bakery – Blue Springs, Mo.

· Former Boston Market – Overland Park, Kan.

In this week's Broker Spotlight, Ellington shares his ambition of commercial real estate with MWM - including his goals, excitement and the new ideas he has for the industry.

Rachel Treanor (RT): What gets you excited to get to work every day?

The “maybe” or “what if” factor that gets me up every day is the potential for new business or projects! I am always excited to bring new brands or concepts to Kansas City.

RT: How do you keep your skills sharp in this competitive climate?

Sean Ellington (SE): Stay on the phone and stay connected to the areas where you have projects. They will quickly overlap and your knowledge and contacts within a larger area will grow.

RT: What was your lightbulb moment to get into commercial real estate?

SE: My lightbulb moment was most likely when I worked in property management while attending KU. I saw how passive income was generated through real estate and I wanted to get involved. After property management, I was a commercial appraiser before I became an associate at NAI Heartland. The real draw of commercial real estate for me was the entrepreneurship aspect and how different being a broker is from a typical employee.

RT: Who is your mentor and why?

There are several partners within NAI Heartland that I would consider a mentor. Carl LaSala has been a constant resource and pillar to lean on during my time as an associate. Carl and I have discussed numerous topics; from contract review to stress management, he has made it easier to navigate the challenges of this business.

RT: Who do you mentor?

I probably don’t have enough gray hair to be considered a great mentor but usually start-ups and potential clients are the individuals I can help the most. My advice revolves around how to present a tenant’s vision and the resources and tools necessary to get a second look from a landlord or gain trust.

RT: What deal do you wish for in your future portfolio?

SE: It probably isn’t a specific deal as we all want to lease and sell larger and more impressive properties. My wish is to have a portfolio that the majority of deals are working with Kansas City based investors/businesses. I would like to better understand the younger investors/businesses that are getting involved in CRE as I am growing my portfolio.

RT: What leads do you look for?

SE: Currently I am focusing on landlord representation leads. Most of my business has been a combination of landlord rep and tenant rep, but right now I would like to be speaking with landlords on projects that have not leased for some time or have just become vacant.

How can prospects contact you for more information?

SE: Give me a call or send me an email! (913)-907-9454 or sean@nai-heartland.com

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