Commercial real estate hits the auction circuit

Local commercial real estate brokers have largely avoided the mass property auction method of selling properties during the recession, mostly for one reason: Not enough buyers to make it worthwhile.

But prominent Sarasota commercial broker Ian Black believes the market has recovered enough to the point where it's ready for a big auction. That's why Black, in a partnership with Lakewood Ranch-based Auction World USA, will host a commercial property auction in April. The event is scheduled for 1 p.m. April 10 at The Francis, in downtown Sarasota.