Valuing Commercial Real Estate with Allen Thomas

by | Feb 4, 2020 | Learning Edge Blog, News

Gayla Scrivener

Have you ever discovered that your otherwise “normal” donor prospect owned an apartment building or maybe a strip mall? I have! Should you and can you find a meaningful valuation of this kind of commercial real estate? It depends, and you can!

I’m thankful to have trained under one of the best in the business, Allen Thomas, who specializes in complex gift planning, especially real estate.

Working with Allen at the very beginning of my nonprofit career exposed me to the most fascinating of asset complexities–mineral rights valuations, commercial real estate with environmental hazards, and all kinds of ways in which “clunky” assets can achieve an individual’s philanthropic goals and further a nonprofit’s mission.

So, when the Prospect Research Institute’s members were tackling identifying and providing meaningful fundraising insights on commercial real estate, I knew I had to catch up with Allen.

And Allen did not disappoint. He packed in some great ideas, resources, and current trends specifically in gifting real estate. You are in for a treat!

Resources Mentioned

  • ThomasPG.com | Need help with complex commercial or other real estate gifts? Contact Allen Thomas at Thomas Charitable Advisors LLC for expert gift planning advice and services.
  • ClearCapital.com | Clear Capital offers residential and commercial property appraisal services that you can order online.
  • NHDreport.com | Order natural hazard reports on real estate via this online service.
  • AiP | advisorsinphilanthropy.org | The International Association of Advisors in Philanthropy, Inc. (AiP) is a network of diverse professional advisors who are devoted to mastering and promoting the principles and practices of client-centered planning.
  • CGP | charitablegiftplanners.org | The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) is the leading organization setting standards for charitable gift planners.

Words from happy Researchers

Success Stories

I love your Master Class format – small group, clearly defined curriculum, solid professional information and resources and focus on discussion.  But most importantly I was impressed and delighted to see that you incorporated an additional and extremely practical layer of knowledge, through hands on experience with tools (pivot tables) or resources (Candid).  This adds real value to the educational experience you offer.

Betsy Mehlman

2020-Master Class

Jen’s course on insider stock and compensation was informative, interesting, and well-thought out. Jen broke down the complicated material into digestible pieces. She showed us resources that I use in my day-to-day research that I wouldn’t have otherwise known about. Jen is always quick to respond and has been helpful even after the class has ended. She answers questions thoroughly and is always pleasant.

I was able to take what I learned from the course and present the material to our front-line fundraisers. One fundraiser told me after my presentation that she discovered one of her donor’s compensation was much higher than she thought. So, already, this information has come in handy! Thanks again Jen!

Kim Anthony, San Francisco CA

Insider Stock and Compensation

The Capacity Rating Workshop was really useful. I was new to the prospect research field when I took the workshop, so it helped to demystify capacity ratings for me. The online classroom provided a great forum for interaction with the other participants and for a robust exchange of ideas. Beyond that though, Jen shared a wealth of information and resources about capacity ratings and other important aspects of prospect research. I highly recommend this workshop whether you’re new to the field or have years of experience in our profession.

David Lloyd, Prospect Research Professional, San Francisco, CA

Capacity Rating Workshop

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