Commercial real estate

  • Professional headshot of Dr. Erin Harrel, Co-Founder of The Harlan Group in Fort Myers, FL.

    Your Trusted Partner in Southwest Florida Commercial Real Estate

    Commercial real estate is an investment in the future, whether it’s the future of your business, your portfolio, or the growth of our community. At The Harlan Group, we combine deep local expertise with a global perspective to deliver exceptional results in every sector of the commercial market. Led by Erin Harrel, Ph.D., Director of Commercial Real Estate for Keller Williams Fort Myers & the Islands, our team provides the experience, resources, and vision to help clients make confident decisions in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

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    Strategic Expertise That Delivers Value

    In commercial real estate, success requires more than a good location — it demands strategy, foresight, and precision. Our team approaches every project with an investor’s mindset, analyzing opportunities through the lens of value creation, risk management, and long-term growth. With a track record of nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in closed transactions across residential and commercial sectors, The Harlan Group has the proven ability to execute complex deals with clarity and confidence.

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Office & Retail Leasing

  • We analyze demographics, traffic counts, and customer behavior to ensure your business or property is positioned in a location that maximizes visibility and profitability. Whether you’re securing a high-traffic storefront or designing a multi-tenant office space, we help identify the right fit for long-term success.

  • Our team creates targeted marketing campaigns that highlight property strengths and reach the right audience. From digital advertising and signage to network connections with local businesses, we work to minimize downtime and secure quality tenants quickly.

  • We negotiate favorable lease terms that protect your interests, balancing rental rates, expenses, and tenant allowances with the stability needed for sustainable business growth and investment returns.

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Investment Sales

  • Every deal begins with numbers. We prepare detailed pro formas, rent rolls, and cash flow analysis so investors have a clear picture of income potential, expenses, and risks before making a decision.

  • Using local and regional market trends, we evaluate cap rates, absorption rates, and demand forecasts to determine how an asset will perform in today’s market and in the years ahead.

  • From acquisition to disposition, we assist with structuring transactions to reduce risk, optimize tax benefits, and align with your short- and long-term investment goals.

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Land & Development

  • Understanding local zoning codes, overlays, and permitting requirements is critical. We guide clients through entitlement processes, identifying opportunities and challenges before they become obstacles.

  • We coordinate with architects, engineers, surveyors, and municipal officials to streamline development projects and keep them moving forward efficiently.

  • When selling land, we create professional packages that highlight its development potential, infrastructure access, and positioning within growth corridors to attract qualified developers and investors.

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Consulting & Valuation

  • We provide independent, data-driven valuations supported by comparable sales, income analysis, and market demand to give you a clear picture of your property’s worth.

  • For investors and owners, we evaluate your current holdings, review performance, and help create a roadmap that aligns with your long-term business or investment goals.

  • If a property is underperforming, we offer strategies to reposition or repurpose it, whether through renovations, tenant mix adjustments, or adaptive reuse concepts, to increase value and cash flow.

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Tenant Representation

  • We help tenants identify spaces that align with their operational needs, budget, and long-term growth strategy, whether it’s retail, office, or industrial.

  • Our team ensures you secure favorable terms, covering rental rates, build-out allowances, renewal options, and protections against hidden costs.

  • From moving into a new market to growing into larger spaces, we guide tenants through smooth transitions without disrupting business operations.

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Landlord Representation

  • We create tailored campaigns to attract qualified tenants quickly, highlighting location advantages, amenities, and competitive positioning.

  • Our process identifies reliable tenants with strong creditworthiness, ensuring long-term occupancy and stability.

  • We negotiate leases that protect landlord interests, optimize cash flow, and balance tenant needs to minimize turnover.

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    A Clear and Customized Approach

    No two commercial transactions are alike. That’s why we begin with a comprehensive discovery process - learning your objectives, financial requirements, and long-term vision. From there, we create a customized plan that may include site selection, comparative market analysis, investment modeling, and tailored marketing strategies.

    During negotiations, we serve as both advisors and advocates, ensuring terms align with your goals. Our team handles the details: contracts, inspections, financial reviews, due diligence, and timelines, so you can remain focused on the big picture. With The Harlan Group, you’ll always know where you stand and what comes next.

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    Southwest Florida Expertise With National Reach

    Southwest Florida is one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States, with expanding opportunities in hospitality, healthcare, retail, industrial, and multi-family sectors. This dynamic growth creates both opportunities and challenges for investors and business owners.

    As part of Keller Williams’ global network, The Harlan Group combines hyper-local expertise with access to a worldwide platform of investors, developers, and resources. This dual advantage allows us to market properties broadly while negotiating with in-depth understanding of local market conditions.

    Our clients benefit from : Access to current market data and analytics. Relationships with lenders, attorneys, contractors, and municipal leaders. Insight into zoning, development trends, and infrastructure projects shaping the region’s future.

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    Proven Success Across Transactions

    With nearly 800 transactions closed in just five years, our team has built a reputation for excellence and reliability. We’ve represented small business owners securing their first retail spaces, investors expanding portfolios with multi-family assets, and developers turning raw land into thriving commercial hubs.

    Our success isn’t measured only in numbers but in the trust of the clients who return to us again and again for their real estate needs. Their businesses grow, their portfolios expand, and their visions become reality and we are proud to be part of that journey.

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    Let’s Build What’s Next

    Commercial real estate is about more than property, it’s about potential. At The Harlan Group, we don’t just broker transactions; we build relationships, strategies, and long-term partnerships that empower our clients to succeed. Whether you’re leasing, investing, buying, or selling, we’re here to help you achieve your goals with confidence.

What Our Clients Say

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    Jimmy johns

    ‘Working with Erin and her team was truly a positive experience. Her deep knowledge and understanding of the Fort Myers commercial market coupled with her excellent communication and negotiation skills made finding our new medspa space seamless. We currently have worked with Erin and her team on 4 commercial projects and 2 residential transactions with eyes toward another. Erin was always responsive to our questions and concerns and kept us informed every step of the way. Erin’s strong network of contacts allowed her to quickly identify exactly what we were looking for. Erin always went above and beyond for us and I highly recommend her to anyone seeking commercial real estate services."

  • Logo for Fill Face It Botox Bar featuring stylized purple and teal design elements and text emphasizing aesthetics and wellness.

    Face It Botox Bar

    ‘Working with Erin and her team was truly a positive experience. Her deep knowledge and understanding of the Fort Myers commercial market coupled with her excellent communication and negotiation skills made finding our new medspa space seamless. We currently have worked with Erin and her team on 4 commercial projects and 2 residential transactions with eyes toward another. Erin was always responsive to our questions and concerns and kept us informed every step of the way. Erin’s strong network of contacts allowed her to quickly identify exactly what we were looking for. Erin always went above and beyond for us and I highly recommend her to anyone seeking commercial real estate services."

  • Little Caesars Pizza logo featuring a cartoon Roman emperor holding a pizza and a staff with a pizza slice umbrella.

    Little Ceasar’s Pizza

    “Working with Erin from Old Florida Dream Team has been amazing. As a franchisee for Little Caesars, it was refreshing to work with someone who has such knowledge of the area and the key demographics that we are looking for. From start to finish her professionalism and communication have been top notch and I would recommend her to anyone.” 

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    Dold Enterprises

    "We have worked with Erin Harrel and Old Florida Dream Team for many years on multiple commercial and residential real estate endeavors. She has assisted us in selling our boat company, Latitude Tournament Boat company, industrial properties, as well as our latest acquisition of land for a 28 unit condo complex. Her knowledge of the Permitting, Zoning and Planning at the city and County level was what led us to a successful sale. Her strong communication, network of key players in the area and negotiating skills contribute to her success in our area. Additionally, she was able to price and sell one of our properties $100,000.00 over what we were told by other brokers.