ATLANTA—Matthew Tritschler didn't start his career in commercial real estate, but the 30-year industry veteran has made great strides. Tritschler, a principal at Avison Young in Atlanta, takes a multi-disciplinary approach to the market, with skills across multifamily, office, retail, industrial and mixed-use commercial real estate properties.

Before he joined Avison, he served in a senior investment sales and capital markets brokerage role with HFF and Colliers International. He practiced tax accounting with Grant Thornton before entering commercial real estate.

Over the past 23 years, he has been involved in over $3 billion of transactions, including investment sales and capitalizations of commercial real estate. GlobeSt.com caught up with Tritschler to discuss his start and his challenges in the field.

GlobeSt.com: How did you get your start in commercial real estate?

Tritschler: I developed an interest in real estate while doing real estate tax work for a major accounting firm. A couple of real estate tax attorneys and I formed a firm in the early 1980s to acquire and develop real estate. I “reverse engineered” into investment sales and capitalization work as I moved out of acquisitions and development during the 1990s economic downturn.

GlobeSt.com: What have been some of the key turning points in your career?

Tritschler: I have been fortunate to have had an accounting and financial background and have also owned and developed real estate. Every new assignment allows for the use of those skills to solve the current assignment's issues and goals. Every new assignment is a turning point in my career and a new opportunity to serve others to help achieve their real estate plans.

GlobeSt.com: What was the biggest challenge you've had to navigate in the commercial real estate industry?

Tritschler: The market downturns in the early 1990s and late 2000s were very difficult times for the real estate business with limited liquidity and drastically falling real estate values. Both periods were significant relatively protracted recessions. Working through those two periods were significantly challenging but also provided great opportunities with hard work and patience.

GlobeSt.com: How did you get through that challenge?

Tritschler: During a downturn, there is a need to assist lenders and servicers, as well as existing clients who own real estate. The understanding of all product types and how each is affected by the current economic situation is paramount to being productive in those difficult times. That knowledge and understanding is very important as the economy recovers in assisting real estate owners and investors access how to dispose of, finance, capitalize and/or acquire assets during all phases of the economy.

GlobeSt.com: How did you get your start in commercial real estate?

GlobeSt.com: What have been some of the key turning points in your career?

GlobeSt.com: What was the biggest challenge you've had to navigate in the commercial real estate industry?

GlobeSt.com: How did you get through that challenge?

Instant Insights /

Former Tax Attorney Finds Big Success in Commercial Real Estate

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