Question 1

How do I obtain consultation services from Marlex Community Partners?

Accepted Answer

To engage our consulting services:

Visit our “Schedule an Appointment” or “Contact” page on the website and submit your contact information and brief description of your goals or challenges.

We will schedule an introductory call (typically 30 minutes) to understand your project, timeline, budget and objectives.

After the call, we will propose a scope of work (statement of services), deliverables, timeline and fee estimate for your approval.

Once you approve, we execute a consulting agreement, begin our work and deliver as agreed.

Ongoing support can be arranged by retainer or project‐by‐project depending on your needs.

Question 2

What types of consultation services do you provide?

Accepted Answer

Marlex Community Partners specializes in commercial real estate (CRE) consulting. Our offerings include:

Project feasibility & underwriting – We evaluate site acquisition, development metrics, market demand, cost budget, financing assumptions, exit strategy.

Capital‐stack structuring & financing strategy – We help you design the appropriate debt/equity structure, identify potential lenders/partners and prepare investor or lender presentations.

Due‐diligence advisory – We review third‐party reports (market studies, environmental, entitlement risk, construction cost escalation) and provide summary risk/return modelling.

Investment strategy & asset repositioning – We advise on value‐add strategies, repositioning opportunities (e.g., converting a use, adding amenities, energy upgrades) and evaluate IRR/exit outcomes.

Nonprofit/community real‐estate advisory – Given our experience with mission‐oriented projects, we support nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and community-serving real‐estate initiatives in structuring, grants/tax‐credit strategies, and financial modeling.

Question 3

What regions or types of properties do you focus on?

Accepted Answer

Marlex Community Partners is rooted in the Mid-Atlantic region (Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland) but we also support clients with national or multi-region aspirations. Types of properties: office, retail, industrial, multifamily (market‐rate and affordable), mixed‐use, special‐purpose/community-serving real estate. We tailor our services to your geography and asset type.

Question 4

How long does a consulting engagement typically take and what are the deliverables?

Accepted Answer

The timeline and deliverables depend on the scope. Typical engagements:

A high‐level feasibility study: 4–6 weeks, deliverable = executive summary, pro-forma model, risk/return assessment.

A full underwriting support + capital-stack strategy: 8–12 weeks, deliverables = detailed model (Excel), investor/lender package, scenario analysis (best case/worst case), term sheet template.

Long-term or retainer advisory: ongoing monthly or quarterly support, deliverables = dashboard updates, board reports, deal‐flow review, strategic memos.
We agree timeline at the outset and coordinate milestones with you.

Question 5

What is your fee structure?

Accepted Answer

Our fee structure is transparent and tailored:

Fixed‐fee for discrete scopes (e.g., class participation or single feasibility study).

Hourly or block hours for advisory or “on-demand” support.

Retainer model for clients that want ongoing strategic counsel.
Fees are disclosed upfront in the proposal and we align with the value delivered.

Question 6

Can you work with nonprofits or community-based organizations?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. We have expertise working with mission-driven real-estate initiatives including affordable housing, mixed‐use community centers, non‐profits seeking social impact real‐estate strategies. We understand the funding mix (grants, tax credits, debt/equity), stakeholder/governance dynamics, and the unique structuring that such projects require.

Question 7

What makes Marlex Community Partners different from other CRE consulting firms?

Accepted Answer

Boutique, highly experienced leadership (over 30 years combined in CRE development, investment, operations).

Strategic partner mindset – we don’t just “give a report,” we embed pragmatic, implementable recommendations aligned with your business goals.

Focus on both profit‐objective AND community/impact‐oriented real‐estate – bridging conventional CRE with mission-driven projects.

Hands-on modelling, scenario analysis, and decision-support for complex capital stacks, entitlements, financing, and repositioning.

Education + consulting combination: we don’t just advise; we build capacity in your team so you become more empowered for future deals.

Question 8

What questions should I ask before hiring a CRE consultant?

Accepted Answer

• What is your experience with my asset type, geography and project size?
 • Can you share examples of past engagements (without confidential details) and results achieved?
 • What deliverables will you produce and in what format (e.g., Excel model, board‐ready presentation)?
 • How do you price your services and what’s included/excluded?
 • How will you manage communication, milestones and changes to scope?
 • How do you handle data quality, assumptions and sensitivity/“what-if” scenario analysis?
 • What does your process look like from kickoff to completion and how will you involve our team?
 • Do you provide training or capacity building for our internal team (if needed)?

Question 9

How should I prepare for an initial consultation with you?

Accepted Answer

To maximize value from the initial call/meeting:

• Gather key information: property type, location, size, current use, proposed use or strategy, timeline, budget/costs known so far, financing expectations.

• Have clarity on your objectives: What is the decision you are trying to make? What is your end‐goal (e.g., acquisition, redevelopment, repositioning, stabilization)?

• Identify the key pain points or uncertainties (market risk, cost escalation, entitlement risk, financing gap, exit strategy).

• Have your high‐level questions ready: e.g., “How much risk premium should I assume for this asset in this market?”, “Which financing sources apply?”, “What returns are realistic given current cost and cap rate conditions?”

• Be prepared to share your internal team’s capabilities, timeline constraints and project governance structure.

Question 10

If my project is outside the Mid-Atlantic region, can MCP still help?

Accepted Answer

Yes. While our roots and network are strongly in the Mid-Atlantic (Virginia, DC, Maryland) region, we have experience and capacity to support clients nationally. We collaborate with local advisors and specialists where needed to ensure market‐specific accuracy, and we tailor our models and approach accordingly.

Question 11

How do you handle confidentiality and proprietary information in consulting engagements?

Accepted Answer

We treat all project data, financial models, strategy documents and meeting discussions as confidential. We can execute a standard nondisclosure agreement (NDA) if you prefer to formalize confidentiality before we begin. Our deliverables are for your internal use, and we don’t share case details publicly without your permission.