We understand commercial real estate inside and out. Over the past 30 years, we have helped our clients through several economic and real estate cycles  as their ‘real estate department for hire’. Here is what past (and current) clients think of Officelease.

"Paul Suzman and OfficeLease represented us the last time our 60+ person agency needed to relocate. They helped us clarify our office needs, distilled the strengths and weaknesses of each building and walked us through the process of negotiation—from space planning through letter of intent to lease signing. It was clear to us and also to Ellen Dial, former WSBA President who reviewed the terms of our lease for us, that they are well respected and liked by those working in the commercial real estate business. Recently we chose to relocate as our REIT landlord was proving unrealistic about local lease extension rates. Once again we hired OfficeLease to find an alternative home and are delighted with the results. We particularly appreciate the very direct, principaled way in which they conduct business. I would gladly recommend OfficeLease to any organization needing guidance with facility acquisition."

Eileen Farley,
Director,
Northwest Defenders Association
206 528 3100

"We interviewed several real estate professionals and quickly engaged Paul Suzman and the team at OfficeLease to help us in our work.
Paul and his team were on top of the many issues and continually provided us with excellent insight. His knowledge of the real estate market in Seattle was encyclopedic and his positive working relationship with building owners made the process run very smoothly. In the end, we structured a new lease that exactly fit our needs for both today and the future.
I would not hesitate to use OfficeLease in the future or recommend the firm to anyone considering real estate representation in Seattle."

Robert M. Moser
President and CEO:
Laird Norton Tyee

 

"Paul Suzman and OfficeLease are relationship builders and in it for the long haul. They have delivered first-class service to my clients,  and are responsive, flexible and creative. They focus on their clients’ best interests and are committed to finding the right location at the right price. They care about more than the transaction at hand and will work with clients until the problem is solved and to help achieve the client's goals. "

Ellen Conedera Dial
Perkins Coie, LLP
Seattle, Washington

“The Seattle Foundation is very careful about the partners we pick for various projects. OfficeLease was an excellent choice because they have a good solid reputation that has parlayed itself into an exceptional network of contacts. They have automatic entry into every commercial space in the region. Also, they are local, and develop outstanding personal relationships with their clients.”

 

Phyllis Campbell
formerly President and CEO of the Seattle Foundation
(currently Vice Chair PNW Region JP Morgan Chase)
Seattle, Washington

I’ve been a real estate attorney for over 30 years and have known Paul Suzman and his company for over 10 years. I would regard him as a very capable and experienced office leasing broker and consultant. As a specific example, I served on the WSBA facilities committee some time ago when we were interviewing commercial tenant representatives to assist WSBA in deciding whether to renegotiate its lease or relocate to a better suited location, and to also act as WSBA’s “guide” and point of contact through the process. The committee needed someone who thoroughly understood the local real estate market, who knew and was known by the various developers and building owners, their points of indifference and where and how reasonable leverage might best be applied during negotiations. Given the overlapping client relationships held by various committee members, it was crucial that we be represented by someone who would conduct the process fairly and openly. Paul Suzman and his associates at OfficeLease did a great job of calibrating the committee’s expectations early in the process with the reality of the market and addressed in a very professional manner, any questions or issues that came up through the process. All of us on the committee thoroughly enjoyed working with Paul and his team. I might add that the committee and the WSBA were delighted with the outcome.

Gary E. Fluhrer
Attorney
FOSTER PEPPER PLLC

"Commercial leasing is a significant part of our real estate practice and we have contact with many real estate brokers and consultants.  We are familiar with the terms of complex leases and the negotiation process between landlords and tenants.  We have retained OfficeLease to represent our firm in lease negotiations and have referred them to clients.  Our own experience and that of our clients has been uniformly superb.  The principals of OfficeLease are experienced in evaluating alternative proposals and are practical, creative and fair minded when making recommendations regarding a course of action.  They truly act on your behalf as a tenant representative, with undivided loyalty, and you can count on them to perform.  I recommend their services to you without qualification."

George W. Martin, Jr., Partner
Hillis, Clark, Martin & Peterson

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I am the director of a nonprofit public defender agency that employs 50 plus people.  Paul Suzman and OfficeLease were of great assistance to me when the agency moved from what was then the Union Bank of California into the 1111 Third Avenue Building.  He helped us clarify what our office needs were, discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the each of the buildings we considered and explained the process of negotiation—from space planning to letter of intent to lease signing.  It was clear to me as we met various building representatives and with Ellen Dial, former WSBA President who reviewed the terms of our lease with us, that he is well respected and well liked by those working in the commercial real estate business.  ........ we are working with Mr. Suzman as the agency considers whether to stay in our current space or move.......  Please don’t hesitate to call me if you have any questions or would like additional information. .

 

Eileen Farley
Northwest Defenders Association

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"Over the past 10 years as the CEO of two different businesses while negotiating three different leases I have utilised the services of OfficeLease as my tenant representative.....The firm is able to attract dedicated talented professionals that are pleasure to work with and are reassuring to have working in your best interests. They are the best in the field. If you are an executive in the Greater Seattle area considering tenant representation and this written testimony is not sufficently convincing you may contact me directly at 425 286 9200 ext 201"

Scot Cocanour
Promium LLC. Bothell

It is my pleasure to be a reference for Paul Suzman of OfficeLease. Mr. Suzman has worked with us over the last few years on office options and has always been knowledgeable about office space and responsive to our needs. I have also referred others and have also known Mr. Suzman through my work as a former Governor of the Washington State Bar Association. Most recently, Mr. Suzman has helped us relocate my firm of Aoki Law, PLLC from One Convention Place to 720 Olive Way. It was no small task as I wanted to view a number of office spaces before I made a final decision. Mr. Suzman did an outstanding job helping us find a new office and negotiate the best possible lease terms. If you have any questions regarding his organization, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Russell M. Aoki
Aoki Law LLP

 

"Because of our complete satisfaction with the work your firm did for us negotiating our original lease, we hired OfficeLease again to assist us with renegotiation of our corporate administrative offices. You were free of any relationships with developers with whom we might be negotiating, and we believed that you were most familiar with all of the options that might be available to us in and around Downtown Seattle.
I was most impressed with your approach. You took the time to clearly understand our objectives and looked at various alternatives to our needs. Your understanding of building development, assessment of alternatives and development of negotiation strategy were excellent. You were sensitive to Nordstrom's standing in the community and managed and timed the negotiating in such a way that, although we achieved a very favorable and flexible lease agreement, we have maintained a first-class relationship with our landlord
We would highly recommend you to any institution requiring such real estate advisory services."

John Goesling
Former Executive Vice President, CFO
Nordstrom

"Your thought provoking questions during our search for space helped us establish a design program which captured the essence of our firm culture. Your connections within the real estate community opened doors to spaces that offered unique opportunities for us to express our design and space planning skills. Your ability to understand our nature provided us with an outside voice of reason in whom we could trust. Your focused, direct support of our position during lease negotiations minimized our long term financial exposure. In short, you provided a type and quality of service which is more than a cut above the typical "full service" real estate broker.
We are eager to share our enthusiasm for your part in it with others. I hope you will call on us. Thank you for all that you have done. It has been a most rewarding experience for us."

Thom Emrich
Mithun  AIA

"Our (Facilities) Committee includes two members of the Board of Governors, The President of the WSBA, a former President of the WSBA and two experienced Seattle real estate lawyers among others. We recruited Paul Suzman of OfficeLease to provide us with some professional expertise regarding the leasing or purchasing of office space in Seattle and he has been of immeasurable value to our committee. He has a very clear understanding of the complexities of the Seattle Real Estate market, knows the political climate, and is familiar with most building owners. His expertise and advice have been invaluable to our committee and without it we would not have made nearly as much progress toward our goal of assessing our facility needs and determining which option works best for our membership. I would recommend him for this type of assignment without reservation."

S Brooke Taylor
Platt Irwin Taylor

"When it came time to seek new space, it was my request that once again we hire Mr. Suzman at OfficeLease to help with this dynamic problem of relocating. We couldn't have done it without him. We would use him again in a moment and if anyone were to ask it would be our pleasure to give him the most glowing referral."

Gil Powers
former Senior Vice President
UBS

"I have worked with many brokers, consultants and other real estate professionals and can honestly say that there are none that in whom I have more confidence than the principals of OfficeLease.  They consistently bring value to our mutual clients with their unique blend of experience, intelligence, integrity and common sense. They are more than real estate brokers or consultants, and act as the client's real estate department, using their objectivity and analytical skills to understand their needs, find and evaluate alternatives and successfully negotiate leases and acquisitions.  OfficeLease's approach to real estate problems is both thorough and creative."

Tom Barkewitz
Alston, Courtnage & Bassetti

"What we found in both Paul Suzman and Larry Pflughoeft at OfficeLease was a real professionalism and integrity. We felt assured that we were their client when looking for space and negotiating a lease. They were always available to us when we needed them and are professionally very competent. They understand a business that we don't. It was very evident that they were looking out for our best interests."

Al Starr
Private Industry Council

“ I developed a great rapport with both Paul and Larry, They spent a lot of time listening to the docs, the staff, and the managers, in the lab and in the office, to understand what we all needed.  They also helped us define more clearly what our needs and objectives were – we wanted to make sure we wouldn’t have to move again for many years.  They also helped us in negotiating the lease and thru the drawn-out construction phase, in communicating our needs to our landlord.  In short, I felt they went a lot further than a typical broker would go to make sure we were happy.  In fact, Paul has remained in touch with me and when I told him I was having some trouble with our property management firm, he went WAY out of his way to help me get the landlord’s attention on the problem. That’s just the way he does business.  I can’t recommend them highly enough.”

Margaret Griffiths
Director of Finance
PhenoPath
Seattle, Washington

"Brought the whole process down to the basics; including tailoring to our specific needs. This attention to detail surprised me from day one."

Ed Garth
former CFO Designed Intelligence

"I have used the principals of OfficeLease on several occasions.  In addition to being totally above board and straight forward to deal with, they have always demonstrated a broad base of up-to-date knowledge about the real estate leasing market.  This knowledge includes available properties, tenant improvement packages and rental rates achievable in the then market, along with subleasing opportunities.  Since OfficeLease works as tenant representatives, they don't have the split loyalties of many other leasing agents.  They are resourceful and innovative, and their years of experience help put deals together in a workable, efficient, thoughtful way. "        

Jay Hadley
Ryan Swanson

"I was particularly struck by the time Paul and his team spent understanding our culture, and what makes our company successful…. OfficeLease helped us on every front, and, because they understood our operation, and my perspective so well, they connected us with all the partners I would have picked for myself had I been an expert at this stuff.
OfficeLease understands all aspects from finding space, to finding an architect, lease negotiations, project management, moving, etc., There was one number I would call in the event I was confused or concerned about anything.They understand that this isn't just about "space." It's about building a brand, and a thriving culture. OfficeLease exceeded my expectations in every dimension."

Bill Toliver
formerly CEO; Think, Inc.

I want to take this opportunity to thank both of you for not only solving our problem of finding new office space, but more over doing it in a professional way. It was incredible, after working with other agents, you actually listened to what we needed and only showed us properties that fit our needs. This seems to be an obvious trait one would hope to find in a service company such as yours, but this was not the case with your competition. I also appreciate the follow up you both have provided to see that all is going well and asking if there is anything that you can do to help speed things up. Once again from a very happy customer"

William M Ashman

"Over the years OfficeLease has provided valuable assistance to our firm through several rounds of lease negotiations.  We have always found their market information to be accurate and their negotiating suggestions to be thoughtful and strategic.  In addition, they are responsive and a pleasure to work with."

George A. Purdy
Simburg Ketter Sheppard & Purdy LLP

"Paul, Don and the rest of the team at OfficeLease provided outstanding advice, direction and market analysis for our real estate decision making process at Russell. Their business insight goes beyond real estate analysis and we can always count on them to brighten the day with a balanced and humourous approach to problems and issues. Their counsel is refreshing, thoughtful and much appreciated."

Teri Sato
Formerly Director of Facilities
Frank Russell Company
currently Facilities Services Manager, Gates Foundation

"Your grasp of our company, its business planning related to space needs, and our group dynamics was very quick and comprehensive. Our space requirements changed considerably during the search. OfficeLease adapted well to those changes and never unnecessarily hurried the process, even though this might have been to your financial advantage. You were clearly knowledgeable about the Eastside marketplace and the various developers and brokers with whom we dealt, and I always appreciated the manner in which you presented the facts. Your financial comparisons of various alternatives was most helpful.
It was clearly to Parametrix' advantage to be represented by a firm such as OfficeLease which had no affiliation with any developers or building owners. You were truly objective in your approach, …. "

Tom Schadt
Former Partner
Parametrix, Inc.

"As attorneys, we were looking for a real estate consultant with undivided loyalties, the experience and skill to distill complex lease proposals into simple and comparable form and the ability to negotiate fairly and intelligently on our behalf. We chose to work with OfficeLease for these reasons and can highly recommend their services."

John Ebel, Former  Partner
Naul, Ebel, Nawroth, Ellgren & Vance

"We ran an advertising agency with a direct marketing focus. We worked with companies like Royal Caribbean Cruise Line out of Miami, US Bank, McCaw, Ford Motor Co.
When we first started talking about our need for space it became clear that OfficeLease was different from the other folks; everybody else had an agenda; and something they wanted to sell. They asked the right kind of questions which has proven invaluable. They advised against over- committing ourselves and gave us a plan that really stair stepped us into our needs. We followed that plan and it has proven enormously successful for us."

Ron Christiansen
Advertising Executive

“OfficeLease’s principals really understand the business implications of real estate decision making. They analyze the deal from both the tenant’s and landlord’s perspective to establish a sound basis for negotiations. They are great team players too; and facilitate the entire process working closely with both tenant and their attorney to craft as tenant-friendly a lease as the market allows. They are true tenant representatives. ”

George Akers
Montgomery Purdue Blankinship & Akers

“OfficeLease went to great lengths to make sure I got what I needed. During the final stages of the lease negotiations when I needed a document reviewed by an expert, Larry found a qualified resource to do the review in a timely manner at their expense just so we could keep moving along.”

Kelly Maguire
Transitions Manager
Silver State Mortgage
Las Vegas, Nevada

“OfficeLease has deep experience in the Seattle market - they know every building in town. Through their network of contacts, they’ve also made some useful introductions that have helped us from a business building perspective. Paul is smart, cultured, understands the business world well, and always keeps his clients’ interests at heart.”

Chris Hedrick
Former President and CEO
Intrepid Learning Solutions
Seattle, Washington

“With his insight into human behavior and strategy, Paul tracked down a property for us that was not even for sale and effectively figured out how to get it on the market. His insight into how to interact with the seller was a key. OfficeLease consistently led us to good decisions that have put us in a much more favorable position than I could have expected. It really has been a pleasure to work with the team.”

Peter Kern
former VP Finance
Blue Origin
currently CFO Milliman Care

“For the last eight years Frank Russell Company has had the privilege of working closely with Paul Suzman and his colleagues at OfficeLease to address our dynamic office space needs in the Tacoma and Seattle markets.  During this period OfficeLease assisted us in the purchase of two properties, and in locating and leasing four other properties.  In each case they provided Frank Russell Company with timely and comprehensive market information that enabled us to negotiate favorable financial terms.  OfficeLease worked seamlessly with our in-house facilities staff and with inside and outside legal counsel to bring all our transactions to closure without delay or needless expense.  We highly recommend OfficeLease as tenant representative for any firms needing to make good facility decisions in the Puget Sound region.”

Karl Ege, Former General Counsel
Russell Investments.

Partner; Perkins Coie