Commercial Real Estate Broker in Danvers, MA

What a commercial real estate broker does for a Danvers owner

A commercial broker helps you sell or lease a building and handles the work between your first decision and the signed deal. That usually means forming an opinion of value or market rent, preparing the property for market, finding and screening prospects, negotiating terms, and coordinating with attorneys and other advisors through to closing or lease signing.

We represent landlords, tenants, buyers, and sellers across retail, office, industrial, and mixed-use property, in Danvers and across the North Shore, including Peabody, Salem, Beverly, Lynn, Marblehead, Middleton, and Topsfield (see our about page). This page is for the owner side: you have a building in Danvers and need to decide what to do with it.

Why it matters that we are also owners

We are the landlord on our own buildings, including several on High Street in downtown Danvers. See the full list on the commercial real estate in Danvers page or on our properties page.

That experience shapes how we advise owners. On our services page we describe it this way: because we own commercial property ourselves, we negotiate from experience, and we know where deals create value, where they hide risk, and what terms matter over the life of a lease.

You can see a property we brokered, listed through MLS PIN, on our listings page, including the 135 Maple Street listing.

It also raises an obvious question: what if we own something that overlaps with your property? We address that in the disclosure section below.

Should you sell or lease your Danvers commercial building?

There is no single right answer, and it depends on your goals, financing, and tax position. A few general considerations:

• Selling turns the building into cash and ends your role as landlord going forward. It can also trigger tax consequences, so involve a tax advisor early. Some owners look at a 1031 exchange, which is a tax matter your advisor should evaluate.
• Leasing keeps ownership and income, and keeps you responsible for the building. Lease structure matters. In a NNN (triple-net) lease, the tenant pays property taxes, insurance, and maintenance in addition to rent, while other structures split those costs differently.
• Doing neither yet is a real option. Sometimes the right first step is understanding your building’s condition, income, and zoning before you decide.

We can walk through both paths with you. We do not push one outcome, and we do not promise a price or a timeline.

How selling or leasing a commercial building works, step by step

A commercial sale or lease usually runs in eight steps, from a first conversation to closing or lease signing. Every deal differs, and your attorney should review the contracts at each stage.

1. First conversation. We ask about the building, your goals, and your timeline. You tell us what you know and what you do not.
2. Property review and opinion of value. We review the building, its income and expenses, and its zoning, and we give you an opinion of its likely sale price or rental value. This is an opinion, not an appraisal.
3. Agreement and marketing plan. If we both want to proceed, a written listing or leasing agreement sets the terms, and we agree on how the property will be marketed.
4. Marketing and showings. We prepare materials, list the property, and field inquiries and showings.
5. Offers or letters of intent. Interested parties usually submit a letter of intent that sets out the main terms: price or rent, timing, and conditions. It is typically non-binding, and we help you compare offers on more than price.
6. Contract or lease negotiation. For a sale, the parties negotiate a purchase and sale agreement. For a lease, the attorneys negotiate the lease itself, covering term, rent structure, responsibility for repairs, and any work the tenant will do.
7. Due diligence. A buyer or tenant checks title, zoning, building condition, and often environmental history. A buyer’s lender may require its own reports.
8. Closing or lease signing. For a sale, the deed transfers at closing. For a lease, the lease is signed and the tenant takes possession.

Zoning and approvals: what prospects will ask

Buyers and tenants ask early what they can do with a building, and the answers depend on the parcel’s zoning district, the Table of Allowable Uses, and whether a project needs Site Plan Review or a special permit. We summarize how this works, with links to the bylaw, the zoning map, and the town offices, on our commercial real estate in Danvers page. That summary uses the bylaw as amended through February 3, 2025. We have not checked whether the May 2026 Annual Town Meeting articles changed it, so confirm with the town.

If your building is downtown, our guide to mixed-use zoning in downtown Danvers explains the districts that apply there. For older buildings, see our piece on adaptive reuse.

What to prepare before you sell or lease

You do not need a complete file to start. These items help us give you a useful first answer:

• The address, owner name on the deed, and your reason for considering a sale or lease
• Current leases, a rent roll, and any lease expiration dates
• Recent operating expenses and property taxes
• Square footage, floor plans, and any survey or plot plan
• Known repairs, deferred maintenance, or environmental concerns
• Your timeline, and whether the building must be vacant or occupied at closing
• The names of your attorney and tax advisor, if you have them

Disclosure: how we handle our own properties

We own commercial property in Danvers and rent it to tenants. If you have a concern about overlap with a property we own, raise it in the first conversation and we will address it directly. Our owned properties are listed on our website.

Legal and tax advice

This page is general information. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Contracts, tax consequences, and zoning questions for your specific building belong with your attorney and tax advisor.

Contact a commercial real estate broker in Danvers

Our office is at 70 High Street, Danvers, MA 01923. Call us at 978-777-1817 or email using the link at the end of this page. Tell us the address and what you are weighing. You can also look at what we have brokered on our listings page, or visit our contact page.