Welcome To The Real Finds Blog: Commercial Real Estate Insights for Chicago and the Midwest
Welcome to The Real Finds Blog, your daily briefing on commercial real estate trends across Chicagoland and the Midwest. Published by Gordon Lamphere, a fourth-generation commercial real estate broker at Van Vlissingen & Co., this blog delivers sharp, actionable insights for CRE professionals navigating a changing market. Every article connects macro trends—interest rates, automation, supply chains, policy shifts—to local real estate strategy across high-demand submarkets, including:
- Downtown Chicago – office space, adaptive reuse, capital markets
- Elk Grove & O’Hare – industrial leasing, logistics infrastructure
- Kenosha & SE Wisconsin – warehouse development and distribution hubs
- Oak Brook & Schaumburg – suburban office leasing and reinvestment
- Naperville & the I-88 Corridor – flex space, R&D, life sciences
- Bolingbrook & the I-55 Corridor – fulfillment centers and industrial site selection
- Lake, DuPage, Will, Kane, and McHenry Counties – land use, entitlements, development opportunities, and tenant migration
From daily blog posts to in-depth strategy guides and transcribed podcast interviews, Real Finds turns global uncertainty into hyper-local market intelligence for investors, landlords, tenants, developers, and brokers New posts are published every weekday.
The Power of 1031 Exchanges With Bernard Reisz – Real Finds Podcast #14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PYQG6Xkob0 Host: Gordon Lamphere, Director of Sales and Leasing at Van Vlissingen and Co. Guest: Bernard Reisz, Certified Public Accountant...
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Surfing The Silver Tsunami: Investing in Residential Assisted Living – Real Finds Podcast #13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4yYFlWrEOg Host: Gordon Lamphere, Sales & Leasing Director at Van Vlissingen and Co. Guest: Isabel Guarino, Chief Operating Officer at...
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Slowing Inflation Supports Fixed Cost Small Tenant Growth
Inflation and interest rates are critical factors impacting commercial real estate markets. While inflation has been rising rapidly over the...
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Office Space Matters With Vinny Di Meglio – Real Finds Podcast #12
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEuvANcoFXo Host: Gordon Lamphere, Director of Sales and Leasing at Van Vlissingen and Co. Guest: Vinny Di Meglio, Senior Vice...
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Can Commercial Leases Be Broken?
Can Commercial Leases Be Broken? As a business owner or commercial tenant, signing a lease for a commercial property is...
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Commercial Real Estate MoneyBall: Data Driven Site Location – Real Finds Podcast #11
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpt4sV9Rbd4 Host: Gordon Lamphere, Director of Sales & Leasing at Van Vlissingen and Co. Guest: Sara Maffey, Head of Corporate...
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Wyatt Clark: Portugal’s Golden Real Estate Investing Opportunity – Real Finds Podcast #10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qf7ODIH8WA Host: Gordon Lamphere, Commercial Real Estate Agent at Van Vlissingen and Co. Guest: Wyatt Clark, Investor and Analyst URL:...
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10 Tips To Improve Office Space Productivity Without Construction
There are plenty of more expensive office space amenities that employees crave. However, significant changes to your commercial real estate...
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HomesOnChain: Digital Real Estate Transactions With Blockchain – The Real Finds Podcast #9
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59_Gq0hEHIc Podcast Title: The Real Finds Podcast #9 - HomesOnChain: Digital Real Estate Transactions With Blockchain Host: Gordon Lamphere, Director...
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Bryan McLaren: Navigating Cannabis Commercial Real Estate – Real Finds Podcast #8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvETNjkCLG4 Host: Gordon Lamphere, Director of Sales & Leasing at Van Vlissingen and Co. Guest: Bryan McLaren, the Chairman and...
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Ken Wimberly: Laundry Luv Accountable Entrepreneurship #7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLzXyeRIWnw Podcast Title: Ken Wimberly: Laundry Luv Accountable Entrepreneurship Host: Gordon Lamphere Guest: Ken Wimberly, co-founder of Laundry Luv URL:...
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Trisha Talbot: Mastering Medical Office #6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qofQZtqqCwA Welcome to the Real Finds Podcast, where industry leaders discuss the latest trends and insights in commercial real...
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What Is A Personal Guarantee In Commercial Real Estate?
What Is A Personal Guarantee In Commercial Real Estate? As a commercial real estate broker, an essential aspect of negotiating...
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Office Space Alternative To Traditional Workspace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQHtIeWoWpYAs businesses adapt to changing work environments, traditional office spaces are no longer the only option available. With the rise...
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Emmanuel Lavoie – JetStream Hospitality Solutions – Real Finds Podcast #5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KA09OGLY4s Welcome to the Real Finds Podcast, where we explore the latest and greatest in the world of real...
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Sawgrass Capital Partners – Real Finds Podcast #4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux3Dzwo1l10 Welcome to episode #4 of The Real Finds Podcast, where we bring you valuable insights and expert opinions...
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Tamar Turner: WeWork & The Power Of Networking – Real Finds Podcast #3
Gordon Lamphere is joined by Tamar Turner, host of the Down 2 Business podcast, to discuss small business trends and...
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Asset Class Specialization: Putting Your Clients First
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq0VmFnHDG4 When it comes to commercial real estate agents, the services of a specialist are invaluable. With a deep...
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