Top commercial real estate brokers in Texas, ranked by ChatGPT answers

Places ChatGPT showed

• Valcor Commercial Real Estate · 4.9★ · Commercial real estate agency
• NAI Excel · 4.8★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Oxford Partners · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Foresite Commercial Real Estate ® · 4.9★ · Commercial real estate agency

If you mean commercial real estate brokerage firms with strong Texas coverage, rather than residential agents, I’d put these near the top of the list. The “best” choice depends heavily on whether you’re buying, selling, leasing, or representing a tenant.

My Texas shortlist

Firm	Best for	Texas strength
CBRE	Large/institutional transactions, investment sales, office, industrial	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
JLL	Corporate occupiers, office/industrial, investment sales	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cushman & Wakefield	Institutional investment & leasing, industrial	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Newmark	Capital markets, investment sales, multifamily	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Colliers	Broad full-service brokerage, mid-market through institutional	⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Transwestern	Office, industrial, tenant representation, development	⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Marcus & Millichap / IPA	Investment sales, particularly multifamily	⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Cresa	Tenant/occupier representation	⭐⭐⭐⭐½
SRS Real Estate Partners	Retail	⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Stream Realty Partners	Texas-based operator/developer/brokerage, especially DFW	⭐⭐⭐⭐½

The big national firms have substantial Texas depth. Industry rankings put CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers and Newmark among the largest U.S. CRE brokerages, while 2026 Texas deal-award data shows substantial transaction activity from Newmark, Cushman, Walker & Dunlop, Northmarq, Berkadia, Avison Young and Transwestern as well.

🏆 Best overall: CBRE

CBRE is probably my first call if you're dealing with a large property, institutional investor, major office/industrial requirement, portfolio, or complicated capital-markets transaction.

CBRE has enormous Texas coverage and depth across virtually every major property type. Its national investment-sales platform was also among the leading firms in 2026.

Best for: $10M+ transactions, institutional owners, industrial, office, investment sales, corporate real estate.

🥈 JLL

JLL is another top-tier choice, particularly for corporate occupiers and large leasing assignments. Its Dallas operation, for example, has numerous brokers recognized in D CEO's 2026 Power Brokers across office, industrial and project leasing.

Best for: corporate tenants, office, industrial, investment sales, portfolio strategy.

🥉 Cushman & Wakefield

Cushman & Wakefield is particularly compelling for industrial, office and institutional transactions. Several Texas teams were recognized in the 2026 Connect CRE Top Broker Awards, including teams handling millions of square feet.

Best for: industrial, logistics, office, institutional owners and occupiers.

Newmark

Newmark deserves special consideration for investment sales and capital markets, particularly multifamily. Its Central Texas multifamily team reported $1.77B in transactions in the 2026 Texas Top Broker Awards, while its Texas capital-markets office reported more than $1B.

Best for: multifamily, investment sales, capital markets, large transactions.

Transwestern

Transwestern is one I'd look at particularly closely if you want a strong Texas-based platform rather than purely a national giant. It has substantial presence in Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin and other Texas markets.

Best for: office, industrial, tenant representation, development and investment.

Cresa — best if you're the tenant

Cresa is a different proposition: it focuses exclusively on occupiers/tenants rather than representing landlords. Its Dallas operation has brokers recognized across industrial and office tenant representation in the 2026 D CEO Power Brokers.

If you're leasing space for your company, I'd absolutely interview Cresa alongside CBRE/JLL rather than assuming the largest landlord-oriented brokerage is automatically best.

Retail: SRS

SRS Real Estate Partners is worth putting on the shortlist if your property is retail. Its specialty and transaction history make it a much more targeted choice than a generalist broker.

Smaller/boutique firms can be better

For a $1–10M property, owner-user building, small industrial property, medical office, neighborhood retail center, or local investment, I wouldn't automatically hire CBRE/JLL. A highly connected local broker can sometimes outperform a huge firm because the senior broker is personally involved.

For example, in San Antonio, Valcor Commercial Real Estate has a substantial local presence and focuses on commercial brokerage/property management, while NAI Excel covers office, retail, industrial, multifamily, investment, hospitality and land. In Houston, Oxford Partners is particularly interesting for tenant/buyer representation. In Austin, Foresite Commercial Real Estate ® offers brokerage and property management across several commercial categories.

If I were choosing

I'd narrow it this way:

• Selling a large commercial property: CBRE, JLL, Newmark, Cushman
• Buying an investment property: CBRE, Newmark, JLL, Marcus & Millichap
• Multifamily: Newmark, Marcus & Millichap/IPA, Berkadia, Northmarq
• Industrial/warehouse: CBRE, JLL, Cushman, Newmark, Transwestern
• Office: JLL, CBRE, Cushman, Transwestern
• Retail: SRS, CBRE, JLL, Cushman
• Leasing space for your business: Cresa, JLL, CBRE, Cushman
• Small/mid-sized local deal: a strong local boutique may be the better choice
• Texas-wide portfolio: CBRE, JLL, Cushman, Newmark or Transwestern

One important point: don't choose the brokerage solely by company name. Choose the specific broker/team. Texas CRE is highly relationship-driven, and a great Houston industrial broker can be a much better choice than a mediocre broker at a globally recognized firm.

If you tell me (1) what type of property, (2) approximate property value/deal size, (3) city/metro, and (4) whether you're buying, selling, leasing or looking for a tenant, I can give you a much more targeted top 5 Texas brokers/teams, including specific people to contact.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Stream Realty Partners HQ · 4.2★ · Commercial real estate agency
• CBRE · 4.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• JLL Dallas Real Estate · 4.1★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Transwestern · 4.1★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Oxford Partners · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Whitebox Real Estate, LLC · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• HPI Real Estate Services & Investments · 4.6★ · Commercial real estate agency

If you mean brokers representing the company/tenant—rather than landlords—I’d put the following Texas firms at the top of the list. The best choice depends heavily on whether you need office, industrial, or both, and which Texas market you’re in.

My Texas shortlist

• Stream Realty Partners — especially strong in DFW and Houston
• One of my first calls for a company leasing either office or industrial space.
• Particularly strong tenant-representation platform, with dedicated expertise in headquarters, office, distribution, manufacturing, warehouse and flex requirements.
• Stream's Dallas team includes Randy Cooper, who has spent 40+ years in tenant representation and has handled some of Texas's largest assignments.
• D Magazine's 2026 North Texas Power Brokers list includes numerous Stream professionals among its office tenant-rep and industrial tenant-rep leaders.
• CBRE — best for scale and multi-market requirements
• Excellent choice if your company has multiple Texas locations or a national footprint.
• Very deep in both office and industrial, with enormous market data and transaction resources.
• In DFW, CBRE had numerous professionals recognized in the 2026 Power Brokers lists for both industrial and office tenant representation.
• JLL Dallas Real Estate — excellent for corporate occupiers
• Particularly compelling for sophisticated office users, headquarters relocations, portfolio strategy and companies needing workplace/project-management capabilities alongside brokerage.
• JLL's Dallas team specifically identifies a North Texas broker lead for office tenant representation, and its broader platform covers location strategy and operational efficiency.
• Also strong industrially; JLL professionals appear prominently in D Magazine's current industrial tenant-rep rankings.
• Transwestern — particularly worth considering in Houston
• Strong Texas presence and a good combination of office and industrial expertise.
• Its Houston operation provides tenant advisory, agency leasing, research and capital-markets capabilities.
• D Magazine's 2026 list includes Transwestern brokers among the leading North Texas industrial and office professionals.
• Cushman & Wakefield — a strong option for large or complex requirements
• Especially worth interviewing for institutional-quality office or industrial assignments.
• Its Texas teams have substantial tenant-representation experience, and individual brokers can be exceptionally strong. For example, John Brewer's career includes major DFW industrial assignments and extensive tenant-advisory work.

Smaller/boutique firms I'd consider

For a company that really wants an advocate exclusively focused on the tenant, smaller firms can sometimes be more attractive than the giant global platforms.

• Oxford Partners — Houston
• Particularly interesting because it's focused on tenant/buyer representation, rather than primarily representing landlords.
• Covers office and industrial requirements and positions itself as conflict-free/tenant-focused.
• Its Houston industrial work is also showing up in recent market transaction data.
• Whitebox Real Estate, LLC — DFW
• Tenant/user representation is a core focus, including office and industrial/warehouse requirements.
• Worth interviewing if you want a more hands-on boutique advisory experience.
• HPI Real Estate Services & Investments — Austin
• Good Austin option with office and industrial expertise; HPI says it represents 500+ tenants and more than 26 million square feet across its markets.
• More full-service than a pure tenant-only boutique.

How I'd narrow it down

Situation	I'd interview first
Large corporate office lease	JLL, CBRE, Stream
Large industrial/warehouse lease	CBRE, Stream, JLL, Transwestern
DFW office	Stream, JLL, CBRE
DFW industrial	Stream, CBRE, JLL, Holt Lunsford
Houston office	Transwestern, CBRE, JLL, Stream
Houston industrial	CBRE, JLL, Transwestern, Oxford Partners
Austin office	CBRE, JLL, Transwestern, HPI
Austin industrial	CBRE, JLL, HPI, local tenant-rep specialists
Multi-city Texas / national footprint	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Stream
Want a tenant-only/boutique advocate	Oxford Partners, Whitebox, selected local specialists

One important point: don't choose based solely on the brokerage firm's name. In commercial real estate, the individual team matters enormously. D Magazine's current rankings illustrate this: the same handful of firms dominate the lists, but the actual individuals specializing in tenant representation are different from the people doing landlord leasing.

If you tell me (1) Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, or statewide, (2) office vs. industrial, and (3) approximate square footage, I can narrow this to 5–10 specific brokers/teams I'd interview, including who has the strongest recent track record for your type of lease.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Oxford Partners · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency

If you mean commercial tenants looking to lease, renew, relocate, expand, or acquire space, I’d put the following Texas firms at the top of the list. The “best” choice depends heavily on the city and property type, but there are a few clear standouts.

My Texas shortlist

Firm	Best for	Texas strength	Tenant-only?
Cresa	Corporate office/industrial, complex negotiations, multi-market	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Yes
HPI Tenant Advisors	Austin + increasingly DFW, sophisticated occupiers	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Yes
JLL	Large corporate requirements, institutional expertise, all major markets	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	No
Cushman & Wakefield	Large office/industrial transactions, especially DFW/Austin	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	No
CBRE	Broadest market coverage and property intelligence	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	No
Hughes Marino	High-touch tenant advocacy, office/industrial	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Yes
Mohr Partners	Corporate real estate, multi-market requirements	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Primarily tenant-focused
Oxford Partners	Houston, particularly tenant/buyer representation	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Yes

1\. Cresa — my first call for tenant representation

If your priority is having an advocate who works exclusively for occupiers, Cresa is probably the strongest statewide option.

Cresa explicitly represents occupiers rather than landlords or developers. Its Texas operation has substantial teams in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Austin, and it has been expanding its Texas platform through acquisitions and recruiting.

That's particularly attractive for:

• Headquarters relocations
• Large office leases
• Industrial/distribution requirements
• Lease renewals and renegotiations
• Multi-market companies
• Companies that want a conflict-free tenant advocate

Its DFW team, for example, includes longtime tenant-rep specialists such as Sharon Morrison, Brad Struck and Mitchell Wolff.

My rating: 9.5/10 for tenant representation.

2\. HPI Tenant Advisors — particularly strong in Austin

HPI is one of the more interesting Texas-specific choices. It exclusively represents companies and has offices/coverage in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston. Its services go well beyond finding space: strategy, financial analysis, lease negotiation, transaction management, construction coordination and portfolio management.

Its Austin team is especially deep. Case McCoy, for example, has negotiated more than 3 million SF of leases, while Jeff Pace has more than 40 years of experience and over 8 million SF of lease transactions.

HPI also made a significant DFW push in 2026 by bringing in Robbie Baty, formerly Cushman & Wakefield's DFW office tenant-representation leader.

My rating: 9.25/10.

3\. JLL — best big-platform option

JLL is an excellent choice if you're a large corporate occupier or need sophisticated financial analysis, portfolio strategy, project management and multi-market execution.

In Dallas, JLL has a dedicated office tenant-representation leadership team, including Torrey Littlejohn and Bret Hefton.

Houston is similarly strong; Louie Crapitto became JLL's Houston office tenant-rep leader in January 2026 and has more than 25 years of experience. Austin has Russell Young, who has completed more than 600 transactions totaling over 7 million SF.

My rating: 9/10.

The tradeoff is that JLL is a full-service firm, so I would pay particular attention to who is actually representing you and whether that individual/team has any relevant landlord-side relationships.

4\. Cushman & Wakefield

Another top-tier choice for sophisticated occupiers. Its tenant-representation practice covers lease negotiations, acquisitions/dispositions and strategic occupancy decisions.

It has particularly substantial operations in Dallas and Austin, and its Austin office has more than 100 professionals across commercial real estate disciplines.

My rating: 8.75/10.

One caveat: if you're specifically seeking a tenant-only firm, I'd put Cresa/HPI/Hughes Marino ahead of it.

5\. CBRE

CBRE is difficult to overlook because of its massive Texas footprint, market intelligence and transaction volume. It's particularly compelling if you're searching across several Texas markets or need detailed property-level intelligence.

D CEO's 2026 North Texas Power Brokers list, for example, contains a very large number of CBRE professionals, including numerous office tenant-rep specialists.

My rating: 8.75/10.

I'd choose a great CBRE tenant-rep broker over a mediocre broker at a tenant-only firm. The individual broker matters enormously.

6\. Hughes Marino

Worth serious consideration if you want a tenant-only, highly hands-on model. It has offices in both Dallas and Houston and handles renewals, relocations, expansions/contractions, subleases, acquisitions and build-to-suit projects.

My rating: 8.5/10.

Houston deserves a special mention: Oxford Partners

★ 5.0 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

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Oxford is a Houston-based commercial real estate advisory firm specifically focused on tenant and buyer representation, making it an interesting alternative to the giant national firms.

For a Houston-only requirement, I'd absolutely interview them alongside Cresa, JLL and CBRE.

• * *

If I were hiring the broker

I'd actually interview three firms, rather than simply selecting the biggest:

For a large corporate/office requirement:

1. Cresa
2. JLL
3. HPI or CBRE

For Austin:

1. HPI Tenant Advisors
2. Cresa
3. JLL

For Dallas-Fort Worth:

1. Cresa
2. HPI
3. JLL / CBRE

For Houston:

1. Cresa
2. JLL
3. Oxford Partners / Hughes Marino

And I would make the brokers compete on strategy, not just credentials. Ask each one to show you how they'd approach your specific requirement, including likely landlords, concessions, competing buildings, renewal-vs-relocation economics, and negotiation leverage.

One particularly important point: don't choose based on the brokerage's brand alone. D CEO's 2026 North Texas Power Brokers list illustrates just how many strong tenant-rep individuals are spread across JLL, CBRE, Cresa, Cushman, HPI, Cresa, Transwestern, Colliers and boutiques. The actual senior broker leading your assignment can make a bigger difference than the logo on the business card.

If you tell me (1) Dallas/Houston/Austin/San Antonio, (2) office/industrial/retail, and (3) approximate square footage, I can narrow this to the 5–10 specific brokers I'd interview, including their transaction experience and notable clients/deals.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Bates Real Estate Commercial and Industrial · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Stoic Real Estate Partners · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• First Houston Properties Inc · 4.4★ · Industrial real estate agency
• Craft Commercial Real Estate · Commercial real estate agency
• Titan Commercial · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Metroport Commercial Group · 5.0★ · Industrial real estate agency

If you’re looking for industrial, warehouse, distribution, flex, or manufacturing properties in Texas, I’d shortlist brokers differently depending on whether you’re buying, leasing, selling, or representing an operating company.

My Texas shortlist

1. CBRE — Best overall for large/institutional industrial transactions
   Strongest choice if you need broad market coverage, institutional-quality research, investment sales, or a large warehouse/distribution requirement. CBRE is particularly strong in DFW, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. D Magazine’s 2026 North Texas rankings include numerous CBRE professionals among the top industrial project-leasing and tenant-rep brokers.
2. JLL — Excellent for large occupiers and logistics requirements
   JLL has a substantial industrial/logistics platform, reporting roughly $21B in annual industrial deal volume and 400M square feet transacted annually globally. Its Texas teams are especially worth considering for corporate users, distribution networks and larger leases/acquisitions.
3. Stream Realty Partners — One of my top Texas-specific choices
   Particularly compelling in DFW, with substantial industrial leasing and tenant-representation activity. D Magazine's 2026 rankings list a large group of Stream industrial specialists.
4. Holt Lunsford Commercial — Excellent DFW industrial specialist
   A particularly strong option if your property is in Dallas–Fort Worth. Its industrial team is heavily represented in D Magazine's 2026 North Texas industrial project-leasing rankings.
5. Partners Real Estate — Strong Texas footprint
   Worth considering if you want a firm with broad Texas market knowledge rather than a single-market boutique. It's also active in specialized industrial categories such as industrial outdoor storage (IOS).
6. Colliers — Good multi-market alternative
   Particularly useful if you're comparing several Texas markets or need investment sales plus leasing/tenant representation. Colliers also appears prominently among DFW's 2026 industrial brokers.

Boutique firms I'd seriously consider

For smaller/mid-sized warehouses, owner-user properties, or situations where you want more hands-on attention, some boutiques may actually be better than the national firms.

• Bates Real Estate — DFW; focused heavily on industrial/commercial properties, including warehouses, distribution, manufacturing, flex and IOS.
• Stoic Real Estate Partners — DFW; particularly interesting for industrial tenant/buyer representation.
• First Houston Properties Inc — Houston; 100% industrial-focused, with a long history dating to 1982.
• Craft Commercial Real Estate — DFW; tenant-only and specifically oriented toward industrial/flex users.
• Titan Commercial — Houston; strong industrial and land orientation.
• Metroport Commercial Group — North Texas; industrial-focused, particularly for business owners and owner-users.
• MacDougall & Company — worth a look if you're dealing with industrial property in Houston, Dallas or San Antonio; the firm specializes in the industrial sector across those markets.
• Junction — particularly interesting for industrial and land/development requirements in Houston, Austin and DFW.

If I were choosing

Need	My first calls
Large warehouse / distribution center	CBRE, JLL, Stream
DFW industrial	Stream, Holt Lunsford, CBRE, JLL
Houston industrial	First Houston Properties, CBRE, JLL, Partners
Austin industrial	JLL, CBRE, HPI, Stream
San Antonio industrial	CBRE, JLL, HPI, Partners
Small/mid-size warehouse	Local specialist/boutique
Owner-user buying a warehouse	Bates, Stoic, Metroport, local specialist
Industrial investment sale	CBRE, JLL, Newmark, Colliers
Industrial outdoor storage / yard	Partners, CBRE, specialized local industrial broker
Tenant representation	JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Stream, Stoic/Craft

One important distinction: the "best" brokerage firm isn't necessarily the best broker for your deal. For a $2–10M warehouse, for example, I'd often favor a highly experienced local industrial broker over a giant national platform.

If you tell me (1) Texas city/market, (2) approximate square footage, (3) buy vs. lease, and (4) whether you're the tenant/buyer or owner/seller, I can narrow this to 5–10 specific brokers and rank them by relevant deal experience.

Places ChatGPT showed

• CBRE · 4.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• LanCarte Commercial Real Estate · 4.8★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Mercer Company · 4.2★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Stoic Real Estate Partners · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Rich Young Company · 4.8★ · Commercial real estate agency
• MetroCom Properties · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency

If by “reliable” you mean firms with strong DFW market coverage, deep transaction experience, recognizable institutional platforms, and a substantial bench of active brokers, I’d put these at the top of the list.

Best overall DFW commercial brokers

1. CBRE — Best overall / institutional transactions
2. Probably my first call for a large office, industrial, investment-sale, data-center, or corporate real-estate assignment.
3. CBRE has an exceptionally deep DFW bench; D Magazine’s 2026 Power Brokers list includes numerous CBRE professionals across virtually every major property specialty.
4. Particularly strong if you need national/international reach combined with local DFW knowledge.
5. Current DFW market leadership is headed by Jeremy McGown.
6. JLL — Best for occupier/tenant representation and large corporate users
7. Excellent choice for companies leasing or acquiring substantial office/industrial space.
8. Its DFW platform covers tenant representation, landlord representation, investment sales, development, property management, lease administration and other services.
9. D Magazine's 2026 list shows a particularly deep JLL presence in office, industrial and tenant-representation categories.
10. Cushman & Wakefield — Excellent for institutional office and industrial
11. A very strong alternative to CBRE/JLL, particularly for sophisticated landlord/tenant assignments and institutional properties.
12. Its DFW operation maintains dedicated market research covering office, industrial and multifamily.
13. Numerous C&W brokers appear among D Magazine's 2026 North Texas Power Brokers.
14. Colliers — Strong all-around regional/institutional choice
15. Particularly attractive if you want a large platform but potentially a somewhat more relationship-oriented regional experience.
16. Colliers has substantial DFW brokerage operations and publishes detailed local market research; its Q4 2025 report, for example, tracks DFW office vacancy, rents, absorption and sublease inventory.
17. Its DFW brokers are also heavily represented in the 2026 Power Brokers list.
18. Stream Realty Partners — One of my top DFW-native choices
19. Especially compelling for industrial, office, development and landlord representation.
20. Stream has a particularly deep North Texas presence rather than simply operating a DFW branch of a global company.
21. Its brokers show up extensively in D Magazine's 2026 industrial and office categories.
22. Holt Lunsford Commercial — Excellent for industrial
23. One I'd strongly consider for industrial leasing, acquisitions and development, especially on the Dallas side of the Metroplex.
24. The firm's brokers have a significant presence in D Magazine's 2025/2026 industrial rankings.
25. NAI Robert Lynn — Strong local, full-service alternative
26. A good option when you want a DFW-focused brokerage rather than one of the global giants.
27. Particularly worth considering for industrial and retail transactions.
28. Its brokers appear repeatedly in D Magazine's 2026 industrial and other commercial categories.

Boutique/local firms worth considering

If the transaction isn't enormous, I wouldn't automatically default to CBRE/JLL. A strong individual broker at a smaller DFW firm can sometimes give you substantially more attention.

• LanCarte Commercial Real Estate — Fort Worth-oriented, full-service commercial brokerage/property management; especially interesting if your property is in Tarrant County.
• Mercer Company — DFW-focused brokerage/advisory firm with offices in Dallas and Fort Worth; offers acquisition, leasing, disposition and tenant/user representation.
• Stoic Real Estate Partners — Particularly interesting for industrial/warehouse and tenant representation.
• Rich Young Company — Local DFW brokerage with emphasis on industrial, flex and office.
• MetroCom Properties — Worth a look for commercial land/development opportunities and smaller owner-user transactions.

My shortlist by situation

Your situation	I'd interview first
Large corporate HQ / office lease	JLL, CBRE, C&W
Industrial / warehouse	CBRE, JLL, Stream, Holt Lunsford
Buying/selling an investment property	CBRE, JLL, C&W, Colliers
Retail	CBRE, JLL, Colliers, NAI Robert Lynn
Data center	CBRE, JLL, C&W
Land/development	Stream, CBRE, JLL, Holt Lunsford
Fort Worth-focused property	CBRE, JLL, Stream, LanCarte, NAI Robert Lynn
Smaller owner/user transaction	NAI Robert Lynn, Mercer, Stoic, Rich Young
Tenant representation	JLL, CBRE, C&W, Cresa

One important caveat: the individual broker matters more than the logo. D Magazine's 2026 Power Brokers list is useful here because it identifies individual dealmakers by specialty rather than merely ranking companies. More than 100 North Texas firms participated, representing nearly 3,000 brokers.

If you tell me what kind of property you're buying/selling/leasing (office, industrial, retail, multifamily, land, etc.), approximate transaction value, and whether you're on the buyer/tenant or seller/landlord side, I can narrow this to the 5–10 specific DFW brokers I'd interview, including their specialties and recent deal activity.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Oxford Partners · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Evergreen Commercial Realty · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency

If you mean top commercial real estate brokers/firms in Greater Houston, rather than residential agents, I’d start with the major institutional firms and then look at a few strong Houston boutiques. The “best” choice depends heavily on whether you’re buying, selling, leasing, or looking for tenant representation.

My Houston shortlist

• JLL — One of the strongest all-around choices in Houston for office, industrial, investment sales, tenant representation, and capital markets. JLL specifically highlights its Houston expertise across office, industrial, and retail, plus tenant representation and debt advisory.
• CBRE — Excellent for large institutional transactions, office/industrial, investment sales, and landlord representation. Its Houston presence is particularly deep.
• Cushman & Wakefield — Another top-tier institutional option, with particularly strong Houston office and tenant/landlord representation teams. HOLBA's recent awards show Cushman brokers repeatedly among Houston's leading producers.
• Newmark — Especially worth considering for investment sales and multifamily. Newmark's Houston multifamily team accounted for 37.4% of Houston investment-sales volume tracked by Real Estate Alert in 2024, substantially ahead of JLL at 28.5%.
• Partners — A very Houston-centric brokerage with substantial local expertise, particularly in office and industrial.
• Transwestern — Strong Houston roots and a good choice for office, industrial, tenant representation and investment services. Several Transwestern brokers have won Houston industry awards.
• Stream Realty Partners — Strong regional player, particularly interesting for industrial, office and development-oriented assignments.
• Colliers — Good full-service alternative to the largest firms, with a significant Houston brokerage presence.
• Oxford Partners — Oxford Partners — A Houston boutique I would consider particularly for tenant/buyer representation. Its business is focused on representing occupiers rather than landlords.
• Evergreen Commercial Realty — Evergreen Commercial Realty — Worth a look for retail, pad sites and mixed-use, with especially deep Houston experience.

If I were narrowing it down

Your objective	Firms I'd interview first
Sell a large commercial property	Newmark, JLL, CBRE
Buy an investment property	Newmark, JLL, CBRE
Office tenant representation	JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Oxford Partners
Industrial / warehouse	JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Partners, Stream
Retail	CBRE, JLL, Colliers, Evergreen
Multifamily investment sales	Newmark, JLL, CBRE
Large institutional transaction	JLL, CBRE, Newmark, Cushman & Wakefield
Smaller/mid-market owner or business	Oxford Partners, Partners, local boutiques

One useful independent indicator is the Houston Office Leasing Brokers Association (HOLBA): its membership includes leading brokers from JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Partners, Transwestern, Newmark, Colliers, Savills and other Houston firms. Its 2025 Landlord Representative of the Year was Nina Seyyedin of CBRE, while its 2025 Deal of the Year went to a JLL team.

If you tell me what you're trying to do—e.g. sell a $5M office building, find an industrial warehouse, lease retail space, buy an apartment complex, or find a broker to represent you as a tenant—I can give you a specific top 5 Houston brokers/teams, including individual broker names, recent deals, specialties, and contact information.

If by “know the local market best” you mean boots-on-the-ground knowledge, deal flow, landlord relationships, and realistic pricing—not just a big national brand, I’d shortlist different firms by Texas market.

My Texas shortlist

Market	Brokers/firms I’d call first	Best for
Dallas–Fort Worth	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers, Newmark	Institutional investment, industrial, office, retail
Houston	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers, Newmark	Industrial, energy-related CRE, office, investment sales
Austin	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Endeavor Real Estate Group, ECR	Office, development, land, tech/creative, retail
San Antonio	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Partners, CRECO, Valcor	Retail, industrial, land, local owner/investor transactions

If I had to pick just a few

1\. CBRE — best all-around Texas platform. For a large transaction or an asset that could attract institutional capital, I'd put CBRE near the top. It has substantial teams in Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio and publishes unusually detailed local market intelligence. Its 2026 research currently ranks Dallas as the most attractive U.S. market for investors for the fifth consecutive year.

2\. JLL — particularly strong for industrial and institutional work. JLL is another first-call firm if you're buying/selling a sizeable industrial, office, multifamily or development asset. Its current research shows DFW generated 17.9 million square feet of industrial net absorption in H1 2026, with Houston also exceeding 10 million square feet.

3\. Cushman & Wakefield — excellent local research + brokerage combination. I'd particularly consider C&W for Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. It maintains current MarketBeat research for those metros and has dedicated local professionals. It's also especially interesting if you're dealing with data centers/power, where Texas has become a major market: C&W ranked Dallas the world's No. 1 primary data-center market in 2026.

Map data is currently unavailable ECR | Equitable Commercial Realty 4.9Commercial real estate agencyClosed Valcor Commercial Real Estate 4.9Commercial real estate agencyClosed

If by “know the local market best” you mean boots-on-the-ground knowledge, deal flow, landlord relationships, and realistic pricing—not just a big national brand, I’d shortlist different firms by Texas market.

My Texas shortlist

Market	Brokers/firms I’d call first	Best for
Dallas–Fort Worth	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers, Newmark	Institutional investment, industrial, office, retail
Houston	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers, Newmark	Industrial, energy-related CRE, office, investment sales
Austin	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Endeavor Real Estate Group, ECR	Office, development, land, tech/creative, retail
San Antonio	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Partners, CRECO, Valcor	Retail, industrial, land, local owner/investor transactions

If I had to pick just a few

1\. CBRE — best all-around Texas platform. For a large transaction or an asset that could attract institutional capital, I'd put CBRE near the top. It has substantial teams in Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio and publishes unusually detailed local market intelligence. Its 2026 research currently ranks Dallas as the most attractive U.S. market for investors for the fifth consecutive year.

2\. JLL — particularly strong for industrial and institutional work. JLL is another first-call firm if you're buying/selling a sizeable industrial, office, multifamily or development asset. Its current research shows DFW generated 17.9 million square feet of industrial net absorption in H1 2026, with Houston also exceeding 10 million square feet.

3\. Cushman & Wakefield — excellent local research + brokerage combination. I'd particularly consider C&W for Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. It maintains current MarketBeat research for those metros and has dedicated local professionals. It's also especially interesting if you're dealing with data centers/power, where Texas has become a major market: C&W ranked Dallas the world's No. 1 primary data-center market in 2026.

4\. Colliers — worth interviewing for owner/investor representation. Colliers has a substantial Texas operation, with its Texas regional leadership based in Dallas and brokerage operations spanning the state's major markets.

5\. Smaller Texas specialists — potentially better for a middle-market deal. This is where I wouldn't automatically choose the national firms. For example, CRECO says it has statewide Texas knowledge with particularly deep San Antonio roots and keeps its roster small enough for clients to work directly with principals. And in Austin, ECR | Equitable Commercial Realty is a highly rated local commercial brokerage; in San Antonio, Valcor Commercial Real Estate is another local firm worth interviewing. ECR | Equitable Commercial Realty Valcor Commercial Real Estate

The important distinction

I wouldn't hire a “Texas broker” solely because they have a Texas office.

For example, a broker who has spent 15 years trading DFW industrial can be dramatically more useful than a generalist at a national firm—even if the latter has a much bigger logo. DFW, Houston, Austin and San Antonio have materially different supply, tenant, development and capital-market dynamics. Current 2026 research bears that out: DFW is exceptionally strong for investment/industrial, while Austin's office market is still working through a very different supply-demand situation.

If you tell me the property type (industrial, retail, office, multifamily, land, medical, etc.), approximate value/SF, and which Texas city, I can narrow this to 5–10 specific brokers/teams I would actually interview, including who specializes in selling vs. buying vs. leasing and who has the strongest recent deal activity.

Places ChatGPT showed

• ACRES · Real Estate Services
• Nick Boyd Real Estate Co. · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• ECR | Equitable Commercial Realty · 4.3★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Foresite Commercial Real Estate ® · 4.9★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Capstone Commercial · 3.7★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Valcor Commercial Real Estate · 4.9★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Obsido Commercial, LLC. · Commercial real estate agency
• SB Commercial & Realty · Commercial real estate agency

Yes. If by “trusted” you mean Texas-owned, relationship-driven firms that work closely with business owners rather than a national brokerage machine, there are several I’d put on a serious shortlist.

I’d distinguish “family-owned” from merely “independent,” and I’d give extra weight to long local tenure, repeat-client testimonials, owner-operator experience, and a demonstrated focus on tenants/owner-users.

My Texas shortlist

Firm	Market	Ownership / local roots	Particularly good for
ACRES (Anderson Commercial Real Estate Services)	Dallas–Fort Worth	Family-owned; operating since 1990	Owner-users, industrial, office, retail
Opal Real Estate Co.	Austin / Central Texas	Family-owned; 40+ years	Business owners, leasing, acquisitions, retail/office
Confido Commercial Realty	Austin	Family-owned	Office & industrial tenants/business owners
SanCo Commercial	Austin / Central Texas	Family brokerage founded by two brothers	Retail, entrepreneurs, owner-users
Capstone Commercial	Dallas–Fort Worth	Independent/local since 2000	Industrial, retail, office, land, investment sales
Valcor Commercial Real Estate	San Antonio / Central Texas	Founded by San Antonio locals	Tenant/landlord representation, retail, industrial
Obsido Commercial	San Antonio / Central Texas	Independent, locally based	Industrial, retail, land, owner/investor clients
SB Commercial & Realty	DFW / Houston	Family-owned & operated	Smaller businesses, investors, acquisitions/leasing

1\. ACRES — DFW

Real Estate Services · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=ACRES%2CAddison%2C%20TX%2075001) [Website](https://www.acresinc.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+14692411222)

This is probably one of the strongest fits for a business owner who wants a family-owned firm with substantial institutional experience.

ACRES is privately family-owned and operated and has been in the DFW market since 1990. It handles industrial, office, medical office and retail, including tenant representation, sales, leasing, management and development.

What stands out is the client history. One longtime corporate client specifically credits ACRES with helping with site selection, lease negotiations, contract review, SBA financing and business plans, and says they have “earned my business for life.”

My take: If you're a DFW business owner deciding whether to lease vs. buy, relocate, or acquire an owner-occupied building, I'd interview ACRES.

• * *

2\. Opal Real Estate Co. — Austin / Central Texas

★ 5.0 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Opal%20Real%20Estate%20Co.%2C5920%20W%20William%20Cannon%20Dr%20Bldg%203%2C%20Suite%20200%2C%20Austin%2C%20TX%2078749%2C%20United%20States) [Website](http://www.nickboydrealco.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 512-213-4177)

Opal is another unusually good match for your question. It's family-owned, has 40+ years of Central Texas experience, and provides brokerage, leasing, property management and development.

They explicitly say they are selective about clients and prioritize long-term relationships rather than transaction volume. Their services include both tenant and landlord representation.

My take: One of the firms I'd call first if you're in Austin and want personal attention plus a genuinely established local network.

• * *

3\. Confido Commercial Realty — Austin

★ 4.3 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Confido%20Commercial%20Realty%2C114%20W%207th%20St%20%231000%2C%20Austin%2C%20TX%2078701%2C%20United%20States) [Website](https://www.ecrtx.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 512-505-0000)

Confido is particularly interesting if you're a business owner looking for space, rather than a large institutional investor.

It's an Austin-based family-owned commercial real estate firm specifically representing business owners in office and industrial space. Its stated work ranges from startups figuring out their first lease to larger companies doing site selection and facility transactions.

My take: I'd put this near the top for a small/midsize company that wants a broker who will actually explain the deal instead of treating the assignment like a commodity.

• * *

4\. SanCo Commercial Real Estate — Austin

★ 4.9 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=SanCo%20Commercial%20Real%20Estate%2C1301%20W%2025th%20St%20Ste%20410%2C%20Austin%2C%20TX%2078705%2C%20United%20States) [Website](https://foresitecre.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 512-856-4861)

SanCo is literally a family brokerage founded by two brothers. Gabe Sanchez is a longtime Austin commercial broker who previously worked at The Weitzman Group and was repeatedly recognized by the Austin Business Journal as a top retail broker.

My take: Particularly worth considering for retail, restaurants, and locally owned businesses that need someone who understands the Austin market at street level.

• * *

5\. Capstone Commercial — DFW

★ 3.7 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Capstone%20Commercial%2C4300%20Sigma%20Rd%20%23120%2C%20Farmers%20Branch%2C%20TX%2075244%2C%20United%20States) [Website](http://www.capstonecommercial.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 972-250-5800)

Capstone isn't family-owned in the same sense as ACRES or Opal, but I'd absolutely include it in a list of locally owned firms worth interviewing.

It's been independently and locally owned since 2000, with a submarket-specialist model covering industrial, office, retail and land.

More importantly, it has evidence of long-running client relationships, including a client who says Steve Burris has advised him for two decades. The company also reports Power Broker recognition and other industry honors.

My take: One of my first calls in DFW for industrial, land, retail or investment property.

• * *

6\. Valcor Commercial Real Estate — San Antonio

★ 4.9 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Valcor%20Commercial%20Real%20Estate%2C1723%20N%20Loop%201604%20E%20Ste%20204%2C%20San%20Antonio%2C%20TX%2078232%2C%20United%20States) [Website](http://www.valcorcre.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 210-824-4242)

Valcor has a particularly strong local story. It was founded in 2010 by two San Antonio locals, Charlie Malmberg and Jonathan Collins, and has built its culture around stewardship, relationships and local involvement.

Its public client feedback is also unusually specific: clients mention help with office moves, lease negotiations, property assessments and multiple transactions, with particular praise for responsiveness.

It also has a strong independent-market reputation; the company was included on the Inc. 5000 list in 2018.

My take: Probably my first San Antonio interview for a business owner who wants a relatively substantial local platform without going straight to CBRE/JLL/Cushman.

• * *

7\. Obsido Commercial — San Antonio

Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Obsido%20Commercial%2C404%20E%20Ramsey%20Rd%20Ste%20114%2C%20San%20Antonio%2C%20TX%2078216%2C%20United%20States) [Website](http://www.obsidocommercial.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 210-809-6868)

Obsido is smaller and more entrepreneurial. It describes itself as an independent San Antonio brokerage/advisory firm focused on industrial, retail, urban projects and development land. Its clients include owners, users, developers and family offices.

The “investor's lens” is important if you're a business owner considering buying the building your business occupies, rather than simply finding a lease.

My take: Worth a look if you want boutique, principal-level attention.

• * *

8\. SB Commercial & Realty — DFW / Houston

Commercial real estate agency

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=SB%20Commercial%20%26%20Realty%2C1015%20N%20Interstate%2035E%20ste%20315%2C%20Carrollton%2C%20TX%2075006%2C%20United%20States) [Website](https://sbcommercialrealty.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 469-279-5444)

SB is explicitly family-owned and operated, has been based in Dallas since 1995, and combines brokerage with investment/advisory and asset management.

Its smaller, owner/operator orientation could be particularly appealing to an entrepreneur who doesn't want to feel like a tiny account at a giant brokerage.

My take: I'd investigate this one for smaller/midsize owner-users and investors, especially if personal accessibility matters.

If I were a Texas business owner…

I'd probably start with these, depending on location:

• DFW: ACRES → Capstone → SB Commercial
• Austin: Opal → Confido → SanCo
• San Antonio: Valcor → Obsido
• Houston: I'd take a somewhat different approach because the Houston independent/family-owned landscape is different.

One important caveat: “trusted” isn't something I can objectively certify from public information. The strongest evidence available here is a combination of ownership structure, longevity, client testimonials, local-market specialization, transaction history and independent reviews—not a claim that every client has had a good experience.

Also, if you're a business owner rather than a real-estate investor, I'd weight the broker's experience with owner-users and tenant representation much more heavily than total transaction volume. A broker who mostly sells investment properties to investors can be a very different fit from someone who routinely advises an entrepreneur on “Should I renew this lease, move, or buy the building?”

If you tell me which Texas market (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Worth, etc.) and what kind of business/property you're dealing with, I can narrow this to 5–7 brokers I'd actually interview, including reputation/review signals and which ones are strongest for tenant representation vs. buying/selling an owner-occupied property.