As companies evaluate locations for expansion or relocation, access to available sites — and the local expertise to navigate them — often determines which markets rise to the top.
In the Greater Omaha region, real estate firms like Investors Realty play a central role in helping businesses and site selectors understand not just what sites are available, but which sites truly make sense.
First impressions of Omaha often set a positive tone before site tours even begin, said Kevin Stratman, Principal and Industrial & Land Broker at Investors Realty.
Visitors experience Omaha’s scale, amenities and workforce, and the reaction is positive.
“People like the size of the city and they like the geography of the city, but they end up finding really good people,” Stratman said. “Once you get people here, they become impressed and they want to stay.”
From a site selection perspective, Stratman said Investors Realty often works with a wide range of clients including businesses directly exploring the market as well as site selectors and out-of-market brokers comparing Omaha to peer cities.
“Our initial job is to provide them with some opportunities,” Stratman said. “That might be land sites that work, sites that could be developed or buildings that might fit their needs.”
Beyond providing listings, local insight is what differentiates viable sites from those that look good on paper but present challenges later.
“Not all land is created equal,” he said.
They coordinate the right team to uncover potential issues early.
“We’re working with civil engineers, municipalities, planning departments, general contractors and legal teams to understand the full picture. Land cost is only a component of an overall project cost,” Stratman said.
That local knowledge can help avoid costly surprises and settle them before development starts. That kind of oversight ensures development goes along without any issues.
Greater Omaha has major advantages including a strong workforce, low cost of doing business and scalability for businesses.
“We really hit that perfect sweet spot,” Stratman said. “It’s easy for a business to scale here, but it’s not so large that it feels impossible to create a presence.”
Additionally, decision makers are accessible. Regulators, government officials, development boards and others answer the phone when you call, and they’re helpful, too. The Omaha region is collaborative, not competitive.
“We live in a city where, if I’ve got a problem, I can pick up the phone and get the decision maker,” Stratman said. “There’s no difficult bureaucracy from a business or governmental standpoint.”
The Greater Omaha Chamber’s GO Ready program has helped build development momentum in the region by reducing uncertainty for site selectors.
“Having the sites is part one,” he said. “Getting them here and having them react to the sites, the market and the community is part two.”
Ultimately, Stratman said the combination of data, preparation and local relationships is what helps projects move forward.
With more sites coming online and strong coordination between brokers, developers, utilities and economic development partners, Omaha is increasingly positioned to compete for projects that require both speed and certainty.