A commercial property owner in Paducah was interviewing agents and asked one simple question: why should I list with you? In this episode, Principal Broker Dawn Arnold answers it and pulls back the curtain on what commercial real estate in Western Kentucky actually takes.
Real Estate in Real Life, Episode 4, with Dawn Arnold and Emily Wilson of Arnold Realty Group. Published September 2024.
Key takeaways
- Listing a commercial property well takes more than two days: an offering memorandum, rent roll and pro forma review, professional photography, virtual tours, traffic counts and demographics.
- Google your listing. If it doesn’t show up on LoopNet or Crexi, it’s probably on the free tier, and in a market Paducah’s size the general public won’t see it.
- Big-ticket commercial and luxury properties need national, sometimes international, marketing. Local exposure alone isn’t enough.
- If you’re leasing, the list price isn’t the price. Tenant improvement allowances and rent abatement can be worth thousands.
01 · Getting to marketWhy “we can list it in two days” isn’t the flex it sounds like
The property owner Emily overheard had been told by another agent that his building could be listed in two days. Dawn’s answer: physically, sure. But do you want it done that way?
Before a commercial property ever hits the market, the Arnold Realty Group team builds a full offering memorandum. That means dissecting the property, working through the rent roll and pro forma, and understanding exactly how the seller arrived at their numbers, so the pitch to buyers holds up. Then comes everything that makes the listing work:
- Professional photography and Matterport virtual tours
- Traffic counts and demographics for the surrounding area
- Site outlines and nearby-business logo maps
- Syndication across the major commercial listing platforms
“I spend thousands of dollars on marketing even before we bring something to the market.”Dawn Arnold, Principal Broker
The same thinking applies to luxury homes and larger properties. When a property is worth several million dollars, the right buyer often isn’t local, so the marketing has to reach them nationally, sometimes internationally. The team has even arranged a closing that took place in Dubai.
02 · VisibilityGoogle your commercial listing. Right now.
This is the one Dawn repeats constantly to property owners: search for your own listing. If it doesn’t show up right away on sites like LoopNet or Crexi, something is wrong.
Agents can post commercial listings to those platforms for free. But in a market the size of Paducah, a free listing is effectively invisible. Unlike bigger markets such as Nashville, where many people hold memberships to those sites, the general public here only sees listings on the paid tiers. Those run hundreds of dollars per listing, and Dawn invests thousands a month across her listings to make sure buyers actually see them.
“If you do not do it on the paid version, the general public does not see it.”Dawn Arnold
03 · Reaching the right buyerHow national brands actually find Paducah properties
National franchises usually aren’t calling a local agent with MLS access. They find sites through the big commercial platforms and through relationships. That’s why the team works lists from ICSC, the international shopping center network, identifying franchise owners and area real estate reps and sending them a marketing packet directly.
Local knowledge matters just as much. When Pizza Ranch was searching all over Paducah, Dawn represented them on the tenant side and matched them with a space that was never on the market, because she knew the owner and knew it was available. Commercial timelines can also be long: a Baptist Health pediatric clinic lease, where Dawn represented the landlord, took about two years from first site visit to move-in.
04 · LeasingIf you’re leasing a space, the list price isn’t the price
Having a commercial agent on the tenant’s side can mean thousands of dollars in a lease negotiation. Many business owners see an asking rate online and assume the most they can do is negotiate it down a little. That leaves real money on the table.
Two tools make the difference:
- Tenant improvement (TI) allowance: money the landlord contributes toward building out the space for your business.
- Rent abatement: a period of free or reduced rent, often timed to cover the build-out.
Dawn shared a live example: a nail salon had gone straight to the landlord’s agent, who represents the landlord, not the tenant. With Dawn representing the salon, the landlord agreed to put in a TI allowance and give six months of rent abatement to cover the build-out.
“All you see is the listing, and you think, well, that’s the list price, I guess I’m going to do it.”Dawn Arnold
Which structure is right depends on the business: some owners would rather have TI dollars up front, others would rather keep cash in hand and take free rent. A good tenant rep explains both, then gets out of your way.
05 · Track recordShowing the stats, not just the pitch
Emily asked Dawn directly whether being a woman in commercial real estate carries a stigma. Dawn’s honest answer: it can. When she was interviewed for a 177,000-square-foot U.S. Postal Service deal, every other agent in the running was a man. So she didn’t just pitch. She showed her numbers and her track record. Once the door opens, she says, the results do the talking.
06 · The team behind the listingWhy a local team beats going it alone
Every Arnold Realty Group listing gets the full in-house marketing treatment: flyers and offering memorandums, video, and distribution across Facebook, Instagram, Stories, YouTube, TikTok, Google and paid search ads targeted by demographic and area. On commercial land, that includes custom signage too. A basic yard sign doesn’t do the job, and custom signs can run $1,000 to $2,000.
And because the agents here work together and co-list often, clients get more than one agent’s attention on their deal. If a building looks vacant, chances are someone on the team knows its story.
“You can’t just take a course and expect to know all these things. You have to do real estate in real life.”Dawn Arnold
Frequently askedCommercial real estate in Paducah, answered
How long does it take to list a commercial property in Paducah?
An agent can technically post a listing in a day or two, but a well-prepared commercial listing (offering memorandum, rent roll and pro forma review, professional photos, virtual tour, traffic counts and demographics) takes longer to assemble, and that preparation is what serious investors expect to see.
Is a free LoopNet or Crexi listing enough?
In a market Paducah’s size, usually not. According to Dawn Arnold, the general public doesn’t see free-tier listings here; paid placement is what puts a commercial property in front of buyers.
What is a tenant improvement (TI) allowance?
A TI allowance is money a landlord contributes toward building out a space for a new tenant. It is often negotiable, which is one reason tenants benefit from their own commercial agent.
What is rent abatement?
Rent abatement is a period of free or reduced rent, commonly used to cover the time a tenant needs to build out a space before opening.
Should a business owner leasing space use their own agent?
The listing agent represents the landlord. A tenant’s own commercial agent can compare options across the market, including spaces that aren’t publicly listed, and negotiate terms like TI allowances and rent abatement on the tenant’s behalf.
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Arnold Realty Group · 120 Cave Thomas Dr., Suite A · Paducah, KY 42001 · 270-558-1338. This article summarizes a podcast episode published in September 2024; deals and figures mentioned reflect that time. Information is for general purposes and is not legal or financial advice.