Summary
Accomplishments
Overview
Education
Work History
Skills
Certification
Affiliations
Awards
Interests
Timeline
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Collin Lester

Collin Lester

Real Estate Broker
Houston,TX

Summary

Results-driven commercial real estate professional with over 7 years of experience specializing in project leasing and tenant representation across various asset types. Skilled at navigating complex deals and excelling in all stages of the deal cycle, from cold calling to problem-solving and closing. Thrives in collaborative environments emphasizing communication and project completion, leveraging a Texas A&M Finance background to drive long-term success for the company, clients, and community. Community and maintaining relationships are paramount, and eagerly anticipates building new connections.

Accomplishments

"Collin is the role model for Commercial Agents. We were looking to secure commercial space in the Houston area and when we contacted Collin, he was more than gracious to help us. Living in another state and time zone did not matter, he was on Top of everything from start to finish. Though he represented the developer he did not hesitate to help us. His knowledge, professionalism and integrity is far none. I would do a deal with Collin as the lead agent in any state. He is absolutely the best!"

❤️🙏3

If you are looking for a commercial real estate professional that is above reproach, knowledgeable, professional and who has exceptional customer service, reach out to Collin Lester of Read King! I reached out to Collin regarding one of his commercial listings in the Houston Texas area last year. Unlike many commercial agent, Collin was very responsive! To put it frankly, he answers his phone!! Which is more than I can say about many other real estate professionals! Not only is he responsive, but his follow up is impeccable! I must admit.. because of his follow up, we ended up closing on the property that I contacted him about! There were many other opportunities available to us for our business, but Collins knowledge, professionalism and follow up made us feel so comfortable and confident - that we felt in our heads that this was the right commercial space for us! The funny thing is Collin was representing the developer/landlord, but yet and still his level of service and knowledge was simply outstanding. Because Collin went above and beyond the call of duty, we felt it necessary to sing his praises! If you are looking for an honest, professional and personable commercial agent, reach out to Collin Lester at Read King! We will be reaching out to Collin for our future commercial real estate endeavors! Thank you Collin!".

Overview

13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Education

BBA - FINANCE

Texas A&M University (Mays Business School)
College Station, TX
01-2014

High School Diploma -

Memorial High School
Houston, TX
01.2010

Work History

Senior Associate

Read King Commercial Real Estate & Development
01.2024 - Current
  • Worked with a full spectrum of ownership groups, from Read King developed projects and local developers to institutional investors managing $30B+ portfolios
  • Closed $10M+ in lease volume across H-E-B anchored centers, neighborhood strips, and ground-up pre-leased developments
  • Drove leasing results across 20+ deals; directly involved in tour activity, negotiation, and execution
  • Executed 20+ lease transactions generating over $12 million in revenue across challenging and underperforming retail assets
  • Achieved 100% success rate on securing leases on all originally assigned assets, consistently meeting or exceeding leasing targets

Senior Associate

J. Hunter Properties
01.2021 - 12.2023
  • Oversaw all leasing operations for J. Hunter Properties and third-party landlords
  • Identified value-add investment opportunities within J. Hunter's portfolio
  • Managed, organized, and created marketing materials to help bolster brand recognition

Associate

Edge Realty Partners
01.2019 - 12.2021
  • Executed over $20 million in transactions across the Greater Houston area
  • Represented both buyers and sellers in land acquisitions for purchase and ground lease
  • Developed tailored marketing strategies for developers and landlords during challenging market conditions post-Hurricane Harvey
  • Leveraged cold calling and hands on outreach to generate qualified tenant leads and drive leasing activity for clients’ properties
  • Expanded client base through proactive networking and landlord relationship development

Associate

Orange Commercial
01.2017 - 12.2021
  • Represented third-party landlords across 300,000+ SF of retail developments throughout Greater Houston
  • Provided tenant representation services for local, regional, and national retail operators
  • Actively marketed listings by cold calling to generate prospective tenants
  • Involved in all aspects of the leasing process from initial contact to lease negotiation and execution
  • Created marketing materials such as property flyers and broker focused email marketing campaigns

Research Analyst

Hunington Properties
01.2016 - 12.2016
  • Supported leasing and investment sales teams with comprehensive market research and financial analysis
  • Conducted tenant prospecting and market analysis for new development projects
  • Prepared detailed market reports and demographic studies to support leasing strategies
  • Gained marketing experience by prospecting for potential tenants in areas surrounding the new developments

Account Executive

Goosehead Insurance
01.2014 - 12.2016
  • Secured nearly $500,000 of new premiums
  • Assisted clients in the management and understanding of their household risks through comprehensive insurance solutions
  • Facilitated growth of referral-based business through real estate and mortgage professionals

Full-Time Summer Internship

Statesman Business Advisors
01.2014 - 12.2014
  • Served as lead support to lending managers in the application process to secure the packaging of government guaranteed loans
  • Recognized a weakness in the internal software responsible for project stage reporting - led the integration of a new CRM (Smartsheet)

Full-Time Summer Internship

Crockett National Bank
01.2013 - 12.2013
  • Selected by Finance Professor to participate in Crockett's Young Executive Program
  • Studied directly under the CEO; learned how strategic financial analysis can be applied towards fundamental business decision

Skills

  • Financial management
  • Proficient in [software]
  • Project coordination
  • Inventory control
  • Financial statements expertise
  • Finance
  • Account reconciliation
  • Sales proficiency
  • Sales and marketing aptitude
  • Business partnerships
  • Property tours and inspections
  • Property tour coordination
  • Organized mindset
  • Lease writing
  • Resident assistance
  • Vendor contract negotiations
  • Community engagement
  • Unit maintenance
  • Contract negotiation
  • Market trends
  • Clear communication
  • Administrative oversight
  • Leasing terms and specifications
  • Prospect qualification
  • Team building
  • Application processing
  • Sales techniques
  • Competitive research
  • Lease renewals
  • Lead generation

  • Lending
  • Creative problem solving
  • Relationship building
  • Closing techniques
  • Building rapport
  • Resident retention programs
  • CRM software
  • Market research
  • Issue escalation
  • Phone and email etiquette
  • Customer service
  • Pricing management
  • Database management
  • Prospect vetting
  • Property maintenance
  • Telephone and email etiquette
  • Lead conversion
  • Record keeping
  • Interpersonal relations
  • Financial acumen
  • Sales strategy development
  • Customer service expertise
  • Contract preparation
  • Sales prospecting
  • Due diligence
  • Deal structuring
  • Lease negotiation
  • Rental management
  • Sales-savvy
  • Money handling

Certification

Texas Real Estate Commission, 677617

Affiliations

  • International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), Current Member
  • Houston Metropolitan Chamber, Current Member
  • Houston Mortgage Bankers Association (HMBA), Previous Member
  • Financial Management Association, Previous Member

Awards

Five Star Professional Award Nominee, Texas Monthly, Recognizes service professionals who provide quality services to their clients

Interests

  • Trading Stocks
  • Investing
  • Going to live music
  • boxing
  • Reading
  • Youth Development Programs
  • Running
  • Blockchain Technology and Cryptocurrency
  • Backpacking
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning
  • Driving the market looking for deals
  • Backpacking and Hiking
  • Volunteer Work
  • Road Trips
  • Train Travel
  • Playing Sports

Timeline

Senior Associate

Read King Commercial Real Estate & Development
01.2024 - Current

Senior Associate

J. Hunter Properties
01.2021 - 12.2023

Associate

Edge Realty Partners
01.2019 - 12.2021

Associate

Orange Commercial
01.2017 - 12.2021

Research Analyst

Hunington Properties
01.2016 - 12.2016

Account Executive

Goosehead Insurance
01.2014 - 12.2016

Full-Time Summer Internship

Statesman Business Advisors
01.2014 - 12.2014

Full-Time Summer Internship

Crockett National Bank
01.2013 - 12.2013

BBA - FINANCE

Texas A&M University (Mays Business School)

High School Diploma -

Memorial High School