In this episode, Jeremy sits down with Romy Cheema to talk about what actually drives success in real estate, and what most people get wrong.

They get into the importance of being in your market, not just analyzing it from a distance. Romy breaks down how proximity leads to better relationships, better information, and ultimately better deals.

They also cover common mistakes investors make, missing local demand signals, overlooking tenant quality, and relying too heavily on data without real-world context.

One of the bigger themes in this conversation is storytelling. Not in a marketing sense, but in how you build trust. Romy shares how his background and experience have shaped the way he connects with clients and builds credibility in the market.

This is a straightforward conversation about fundamentals—what works, what doesn’t, and what actually compounds over time.

Topics covered:

• Why being physically present in your market matters
• The most common mistakes investors make early on
• How to think about tenant quality and long-term value
• Why relationships still drive this business
• The role of storytelling in building trust

This week’s Shop Talk is a real-time look at what’s actually happening in the market, from acquisitions to macro trends to where things may be headed next.

Jeremy and Will break down where they’re actively buying today, with a heavy focus on small bay industrial in North DFW, Austin, and San Antonio. They walk through their current buy box, what they’re avoiding, and why older, overlooked assets can still outperform when bought right.

A big part of the conversation centers around replacement cost—and whether it even matters in infill markets where you can’t realistically build new supply. As rents continue to rise, values are pushing past traditional replacement metrics, creating tension with equity and forcing a rethink of how deals are underwritten.

They also touch on:

• Where supply could create pressure (and where it won’t)
• Why zoning and infill constraints matter more than theoretical replacement cost
• The ongoing debate around IOS pricing and land value
• Office market uncertainty, AI-driven layoffs, and what that means for demand
• Why fundamentals—and showing up consistently—still win

This is a candid, unfiltered discussion on what operators are seeing on the ground right now.

In this episode of Confessions of a Street Broker, Jeremy Mercer sits down with Christian Moore to break down the evolution of the Dallas commercial real estate market and what it actually takes to build a career in brokerage.

The conversation covers market dynamics, deal-making strategies, and how COVID reshaped both industrial and office sectors. Christian shares real-world lessons from transactions, how to navigate challenging deals, and why fundamentals still matter in a competitive market.

Christian joined Mercer Company in 2020 and has built a reputation around his deep, street-level knowledge of the Plano and Richardson submarkets. He spends a significant amount of time in his market—studying it, driving it, and staying close to real-time activity. That focus, combined with his ability to uncover off-market opportunities, has allowed him to consistently deliver strong outcomes for his clients.

Known for his disciplined and detail-oriented approach, Christian brings a practical perspective to brokerage—covering everything from cold calling and client relationships to navigating zoning challenges and complex negotiations.

If you’re in commercial real estate—or looking to get into it—this is a straightforward look at what actually works.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Journey
02:49 Early Life and Education
06:01 Transition to Medical Field
08:56 Shift to Real Estate
11:46 Navigating the Real Estate Market
14:40 Challenges in Commercial Real Estate
17:51 Understanding Tenant and Landlord Dynamics
20:44 The Impact of COVID-19 on Real Estate
24:01 Current Market Trends and Insights
38:59 Navigating Cold Calls and Market Dynamics
44:13 Memorable Transactions and Unique Properties
51:24 Challenges with City Regulations and Zoning
52:22 Lessons from Being Fired and Confrontation in Business
01:01:01 The Psychology of Clients and Their Expectations
01:05:10 Personal Growth: From Track to Marathon Running
01:10:18 The Risks and Rewards of Jiu-Jitsu