“Our agents have the depth of experience and local market knowledge to help clients meet their real estate goals.” —Al Coppin
“We appreciate all the clients who took the time to vote,” says Al Coppin, president and co-founder (along with Jim Keegan) of the firm. “Many of our clients have been with us for years, so awards like this help confirm we’re doing the right things.”
Keegan & Coppin prides itself on its personalized approach to the brokerage business. Part of ONCOR International, the company has instant access to more than 1,800 real estate professionals in key markets around the world, combining hometown service with global outreach. It provides a full range of services, including property management, construction, leasing and retail. It also manages and develops business parks, including land sales and build-to-suit transactions.
The seeds of the company date back to 1976, when Keegan and Coppin met while working as commercial real estate brokers at Grubb & Ellis. They opened their first office in Santa Rosa and then expanded to Marin, Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties. Today, the brokerage is one of the largest property management companies in the North Bay, employing about 35 people along with about 40 agents who act as independent contractors.
In years past, Coppin’s partner, Keegan, spoke philosophically about the relentless business cycles that periodically turned the industry upside down. “We’re just trying to stay healthy so we’ll be prepared to move quickly when things pick up again,” he said in 2009. Rather than cut back service or staff to reduce expenses, the company focused on marketing its expertise, improving its technology and diligently connecting buyers, sellers and lessors.
Those moves have paid off dramatically. In 2014, the company experienced one of its best years with renewed demand, a bullish market and a resurgence of development. “The economy turned the corner,” Coppin says. “All of our professionals’ patience during the recession paid off, and we saw the results.”
Keegan & Coppin is currently working on a new, cloud-based data system that will give its agents more advantages working with local and regional data. It’s also implemented a new, three-tier management system, which provides more comprehensive service to clients.
In addition to being the largest commercial real estate broker in the North Bay—and the 11th largest in the entire Bay Area— Keegan & Coppin also arranges more leases and handles more expansions and relocations than any other commercial brokerage north of the Golden Gate.
“We’re involved in more than 500 transactions per year, so our agents have the depth of experience and local market knowledge to help clients meet their real estate goals,” Coppin says. In fact, all of the firm’s partners have been with the company more than 20 years. That experience pays off in various ways: Brokers are aware of past transactions and what to expect from local developers, property owners and governmental agencies, not to mention the intricacies and peculiarities of zoning codes.
“Our consultants provide the best information and strategies for you to successfully navigate your facility or investment objective,” says Coppin. “When you hire one of our agents, you hire the whole company.”
