Second year Investment sales analyst comp

I am soon entering my second year of a brokerage stint at a national firm (CBRE, JLL, Cushman) in a major non-nyc market. I support two brokers for particular niche. I currently make 40k base which is peanuts, and I don't know what my bonus is yet. Just wanted to get an idea of what you guys think is a reasonable ask in terms of revisiting my comp. My initial plan is to obviously bump my base to something livable, but I'd rather focus on bonus/commission than base. Given that the plan is to turn me into a full broker eventually, I think they'd prefer this structure anyways. I think the most logical way to go about it is to ask for percentage of what the group bills/%age of each deal. Any idea of a range of reasonable percentages? I get that i have to specify to them what i bring the table, why i deserve it, etc, but I don't want to way over/under ask.

14 Comments
 
"jtl1002" Wow..40K in a major market at a top shop? Damn thought all major market analysts get at least 45K..

Is there a serious difference between $40K and $45K?

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

Curious as well. It seems like comp structure varies greatly. Some seem to be low base with significant bonus or high base with a very low bonus

 

I have about two years experience and recently joined an investment sales team in a non-NYC major market. Speaking with other analysts at my firm, comp varies wildly from team to team. I for instance am heavy on base with a base of $90k and then I get a bonus paid on top of this, but relatively small ($10k to $20k). The bonus is structured as a flat fee per deal done, independent of deal value. I.e. No matter if the deal is $5m of $250m, I get the same dollar amount added to my bonus. I likely won't get a raise much at all on top of my base in the future, but rather higher bonuses in the future, so a higher flat fee per deal done, if I do well.

I know other guys who have a much lower base and a higher bonus either with a similar structure of a flat fee per deal done like I have or actual percentage participation in the commissions. Typically the smaller teams at my firm are structured like this with the higher bonus and the larger teams more like mine with the higher base.

 

CBRE offered me $45k base back in October 2016 with the promise of "bonus-ing me up to a livable wage". It was with an industrial/office investment sales team. I asked a few analysts there if this was normal and they all confirmed that they were making less base than other capital markets teams in the area (JLL, HFF, NGKF, Colliers, etc.).

You eat what you kill.
 
"CREjoker"I am soon entering my second year of a brokerage stint at a national firm (CBRE, JLL, Cushman) in a major non-nyc market. I support two brokers for particular niche. I currently make 40k base which is peanuts, and I don't know what my bonus is yet. Just wanted to get an idea of what you guys think is a reasonable ask in terms of revisiting my comp.

Big difference between Dallas and Atlanta and SF, LA, or DC in terms of base comp based on cost of living. What major non-NYC market type are you in?

Commercial Real Estate Developer
 

So you want to re-negotiate your comp without knowing what your bonus, and therefore all-in comp, will be? I would advise you to wait until they give you your bonus before trying to do this, for two reasons: i) unlikely, but in the event that they would bonus you out above what you would expect/negotiate for (i.e., a pleasant surprise), you may shoot yourself in the foot if they think they can get away with paying you less; ii) if the team is stingy with the bonus at one level, it's possible that they will be stingy at other levels of your career as well, and you may want to think about going elsewhere anyway and not bother with the comp structure.

It's been mentioned ad-nauseum on this board, but RE comp is a complete mixed bag. You can google compensation surveys online like CEL Associates, but even this is going to be misleading as it doesn't take into account different markets, just a national average. Also doesn't break it out by years of experience. On the brokerage side I know people at some of the larger shops with the title 'Senior Analyst' or similar that have 5-6 years of experience that run circles around (and make way more than) people with a VP title at a different shop. Bottom line is it's all relative. Having been in a similar position to you a while back, I would recommend waiting to see where the total comp shakes out, and after that, if you're still looking for upside, come up with a couple of different structures in comp that have a good chance of getting you to the same number (higher base, lower bonus - higher commission, low base - all commission - tiered comp based on production, etc.). This will show them that you thought about it and that you're willing to compromise, without going too far in either direction. As to the number itself, come up with a realistic $ value you want to try and save, and work back from there to get to an all-in comp number. This helped me as I was then able to indirectly work in an idea of a budget and you know you can stick to it. The last thing you want is to be unhappy with your renegotiation right out of the gate. Good luck!

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