Each year, Midwest Real Estate News inducts a new class into its Midwest Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Last year was no exception. Today, we look at the busy career of Paul Lundstedt, vice chair of capital markets at the Rosemont, Illinois, office of Cushman & Wakefield.
During a career that’s lasted more than 37 years, Cushman & Wakefield’s Paul Lundstedt has arranged the sale of more than $30 billion of investment real estate. These deals have totaled nearly 200 million square feet.
It’s little surprise, then, that Lundstedt is known as one of the top CRE pros in the Chicago area. Specializing in serving institutional clients in Chicago and the Midwest, Lundstedt leads Cushman & Wakefield’s Capital Markets team. This experienced team works hard to meet the needs of clients, relying on team members’ experience, expertise and the relationships that they’ve built over their careers.
Since 1991, Lundstedt has focused on the disposition of office assets throughout Chicago and the Midwest. He’s thrived in this area thanks to his in-depth market knowledge and his understanding of rental market fundamentals, investor yield requirements and debt/equity strategies.
“I think much of being successful is just staying focused in a particular area of expertise, being honest with people in your interactions and doing what you say you are going to do,” Lundstedt said. “If you say you will call people back on Monday, then call them back on Monday. Ironically, 90 percent of the people who say they will call on Monday don’t do it.”
Lundstedt’s peers have recognized this industry veteran for his CRE skills. In 1999, 2001, 2005 and 2013, he won NAIOP’s Broker Transaction of the Year award. And in 1997, 1998 and 2017, Lundstedt was named the Greater Chicago Food Depository Investment Broker of the Year.
“Aside from the usual market cycles, the biggest challenge is balancing time for work and other things, like family, travel and fun,” Lundstedt said. “Nowadays, work can absorb every waking moment. The discipline to pull back is a difficult one to teach yourself.”
Despite building such a busy career, Lundstedt also finds time to be active in his community. He is a member of Libertyville Covenant Church, where he has held numerous leadership positions during the last 30 years and is an active board member of Young Life Lake County, a Christian youth organization. Lundstedt also has more than 10 years of experience coaching feeder basketball for Libertyville High School.
Outside of work, Lundstedt enjoys spending time with his family and grandkids, golfing, fishing and biking.