Ever wonder how some CRE brokers land six-figure commissions for “doing nothing”—and why that’s not the full story? In this episode of Commercially Speaking, Bo and Timmy Barron sit down with James Milner, CCIM, a commercial broker and CCIM leader, to uncover the reality of commercial real estate brokerage, how the industry really works, and why earning a CCIM designation is a game-changer.

James shares his journey from real estate paralegal to CCIM leader, explains the hardest part of breaking into commercial real estate, and reveals how brokers really make money (hint: it’s not as easy as it looks!). Plus, he gives an inside look at why CCIM is the gold standard in CRE education and what brokers need to do to earn it.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

• How brokers actually get paid (and why some fees seem too good to be true)
• The biggest mistakes new brokers make (and how to avoid them)
• What CCIM is and how it can 10X your career in CRE
• Why some deals require brokers to step back—and when they should step in
• The impact of Hurricane Helene on Boone, NC, and how businesses are rebuilding

📍 Plus: Timmy takes another CCIM pop quiz, James gives his top 3 reasons portfolios get rejected, and Bo shares the number one mistake he made when submitting his CCIM portfolio.

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🔗 Resources Mentioned:

• ❤️ Boone, NC Small Business Relief Fund – Donate here: boonechamber.com/foundation
• 🏢 Appalachian Commercial Real Estate – AppalachianCRE.com
• 📊 CRE Marketing Mastermind – wesgay.com/cs
• 🤖 Superpowers HQ – Need a CRE executive assistant? Get one here: superpowershq.com/commerciallyspeaking
• All Disc, No Balls! — Tizbee, The Secret Game For Champions — tizbee.com
• 💡 Massimo Group – World-class coaching for CRE brokers: massimo-group.com
• 🛠️ Site to Do Business (STDB) – Powerful CRE analysis and mapping tools: stdb.com

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⏰ Time Code ⏰

00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdotes
00:11 James Milner’s Journey into Commercial Real Estate
02:54 Understanding the CCIM Designation
05:36 The Importance of Relationships in Real Estate
08:53 Navigating Client Relationships and Trust
11:45 The Role of Appalachian Commercial Real Estate
14:33 Challenges Faced by CCIM Candidates
17:34 Portfolio Submission Process for CCIM
20:32 Common Mistakes in Portfolio Submissions
23:19 Team Dynamics in Commercial Real Estate
26:41 The Impact of Hurricane Helene on Boone, NC
40:25 Economic Impact of Natural Disasters
47:30 Community Resilience and Support
54:36 Long-Term Recovery and Economic Outlook
56:45 Engaging Conversations and Community Involvement

📒Show Notes📒

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Bo is a CCIM Instructor and the owner and operator of Barron Commercial Group, servicing Western KY and its surrounding markets.

For all CRE inquiries, visit http://www.barroncommercial.com

Timmy is an actor, comedian, writer and host: @timmybarron https://youtu.be/ICoIAHSZvgA