Author · Real Estate Broker · Advisor
Providing
Insight. Clarity.
Direction.
With over 33 years of experience in real estate investment, Donald J. Guy under the pen name Donald J. Curtwright shares proven strategies and real-world wisdom to help you build wealth, make smart decisions, create a legacy and establish a career.
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About the Author
Donald J. Guy
Writing under the pen name
Donald J. Curtwright
Author · Real Estate Broker · Advisor
Donald J. Guy brings more than three decades of hands-on experience in commercial, income property investment, and advisory services. As a published author and trusted mentor, he helps agents, investors, and property owners gain clarity, make confident decisions, and build lasting wealth.
- 33+ years in real estate and investment
- Published author of The Commercial Real Estate Advisory Series
- Advisor to agents, investors, and property owners
- Focused on Clarity, Insight, Direction
FEATURED BOOKS
The Commercial Real Estate Advisory Series
A collection of practical books for commercial real estate professionals—written from decades of advisory experience and designed to guide owners, investors, brokers, property managers, asset managers and students entering the profession.
A collection of practical books for commercial real estate professionals—written from decades of advisory experience and designed to guide owners, investors, brokers, property managers, asset managers and students entering the profession.
The Commercial Real Estate Advisory Series
Books That Educate.
Inspire. Empower.
A collection of practical books for commercial real estate professionals—drawn from over 33 years of advisory experience and designed to educate, inspire, and empower confident decisions.
Author's Insights
Lessons From the Field
Practical observations from decades of commercial real estate work—underscoring the depth of experience behind The Commercial Real Estate Advisory Series.
Click on Any Lesson
Are You Filling Today's Vacancy—or Creating Tomorrow's Problem?
1. Occupancy Alone Is Not Enough
The large vacancy disappears, but existing tenants—and prospects—may begin looking elsewhere because adequate parking has quietly disappeared.
2. All Tenants Are Not Equal
Two buildings may each be 100% occupied, yet one may be worth substantially more than the other. Lenders and investors look beyond occupancy. They evaluate the financial strength of the tenants, the stability of their businesses, and the likelihood that lease obligations will be fulfilled throughout the lease term.
A long-term lease with a financially strong tenant can significantly enhance a property’s value. A lease with a tenant whose income depends primarily on donations or uncertain funding may not provide the same confidence, regardless of occupancy.
3. A Bad Lease Can Last for Years
Financial pressure can tempt an owner to sign a long-term lease with below-market rent, no scheduled rent increases, or limited reimbursement for taxes, insurance, and maintenance.
The immediate problem is solved. The long-term value of the property may not be. Those lease terms can also affect refinancing opportunities and a lender’s willingness to modify existing financing.
4. Inflation Never Takes a Vacation
Even when operating expenses are partially reimbursed, a lease without annual rent increases gradually erodes purchasing power. Property taxes, insurance premiums, maintenance costs, labor, and everyday living expenses continue to rise while rental income remains unchanged. Time rarely improves that equation.
5. Concessions Have a Long Memory
Commercial tenants communicate with one another. If one tenant receives concessions that others do not, similar requests often surface during future lease renewals. Today’s exception can quickly become tomorrow’s expectation.
Every lease should be evaluated not only for the income it produces today, but also for the value it creates—or destroys—for the property tomorrow.
Are you filling today’s vacancy… or creating tomorrow’s problem?
Did You Ever Meet an 8,000-SF Tenant You Didn't Like?
When we are searching for tenants, it’s easy to become captivated by the amount of space a prospect needs. Large users of commercial space are difficult to find, and filling a major vacancy can feel like a tremendous accomplishment. But size alone should never determine whether a tenant is the right fit.
Over the years, I learned several lessons I wish someone had shared with me early in my career.
1. Large users don’t always create the greatest value.
Schools, churches, call centers, fitness facilities, and similar users can successfully occupy large retail or office spaces. However, they often require a disproportionate amount of parking, and each parking space may be occupied much longer than that of a typical retail customer.
The large vacancy may be filled, but the remaining tenants can suffer from reduced parking availability. At renewal time, some may choose to relocate because their customers can no longer conveniently access their businesses.
2. A long-term lease doesn’t always increase flexibility.
A lengthy lease with a specialized user may appear attractive today, but it can reduce future redevelopment options, limit tenant mix, and make repositioning the property more difficult if market conditions change.
3. Evaluate the tenant’s overall contribution—not just the square footage.
Financial strength, business stability, compatibility with neighboring tenants, customer traffic patterns, parking demand, and the property’s long-term objectives should all be considered before signing the lease.
Sometimes the tenant who occupies the most space contributes the least to the long-term value of the property.
Before signing your next large tenant agreement, ask yourself: “Will this tenant strengthen the entire property—or simply fill a vacancy?”
Have you ever leased space to a tenant who seemed like the perfect solution, only to discover later that they created unexpected challenges?
If We Had Only Known!
One of the most common comments I have heard from commercial property owners and investors over the years is: “If we had only known…”
When considering the purchase of an investment property, most of us inspect the building, review leases, analyze income and expenses, and study comparable sales. Those are all important steps. But have we looked beyond the obvious?
What roadway improvements have already been approved? What new developments are planned nearby? What is happening with adjacent properties? Are property tax changes being considered? Could zoning be revised? Are floodplain maps scheduled to change? Will utilities be extended into the area? Are soil conditions suitable for future development?
Notice the recurring words: planned and pending.
Many of the most significant factors affecting a property’s future value are already in motion long before any construction equipment arrives. Government approvals, engineering studies, zoning applications, and infrastructure planning can precede visible activity by months—or even years. By the time the first bulldozer appears, much of the opportunity may already have been recognized by others.
Successful commercial real estate investing isn’t just about understanding what a property is today. It’s about understanding what it is becoming.
Before your next acquisition, ask yourself: “What do the public records already know that I don’t?” That single question may save you from an expensive mistake—or lead you to discover other extraordinary opportunities.
What planned or pending change has had the greatest impact on the value of a property you’ve owned, purchased, or advised on?
Real Estate Services
Guidance Built on Experience
Practical support for agents, investors, and property owners—grounded in three decades of commercial real estate practice. Have a 15-minute conversation with the Author without obligation.
Buying & Selling
Strategic guidance for buying and selling commercial and income-producing property with confidence.
Investment Strategy
Clear direction to identify opportunities, evaluate risk, and build a stronger investment portfolio.
Advisory Services
Trusted counsel to property owners, buyers, investors and real estate agents addressing complex decisions surrounding purchase, buying, selling, leasing and management of income properties.
Development Guidance
Support for owners and investors navigating development, repositioning, and property improvement projects.
Consultation
Focused working sessions are designed to bring insight, clarity and direction to every situation.
Real Estate Reviews
What clients say about the work.
Testimonials from medical and professional office clients, as well as commercial property owners, investors, and landlords.
Medical and Professional Office Clients
A friend introduced me to Don Guy during the COVID pandemic. After renewing my 2,500 SF office lease three times, I was informed that the landlord would not renew it again. The majority of my patients were senior citizens, and many were afraid to visit the office during that period, resulting in Medicare reimbursements declining by more than 50 percent. Don Guy located replacement space, negotiated sufficient free rent to offset our relocation expenses, and even reached out to my Congressman and Senator for assistance in lifting a 90-day suspension of Medicare reimbursements related to our move. I would not be in practice today had it not been for Don Guy's assistance.
Don Guy was referred to us by one of our clients when our established law firm of 22 attorneys began searching for a larger facility. Don was instrumental in securing a ten-year lease agreement that met our requirements in an office complex well suited to our firm. We appreciated his professional guidance throughout the process and would not hesitate to recommend his services to others seeking experienced commercial real estate representation.
Commercial Property Owners, Investors, and Landlords
Don Guy provided guidance that generated a positive outcome for a property that our investment group believed would result in a significant loss.
Don Guy stepped into a property management issue at our surgery center that could have resulted in a crisis. I respect this man's ability to manage property and resolve complex situations.
Don Guy transformed a conflict involving a 20-year, 75,000 SF retail tenant into a sale of the building at a purchase price significantly higher than the tenant's initial offer. I have seldom seen a more capable commercial broker.
Without Don Guy's guidance, our 70,000 SF outlet mall would likely have been sold at auction to satisfy unpaid property taxes and lender obligations. No one among our family, friends, or business associates believed we could emerge from this situation with all obligations paid and money remaining in our pocket. Don accomplished what others believed impossible.
When I met Don Guy, I owned a vacant 12,000 SF, three-story office building that was two months delinquent with the lender. Don secured a ten-year lease with the City of Austin and, despite multiple loan denials for the improvements required by the City, he continued pursuing solutions until funding was secured. He knew what was needed, and he made it happen.
Ready for the same insight, clarity and direction?
Agent Resources
Tools for Commercial Real Estate Professionals
Downloadable tables, definitions, and sample documents—plus trusted online calculators and templates to support agents and investors in the field.
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Share your details and tell Donald about your goals. He will personally review your request and get back to you with guidance tailored to your real estate and investment needs.
Providing Insight. Clarity. Direction.
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