Sheila Fogarty
Senior vice president
NAI Farbman
Southfield, Michigan
Sheila Fogarty has built a commercial real estate career that has lasted for more than 35 years. And during this time, she’s earned a reputation for delivering outstanding results for her clients.
Her secret? Sheila believes in working hard. No commercial real estate professional will outwork her. She also studies her market. Her peers say that Sheila possesses an in-depth knowledge of the Detroit-area real estate market. She taps this knowledge when advising her clients on their real estate needs.
This leads to a client-centric approach that keeps her clients coming back year after year. Sheila is committed to understanding the unique needs of her clients and helps them fulfill these needs.
Then there are her negotiating skills. This industry veteran is known for consistently negotiating favorable lease terms, reduced costs and the maximum returns for her clients. As her peers say, Sheila has a knack for finding win-win solutions to even the most complex commercial real estate challenges.
“I have spent my career building trust with both brokers and my clients, which is crucial for success,” Sheila said. “It is important to me to have a high level of professionalism and uphold a commitment to integrity and honesty.”
This doesn’t mean that Sheila has not seen challenges in this business. Like any industry veteran, she has. But like the most successful CRE pros, she’s overcome them.
“”The post-pandemic era of office leasing has certainly been a challenge more so than any time in my career,” Sheila said. “I have really focused on effective listening skills to understand my clients’ expectations on how they are moving forward in this new way of doing business and how it impacts their need for office space.”
During her career, Fogarty has tackled many significant commercial real estate transactions. This includes a 35,000-square-foot transaction for Hondros Nursing School in Bingham Farms, Michigan, in which Sheila served as the landlord rep and a 54,000-square-foot transaction for AutoLiv in Auburn Hills, Michigan, in which she again served as landlord rep.
“Commercial real estate offers a dynamic and ever-changing environment,”Sheila said. “It gives me a new opportunity every day to practice my problem-solving skills and adaptability to help my clients meet their real estate goals and objectives. I have met many great people over the years while doing something I love.”
When not working, Sheila enjoys traveling, working in her yard and hanging out with her dogs. She has also recently taken up the sport of pickleball.
