Each year, Midwest Real Estate News highlights the careers of the most successful CRE pros in its Midwest Real Estate News Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame issue. This year, we’re running those profiles online, too. Here, then, is a look at the long and successful career of Steven Buss, managing director with the Minneapolis office of JLL.
A key addition: Last year, JLL expanded its Capital Markets expertise in the Midwest with the addition of veteran investment sales expert Steven Buss as managing director.
To say this move has paid off? That’s an understatement.
Buss, who boasts a CRE career of more than 23 years, is one of the top investment sales producers in the Twin Cities region. he has developed longstanding relationships and has an extensive knowledge of his market. This has resulted in $8.4 billion worth of real estate transactions in Minneapolis and across the country.
The honors: As would be expected of someone with such a busy career, Buss is no stranger to industry honors. He has closed the MNCAR Investment Sale of the Year in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015, and ranked in the top 20 in U.S. office sales at his former firm of CBRE from 2012 through 2016.
Buss was named a top CBRE Minneapolis Salesperson in 2005, 2008 and from 2013 through 2015, and was named to the Minneapolis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 list.
Surrounded by talent: There’s plenty that Buss enjoys about commercial real estate. But he might be most impressed by the talent and abilities of his fellow brokers.
“Commercial real estate has a unique concentration of human capital,” Buss said. “We are lucky to work in an industry with so many creative and talented individuals and teams.”
A balancing act: There are, of course, challenges in building a successful commercial real estate career. One of the biggest? Setting realistic expectations for clients when it comes to deals.
“The biggest challenge is having all of the bidders in a sales process walk away believing they were treated fairly and had every opportunity to succeed,” Buss said “Then there is the challenge of balancing the setting of realistic expectations with a process, energy and optimism that creates the best chance of results beyond expectations.”
The steps to success: What steps has Buss taken to thrive in this business? He works hard and studies his market. And, also important, he isn’t afraid of change.
“Steadiness and resolve in difficult transaction circumstances is important,” Buss said. “Reinventing and evolving our practice through real estate cycles is also important. We also continually invest in our client relationships by bringing all of our best resources to the table and showing through our actions that we truly care about them.”