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RSIR Welcomes Newest Global Real Estate Advisor And Distinguished Land Use Attorney Kelly Mann

By RSIR Staff |

Mann Brings More Than Two Decades of Real Estate and Land Use Law to Fast-Growing Brokerage and Key Industry Relationships as Former Executive Director of Urban Land Institute Northwest (2005-2019)

Executives at Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty (RSIR) announced today that industry veteran Kelly Mann has joined the brokerage as a Global Real Estate Advisor to practice residential and commercial real estate for her clients. Mann is a licensed attorney specializing in real estate and land use matters for the past 20 years, and a former board member on the Downtown Design Review Board during Mayor Greg Nickels’ “Center City Plan,” which was credited for a building boom and Seattle’s rank as the fastest-growing large city in the country. She also presided as the Executive Director for the Urban Land Institute Northwest for 14 years, leading growth of the real estate think tank from 200 members to more than 1,200 during her term and providing thought leadership on development trends.

“I’ve known Kelly to be a passionate leader and advocate for her clients and the industry alike for more than two decades,” said Dean Jones, President and CEO of RSIR. “We are proud to support her new journey as a licensed real estate professional, and eager to collaborate in new developments and land use opportunities in the region, and throughout the network.”

Mann’s breadth of experience lends itself to the collaborative environment at RSIR, as well as within the global Sotheby’s International Realty (SIR) network. Her industry expertise makes her an asset to her fellow real estate brokers locally, as well as those venturing into new development deals around the world. Through RSIR’s New Development and Land Division, Mann will have the opportunity to advise developers in the acquisition, equity syndication, development underwriting, and financing of both master-planned and high-rise communities.

“I look forward to applying my experience in placemaking to assist buyers and sellers of residential and commercial real estate representing this storied brand, whether that transaction is around the corner or around the world,” said Mann. “I’m so grateful to RSIR for providing this extraordinary brokerage platform, and I’m thrilled to contribute to new developments across the network. With my diverse background and relationships, I believe we are uniquely positioned as a company to represent buyers, sellers, developers, lenders, and retail consumers in all facets of this dynamic industry.”

Mann believes that a new development era is upon the Pacific Northwest, for three reasons. First, consumer preferences have evolved significantly over the past few years. There is a re-sorting in the region, with a shift toward multiple homes in different locations—providing urban, suburban, and exurban opportunities to blend professional work in settings previously viewed as vacation destinations. Second, there is further development potential surrounding the forthcoming light rail stations, enabling the opportunity for more housing where residents can access the region without the need for a car, thereby leveraging the region’s extraordinary transit investment.  Third, as developers, builders, and architects feel the effects of our shifting economic conditions, Mann plans to help stalled projects move forward or pivot by aligning teams and facilitating new project leadership to catalyze development. While working on large, complex development projects remains a key part of her consultancy, Mann is also passionate about representing individual buyers and sellers of all property types and price points.

“Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to advise dozens of governments and institutions about the complex real estate issues associated with catalyzing development. I look forward also to offering my experience and knowledge in other SIR markets that are primed for urbanization,” added Mann. “I’m drawn to do so with Sotheby’s International Realty as this brand aligns with the required trust and integrity that I seek, across more than 80 countries and territories and comprised of more than 26,000 top-performing real estate professionals. I plan to exercise this global network to make referrals inbound and outbound, whether that’s a pied-a-terre, a complex mixed-use project, or a master-planned community.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mann worked abroad as a District Council Advisor in Barcelona and Dublin, and she advised cities in Southern California to convert underperforming commercial properties into residential uses. She has traveled to more than 50 countries on six continents, supporting philanthropy, studying law, and working in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Spain, and France, to name a few. Her success applying experiences developed and refined in Seattle to other domestic and international markets has affirmed her commitment to a global real estate brand.