A Chattanooga-based real estate management firm is joining with international brand SVN as the local company offers new and expanded brokerage and other services to the area, officials said.
Operating as SVN | Second Story Real Estate Management, the firm is tapping into the reach of SVN International Corp., headquartered in Boston.
Tiffanie Robinson, chief executive and principal broker, said Second Story gains expanded visibility and marketing dexterity to deliver the best value possible, no matter geography or asset class.
"We now not only reach a business owner across town but an investor across the globe," she said in a statement.
SVN | Second Story gains unlimited access to industry leading-edge commercial real estate tools, technology and systems that maximize clients' time and return, Robinson said.
"Our top priority is getting the most value for our clients and their investments," she said.
SVN has an international network of 1,600-plus advisers in 200 offices serving over 500 markets.
Robinson said in an interview that Second Story is the only local company affiliated with SVN, which is the only major commercial real estate brand that markets all of its qualified properties to the entire brokerage and investment community.
Second Story was founded in 2017 to serve client real estate needs in the Chattanooga area and has since expanded to provide services in Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas.
Robinson said that amid the coronavirus pandemic, company officials saw the retail and restaurant sectors come back last year faster than office space.
"We've seen offices come back strong," Robinson said. "It took time."
She said Chattanooga's location in the Southeast has helped offer a lower risk level for people, and the medical sector is strong within office space.
Kelly Fitzgerald, vice president of commercial real estate, said in an interview she's seeing that many people don't like working from home. She said there's a fatigue factor that sets in from working from home, though a hybrid option is appealing for some workers, she said.
"People need to be talking to each other," Fitzgerald said.
Robinson agreed, questioning the productivity of people working from home. She added that Second Story was built from a focus on teamwork.
"It's collaborating to serve clients better," she said.
Robinson said that joining with SVN will produce more resources to help clients, and she believes it will help Second Story to grow faster.
She said Chattanooga has attracted a lot of institutional investors in properties over the past couple of years. But, Robinson said, they often don't know who to go to in order to find the best deal, adding she expects to see the market stay strong over the next 24 months.
Jill Allen, the company's chief operating officer, said during an interview the business has about 25 full-time and about six contractors.
Robinson said the company did about $80 million in transaction volume last year. It has had about five years of "pretty significant growth" of 25% to 30% each year, she said.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318. Follow him on Twitter @MikePareTFP.