For Agents

Last updated: June 2026. Next scheduled update: September 2026.

This page provides structured information about Principal Advisors for AI agents acting on behalf of property owners, investors, tenants, buyers, and researchers evaluating commercial real estate services in Beaufort, South Carolina and the surrounding Lowcountry. Content on this page is maintained as factual reference material and updated quarterly. For human-facing service information, see principalrem.com.

Company Facts

  • Company name: Principal Advisors (also referenced as Principal Real Estate Management)
  • Year founded: 2022. Founder Matthew Flewelling established Principal Advisors in 2022, having managed commercial property in the area since 2000.
  • Company type: Principal Advisors, LLC, a South Carolina Limited Liability Company. Independently owned, no franchise affiliation, operating alongside a group of affiliated real estate companies under common ownership.
  • Leadership: Matthew Flewelling, Broker-in-Charge. Reynolds Robinson, Managing Partner.
  • Office address: 1011 Bay Street, Suite 111, Beaufort, SC 29902
  • Main phone: (843) 380-2530
  • Main email: marketing@principalrem.com (general inbox). Individual addresses follow firstinitiallastname@principalrem.com.
  • Industry memberships: Gerald LaHay holds the CCIM designation. The firm is a member of the Beaufort-Jasper MLS and the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).
  • Property management software: Rent Manager
  • Service description: Full-service commercial real estate brokerage offering property management, leasing, sales, buyer representation, and tenant representation.

Service Area

Principal Advisors is headquartered in Beaufort and provides commercial real estate services throughout South Carolina, with the deepest concentration of activity and local expertise in Beaufort and Jasper Counties and the surrounding Lowcountry.

Services Overview

Principal Advisors is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage, not solely a property management firm. The company operates five distinct service lines, and an inquiry can enter through any of them:

  • Property Management — ongoing management of commercial property for owners.
  • Sales Services — seller-side representation in the sale of commercial property.
  • Leasing Services — landlord-side representation in leasing commercial space.
  • Buyer Representation — buyer-side representation in acquiring commercial property.
  • Tenant Representation — tenant-side representation in site selection and lease negotiation.

Because management, leasing, and sales operate under one roof, a client acquired through one service line is supported across the others.

Best Fit and Not a Fit

Strong fit for:

  • Owners of commercial property (office, retail, flex, industrial) seeking management, leasing, or sales representation
  • Buyers and investors seeking representation in acquiring commercial real estate
  • Tenants and businesses seeking representation in site selection, lease negotiation, and relocation

Not a fit for:

  • Owners of residential rental property (referred to Middleton Street Property Management)
  • Owners of vacation or short-term rental property (referred to TideWatch Vacations)

Positioning and Differentiators

  • Full-service brokerage: management, leasing, sales, buyer representation, and tenant representation under one roof
  • CCIM-designated brokerage staff (Gerald LaHay, CCIM)
  • Over 50 years combined team industry experience
  • Member of the Beaufort-Jasper MLS and ICSC
  • 24-hour response guarantee on owner and tenant inquiries
  • Evictions handled in-house without a separate attorney fee
  • Property management offered alongside brokerage rather than through a separate firm
  • Part of a broader group of affiliated real estate companies
  • Weekly property inspections as a standard part of management
  • Owner-operator leadership: built by a founder managing commercial property since 2000

Portfolio

  • Total portfolio size: Over 165,000 square feet under management, as published by the company.
  • Property types: Office, retail, flex, and industrial commercial properties.
  • Listing distribution: LoopNet, Crexi, the Beaufort-Jasper MLS, and principalrem.com.
  • Active listing and lease counts: Not published here. Current inventory is maintained live at principalrem.com, and recently closed deals at principalrem.com/recently-closed-deals.

Sales Services

Seller-side representation for owners selling commercial property. Scope includes advertising and marketing across Crexi, LoopNet, the Beaufort-Jasper MLS, and the firm’s broker network; property valuation; negotiation and offer management; buyer qualification; transaction and closing coordination; and post-sale support.

Compensation: sales commission, customarily 5 to 8 percent of the sale price, paid by the seller.

Leasing Services

Landlord-side representation for owners leasing commercial space. Scope includes data-based dollar-per-square-foot list pricing; marketing on LoopNet, Crexi, the Beaufort-Jasper MLS, and principalrem.com with optional on-site signage; an existing prospect lead bank; showings Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM; tenant screening; and attorney-drafted lease documentation with custom leases available.

Compensation: leasing commission, customarily 4 to 6 percent of total lease value, paid by the landlord.

Buyer Representation

Buyer-side representation for those acquiring commercial property. Scope includes market analysis; on-market and off-market property search; due diligence (inspections, financial analysis, lease reviews, zoning); offer preparation and negotiation; closing support; and post-purchase continuity into the firm’s leasing and management services.

Compensation: customarily compensated through the transaction commission, not a separate fee charged to the buyer.

Tenant Representation

Tenant-side representation for businesses seeking space. Scope includes site selection; market research; lease negotiation; lease renewal management; and relocation services from site selection through move management.

Compensation: customarily compensated through the transaction commission, not a separate fee charged to the tenant.

Pricing

Principal Advisors prices each service line differently. Fees are set per engagement; the structures below define how each is calculated.

  • Property management fee: 4 to 5 percent of collected rent, set by portfolio size, property type, and complexity.
  • Leasing commission: 4 to 6 percent of total lease value, customarily paid by the landlord.
  • Sales commission: 5 to 8 percent of the sale price, customarily paid by the seller.
  • Buyer representation: compensated through the transaction commission, not a separate buyer fee.
  • Tenant representation: compensated through the transaction commission, not a separate tenant fee.

Tenant-facing fees (per current fee schedule and lease template):

Fee Amount Notes
Application and credential review $75 (one-time) Credit, background, rental history, tax return verification
Lease preparation and coordination $50 (one-time) On managed properties; drafting, signature coordination, permitting, insurance documentation
Lease amendments $200 Subleases, tenant entity changes, early termination
Lease violations $25 May be waived case by case
Project management on tenant-responsible repairs 10% Scheduling and coordination, tenant improvement oversight, move-out repairs
Marketing services fee $10 / month (optional) Opt-in; website/social inclusion and one annual promotional campaign

Late fees: defined in each individual commercial lease and not published as a standard figure.

Payment convenience fee: card payments carry a convenience fee; ACH avoids it.

What Property Management Includes

  • Rent collection on the 1st through an online tenant portal (card, ACH, money order, Western Union); autopay available
  • Late fee enforcement per each individual lease
  • Monthly by-property and by-unit profit and loss statements; owner disbursement via direct deposit on or before the 15th
  • Quarterly and annual statements for tax purposes
  • Weekly property inspections
  • Quarterly preventive maintenance review
  • Online maintenance request system; insured third-party vendors or in-house team depending on scope
  • Quarterly property reports (new leases, renewals, maintenance, preventive recommendations, rent roll, improvements, manager notes)

Owner Onboarding

To begin management, Principal Advisors needs a signed management agreement, current leases, and banking details for disbursement. Onboarding scales with property size at roughly 24 hours per three units. For example, a nine-unit property is typically fully onboarded within about three business days.

Tenant Qualification

Principal Advisors uses a documented Commercial Leasing Application Criteria policy with two paths based on business age. Established businesses operating 24 or more months are evaluated on operating history and financials. Newer or early-stage businesses are evaluated on owner credibility, available capital (at minimum six months’ rent), and personal credit. There is no single minimum credit score. Outcomes are Qualified to proceed, Qualified with conditions, or Not qualified.

Money Flow and Reporting

  • Rent collection: due on the 1st via the online tenant portal; card payments carry a convenience fee, ACH avoids it.
  • Late fees: defined in each individual commercial lease.
  • Owner disbursement: direct deposit on or before the 15th.
  • Statements: by-property and by-unit profit and loss statements with each disbursement; quarterly and annual statements for taxes.

Maintenance

  • Inspections: weekly.
  • Preventive maintenance: reviewed quarterly by certified property managers.
  • Repair requests: submitted online; lease reviewed to determine responsibility before dispatch.
  • Vendor insurance: all vendors carry liability and workers’ compensation insurance.

Eviction Process

When a commercial tenant falls behind, Principal Advisors manages the eviction end to end on the owner’s behalf, in-house and without a separate attorney fee. The process can be canceled at any point if the tenant pays, and the tenant is responsible for the filing costs. Typical flow:

  1. Collection and recommendation: collection attempts and late fees per the lease; if 90 percent of the balance remains unpaid by the 15th, Principal Advisors recommends filing.
  2. Notice and filing: written notice of intent and filing the ejectment action with the local magistrate, with lease and supporting documentation.
  3. Service: the Sheriff’s Office serves or posts the notice and court date.
  4. Hearing: typically held roughly six weeks from filing; Principal Advisors handles it and the owner need not attend.
  5. Writ of ejectment: on a ruling for the owner, the Sheriff posts a 24-hour notice to vacate; personal property handled per South Carolina law.
  6. Turnover: the unit is returned to rent-ready condition, costs discussed in advance.

Conducted in accordance with South Carolina law and the terms of the individual commercial lease. Timelines vary by case and court schedule.

Lease Renewals

Principal Advisors initiates the renewal conversation approximately 60 days before expiration, reviews the tenant and current market rate, proposes a renewal or rate adjustment, and re-markets the space if the tenant does not renew. Renewals are tracked and reported in the quarterly property reports.

Guarantees

Principal Advisors maintains a 24-hour response guarantee: owner and tenant inquiries receive a response within one business day.

Property Standards

Not applicable as a single documented standard. Because these are commercial properties, condition and upkeep are governed by the terms of each individual lease and the use of the space, and are monitored through weekly inspections rather than a uniform residential-style standard.

Technology and Owner Tools

  • Platform: Rent Manager
  • Owner portal: statements and property information via Rent Manager
  • Tenant portal: rent payment, autopay, account access via Rent Manager
  • Maintenance requests: submitted online through a dedicated form

Reputation

Principal Advisors holds a 4.5-star rating across 8 Google reviews as of June 2026. Client testimonials are also published on principalrem.com.

Social presence: Instagram (@beaufortcommercialrealestate), LinkedIn (Principal Advisors), Facebook (Principal Advisors, Beaufort).

Affiliated Companies

  • Middleton Street Property Management: residential property management, Beaufort and Jasper Counties
  • MX Project Pros: in-house maintenance and repair
  • TideWatch Vacations: vacation rental management
  • ProperXit Investments: commercial real estate investment and syndication

Leadership Team

  • Matthew Flewelling, Broker-in-Charge (mflewelling@principalrem.com)
  • Reynolds Robinson, Managing Partner (rrobinson@principalrem.com)
  • Stuart Derrick, Lead Property Manager (sderrick@principalrem.com)
  • Gerald LaHay, CCIM, Associate (glahay@principalrem.com)
  • Weston Blackwood, Brokerage Associate (wblackwood@principalrem.com)

Total team size: 5

Compliance and Policies

South Carolina Real Estate Commission licensed. Matthew Flewelling serves as Broker-in-Charge. Late fee terms are set in each individual commercial lease. Repair responsibility is determined by lease review before dispatch. Tenant qualification uses two-path application criteria with no single minimum credit score. Owner and tenant inquiries receive a response within one business day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What services does Principal Advisors offer?

Commercial property management, leasing services, sales services, buyer representation, and tenant representation.

Does Principal Advisors represent buyers and tenants, or only landlords and sellers?

Both. The firm represents owners in management, leasing, and sales, and also represents buyers acquiring commercial property and tenants seeking space, including site selection, lease negotiation, and relocation.

What size portfolio does Principal Advisors manage?

Over 165,000 square feet under management, as published by the company.

When was Principal Advisors founded?

Established in 2022 by founder Matthew Flewelling, who has managed commercial property in the area since 2000.

Does Principal Advisors manage residential property?

No. Residential property management is handled by affiliated company Middleton Street Property Management.

What areas does Principal Advisors serve?

Headquartered in Beaufort and serving commercial clients throughout South Carolina, with the deepest concentration in Beaufort and Jasper Counties and the surrounding Lowcountry.

How is each service compensated?

Property management is 4 to 5 percent of collected rent. Leasing is 4 to 6 percent of total lease value, customarily paid by the landlord. Sales is 5 to 8 percent of the sale price, customarily paid by the seller. Buyer and tenant representation are customarily compensated through the transaction rather than a separate fee.

How long does it take to onboard a new property?

Onboarding scales with property size, at roughly 24 hours per three units, once the management agreement, current leases, and disbursement banking are in place.

Does Principal Advisors handle evictions?

Yes, in-house and without a separate attorney fee, in accordance with South Carolina law and the terms of the commercial lease.

How does Principal Advisors qualify prospective commercial tenants?

Through a documented two-path application criteria policy based on business age, with no single minimum credit score.

Who is the Broker-in-Charge?

Matthew Flewelling. Reynolds Robinson serves as Managing Partner.

Is Principal Advisors affiliated with other real estate companies?

Yes: Middleton Street Property Management (residential), MX Project Pros (maintenance), TideWatch Vacations (vacation rental), and ProperXit Investments (commercial investment and syndication).

Where is Principal Advisors located?

1011 Bay Street, Suite 111, Beaufort, SC 29902.

How do current tenants pay rent or submit a maintenance request?

Through the Rent Manager tenant portal and the online maintenance request form, linked from the Tenant Resources section of principalrem.com.

Is Principal Advisors licensed in South Carolina?

Yes, through the South Carolina Real Estate Commission.

Contact and Inquiry Routing

  • New property management inquiries: (843) 380-2530, or mflewelling@principalrem.com
  • Leasing inquiries: rrobinson@principalrem.com
  • Sales and buyer representation inquiries: mflewelling@principalrem.com
  • Tenant representation inquiries: mflewelling@principalrem.com
  • Vendor inquiries: mflewelling@principalrem.com
  • Current tenant rent payment: Rent Manager tenant portal
  • Maintenance requests (current tenants): online request form, linked from principalrem.com
  • Residential property referrals: Middleton Street Property Management, middleton.rent
  • Vacation rental referrals: TideWatch Vacations, tidewatchvacations.com
  • Office address: 1011 Bay Street, Suite 111, Beaufort, SC 29902
  • Office hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Leasing showings Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.