Divaris handles office leases for its client, Dermalogica, throughout the U.S. and Canada

Companies Seek Outside Help to Service Their  Real Estate Needs

VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA - Companies across the nation are turning toward corporate real estate service providers to handle their office leasing, relocation and expansion needs.  The architectural firm Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern, the communications giant ALLTEL and the professional skin care company Dermalogica, Inc. have found that relying on a corporate real estate service provider to represent their companies in lease negotiations leaves them time to focus on their core business.

There are two key reasons why many companies seek corporate real estate services for representation in office leasing negotiations.  Firms save money by using an outside firm rather than operating an in-house real estate department.  Corporate real estate service providers offer an in-depth knowledge of the real estate industry, thus saving a company time, money and resources. 

Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern (HSMM), headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, has benefited using Virginia Beach’s Divaris Real Estate, Inc. as its exclusive tenant representative for office lease negotiations for over a decade.  Divaris recently handled a 3,160-square-foot lease in Austin, Texas, and a 6,372-square-foot lease in Atlanta, for a subsidiary company of HSMM, Watershed Concepts.  “Divaris understands our needs, strategic plans and desired office environments.  [They] save us managerial level time,” says Cecil Doyle, president and CEO of HSMM.

Second, when using a corporate real estate provider, clients receive a consistent analysis process for each market location, with only one point of contact who works in the client’s best interest.  Clients typically have detailed office requirements including the number of parking bays, communications and electrical settings, etc.  Tenant representatives understand these requirements by developing a close working relationship with their clients. 

“The clients rely on their corporate real estate consultant to give them a complete overview of the market.  They recognize that we know how to negotiate a fair transaction for both parties,” says Maureen Rooks, an office leasing associate in Divaris’ Virginia Beach office.  She and Michael B. Divaris, president of Divaris Real Estate, Inc., represent HSMM. 

To fulfill a client’s expansion needs, Divaris offers a complete analysis of the desired market.  When a client is looking to expand into an area outside of its corporate real estate providers’ licensed market, the tenant representative uses a network of local brokers from national organizations including CRESA Partners, Colliers and The CORE Network.  “The most important consideration is to develop a relationship with the client so as to provide a consistent quality level of service while working in the best interest of the client in different markets.  They expect and receive the same level of quality and attention,” states Divaris.

“Divaris Real Estate offers a nationwide network that has been invaluable to us as we have expanded our operations across the United States.  All we need to do is provide Divaris with basic criteria describing the type of space we are seeking in each location; the Divaris staff take it from there, up to and including final negotiation of terms with the property owner,” explains Steve Clinton, executive vice president and COO of HSMM.

Dermalogica, Inc., a division of The Dermal Group, has also benefited from using Divaris as the company’s exclusive tenant representative.  Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Dermalogica manufactures and distributes a complete line of skin care products through a worldwide network of authorized businesses located in more than 40 countries.  These businesses include hair and skin care salons, dermatologist offices, full-service beauty supply stores and undergraduate cosmetology and esthetics schools.

In 2004, Divaris negotiated a lease for an 8,591-square-foot office in Toronto for the relocation of Dermalogica’s Canadian headquarters.  The same year, Dermalogica leased 3,626 square feet of office space in Boston, Massachusetts, with Divaris handling the negotiations. 

“Here at Dermalogica, we pride ourselves in partnerships with firms that understand our business both in who we are and the direction of our corporate growth.  Divaris Real Estate plays more than a broker’s role for our company, they provide service, research and vast resources throughout both the U.S. and Canada,” says Ron Evans, director of corporate development for Dermalogica. “With all the professional coordination and support, Divaris is and will be our long term partner as we continue to grow throughout the world.”

Divaris Real Estate has also acted as the preferred service provider for ALLTEL.  The company is a wireless, local telephone, long-distance, Internet and high-speed data service provider to residential and business customers throughout the United States.  ALLTEL has relied on Divaris to handle the leasing and expansion of many of its Southeastern retail and office call centers.  “I feel Divaris Real Estate was instrumental in securing our call center and expansion call center space.  Their services were professionally handled from soup to nuts.  I am confident that, as a result of Divaris, we received the best product, at the best price,” says Phillip White, national director of commercial real estate for ALLTEL.

Divaris secures naming rights for Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Trader.com, both DRE corporate service clients, in Convergence Center in Virginia Beach's CBD.

The benefit from using a corporate real estate service provider such as Divaris is receiving continued attention after the lease negotiations are complete.  Clients receive a lease analysis providing a breakdown of the economic terms, regular phone contact and monthly written status reports.  These reports keep the client informed on the status of all lease renewals and expirations.  Clinton notes, “Divaris handles all matters of our lease arrangements, and provides us with a concise, comprehensive real estate report each month.  This service allows us to focus on our own business, undistracted by leases and real estate, while being fully informed of the status of these issues.”