Drew Rosonke | Commercial Real Estate

Looking to open a restaurant, bar, or retail concept in Downtown Des Moines? This one is worth a look. 📍The CC - 216 Court Avenue, Des Moines 36,000 SF total | For Sale or Lease Located in the heart of the Historic Court Avenue District Spaces available on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors, ranging from 3,716 SF up to 12,007 SF. Exposed brick, open floor plans, outdoor patio, and existing kitchen infrastructure already in place. Here's what makes this even more interesting: The City of Des Moines just launched Restore the Core DSM. This is a matching reimbursement grant program offering up to $200,000 for eligible tenants moving into ground-floor retail space in the Downtown core. The CC qualifies. If you've been thinking about bringing a concept downtown, the city is now putting money on the table to make it happen. DM me or reach out directly to learn more. drew.rosonke@cbre.com

Not every deal closes, and here's why this one might not. I've been working with a laundromat client that is searching for 2,000 SF of retail space in a suburb of Des Moines. We found a site that had been sitting on the market for months and reached out to the listing agent repeatedly. The landlord wasn't interested in our use. So, we waited. 5 months later, the landlord's agent called me and asked if we were still interested and if we wanted to tour the space. We toured and sent an LOI the day after. Our ask was straightforward, 10 year term, some free rent, and a tenant improvement allowance to get the space built out. The landlord came back at full asking rate. Minimal free rent. Zero TIA. After 5 months of vacancy, they called us and still won't negotiate. Here's the question I keep coming back to: Why invite a tenant to tour if you have zero interest in making a deal work? This is the side of CRE nobody talks about. Not every landlord is ready to make a deal, even when their building is sitting empty.

Just Sold - 36 Clark St, Des Moines | 10,970 SF This deal was 3 years in the making. Countless tours. Dozens of options presented. Building after building that was close, but never quite right for the client. The Des Moines industrial market is competitive. Good product moves fast and finding the right fit for a growing business isn't always straightforward. After years of searching, my client made the call to buy land and build their own facility from scratch. Just like that, a new opportunity opened up. We took their existing 10,970 SF building to market and got it sold. This is the part of CRE nobody talks about. The long stretches where nothing is closing. The tours that lead nowhere. The patience it takes to keep showing up for your client even when the deal isn't there yet. But when you stay persistent and keep putting in the work, it pays off.

Everyone thinks commercial real estate is easy money. It's not. When I started, I moved back home, made cold call after cold call, and didn't see a real paycheck for 8-12 months. No deals. No income. Just the grind. Most people would've quit. I kept dialing. Eventually it clicked, and when it does, every single uncomfortable month is worth it. CRE rewards patience and persistence. But it will test you first.

Before I start breaking down the Des Moines Commercial Real Estate market, here's who I am. 📍 Commercial Real Estate Agent at CBRE, Des Moines 🎓 University of Northern Iowa: Finance & Real Estate, Class of 2023 🏙️ Norwalk, Iowa native 💼 Been in the market since day one after graduation I work across office, retail, industrial, and investment properties in and around Des Moines. I started this account to share what I'm actually seeing on the ground, not just headlines. If Des Moines real estate matters to you, stick around.

I’m going to start posting more here about the Des Moines commercial real estate market. What I’ll be sharing: • Office, retail, industrial, and investment market thoughts • Leasing and sales trends I’m seeing locally • New opportunities in the market • Tips for business owners, landlords, tenants, and investors • Real-world lessons from commercial deals Commercial real estate is local, relationship-driven, and always changing. Whether you own property, need space, are watching the market, or are just curious what’s happening around Des Moines — follow along.

Losing both grandparents in a 2 month span has been the toughest time of my life. I hope heaven treats you both well. I love and miss you so much grandma and grandpa. RIP💜. Grandma•06/30/2020 Grandpa•08/20/2020

Happy birthday Bev! Have a good one brother