This week on Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I brought James Milner, CCIM back for round two—because we hit a nerve last time: overpriced software in commercial real estate.

James runs Appalachian Commercial Real Estate out of Boone, North Carolina, and today we dig into something that might sound boring on the surface… but is game-changing if you’re in this business:

👉 How to use public data—like your county assessor’s website, register of deeds, and GIS tools—to compete (and win) without dropping $10K+ a year on subscriptions.

🔍 In This Episode, We Cover:

• The free data James pulls from public records—and how he turns it into pricing power
• Why your 2022 appraisal is useless in 2025 (and how to explain that to clients)
• How GIS tools and county data help with assemblage, due diligence, and valuation
• The 25–30% market correction we’re both seeing—and why sellers are still catching up
• How James uses software like Valcre to centralize and make sense of it all
• A realistic look at foreclosures, rate hikes, and where the market’s heading next

🧠 This week's Commercial Real Estate Secret:
Follow up.
We’re all guilty of closing a deal and then forgetting the people behind it. James challenges us to reconnect with a client who had a meaningful impact on your career. Not to pitch—just to say hi. It goes further than you think.

📞 Ready to ditch outdated data and start winning smarter?

🔗 Connect with James: Website | TikTok | X

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