The Bay Area commercial real estate market may be hard to describe with one simple trend. Bruce Bean's word for it is "quirky."

In this September 2026 update, Bruce shares what he is seeing across office, retail, industrial, and flex space. He talks about AI firms taking vacant office space in San Francisco, smaller retailers moving into open storefronts, and growing demand for flex space from small robotics firms.

Bruce also gives an update on 1515 South El Camino in San Mateo, where roughly 6,000 square feet that had been vacant for years was recently leased to Felton for a three-year term. He also discusses new interest at 390 Bridge Parkway in Redwood Shores.

Then Bruce shifts from real estate to persuasion. Drawing on his experience teaching public speaking at Stanford, he walks through Monroe's Motivational Sequence:

1. Get their attention
2. Define the need
3. Show how the need can be satisfied
4. Help them visualize the result
5. Ask for action

Bruce also shares one of the most important parts of making an ask: once you ask, be quiet and let the other person respond.

Later, Bruce tells the story of a San Mateo client relationship that developed over roughly 20 years and eventually led to the opportunity to list and sell two properties.

The conversation closes with something outside real estate. Bruce shares highlights from a 10-day trip to Copenhagen with his wife, including biking through the city, touring the canals, and visiting an opera house that stood out to him for its architecture.

What if AI could handle much of the busy work behind running a real estate business while giving people more time to focus on relationships, decisions, and growth?

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, Bruce talks with George Knowlton, founder of Tide360, about how artificial intelligence is changing real estate, asset management, property operations, and small business.

George shares how his background in general construction and asset management led him to AI. He explains how Tide360 uses AI “employees” to help with tasks such as answering emails, managing CRM activity, supporting marketing, researching information, reviewing projects, and helping underwrite real estate and construction opportunities.

George also introduces his SMILE philosophy: Safe, Moral, Inclusive, Linguistic, and Experiential. His goal is to encourage real estate professionals and asset managers to consider every stakeholder when making decisions, from investors and owners to workers and residents.

Bruce and George also explore where real estate may be headed next. George discusses his vision for blockchain-based real estate ownership, including ways residents and smaller investors could potentially own shares in properties. They also discuss how AI could change property management by helping handle maintenance requests, scheduling, follow-up, and other administrative work.

A major part of the conversation focuses on the relationship between AI and people. George does not see AI simply as a replacement for human employees. Instead, he believes AI can take over time-consuming administrative work so people can spend more time using the judgment, relationships, and human skills that matter most.

George also explains Tide360’s “Boardroom Vault,” which includes specialized AI roles designed to support areas such as executive administration, financial operations, leadership, performance, and legal research.

About George Knowlton

George Knowlton is the founder of Tide360 and an advocate for using AI to improve real estate, asset management, construction, and business operations. His work combines technology with his SMILE philosophy and a focus on helping businesses work more efficiently.

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What does today’s commercial real estate market look like from the desk of a mortgage broker who is still getting deals done?

Bruce Bean welcomes Daria Walker back to SF Commercial Property Conversations for a wide-ranging conversation about commercial real estate, mortgage brokerage, and what she is seeing across California.

Daria shares how she has continued closing deals in a challenging market, including industrial properties, multifamily transactions, portfolio repositionings, and even a mobile home park. She discusses roughly $30 million in Bay Area multifamily business from the past year and explains why investors are looking beyond traditional opportunities to find returns that make sense.

Bruce and Daria take a close look at Oakland and the changes taking place in the East Bay. Daria discusses property values, rents, new ownership, adaptive reuse, small businesses, and why she believes Oakland has an opportunity to regain momentum.

The conversation then moves south to Los Angeles, where Daria describes a very different commercial real estate environment. She explains why smaller transactions are still happening while many middle-market deals remain on hold. She also discusses Measure ULA, rent restrictions, office values, institutional capital, and why today's market may create opportunities for smaller investors and business owners who want to own their buildings.

Daria also shares an interesting observation about the current market: some very small deals and very large deals are getting completed, while much of the middle of the market is sitting on the sidelines.

Outside of real estate, Daria has taken on another challenge: amateur boxing. She tells Bruce about training every day for an upcoming fundraising fight and why she is taking the competition just as seriously as she takes her career.

Daria brings experience, energy, and a dealmaker's perspective to a conversation about where California commercial real estate has been—and where opportunities may be emerging next.

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What can you learn from analyzing more than $1 billion worth of real estate deals?

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, Bruce talks with multifamily investor Hayden Duer about how hands-on property management, disciplined underwriting, and hundreds of deal reviews have shaped the way Hayden invests.

Hayden grew up around real estate, but he did not start at the top. After college, he took his father’s advice to learn the business from the ground up. He started in apartment maintenance, then moved into leasing, assistant management, and eventually property management. At one point, he was managing apartment communities with 150 to more than 250 units.

That experience became the foundation for his investment strategy.

Today, Hayden and his partner focus on multifamily properties, primarily in markets such as Kansas City, Missouri, and Tucson, Arizona. They look for value-add opportunities where better management and operations can improve a property without requiring major changes to expensive building systems.

Hayden explains why his team typically targets properties built in the 1980s or later and why the 40-to-120-unit range fits their current strategy.

He also shares an impressive milestone: Hayden and his partner have analyzed more than $1 billion in real estate deals. Tracking and underwriting so many opportunities has helped them see how markets change and become more selective about the properties they pursue.

Bruce and Hayden also discuss how Hayden approaches renovations, financing, occupancy, property management, and investor capital. Hayden explains why relationships with sellers, brokers, property managers, and lenders can be just as important as the numbers behind a deal.

They also discuss Hayden’s growing use of AI. He is using AI to help streamline underwriting and due diligence, reducing time spent on repetitive data work.

Hayden’s long-term plans are ambitious. After closing the property that was under contract at the time of the interview, his portfolio would be just under 150 units. His goal is to reach 500 units within the next two years and eventually grow to between 3,000 and 5,000 units over the next decade.

Throughout the conversation, one theme stands out: Hayden believes in learning by doing. From apartment maintenance to analyzing $1 billion in potential deals, each step has helped shape the investor he is today.

Hayden is active on LinkedIn and welcomes people interested in connecting with him.

Email: haydenduer@gmail.com

Hayden also provided a business email and company website during the interview; because their spelling is unclear in the raw transcript, they should be confirmed before publication.

Home inspections have come a long way from paper, pencils, and a few photos. Today, inspectors can use AI, thermal imaging, sewer cameras, air quality testing, and even robotic crawlers to learn more about a property before a buyer makes one of the biggest purchases of their life.

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, Bruce talks with Chris Ontiveros, owner of West Coast Property Inspections. Chris has worked in the home inspection business since 2007 and serves clients throughout Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and Santa Clara counties.

Chris explains how technology is changing his industry. His inspection software can use AI to help identify unfamiliar components from a photo and provide information that can be added to an inspection report. But Chris makes an important point: technology is a tool, not a replacement for an experienced inspector. He still reviews every report carefully before sending it to a client.

Chris also shares how inspections have expanded beyond the traditional property inspection. His company offers sewer scopes, thermal imaging, mold and air quality testing, and works with other professionals for services such as termite and roofing inspections. When inspectors cannot physically access a crawl space, specialized crawlers can even help them see underneath a home.

Documentation is another important part of Chris's approach. His inspections can include more than 200 photos so clients who cannot attend the inspection can still see what the inspector saw.

Chris also tells a memorable story that shows why inspections matter. During an inspection of a newer foreclosure property, he noticed plumbing fixtures backing up. Further investigation revealed that concrete had been poured into the home's plumbing. The potential repair involved portions of the foundation and plumbing system and was estimated at more than $100,000.

The lesson is simple: even a home that looks new can hide serious problems.

Chris and Bruce also discuss commercial inspections, mold testing, common electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing concerns, and how the inspection industry continues to evolve.

What if buying a fixer-upper did not mean finding a separate way to pay for all the repairs?

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, Bruce talks with renovation loan specialist Skip Schenker about FHA 203K loans and other renovation financing programs that can help buyers purchase a property and finance improvements through one loan.

Skip shares how his early career selling windows and French doors eventually led him into the mortgage industry. After discovering FHA 203K loans in the 1990s, he saw an opportunity to specialize in a loan program that he believed was dramatically underused.

Bruce and Skip discuss how renovation financing works, including the important role of the after-renovated value, or ARV. Instead of looking only at a property's current condition, a renovation loan appraisal can consider the plans, specifications, and improvements that will be made to the property.

They also explore how these programs can apply to owner-occupied multi-unit properties. Skip explains how an entry-level real estate investor may be able to purchase a distressed property with up to four units, live in one unit, and renovate the property while using a portion of projected rental income to help qualify, subject to the applicable loan program requirements.

Skip also introduces Ready4Remodel, the platform he developed to make the renovation loan process easier. The platform uses location-specific remodeling cost data to help estimate renovation expenses earlier in the process. According to Skip, this can help move the appraisal forward sooner and potentially shorten the time required to close a renovation loan.

The conversation goes beyond financing. Skip discusses his book, The Living House, and his belief that a home is an extension of the people who live there. He compares the systems of a house to the systems of the human body and explains why maintaining and improving a home can affect the quality of life of the people inside it.

Whether you're a homebuyer, real estate professional, mortgage professional, or someone interested in getting started with small multi-unit properties, this conversation offers an introduction to a financing option you may not have considered.

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What does it take to spot promising companies before they reach their next big stage of growth?

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, Bruce sits down with capital markets veteran and venture investor Craig Taggart. Craig shares lessons from more than two decades in investment banking, capital raising, M&A advisory, venture capital, and working with growth companies.

Craig discusses his work with LIGO Partners and its co-investment network, which has helped capitalize nearly 200 companies and has seen roughly 25 exits. He explains why identifying businesses near a value inflection point can create opportunities for investors and why the Series A stage can be such an important—and difficult—period for growing companies.

The conversation then turns to some of the technologies attracting Craig's attention today, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cybersecurity, defense technology, government technology, robotics, and the infrastructure needed to support these fast-growing industries.

Bruce and Craig also explore how this growth can affect commercial real estate. As technology, robotics, defense, and manufacturing companies expand, many need more office, industrial, infrastructure, and manufacturing space.

Craig also shares how he is putting AI to work in his own business. He describes a software tool designed to identify small inefficiencies across many areas of a company. His goal is to show business owners how improvements in areas such as operations and pricing can work together to increase profitability.

For Craig, the key question is simple: How can a business find the problems holding back its profits and turn those improvements into measurable growth?

Craig Taggart is a capital markets professional with more than two decades of experience. His background includes wealth management, investment banking, M&A advisory, financial modeling, capital raising, venture capital, and working with growth-stage companies.

His current areas of interest include AI, quantum technologies, infrastructure, cybersecurity, defense technology, government technology, and other emerging sectors.

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What happens when a professional quarterback takes the lessons he learned on the football field and applies them to commercial real estate?

In this episode of SF Commercial Property Conversations with Bruce Bean, Bruce sits down with Dennis Havrilla, founder of Havrilla Commercial Investment Group and creator of the Triple Net Playbook.

Dennis shares his unusual path from professional football into the world of triple net (NNN) commercial real estate. It all started when a fellow professional football player encouraged him to get his real estate license—and even sent him the money to sign up for the classes.

That decision eventually introduced Dennis to a boutique commercial real estate firm focused on triple net properties such as drugstores and dialysis centers. Dennis had to learn quickly, but his experience as a quarterback had already taught him how to absorb a playbook under pressure.

Today, Dennis and his wife work together helping investors understand triple net properties and opportunities to move from actively managed real estate into more passive investments through strategies such as 1031 exchanges.

Dennis also shares how investing in his first triple net property changed his own relationship with professional football. Knowing he had cash flow outside of the game gave him greater financial peace of mind and allowed him to play with more freedom.

Bruce and Dennis also discuss what investors should look for before purchasing a triple net property. Dennis explains why a property marketed as a “triple net” may not always be a true absolute triple net lease. Investors need to understand who is responsible for expenses such as the roof, structure, and parking lot.

They also discuss tenant quality, location, traffic counts, exit strategies, cap rates, essential businesses, and why the underlying real estate matters when evaluating a deal.

Dennis believes successful triple net investing comes down to understanding the lease, the tenant, the location, and the long-term strategy—not simply chasing a cap rate.

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