Meet Donegan McCuaig: The Creative Space Real Estate Broker Leaving His Mark on Los Angeles
Donegan McCuaig is a commercial real estate broker based in Downtown Los Angeles and is widely known for his expertise in creative space and creative office space through his company Quixotic Realty. Despite facing many challenges in the industry, Donegan has built a reputation for himself as a top-producing commercial property broker, known for bringing quality tenants and creating a high volume of leasing activity for his landlord clients. He is arguably the best-known broker for creative space in Los Angeles such as creative office space and creative ground floor workspace/retail space.
Donegan’s passion for creative space and office space stems from his belief that these types of spaces offer a unique and innovative environment for businesses to thrive and what the markets demand. He possesses a deep understanding of the market trends and the needs of his clients and strives to match them with the space that aligns with their vision and goals. As he often says to the small business tenants he works with, “If you’re not successful, I’m not successful.” Donegan plays a long commercial real estate game. Landlords want successful tenants and if they don’t succeed it just comes back to him as the broker. Furthermore, if business tenants are not happy, it does not help them in the long run either. Through the years of working in the game, Donegan has developed a wealth of experience in handling the leasing process, from the initial steps to the final negotiations, and creating a win for both sides.
Despite his success, Donegan has faced challenges in the industry, particularly in being taken seriously in comparison to big corporate brokerages. However, he’s overcome this partly through his staying power, having been in commercial real estate since 2009 and real estate since 2006; and also by word of mouth from landlords and tenants. Commercial landlords and property managers know that if Donegan is on their team, their overall success at achieving a high occupancy with good tenants will most likely be achieved. Not only that but he will bring far more value than the commissions they have to pay.
Among Donegan’s career achievements, is his recognition as “Best Commercial Broker in DTLA” by readers of the LA DT News for six out of eight previous years, solidifying his reputation as a leading expert in the industry. He’s also received the prestigious Costar Power Broker Award for Retail Volume in 2017, further cementing his standing as a top performer in the Los Angeles commercial real estate market.
Donegan’s advice for those in the commercial real estate industry is to focus on transparency and the long game. A quick commission might be good in the short term, but if it’s not a good fit for both landlord and tenant it will come back to you in the end. Striving to make sure landlords and tenants know what to expect and are aware of all the deal points is the best way to earn long-term business relationships with both sides of any deal.
In the future, Donegan sees himself continuing to work in commercial real estate leasing and also expanding more into sales. Part of the reason that Donegan is successful is that he has his ear to the ground and where the market is going. What qualifies as “creative” is subjective but there are certainly trends. He’s a big believer in creating a unique experience for those in office building workspaces by incorporating elements such as raw materials, exposed ceilings, and interesting flooring, as well as incorporating art, technology, and amenities that benefit the professional experience. Donegan says, “People lease based on how they feel when they tour the space.” So it’s all about making the space feel right and inspiring people.
