CB Commercial of Stamford was the broker and the price was $2.625 million.

"Automation represents the most significant recent change in how the commercial real estate industry is run," said James D. Matteoni, CB Commercial's senior vice president in charge of information technology.

CB Commercial has half of its 80 offices and about 25 of its clients linked together electronically and hopes to have all of its offices hooked in soon.

IN Westport, CB Commercial handled two more distress sales.

CB Commercial has set up what it calls "CB University" in St. Charles, Ill.

Only CB Commercial, in White Plains, reported an increase, of 23.2 percent from 22.6 percent, last year.

"CB Commercial is here and they started on the West Coast," he said.

He said CB Commercial had expanded from its original base of the West Coast by opening what he termed "home grown" offices in nearly 80 cities.

That, Mr. Weiss of CB Commercial said, could help prevent overbuilding.

CB Commercial collects the rents, from which it first pays the building's bills, then sends whatever remains to the lenders.