Allen Buchanan: 42 Years, One Firm, and the Faith-Based Framework Behind It

Welcome to this episode of The Tori Nook Talk Show! In this episode, Tori sits down with Allen Buchanan, SIOR, Principal at Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services in Southern California. With over 42 years at one firm—a rarity in commercial real estate—Allen has built one of the most respected careers in industrial brokerage while staying true to his faith, family, and unwavering principles.

Allen didn’t start in CRE. After his father told him he “didn’t know squat” and refused to hire him into the family soft drink business, Allen spent five years with Procter & Gamble before walking away from a promising corporate career. He chose Lee & Associates in 1983 because of its culture, collaboration, and family feel—and he’s never left. Along the way, he became an SIOR designee, a 10-year contributing columnist for the Southern California News Group, and the author of The Sequence, a framework for sourcing, qualifying, and executing CRE transactions.

They dive into why relationships still trump technology, how Allen’s wife vetted his job offers (yes, really), the mistake rookies make by thinking too short-term, and why he stopped drinking in 1991 to protect his family. Allen also shares his blueprint for longevity: faith first, consistency in social media, qualifying over chasing deals, and working with clients you can be yourself around.

Topics covered:

Why Allen’s dad refused to hire him into the family business
How Procter & Gamble trained him for CRE (but cost him family time)
Why he brought his wife and baby to job interviews—and what it revealed
42 years at Lee & Associates: the culture that made him stay
The biggest mistake rookies make: thinking in semesters, not decades
Getting his SIOR designation at age 60 (and why it mattered)
Starting his blog in 2009 when only 3 brokers were doing it
Why he stopped drinking in 1991 and went plant-based in 2014
Faith as the foundation for every decision since age 14
The Sequence: why qualifying is the most underutilized skill