Professional
Profile
A full-time A full-time real estate agent since 1983,
Niel is an associate broker with
Coldwell Banker Best Properties, one of Anchorage's leading firms. He always ranks among
the top agents, doing 50-75 transactions per year, with annual sales volume
up to $15 million.
From 1992-98 he wrote the column on real estate for the statewide business
newspaper, the Journal of Alaska Commerce and Industry. The column covered a
variety of commercial and residential real estate subjects of interest to
Alaskan business and professional readers. The National Association of Realtors
published an article he wrote for its national magazine on proper
procedures for handling multiple offers on real estate. He frequently serve as a
trainer of new associates and lecturer on real estate to community and
professional groups.
More recently we have offered a free e-mail real estate newsletter for my
clients. It goes out whenever something in the market comes up that I believe to
be of general interest. This link
takes you to the subscription form.
Niel is the real estate liaison to the
Anchorage Population Committee, a group of demographers and economists who
monitor and predict the course of the Alaskan economy. He is a former Anchorage
Assembly appointee and former Vice Chairman of the Anchorage Board of
Equalization, the group that hears appeals of commercial and residential
property tax assessments. He is also Past President of Alaska Multiple
Listing Service, Inc.
An Alaskan resident since 1974, Niel is a graduate of Cornell University and
past president of the Cornell Club of Alaska. He served under Governor Jay
Hammond from 1975-82 as director of the Human Rights Commission. For a time in
the early 1980's he was the only Alaskan labor arbitrator certified by both the
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and the American Arbitration
Association. He is an active participant in the Alaska Sports Academy, a
professionally-coached group of Nordic skiers and triathletes. A tournament
bridge player, he holds the rank of Life Master. He lives downtown, a
block from Westchester Lagoon.
Commercial Services
-
Commercial Real Estate Brokerage
Small income properties, apartment buildings, commercial/retail
buildings and office-warehouse facilities. Extensive experience in
tax-deferred Section 1031 exchanges.
-
Residential Real Estate Brokerage
Mid- to upper-end homes and new construction. Average residential
asking price in Anchorage in this decade has been in the low $300,000 range, and increasing slowly.
I have marketed the products of most of Anchorage's luxury home builders.
-
Corporate Relocation
I am the Anchorage broker for various major relocation firms
retained by oil companies,
government agencies and other major employers. I often serve as the broker of record in representing the
incoming transferee's home search. (That family occasionally becomes a
commercial-investment client in Anchorage real estate also.) When the
employee departs, I am often the marketing broker representing either the
transferee, or the relocation service, if the third party has already
acquired the property.
-
Undeveloped Land
Anchorage's land market has been largely stagnant owing to most of
our vacant land in residential and commercial being built-out or
unsuitably zoned for current needs. I have done many residential
undeveloped deals, and commercial properties.
-
Investment Analysis, Consulting
Development of Annual Property Operating Data on an historic and
broker reconstructed basis. Analysis of cash flows on before- and after-tax
basis. Projections of internal rates of return and future wealth positions
based on a variety of operating and disposition scenarios. Have served as
expert witness concerning property valuation. My corporate clients retain me
to perform needs analysis regarding their local real estate requirements.
-
REO
During the market decline and subsequent recovery an active REO
market developed. I wrote our firm's successful bid to become the principal
broker for the REO inventory of Alaska Housing Financing Corp. AHFC was at
the time Alaska's largest residential mortgage investor. More recently I
have served as principal broker for Premiere Asset Services, which
handles REO work for Wells Fargo and other investors.
-
Commercial Leasing
I have represented landlords and tenants in their lease negotiations
for commercial space in offices, warehouses, and office-warehouse
facilities. I am one of the few commercial agents who regularly
practices tenant representation while not at the same time representing
the landlord.
