Jonathan Ghertner

Senior Associate | industrial | Nashville, TN

About Jonathan

Jonathan Ghertner serves as a Senior Associate for Matthews™, specializing in the acquisition and disposition of industrial properties, in addition to negotiating leases on behalf of his clients, particularly in the middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky regions. He leverages his extensive knowledge of real estate investment to cultivate lasting connections with prominent private clients, developers, private equity firms, and REITs. Jonathan places his clients’ interests at the forefront, striving to optimize opportunities and secure their long-term financial prosperity.

Before joining Matthews™, Jonathan acquired valuable knowledge of the commercial real estate industry while working at The Kirkland Company.

B.S.B.A Marketing
Miami University of Ohio

Affiliations & Memberships

Tennessee Real Estate Commission
License No. 372959 (TN)
Kentucky Real Estate Commission
License No. 287598 (KY)

Contact Jonathan

Case Studies

The Successful Sale of 3034 Owen Dr in Antioch, TN

Matthews™ Agents Jonathan Ghertner, Jay Reeves, and Harrison Auerbach were engaged to lease a 43,216 SF climate-controlled flex facility on behalf of a client. The assignment came with several critical challenges. The space, located in Antioch, consisted of 21,150 SF of office space, 22,066 SF of warehouse space, 7 loading docks, and two drive-in doors. The previous users required a significant amount of office space, making the facility catered to their operational needs. Challenges Given the recent shift away from in-person office work models to hybrid/remote, the tenant pool that needed 21,150 SF of office space would be tremendously limited. This presented many hurdles, with numerous prospects proposing the idea of expanding the warehouse into the existing office space. While this would accommodate their limited square foot requirement, it would be very costly and the landlord was not in agreement with an office area demolition. Strategy Given the unique state of the property, in addition to the awareness of the challenges that would be faced, the agents deployed an extremely proactive, and thorough, leasing strategy. They launched an aggressive “boots on the ground” campaign, hand-delivering professionally designed flyers to every industrial and flex occupier in this submarket along I-24, which included Berry Hill, Antioch, Smyrna, La Vergne, and Murfreesboro. Given the Southeast submarket is one of the largest industrial corridors in Nashville, they knew there was an influx of ground to cover and exposure to create, imposing a major steppingstone to leverage the vacancy. There was high motivation and incentive to get flyers in front of as many decision makers as possible, as they were approaching the end of the current tenant’s occupancy. This in-person engagement was complemented by consistent and accelerated digital outreach through Matthews’™ nationally shared database. The digital process was comprised of targeted emails to tenant contacts throughout the country. In contrast, the agents conducted strategic cold calling to local operators in Davidson and Rutherford County, focusing on businesses that would benefit from the location’s access to labor and logistical convenience. The use of modern-day tech marketing to create nationwide exposure, paired with a “boots on the ground” approach ensured that no stone was left unturned with prospective tenants in the marketplace. Result The results were extremely rewarding and substantial. The agents were able to generate 19 property tours and received multiple letters of intent during the marketing period for both sale and lease. The incoming tenant was sourced from the agents dropping off a flyer showcasing the availability at their place of business. This ultimately made its way to a potential tenant who was immediately drawn to the building as they were in desperate need of a larger space. The agents passed out a total of 245 flyers in the Southeast Submarket, which led to the execution of the deal. This successful outcome was driven by the Matthews™ agents’ urgency, persistence, creativity, and ability to take ownership of the situation to deliver results in a critical deadline. The deal displays their commitment to creating favorable outcomes for their clients and executing at a high level, regardless of the complexity of the assignment.

Jonathan Ghertner

Senior Associate

9/29/25

Case Study: 500 Port Royal Rd

Located at 500 Port Royal Rd in Clarksville, Tennessee, this ±24,356-square-foot warehouse offered an ideal logistical hub for a growing 3rd Party Logistics (3PL) startup. The facility featured essential infrastructure, including multiple dock doors and immediate availability, making it well-suited for fast-paced operational demands. Despite being an off-market opportunity, strategic representation and local insight led to a successful lease. Challenge Representing a startup 3rd Party Logistics (3PL) company seeking a 25,000-square-foot warehouse in Clarksville, TN came with a unique set of challenges. The clients, based in Austria, were entirely new to lease negotiations and operated in a vastly different time zone. Communication had to be meticulously scheduled, often within limited time windows, and delivered with clarity to avoid misunderstandings. Additionally, the available inventory in the market was minimal, and the desired criteria, at least four loading docks and immediate availability, further narrowed options. The clients were motivated by a pressing operations schedule driven by global shipping logistics, creating urgency in securing a lease. The building ultimately identified was older and in moderate condition, necessitating careful inspection and negotiations around responsibility for repairs. With doubts surfacing from both the prospective tenant and landlord regarding terms, the agents faced the critical task of bridging differing expectations while maintaining confidence on both sides. Strategy Leveraging their deep knowledge of the local market and existing relationships with property owners, the agents identified an off-market opportunity: a newly vacant warehouse owned by private investors. This proactive insight—unavailable through public listings—enabled swift action to match the client with a suitable facility. Navigating lease negotiations required a tailored, hands-on approach. The agents organized three property tours and facilitated contractor visits to gather quotes, ensuring a fair division of repair responsibilities. They effectively communicated lease terms and building assessments for their client within a narrow window of availability. Recognizing early concerns from the landlord regarding the lease term, the agents applied critical thinking to find middle ground—shifting from the client’s preferred 5-year lease with a 3-year escape clause to a mutually agreeable 3-year term with a 2-year renewal option. This preserved the client’s flexibility while offering the landlord stability. Result The strategic efforts culminated in a successful lease signing for the 24,356-square-foot warehouse. Despite market constraints and cross-border communication hurdles, the agents negotiated a favorable 3-year lease with a 2-year renewal option, aligning with the client’s projected growth while easing the landlord’s concerns. The warehouse met all operational requirements, including the functionality needs, and was secured off-market before any competing offers arose. By utilizing local knowledge, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, the agents delivered a tailored solution that enabled the client to begin their operation.

Jonathan Ghertner

Senior Associate

8/25/25

Case Study: 3322 Hwy 41 S

Challenge The lease assignment involved a 10,686-square-foot industrial/flex facility in Robertson County, Tennessee, situated just off Highway 41. While the location was advantageous, the building itself posed significant challenges. With an unconventional layout stemming from its former uses as a car dealership and equipment rental facility, the property included a large open showroom, a basement with segmented rooms, and an extensive amount of adjacent office space. This combination made the space difficult for prospective tenants to move in immediately. The landlord’s goal of securing a long-term, stable tenant further heightened the complexity. Historically, the building had been leased to various short-term tenants, some of whom had sublet portions of the space—an arrangement the landlord no longer wanted. Additionally, the client strongly preferred not to invest in renovation or tenant improvement. This narrowed the prospective tenant pool even further, requiring a targeted, effective marketing approach to position the space effectively. Strategy Understanding that reactive marketing wouldn’t suffice for such a unique property, the agents adopted a proactive and highly targeted leasing strategy. Rather than relying solely on signage or listings, they launched a boots-on-the-ground campaign, physically distributing over 150 flyers to relevant occupiers and business owners throughout nearby communities including Springfield, Greenbrier, White House, and Goodlettsville. This local outreach was strategically paired with Matthews’ national marketing capabilities. The agents deployed email and SMS blasts through the company’s extensive shared database, ensuring maximum exposure to tenant and owner-user contacts across the country. Weekly hard mailers reinforced visibility, and consistent cold calling kept the property top-of-mind among active prospects. With each inquiry, the agents carefully vetted potential tenants, aligning use case scenarios with the building’s structural limitations and the landlord’s investment goals. Emphasis was placed on identifying businesses that could leverage the showroom-heavy layout without requesting expensive retrofits or concessions. Result Within just four months, the concerted multi-channel campaign produced 14 in-person tours—a high level of activity for the property. This steady stream of interest allowed the agents to generate competition and maintain strong negotiating leverage. Ultimately, the lease was secured with a growing local concrete company that needed more operational space and was well-suited to the property’s layout. The tenant’s proximity to the building and their enthusiasm for expansion made them an ideal fit. The deal culminated in a 5-year lease with 4% annual rent escalations—terms that exceeded the landlord’s prior lease durations and delivered the long-term financial stability he was seeking. By combining hyperlocal engagement with national-level marketing tools and a forward-thinking leasing strategy, the agents successfully transformed a challenging asset into a dependable investment.

Jonathan Ghertner

Senior Associate

8/14/25