We live here. We work here.
We understand the retail landscape.

Maria Royer, Principal
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Maria has over 20 years of diverse commercial real estate experience in disciplines ranging from development, sales and leasing to asset management and finance. Maria and the Real Retail team exclusively represent over three-quarters of a million square feet of urban mixed-use centers and new community and lifestyle centers in the greater Seattle area, including notable projects such as The Meridian, 7th & Pine, Second + Pine, the Old Yukon Building, The Coliseum and the new Amazon World Headquarters in downtown Seattle and Queen Anne Towne, Green Lake Village and Ballard Blocks in Seattle. Maria’s past experience also includes the successful lease-up of ground-up developments, including Grand Ridge Plaza in Issaquah, Kent Station in Kent and Bella Bottega in Redmond, where she played a leadership role in predevelopment, premarketing and the transaction phase of the development cycle. Maria’s present and past experience also includes facilitating several specialty retailers and restaurants in their expansion strategies in the Pacific Northwest, including Trader Joe’s, Orchard Supply Hardware, Paper Source, The Container Store, Mitchell Gold, Equinox Health Clubs, AMC Theatres and Sephora. 

Using the knowledge and expertise she’s acquired while working on a wide range of retail and mixed-use projects of all sizes throughout the region, Maria provides her clients with valuable information and insights about the unique retail environment here. She approaches each assignment as a partnership to ensure long-term project and tenant success. While working at Wright Runstad & Company, one of downtown Seattle’s largest property owners and one of the region’s premiere institutional development companies, Maria’s various positions included property management and operations as well as the retail leasing of Wright Runstad’s downtown retail properties. Prior to joining Wright Runstad & Company in 1993, Maria was a Sales and Marketing Associate with Colliers – The Seeley Company in Los Angeles for eight years, specializing in commercial property leasing and sales. As a consistent producer for Colliers’ South Bay office, Maria’s clients included The Koll Company, John Hancock Realty and Copley Realty Advisors. 

While earning a degree in business administration with a dual emphasis in finance and marketing at the University of Southern California, Maria held a variety of internship positions, including an advertising and marketing internship at New World Pictures in Los Angeles and an industrial brokerage internship at Grubb & Ellis Brokerage firm in Torrance, and she also worked as a Retail Sales Associate at Ann Taylor in Century City, where she was a top producer selling to entertainment industry wardrobers. 

Maria is on the Board of Directors for Plymouth Housing Group, where she served as Co-Chair for three years for Seattle Dances, a high-profile event where local celebrities and professional dancers perform in support of Plymouth Housing Group. She is on the President’s Round Table of the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) and is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Maria grew up in Seattle where she attended Forest Ridge Girls School and Seattle Preparatory School.

Janel Charlton, Senior Associate
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Since becoming Real Retail’s Associate Broker in 2011, Janel has dedicated her time to representing developers, landlords and tenants in their marketing strategy, leasing and expansion efforts. On a daily basis, she works with developers consulting in the site planning process for ground-up projects as well as creating and executing marketing strategy for new and existing projects. While representing Carter’s/Osh Kosh, Evergreen Salads, Pure Barre, Ann Taylor Loft and others, Janel is also involved in leasing projects such as Green Lake Village, 7th & Pine, Queen Anne Towne, Parkway Super Center, Bella Bottega, Broadacres and The Meridian. Janel focuses her efforts on enhancing her analytical and organizational skills, which combined with the ability to coordinate efforts with her team members has resulted in efficiently building a story that successfully sells a project.

Janel earned her communications degree as well as a Certificate in Sales at the University of Washington before honing her professionalism at E&J Gallo Winery in Denver, Colorado, where she progressed through their Management Development Program. During her time at E&J Gallo Winery, Janel personally directed 40 of their accounts, providing her with the essential experience that allowed her to return to Seattle. Janel is committed to delivering her clients’ swift and timely turnaround, while her expanding network enables her to provide sound market knowledge, two key qualities she continues to provide her clients at Real Retail. Janel is in the process of completing her Certificate in Commercial Real Estate from the University of Washington.

Andrew Miller, Senior Vice President
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Prior to joining Real Retail as Senior Vice President, Andrew served in the Retail Services division of Jones Lang LaSalle’s Seattle regional office. At JLL, Andrew supported the company’s retail associates in the Seattle office as well as provided corporate services for JLL’s retail clients, including junior anchor tenants, such as AMC Theatres and Best Buy, and regional smaller tenants like HomeStreet Bank. Andrew’s skills and expertise provided his clients with short- and long-term strategic planning to achieve their real estate goals throughout the Pacific Northwest. Andrew was also involved in several new ground-up, mixed-use developments, including Point Ruston in Tacoma and Dexter Station in South Lake Union.  

Before returning to Seattle and joining Jones Lang LaSalle, Andrew was responsible for the negotiation and ultimate delivery of several million square feet of retail, office and public sector space for both new construction and redevelopment in the Bay Area. Andrew has a strong background in construction management, entitlements and the development cycle as a whole. This unique combination of landlord development and tenant-focused leasing experience provides his clients with valuable information and insights. Andrew prides himself on exceeding his clients’ expectations and consistently delivers the highest level of consulting, leasing and tenant advisory services.

Andrew earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington in psychology. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and NAIOP (WA Chapter).

Michelle Zito, Operations Manager
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Michelle joined the Real Retail team as Operations Manager in 2011. Michelle provides schedule and logistics coordination, project management and office staff supervision. Michelle manages the day-to-day operations of the office to ensure our brokers meet client goals and deadlines. Michelle previously spent six years working in the Yarrow Bay office of Windermere Real Estate in Kirkland, as a Sales and Marketing Associate.

Michelle earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Washington State University.