Step into the world of success and innovation with Real Estate Champions, a compelling TV show that highlights the exceptional leaders, agents, and investors shaping the real estate industry. Each episode uncovers the strategies, leadership, and insights that fuel the success of industry trailblazers, offering practical takeaways for professionals across residential, commercial, and investment real estate.
Real Estate Champions brings together top professionals and thought leaders from various sectors of real estate, including residential, commercial, and property development. These influential guests share their journeys, expertise, and advice to inspire and empower the next wave of real estate leaders and entrepreneurs. Today our hosts, Sarah Olson and Morgan Yonge spoke with Jake Ammon.
Jake Ammon
Director at Franklin Street
Website Address: www.franklinst.com
Short company description:
Franklin Street is a commercial real estate firm that covers the full spectrum—brokerage, property management, financing, and insurance. We’re based in the Southeast and focus on helping clients get the most out of their properties, whether they’re investing, leasing, or managing.
What was the most impactful moment of your transition out of the military?
The turning point was seeing how naturally my military mindset translated into commercial real estate. The same focus on mission, structure, and teamwork I lived every day started showing up in how I handled deals, clients, and strategy.
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Transcription
Morgan: Welcome back to another episode of Real Estate Champions, where we highlight those in the industry who are making an impact. I’m Morgan Yonge, joined by our host, Sarah Olson.
Sarah: Today we have Jake Ammon, Director at Franklin Street Commercial, here in Jacksonville—and really, across many markets.
Jake: Thank you for having me.
Sarah: Tell us a little bit about yourself. How do you get from Navy ship driver to dealmaker?
Jake: I was first stationed here in Jacksonville, Florida, with the Navy. While serving, I did a lot of research about what I might do after leaving the military. Through countless hours of research and networking, I discovered commercial real estate. The NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Association connected me with the right people and gave me the confidence that I was entering a field I would love—and I’ve enjoyed it ever since.
Morgan: Fantastic. So what makes a commercial deal successful?
Jake: For me, it’s the relationships. That may sound cliché, but this business involves significant, life-changing decisions for business owners and investors. It’s about giving clients the confidence that they’re making the best decision possible, whether it’s negotiating a strong deal, making a tough call, or seeing the long-term impact on their operations and livelihood.
Sarah: Talk to us about the current industrial market landscape. What are you seeing?
Jake: There are unique challenges nationwide, especially with tariffs and supply chain factors. It’s not that demand is missing—it’s that many companies are in “wait and see” mode. Here in Jacksonville, demand remains strong. In fact, 70 to 75% of industrial tenants looking for space here are from outside the market, which creates external pressure. The challenge is that choices are limited, construction materials are more expensive, and pricing is higher than many are used to. My role is to help companies engineer value—reusing what’s available, minimizing disruptions, and making the transition as seamless as possible so they can start generating revenue quickly.
Sarah: It sounds like people need to contact you much earlier than they realize.
Jake: Absolutely. A general rule of thumb is to start conversations at least 18 months before a move, sale, or expansion. Sometimes the best advice is not to sell right away, but to lease for a while or wait for better conditions. Every case is unique, depending on location, property condition, and market timing.
Morgan: What do vacancy rates look like right now?
Jake: Industrial vacancy is around 6–7% in Jacksonville, but that number can shift quickly if a large half-million-square-foot property gets leased. Right now, most of the vacancy is in big Class-A spaces. On the other hand, small to mid-size spaces—from 2,000 to 50,000 square feet—are extremely tight, with almost no availability. That’s why planning ahead is so critical.
Sarah: With so many moving parts, relationships are key. You also need to know about off-market opportunities. How do you leverage those?
Jake: Off-market deals often come from relationships. Sometimes it’s a property owner who isn’t actively selling but is open under the right circumstances. While going on the open market usually gets the best exposure, we also leverage those unique off-market opportunities when they make sense.
Sarah: Where are you seeing growth and development locally?
Jake: The biggest shift is on Jacksonville’s Westside. Traditionally, companies only looked there when they couldn’t find options elsewhere. Now, 30–40% of the demand I see is from businesses that specifically want to be there. That’s because residential development is growing alongside industrial projects. When workers can live, work, and raise families in the same area, companies benefit from less traffic and more stability. Trades like electricians and plumbers especially want to be near this growth to serve those communities.
Sarah: So there’s more overlap between residential and commercial than people might realize.
Jake: Exactly. I don’t sell houses, but I pay close attention to where residential and multifamily development is happening. At Franklin Street, I work closely with our land team to stay informed on demographics and development trends, because they directly impact industrial demand and site selection.
Morgan: Fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise.
Jake: Thank you for having me.
Sarah: And thank you to our viewers for tuning in to another episode of Real Estate Champions. For more information, visit PropertySolutionsNetwork.com. We’ll see you next time.
I’m Sarah Olson, creator and founder of the Real Estate Agent Success Academy. Our mentorship program supports newly licensed real estate agents nationwide, built on four key principles to set them up for success from the beginning. It all starts with finding their home as an agent, which becomes the backbone of where they will thrive.
