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Zoning, Site Plans, and Strategy: Finding the Hidden Wins in Real Estate Deals

Examining how zoning knowledge, engineering insights, and brokerage strategy intersect to uncover hidden opportunities, accelerate deals, and reshape collaboration in real estate, with Jere Metcalf

Summary

In this live-recorded episode of The Blueprint Tour from the 2024 CREI Summit in Atlanta, hosts Kenneth Shultz and Carter Huddleston sit down with Jere Metcalf, a longtime luxury real estate agent with Sotheby’s International Realty turned consultant and podcast host. Known for Top Real Estate Agents Tell How They Do It, Jere brings a unique perspective on how lessons from luxury residential brokerage translate into the world of commercial real estate, construction, and engineering.

The conversation explores the intersection of zoning knowledge, site planning, brokerage strategy, and engineering insights—and how they can reveal hidden opportunities in deals. Jere shares how early collaboration between brokers and engineers reduces risk, accelerates timelines, and makes projects more profitable.

Along the way, the trio dives into the realities of cold calling, Jere’s “6-2-7” framework for building stronger client relationships, and why going for the no often opens bigger doors. They also swap stories on flipping land, navigating zoning codes, and how knowing the right engineers can turn six months of waiting into two weeks of progress.

It’s a candid and practical discussion that bridges luxury brokerage, commercial engineering, and deal-making strategy—perfect for brokers, developers, engineers, and anyone curious about uncovering the hidden wins in real estate.

Keywords

CREI Summit, commercial real estate, Jere Metcalf, Sotheby’s International Realty, luxury real estate, brokerage strategy, zoning, site planning, engineering insights, land deals, deal flow, early collaboration, MEP engineering, cold calling, sales strategy, relationship building, real estate consulting, real estate podcasting, CRE community, real estate development

Takeaways

  • Early collaboration between brokers and engineers can drastically cut timelines and reduce risk.

  • Zoning and site planning knowledge uncover hidden opportunities that make deals more profitable.

  • Jere’s 6-2-7 framework helps professionals structure calls and conversations for trust, not just transactions.

  • Cold calling with curiosity is more effective than scripts or hard pitches.

  • Engineers’ insights into costs (like HVAC) can make or break underwriting before a deal closes.

  • Brokers who understand zoning and engineering can position themselves as indispensable deal-makers.

  • Real estate success comes from solving problems clients don’t even realize they have yet.

Sound Bites

“Going for the no is often the fastest way to get to the yes.” – Jere Metcalf

“The best time to get in on a deal is way before it ever happens.” – Jere Metcalf

“Your zoning knowledge tells you where you can do it. Engineering tells you how you can do it.” – Carter Huddleston

“If I can get a site plan done in two weeks instead of six months, I just unlocked the deal.” – Jere Metcalf

“Cold calling isn’t about pitching—it’s about solving a problem nobody else can.” – Jere Metcalf

Chapters

  1. Welcome and CREI Summit Intro

  2. Meet Jere Metcalf: From Luxury Brokerage to Consulting

  3. The Blueprint Tour’s Seasons and Focus Shifts

  4. Why Brokerage and Engineering Are More Connected Than You Think

  5. Hidden Opportunities in Zoning and Site Plans

  6. Cold Calling, Curiosity, and the 6-2-7 Framework

  7. Flipping Land and Understanding Assemblage Deals

  8. Engineers as Early Collaborators in Real Estate

  9. Solving Problems Before Clients Know They Exist

  10. Key Lessons Brokers Can Learn from Engineering

  11. Final Thoughts and Where to Find Jere

Where to Find Jere Metcalf

Twitter . LinkedIn · BreakthroughLuxury.com · The Jere Metcalf Podcast

Where to Find The Blueprint Tour

YouTube · TikTok · TheBPTour.com · Kenneth Shultz (Host) · Carter Huddleston (Host)

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