Author Profile: Bill Stonaker, S.E.C.

Biography »

Bill Stonaker, S.E.C. (Fort Worth, Texas) specializes in commercial Real Estate counseling, development, investments, acquisition and disposition, consulting and syndication. His main areas of expertise are land, retail, office & office/tech. Area of interest: west side of Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, Texas. Mr. Stonaker is a past President of the Society, and a past President of the S.E.C. Education Foundation.©2009-2023 The S.E.C. Real Estate Observer

Publications »

When the World Pressed Pause
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Posted in Formulas and Strategies, Spring 2021 on 27 February 2021
Stats: 1,233 views and Comments Off on When the World Pressed Pause

This is completely ridiculous. As I sit here, I am about to leave for the highlight of my day today—at 4:30 I get my first injection of the COVID Pfizer vaccination. Sad that now I have to wait three weeks for another “anticipation high”—the second dose. I am so glad that 2020 is gone, but […]

Newton’s First Law of Motion Applied to Commercial Real Estate
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Posted in Society Columns, Spring 2018 on 1 March 2018
Stats: 2,081 views and 1 Comment

Newton’s First Law is often summarized as An object in a state of rest or uniform motion will remain in that state unless an external force is applied. For every action there is a reaction. Have we been in this Goldilocks economy for so long that we have forgotten this law? Interest rates are low. […]

Is Retail Really Dead?
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Posted in Society Columns, Winter 2017 - 2018 on 12 December 2017
Stats: 1,805 views and 2 Comments

We hear it every day—retail is dying, the internet will make shopping centers obsolete. But is that reality, or is it something that those that do not know retail are saying to hear themselves talk? Is retail dead—or evolving? I would say the latter. But, now more than ever before, successful retail must have a […]

Situational Awareness
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Posted in Fall 2016, Society Columns on 13 October 2016
Stats: 2,083 views and 1 Comment

It is no secret among S.E.C.s that some of our Members enjoy tactical shooting: we sweat and roll around in the mud with rifles and handguns and see if we can outdo each other in different tactical situations, shooting hundreds of rounds of live ammunition. We spend time thinking of different scenarios about what to […]

The Entitlement Process
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Posted in Fall 2015, Feature Articles on 13 October 2015
Stats: 2,459 views and 1 Comment

What do I have to have to go vertical? What if I am acquiring a property that the seller says is “ready to go?” Some developers only perform horizontal development—nothing higher than a fire plug. Examples of this are land developers for residential subdivisions and large commercial tracts.

Lease with a Purpose – Not Just to Fill Space
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Posted in Society Columns, Spring 2015 on 18 April 2015
Stats: 2,783 views and Comments Off on Lease with a Purpose – Not Just to Fill Space

Whew, 2008 has come and gone! After a very rough period, landlords are finally seeing some great days in the retail game. About time! It could not happen too soon for those of us who own shopping centers. Most of the retail categories are seeing a lot of activity. However, brick-and-mortar retailers still remember 2008 too. Potential tenants are doing things much smarter this time around. We property owners must also be smarter about how we do things. Thus, the title of this article: “Lease with a Purpose, Not Just to Fill Space.”

Oil: the Fickle Mistress
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Posted in Society Columns, Winter 2015 on 9 February 2015
Stats: 3,479 views and 2 Comments

As some in the S.E.C. know, I had a prior life as an independent oil and gas producer. Energy, especially oil, can be very hard to live with — kind of like a mistress.

Are You Area Bound?
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Posted in Fall 2014, Society Columns on 27 October 2014
Stats: 2,591 views and Comments Off on Are You Area Bound?

We often ask the following question at our S.E.C. marketing meetings: “Is your client area bound?” It took me a minute to figure out what the moderator meant at my first meeting, though it became apparent very quickly. But what do we really mean?

Pick the Right Professionals – The Architect
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Posted in Feature Articles, Spring 2014 on 7 April 2014
Stats: 9,848 views and 1 Comment

This article will speak of our experience with our design architect, the professional who comes up with what the building will look like. Just as we do not pick the low bidder for our engineer, we seldom employ the most famous architect. It is our experience that famous usually translates to two things: needlessly expensive and, more importantly, someone who will ignore our ideas and design a monument to his own legend.

Development – Pick the Right Professionals – The Civil Engineer
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Posted in Feature Articles, Winter 2013 on 17 December 2013
Stats: 9,707 views and 1 Comment

This article will speak of our experience with our design architect, the professional who comes up with what the building will look like. Just as we do not pick the low bidder for our engineer, we seldom employ the most famous architect. It is our experience that famous usually translates into two things: needlessly expensive and, more importantly, someone who will ignore our ideas and design a monument to his own legend.