One of the things Dutson is most proud of is setting up the Houston location for Strive, which is based in Dallas.
“Bringing in a handful of agents to the Houston office that really are ramping up quickly, that are motivated and bought into what our company is bringing to the table, it’s been very rewarding to foster that environment down here in Houston,” Dutson said.
One of the biggest successes the office has had in terms of deals, Dutson said, is the Northway Center, a 215,000-square-foot shopping center off of the Northwest Freeway just outside the 610 Loop. Dutson did not disclose the dollar figure of the deal.
“[It was] sold to a local group that’s active and really building relationships that are exciting to see,” Dutson said. “And a personal proud moment of mine that I’m able to bring value and that I’m being respected by the local groups that have been in the market for a long time.”
Dutson’s main goal for this year is to gross a higher dollar volume than the Dallas office and compete with them on a yearly basis, he said.
“From there, what we’ve laid out to make that happen is really just building relationships and proving to our clients that we’re in arms with them in terms of their goals. We’re not looking to get a couple deals done and get out of this market. We’re in long term,” Dutson said. “And we’re glad that we’ve been embraced as a company and as a group of guys because we know that we can bring serious value to our clients.”
Another standout figure on this year’s list is a regular, Bill Byrd, a land broker at Colliers (Nasdaq: CIGI). What makes Byrd stand out is not just that he’s a Heavy Hitter, but that he went from regularly being on the lower half of the lists to now being in the top five.
“A lot of it is chemistry. Do you like the individual agent that you’re working with? Do you feel confident in their knowledge and in their experience? You know, I think the [thing] that I have, perhaps over others, is just time in the marketplace,” Byrd told HBJ. “Just being in the market for a long time, since 1984 working land transactions. I’ve got a depth of knowledge, and I’ve got a great company in Colliers that has wonderful resources to bring knowledge and information to the client.”
Another important thing to consider is the balance between the progress of technological innovation and the traditional shoe leather work of knowing who needs what.
“Certainly, you’ve got to be innovating from a technological standpoint on a regular basis. Utilizing photography [and] aerial video on certain properties has been useful in the marketing effort on some of the parcels,” Byrd said. “But at the end of the day, it comes down to being in the marketplace understanding who’s the market for acquisition. So it’s trying to identify the highest and best use for the property and matching those buyers.”
