Mike Sawtelle
Executive Vice President
Areas of Expertise
Mike Sawtelle specializes exclusively in tenant representation, advising corporate occupiers on:
- Office leasing and acquisition transactions
- Lease renewals and restructures
- Build-to-suit projects
- Relocation strategies
- Occupancy planning and facility solutions
Professional Background
Mike has more than 38 years of commercial real estate experience and has represented clients in transactions totaling over 10 million square feet throughout his career.
He began his career with Cushman & Wakefield in 1988 and, in 1993, co-founded The Pinnacle Group, which grew under his leadership into one of San Antonio’s premier tenant representation firms. From 2005 to 2020, Mike served as Senior Vice President with CBRE, Inc. Most recently, he held the position of Executive Vice President at Merit Commercial Real Estate before joining REOC San Antonio.
Client-Centered Approach
Mike helps clients make informed real estate decisions by:
- Quickly assessing current and future facility requirements
- Evaluating all viable alternatives, from lease renewals to complex relocations and build-to-suit opportunities
- Establishing negotiating leverage early through a competitive, arm’s-length process
- Comparing alternatives using consistent and comprehensive financial analysis
- Resolving issues that arise throughout the life of a real estate commitment
Why Tenant Representation Matters
Approximately 90% of commercial lease renewals utilize a Tenant Representation broker—including transactions involving Fortune 100 companies with sophisticated in-house real estate teams.
Key advantages of Tenant Representation include:
- In most transactions, a brokerage commission is already built into the deal structure. Without a Tenant Representation broker, the landlord typically retains that value or directs it to the landlord’s broker.
- Engaging a Tenant Representation broker immediately creates leverage by demonstrating a credible ability and willingness to pursue alternative options.
- Effective leverage must be established before negotiations begin. Once direct negotiations have stalled, much of the tenant’s negotiating advantage may already be lost.
- Even in strong landlord-tenant relationships, the landlord’s objective remains maximizing investment returns. Tenants benefit from dedicated representation focused solely on protecting their interests.
What Sets Mike Apart
Mike has completed virtually every type of office tenant transaction in the San Antonio market over the course of his career. His extensive knowledge of local buildings, landlords, market conditions, rental rates, and transaction history provides the necessary leverage that is critical in securing the best possible transaction terms.
Clients Served
- Accenture
- Bank of America
- Charter / TWC / Spectrum
- EOG Resources
- Ernst & Young
- General Dynamics
- The Hartford
- Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, LLP
- JPMorgan Chase
- Norton Rose Fulbright
- Schlumberger
- Wells Fargo
- Sol Schwartz & Associates
- Davidson Troilo Ream & Garza
Notable Transactions
- EOG Resources, Inc., 194,500 sq. ft. lease
- TWC / Charter, 126,196 sq. ft. lease
- The Hartford, 99,986 sq. ft. lease
- Alliance Bernstein, 92,000 sq. ft. lease
- CaptureRX, 65,000 sq. ft. lease
- Educational Testing Services, 63,424 sq. ft. lease
- Accenture, 61,660 sq. ft. lease
- HULU, 58,876 sq. ft. lease
- Sirius Computer Solutions, 58,334 sq. ft. lease
- HCA Healthcare, 54,800 sq. ft. lease
- Community First Health Plans, 39,200 sq. ft. lease