7 LinkedIn Groups CRE Professionals Should Join

by Kaitlan Whitteberry on May 15, 2015
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With over two million (yes, million) active LinkedIn groups – it can be difficult to choose which 50 you should join! If you’re in commercial real estate, these communities can be a valuable resource for you to find potential leads, stay educated on the latest in office trends and learn how to market to various generations of tenants. Here are our top 7 LinkedIn Groups every CRE professional shouldn’t miss. 

LinkedIn log in page how CRE professionals can select groups to join.

1). The Workplace Community

Open Group | 8,000 members | Professional 

This forward-thinking group started in 2008, and boasts almost 8,000 members. Their site summary says the group focuses on, “the global voice of authority and integration hub for all people working with new and progressive workplace strategies”. Discussion topics range from “keeping an open workspace productive” to “what tech tenants look for when leasing space”. It’s definitely a place to gather information about the changes in the CRE market and how to cater to the changing demographic of workers. This group is ideal for agents looking to provide the latest and greatest office space for their clients. Join here. 

2). CoreNet Global

Private Group | 5,000 members | Professional

With over 5,000 members, this private group started in 2009 by CoreNet Global, “the world’s leading association for corporate real estate and workplace professionals”. They have selected their category as “Professional Group” which may mean the moderators prefer strictly business topics and discussions. At a slightly smaller member count, these individuals discuss everything from trends in the industry to how to negotiate lease terms. Join here. 

3). Corporate Real Estate/ Facilities Management Professionals

Open Group | 26,000 members | Networking

Labeled as a “networking” group, and established in 2007, this large community featured posts for both CRE and Facilities Management professionals. The group also allows for open discussion posting, which means any member can share relevant content to the site’s news feed. The group offers a wide variety of topics including most recently, water conservation and how to create value in aging assets. Join here. 

LinkedIn groups every commercial real estate professional should join

4). Workplace Evolutionaries

Private Group | 3,500 members | Professional

Looking for the top trends and changes occurring in the modern workplace? This is your group. With almost 3,500 other professionals, you can discuss changing tenant expectations, commercial real estate negotiations and the future of the office. On their “about us” page, the Workplace Evolutionaries state their group as, “a vibrant global workplace community focused on increasing workplace innovation and consciousness”. Many of their topics are also in line with the IFMA Foundation on critical workplace research. Join here. 

5). The Commercial Real Estate Network

Private Group | 20,000 members | Networking

This group began back in 2008, and lists on their page as being,” a group for commercial real estate professionals and service providers, including anyone with interest in commercial real estate”. Their discussions range over a wide variety for many different types of CRE professionals. They also list their category as “networking” which often means job postings and opinion requests on certain products and advice are usually welcome. Join here. 

6). Technology For Commercial Real Estate

Open Group | 7,500 members | Networking

Technology is changing how every industry works, and CRE is no exception. The expectations of tenants and the ways in which we communicate with office buyers are completely different than they were 10 years ago. And its still changing. This group allows CRE professionals to stay up-to-date on the latest happening with technology and their industry. This group encourages exploration and even states on their page for members to, “share your experience and ask questions about technology challenges and triumphs in your business”. Join here. 

7). Commercial Real Estate Investment & Property Management

Open Group | 500,000 members | Professional

The largest group on our list by far, this massive collaboration of CRE professionals is the perfect place to ask real estate questions or to gather advice on various topics. According to the about us section the group defines itself as, “a global networking group for those dealing with commercial or residential real estate, acquisitions, construction, green development, asset management, architecture, jobs, etc”. Due to its size, this is definitely a place that CRE professionals should want to spend some time while on LinkedIn. If you feel a bit too overwhelmed to start a discussion, try commenting on other members’ posts first. This will help you understand the types of discussion topics that are received well and what drives engagement. You’ll soon be sharing content like a regular in no time! Join here. 

iOffice News

Don’t forget, we have our own LinkedIn group, iOffice News! Our topics are a bit more streamlined towards office & facilities management, but definitely apply to commercial real estate individuals. We are much smaller than many of the groups mentioned, which keeps our discussions relevant and focused. We also try to respond to any questions,  comments or join requests that day! To request acceptance into our group please click here. 

Are there any other must-join LinkedIn CRE groups that we’ve missed? Feel free to share them in the comments below! 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kaitlan Whitteberry

Kaitlan Whitteberry is a Magna Cum Laude graduate from the University of Missouri's journalism program, and currently focuses on iOFFICE press releases, software updates and related news.

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