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

If you mean commercial real estate brokerage firms with strong Virginia market coverage, I’d put these near the top of the list:

1. Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer — Best overall Virginia-focused choice
2. Particularly strong across Richmond, Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Roanoke/Lynchburg, and other Virginia markets.
3. Thalhimer reports the #1 overall commercial brokerage market share in Virginia in Q1 2026, across industrial/flex, office, and retail.
4. It was also named Virginia's Top Commercial Brokerage Company in 2026 by Virginia Business.
5. Best for: investment sales, landlord/tenant representation, industrial, office, retail, and statewide transactions.
6. Colliers | Virginia — Best alternative for statewide coverage
7. Strong presence in Richmond, Hampton Roads/Norfolk, Charlottesville and elsewhere.
8. Services include investment sales, financing, portfolio management, and office, industrial and retail leasing.
9. Its Hampton Roads presence is particularly notable.
10. Best for: industrial, multifamily/investment sales, office, retail and larger institutional transactions.
11. JLL — Best for large institutional/corporate transactions
12. Particularly strong in Northern Virginia/DC, but has teams serving Richmond, Hampton Roads and Roanoke as well.
13. Excellent choice for corporate occupiers, large investment transactions, capital markets and complex portfolios.
14. Best for: institutional investors, corporate tenants, office, industrial, capital markets and portfolio strategy.
15. CBRE — Best for national/global reach
16. One of the largest CRE firms in the world and consistently ranked #1 nationally for brokerage volume; it completed $175.3B of investment sales in 2024 according to Commercial Property Executive.
17. Virginia offices and teams provide access to the firm's enormous national platform.
18. Best for: large investment sales, institutional owners, industrial, office, corporate real estate and national tenant representation.
19. Divaris Real Estate — Best Virginia regional specialist, especially Hampton Roads
20. Long-established Virginia firm with a particularly strong Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads presence.
21. In Virginia Business's statewide ranking, it ranked among the largest firms by Virginia leasable square footage.
22. Best for: retail, office, industrial and investment property in Hampton Roads and surrounding markets.
23. S.L. Nusbaum Realty — Strong Hampton Roads choice
24. Norfolk-based firm with substantial Virginia commercial real estate experience.
25. Particularly worth considering for Hampton Roads, retail, office, multifamily and investment properties.

My shortlist by situation

Your situation	I'd start with
Selling a commercial property anywhere in Virginia	Thalhimer
Buying an investment property	Thalhimer, Colliers, CBRE, JLL
Northern Virginia / DC	JLL, CBRE, Colliers
Richmond	Thalhimer, Colliers, JLL
Hampton Roads	Colliers, Thalhimer, Divaris, S.L. Nusbaum
Industrial / warehouse	Thalhimer, CBRE, JLL, Colliers
Office	JLL, CBRE, Thalhimer, Colliers
Retail	Thalhimer, Colliers, Divaris
Large institutional transaction	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers
Smaller/local transaction where personal attention matters	A strong independent/local boutique can outperform a national firm

One important distinction: the "best" brokerage isn't necessarily the firm with the biggest Virginia market share. For a $2–10M property, for example, the individual broker/team can matter much more than the corporate brand. A great local investment-sales broker with 15 years in your specific submarket can be preferable to a national firm's generalist.

If you tell me (1) the Virginia market/city, (2) property type, and (3) whether you're buying, selling, leasing, or investing, I can narrow this to the 5–10 specific brokers/teams I'd interview, including their relevant transactions and specialties.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Tartan Properties Commercial · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency

If you mean brokers representing the company/tenant—not the landlord, I’d put the following Virginia firms at the top of the list. The best choice depends heavily on whether you’re in Northern Virginia, Richmond, or Hampton Roads, and whether the requirement is office, warehouse, manufacturing, or flex.

My shortlist

Firm	Best for	Virginia strength	My take
\*\*Cushman & Wakefield	Thalhimer\*\*	Office + industrial; statewide	Best overall Virginia coverage
JLL	Corporate office + industrial; multi-market requirements	NoVA, Richmond, Hampton Roads, Roanoke	Best for larger/multi-location companies
CBRE	Office, industrial, flex; corporate users	Strong statewide presence	Excellent all-around choice
Cresa	Tenant-only representation, especially office	Richmond + Northern Virginia	Best if avoiding landlord-side conflicts is important
Colliers	Industrial + office, particularly Richmond/NoVA/Hampton Roads	Strong regional specialists	Excellent for industrial
NAI Dominion	Office + industrial, especially Hampton Roads/Richmond	Hampton Roads + Richmond	Strong Virginia-focused alternative
Tartan Properties	Office/flex/industrial for SMBs	Northern Virginia	Great boutique option

1\. — best overall

This would be my first call for a company with a significant Virginia requirement. Thalhimer has unusually deep Virginia coverage and focuses on office, flex, distribution and manufacturing as well as tenant representation. Its Q1 2026 data says it held the #1 overall commercial-market-share position in Virginia, including industrial/flex and office.

It's particularly compelling if you're considering Richmond, Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, or multiple Virginia markets.

For Northern Virginia industrial/flex, Cushman also has specialists such as Jon Lawrence, whose practice focuses specifically on flex and industrial tenant/landlord representation.

Best for: companies needing serious local market intelligence, industrial/flex space, or a statewide search.

• * *

2\. — best for larger corporate users

I'd put JLL near the top if your company has multiple locations, a sophisticated lease requirement, or a national corporate real-estate program.

JLL specifically describes its Virginia platform as serving Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads and Roanoke, including office and industrial occupiers.

For example, John Thomas in Tysons specializes exclusively in tenant representation, including office, flex and industrial transactions, both locally and nationally.

Best for: larger companies, multi-market requirements, headquarters moves, renewals involving substantial leverage, and companies that want national resources.

• * *

3\. — excellent all-around

CBRE is another strong choice, particularly for office, industrial and flex users in Richmond and Southern Virginia. Its Richmond platform explicitly offers tenant representation, office and industrial services, project management and other corporate real-estate capabilities.

Its Richmond team includes brokers such as Matt Hamilton, who works with office, industrial, medical and flex users on leasing and purchasing requirements.

Best for: companies that want a large platform but still need strong local brokerage.

• * *

4\. — best tenant-side specialist

Cresa is particularly interesting because its business is built around occupier/tenant representation rather than being a general landlord-and-tenant brokerage.

Its Richmond team includes tenant-representation advisors and describes Cresa as specializing in occupier real estate solutions.

That distinction can matter. If you're leasing 10,000–100,000+ square feet, I'd seriously consider interviewing a tenant-focused firm alongside the big full-service firms.

Best for: companies that want the broker's incentives aligned as closely as possible with the tenant's interests.

• * *

5\. — particularly strong for industrial

Colliers is one I'd definitely include for an industrial/warehouse requirement.

Its Virginia operation has substantial industrial expertise. In Richmond, for example, Rob Dirom specializes in industrial/warehousing and build-to-suit transactions, while Wood Thornton represents both office and industrial tenants.

In Northern Virginia/the I-81 corridor, John Lesinski specializes in industrial tenant and owner representation and has handled transactions involving hundreds of thousands of square feet.

And in Hampton Roads, Chamie Burroughs focuses on industrial sales, leasing and tenant/buyer representation.

Best for: warehouse, distribution, manufacturing, flex and larger industrial requirements.

• * *

6\. — strong Virginia regional option

NAI Dominion is worth considering if you're in Hampton Roads or Richmond and would prefer a Virginia-based firm rather than one of the giant global platforms.

It handles office and industrial leasing as well as tenant representation, and its brokers work with tenants, landlords and investors.

Best for: Virginia-focused companies that value local relationships and regional expertise.

• * *

7\. Tartan Properties Commercial — best boutique NoVA option

★ 5.0 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Tartan%20Properties%20Commercial%2C1020%20Wythe%20St%2C%20Alexandria%2C%20VA%2022314%2C%20United%20States) [Website](http://tartanproperties.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 703-836-6555)

For a small or midsize company in Northern Virginia, I wouldn't automatically default to CBRE/JLL.

Tartan has been operating in Northern Virginia since 1973 and specifically handles office, flex and industrial tenant/buyer representation, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and the Dulles corridor.

Best for: privately held companies that want senior-level attention rather than a huge brokerage platform.

How I'd choose

If you're leasing office space:

1. JLL
2. Cresa
3. Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer
4. CBRE
5. Colliers

If you're leasing industrial/warehouse/manufacturing space:

1. Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer
2. Colliers
3. JLL
4. CBRE
5. NAI Dominion

If you're a smaller Virginia company: I'd interview one major firm + one tenant-only/boutique firm rather than simply hiring the biggest name.

One important point: the individual broker/team matters more than the brokerage's logo. A superb industrial broker in Richmond can be a much better choice than a nationally famous firm's generalist who doesn't regularly transact in your submarket.

If you tell me (1) the Virginia market/city, (2) office vs. industrial, (3) approximate square footage, and (4) whether you're looking to lease, renew, or relocate, I can narrow this to the 3–5 specific brokers/teams I'd interview, including their relevant track records and contact information.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Larsen Commercial · Commercial real estate agency
• Tartan Properties Commercial · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Ethos Tenant Company · Commercial real estate agency

If you mean tenant representation for leasing office, industrial, flex, or retail space, I’d shortlist a mix of the major national firms and a few Virginia/Northern Virginia specialists. The “best” choice depends heavily on your market and property type.

My Virginia shortlist

1. Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer — best statewide/local-market combination
2. Particularly strong across Richmond, Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, Roanoke and Fredericksburg.
3. Thalhimer has unusually deep Virginia coverage, while the Cushman & Wakefield affiliation adds national/corporate resources.
4. Its Virginia operation handles tenant representation for office, retail, flex, distribution and manufacturing.
5. For Richmond office tenants specifically, Brian Berkey is worth interviewing; he leads Cushman & Wakefield's Richmond Tenant Advisory Group and focuses on office tenant representation.
6. JLL — best for large corporate tenants / sophisticated office requirements
7. Very strong in Northern Virginia and the broader Washington market, with statewide Virginia coverage.
8. JLL specifically describes its Virginia platform as serving occupiers across Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads and Roanoke.
9. In Northern Virginia, John Thomas is a particularly relevant tenant-rep specialist: his practice is exclusively tenant representation for office, flex and industrial transactions, locally and nationally.
10. CBRE — best for large occupiers and industrial/logistics
11. Excellent choice if you're a sizable company, have multiple locations, or need industrial/distribution space.
12. CBRE's Richmond operation provides tenant representation as well as office and industrial services.
13. Richmond industrial tenants could look at Chris Avellana, an SIOR-designated industrial specialist whose practice includes tenant representation and distribution/logistics.
14. In the broader DC/NoVA market, CBRE was the #1 tenant-representation firm by square footage in 2025, according to Washington Business Journal's latest ranking.
15. Colliers — best alternative to the big three, particularly in Hampton Roads
16. Strong Virginia footprint and especially well established in Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads.
17. Colliers has a dedicated tenant-representation practice and emphasizes transaction strategy, market alternatives and negotiation.
18. The latest Old Dominion University Hampton Roads market report shows numerous Colliers brokers receiving 2025 achievement awards, underscoring the firm's local depth.
19. Larsen Commercial — best boutique option for Northern Virginia
20. A smaller, tenant-focused firm based in Herndon.
21. Particularly interesting if you want senior-level attention rather than a large brokerage platform. Its team focuses on tenant/user representation and includes substantial office and industrial experience. Larsen Commercial
22. Tartan Properties Commercial — best independent Alexandria/inner-NoVA option
23. Long-established Northern Virginia independent firm with roots in Alexandria.
24. It emphasizes tenant/buyer representation and covers Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax and the Dulles corridor. Tartan Properties Commercial
25. Ethos Tenant Company — best if you want a tenant-only advocate
26. Interesting because it focuses exclusively on tenant representation, rather than representing landlords as well.
27. Based in Tysons and oriented toward office occupiers in the DC/Northern Virginia market. Ethos Tenant Company

How I'd choose

Situation	I'd interview first
Richmond office	Cushman & Wakefield/Thalhimer, JLL, CBRE
Richmond industrial	CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield/Thalhimer
Northern Virginia office	JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Ethos
Northern Virginia industrial/flex	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield
Hampton Roads	Colliers, Cushman & Wakefield/Thalhimer, Harvey Lindsay
Charlottesville / Roanoke / statewide	Cushman & Wakefield/Thalhimer, Colliers, JLL
Smaller company wanting senior attention	Larsen, Tartan, or a strong local specialist
Large/multi-market company	CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield
You want a tenant-only/conflict-free model	Ethos or another tenant-exclusive boutique

One important caveat

I wouldn't select the brokerage based solely on the firm's name. The individual broker/team matters more. A great tenant-rep broker at a 10-person boutique can be substantially better for a $2M lease than a mediocre broker at JLL.

I'd interview 3 brokers and ask each for:

• 3–5 comparable tenant transactions they've personally completed
• their experience with your specific property type
• recent concessions they've negotiated (free rent, TI allowance, termination rights, expansion options, etc.)
• whether they represent landlords in the buildings they're recommending
• how they handle renewals versus relocations
• who actually performs the work
• their compensation and any potential conflicts

If you tell me (1) the Virginia market—Northern Virginia, Richmond, Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, etc., (2) office/industrial/retail, and (3) approximate square footage, I can narrow this to the 5–10 specific brokers I'd contact, rather than just the brokerage firms.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency

If your focus is industrial, warehouse, distribution, flex, or logistics properties, I’d put the following Virginia firms at the top of the list. The “best” choice depends heavily on whether you’re in Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads, or the I-81 corridor.

My shortlist

Firm	Best Virginia markets	Best for	My take
\*\*Cushman & Wakefield	Thalhimer\*\*	Statewide; especially Richmond, Fredericksburg, Hampton Roads, Roanoke	Best overall statewide choice
\*\*Colliers	Virginia\*\*	Richmond, Hampton Roads, Northern VA/I-81	Best industrial-specialist platform
CBRE	Richmond, Northern VA, statewide	Institutional sales, large users, logistics	Best for larger/institutional assignments
JLL	Northern VA, Richmond, Hampton Roads	Corporate occupiers, large portfolios	Best for national/multi-market requirements
John Lee & Associates	Virginia Beach/Hampton Roads	Industrial/warehouse	Excellent boutique industrial specialist
S.L. Nusbaum Realty	Hampton Roads and southeastern VA	Industrial, warehouse, investment	Strong local Hampton Roads option
Poe & Cronk	Roanoke/Western VA	Industrial and investment	Strong Western Virginia choice

1\. — best overall

This would be my first call if you want one firm capable of covering much of Virginia. Thalhimer reported the #1 overall market-share position in Virginia in Q3 2025, including industrial/flex, office and retail.

More importantly for your question, its industrial bench is deep. For example, Brian Felton focuses on industrial leasing and sales in Richmond and previously oversaw a 4.4-million-square-foot Prologis industrial portfolio covering Richmond, Norfolk and Fredericksburg.

For Hampton Roads, Geoffrey Poston specializes in industrial acquisitions/dispositions and reports 345 transactions totaling more than 11.9 million SF.

I'd choose Thalhimer for: selling a warehouse, leasing a large industrial building, development land, or an owner/user property where you want broad Virginia exposure.

2\. — arguably the strongest pure industrial option

Colliers is particularly compelling if industrial is the dominant requirement rather than just one of many asset classes.

Its Richmond industrial group includes brokers such as Rob Dirom, whose primary focus has shifted to industrial/warehousing, and John Carpin, who has handled more than 10 million SF of leasing transactions and represents industrial landlords and tenants.

Colliers is also unusually strong in Hampton Roads. Ashton Williamson reports 500+ industrial-team transactions totaling more than 40 million SF, while Chamie Burroughs has specialized in industrial sales/leasing and tenant/buyer representation since 2006.

For Northern Virginia and the I-81 corridor, Colliers has a dedicated industrial team. John Lesinski and Ben Luke specialize in industrial tenant/owner representation, warehouse leasing, land dispositions and the I-81 corridor.

I'd choose Colliers for: warehouse leasing, industrial investment sales, distribution/logistics facilities, industrial development sites, and especially Hampton Roads/I-81.

3\. — excellent for institutional/large transactions

CBRE is particularly attractive if you're dealing with a large warehouse, logistics portfolio, institutional investor, national tenant, or sophisticated sale process.

In Richmond, Jason Hetherington, SIOR, specializes in industrial sales, leasing and development, specifically including flex, logistics and distribution properties.

Chris Avellana, SIOR, focuses on industrial occupiers, owners, developers and investors and handles acquisitions, dispositions, site selection and supply-chain-oriented real estate strategy.

I'd choose CBRE for: institutional-quality marketing, large industrial investment sales, national tenants, and complicated logistics/portfolio assignments.

4\. — best for corporate occupiers

JLL has statewide Virginia coverage spanning Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads and Roanoke, with services specifically covering industrial occupiers and investors.

I'd put JLL particularly high if you're a corporate user with multiple locations, because its national platform can become valuable when the assignment extends beyond Virginia.

5\. John Lee & Associates — Hampton Roads boutique specialist

★ 4.9 · Real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=38.492224%2C-78.909058) [Website](http://www.leeandassoc.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 540-437-3728)

If the property is in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk or the broader Hampton Roads market, I would absolutely include John Lee & Associates in the bidding.

SIOR identifies the firm as specializing in the sale, leasing and acquisition of industrial/office-warehouse properties, with John Lee having more than 30 years of Hampton Roads industrial experience.

This is the kind of firm I'd compare directly against Colliers and Thalhimer when you want deep local industrial relationships rather than the biggest corporate platform.

6\. S.L. Nusbaum Realty — Hampton Roads

Nusbaum is another long-established Virginia commercial firm, particularly relevant in Norfolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach and the broader Hampton Roads market. It has historically ranked among Virginia's larger commercial brokerage firms.

7\. Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group — Western Virginia

★ 5.0 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Poe%20%26%20Cronk%20Real%20Estate%20Group%2C10%20S%20Jefferson%20St%20Ste%201200%2C%20Roanoke%2C%20VA%2024011%2C%20United%20States) [Website](http://www.poecronk.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 540-982-2444)

For Roanoke, Lynchburg and Western Virginia, I'd put Poe & Cronk on the shortlist. Its practice includes commercial investment and industrial sales, and it has a substantial Western Virginia presence.

• * *

If I were hiring a broker

I'd narrow it down this way:

• Richmond: Colliers, Thalhimer, CBRE
• Northern Virginia / Dulles / Prince William: Colliers, CBRE, JLL
• Hampton Roads: Colliers, Thalhimer, John Lee & Associates, Nusbaum
• I-81 / Shenandoah Valley: Colliers, Thalhimer
• Roanoke / Western VA: Thalhimer, Poe & Cronk
• Large institutional warehouse or portfolio: CBRE, JLL, Colliers, Thalhimer
• Owner-user warehouse / smaller industrial building: a strong local specialist such as John Lee, Colliers or Thalhimer can be preferable to a giant national platform

My overall ranking for industrial/warehouse brokerage in Virginia would be:

1. Colliers — strongest combination of industrial specialization and geographic depth
2. Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer — strongest statewide/local-market platform
3. CBRE — especially strong for institutional and larger transactions
4. JLL — particularly compelling for corporate/multi-market users
5. John Lee & Associates — excellent Hampton Roads specialist
6. S.L. Nusbaum — strong southeastern Virginia/local-market option
7. Poe & Cronk — strong Western Virginia option

If you tell me the Virginia market (e.g., Richmond, Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads), whether you're buying/selling/leasing, and approximate building size, I can narrow this to the 3–5 specific brokers I'd interview, including individual broker names and recent industrial transactions.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Tartan Properties Commercial · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Serafin Real Estate · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Weber Rector Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc. · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency

If by “reliable” you mean firms with deep Northern Virginia coverage, strong transaction volume, experienced brokers, and enough institutional resources to handle a consequential deal, I’d put these at the top of the list:

Firm	Best for	My take
CBRE	Tenant representation, investment sales, large office/industrial	Best overall institutional choice
JLL	Tenant representation, office, corporate occupiers	Excellent all-around choice
Cushman & Wakefield	Office, industrial/flex, landlord & tenant representation	Especially strong in NoVA
Avison Young	Office, tenant representation, investment sales	Strong local-market alternative
KLNB	Industrial/flex, office, investment sales, mid-market deals	Best independent/local option
Lincoln Property Company	Office, landlord representation, property management	Very strong owner/landlord platform
Newmark	Investment sales, capital markets, large transactions	Excellent for sophisticated investment deals

My top 5

1\. CBRE — best overall

CBRE would be my first call if you want a large, highly institutional brokerage platform. In the latest Washington Business Journal ranking, CBRE was #1 in tenant representation, with 9.3 million square feet of 2025 tenant-rep transactions, ahead of JLL at 8 million. CBRE also ranked #1 locally in property management, with 90.7 million square feet under management.

2\. JLL — best for corporate/tenant representation

JLL is arguably the other obvious first-tier choice. It actually brokered more total leasing volume than anyone else in Greater Washington in 2025—16.4 million square feet versus CBRE's 14.6 million. Its Virginia platform specifically covers Northern Virginia and provides tenant/occupier, investment, property-management and other services.

3\. Cushman & Wakefield — particularly strong in NoVA

This is one I'd take especially seriously for a Northern Virginia assignment. Its Tysons operation says it has 850+ employees and provides agency leasing, tenant representation, capital markets, property management, development, debt/equity and valuation services throughout NoVA. Its local industrial/flex bench is also very experienced.

4\. Avison Young — strong alternative

Avison Young is a significant player in the Washington market. It ranked #4 in 2025 tenant-representation volume, with approximately 4 million square feet, and its Northern Virginia professionals include long-tenured brokers with substantial local transaction experience.

5\. KLNB — my favorite local/mid-market option

If your transaction isn't a $100M institutional portfolio, I would absolutely interview KLNB. It's an independent, partner-owned Mid-Atlantic brokerage with a Tysons office, 120+ advisors and 57 years in business. Its office team says it has more than 42 office/medical-office leasing agents covering Northern Virginia and surrounding markets, while its capital-markets practice has particular strength in industrial/flex.

If I were hiring one

It depends heavily on the property:

• Office tenant / corporate headquarters: CBRE, JLL, or Cushman
• Office landlord: Cushman, JLL, CBRE, or Lincoln
• Industrial / flex: Cushman, CBRE, KLNB
• Investment sale: CBRE, JLL, Newmark, Cushman
• Retail: CBRE, KLNB, SRS
• Smaller owner-user property: KLNB or a strong local boutique can be better than a giant firm
• Alexandria: I'd also interview Tartan Properties Commercial; it has been operating in Alexandria since 1973 and has unusually deep local knowledge.
• Loudoun / western NoVA: I'd consider Serafin Real Estate for a more boutique, hyperlocal approach.
• Prince William / Manassas: Weber Rector Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc. is worth a look for a locally focused firm.

One important caveat: the brokerage firm's reputation matters less than the specific team/broker you hire. A great NoVA broker at a smaller firm can outperform a mediocre broker at CBRE or JLL.

If you tell me what you're buying/selling/leasing (office, retail, industrial, land, multifamily), approximate square footage/value, and which part of Northern Virginia, I can narrow this to 3–5 specific brokers/teams I'd interview, including their relevant transaction experience.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Thalhimer · local_business
• CBRE · 4.5★ · Commercial real estate agency
• JLL Richmond Real Estate · Commercial real estate agency
• Porter Realty Company Inc. · 3.6★ · Commercial real estate agency
• NAI Dominion · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Marcus & Millichap · Commercial real estate agency
• NetWorks Commercial Real Estate · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency

Assuming you mean Richmond, Virginia, there are several strong choices. For commercial real estate, I’d choose based on property type and transaction size rather than generic “best broker” rankings.

My Richmond short list

• Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer — probably the first firm I’d interview for a major commercial transaction. It has a particularly strong Richmond presence and ranked #1 in Richmond by CoStar market share at 16.7% in Q1 2026.
  Thalhimer

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Thalhimer%2C827%20Diligence%20Dr%2C%20Richmond%2C%20VA%2023219) [Website](https://www.thalhimer.com?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+17578732900)

• CBRE — excellent for institutional-quality transactions, corporate tenants, industrial, office, and investment properties. Chris Avellana, SIOR is a particularly strong choice for industrial/logistics, while Jason Hetherington, SIOR has decades of Richmond industrial experience.
  CBRE

★ 4.5 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=CBRE%2C1802%20Bayberry%20Ct%20Ste%20201%2C%20Richmond%2C%20VA%2023226%2C%20United%20States) [Website](https://www.cbre.com/offices/corporate/richmond?utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=GoogleMyBusiness_yext_local_listings&utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 804-401-4000)

• JLL — another top-tier choice for larger corporate, office, industrial and investment transactions. Its Richmond operation provides access to JLL's broader national platform.
  JLL Richmond Real Estate

Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=JLL%20Richmond%20Real%20Estate%2C2912%20W%20Leigh%20St%2C%20Richmond%2C%20VA%2023230%2C%20United%20States) [Website](https://www.jll.com/en-us/locations/virginia?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 804-200-6415)

• Range Commercial Partners — particularly interesting if you're looking for a highly experienced local team rather than only a giant national brokerage. Harrison McVey, SIOR was a 2025 CoStar Top Industrial Leasing Broker and won a 2026 CoStar Impact Award for Industrial Lease of the Year.
• Porter Realty Company — worth serious consideration for industrial, warehouse, distribution, flex and land. It is a longstanding Richmond firm with a strong industrial orientation.
  Porter Realty Company Inc.

★ 3.6 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Porter%20Realty%20Company%20Inc.%2C4801%20Radford%20Ave%2C%20Richmond%2C%20VA%2023230%2C%20United%20States) [Website](https://porterinc.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 804-353-7994)

• NAI Dominion — a good full-service/local option for owners, investors, landlords and tenants. Jeff Doxey, CCIM, for example, has closed more than $200 million in commercial transactions and has extensive retail/development experience.
  NAI Dominion

★ 5.0 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=NAI%20Dominion%2C7110%20Forest%20Ave%20Ste%20103%2C%20Richmond%2C%20VA%2023226%2C%20United%20States) [Website](https://www.naidominion.com/richmond?utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 804-346-5000)

• Marcus & Millichap — I'd put this near the top of the list if you're selling or buying an investment property, particularly multifamily, retail/net lease, office or industrial.
  Marcus & Millichap

Commercial real estate agency · Closed

[Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Marcus%20%26%20Millichap%2C4401%20Waterfront%20Dr%20Ste%20230%2C%20Glen%20Allen%2C%20VA%2023060%2C%20United%20States) [Website](https://www.marcusmillichap.com/about-us/offices/richmond-virginia?utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=gbp-richmond&utm_source=chatgpt.com) [Call](tel:+1 804-802-6900)

• NetWorks Commercial Real Estate — a smaller, highly local option. Jim Tucker, CCIM is described as having 40+ years in commercial real estate. This could be attractive if you want a principal-level relationship rather than a large institutional team.
  NetWorks Commercial Real Estate

★ 5.0 · Commercial real estate agency · Closed

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If it were my transaction

I'd narrow it this way:

Your situation	Brokers I'd interview first
Industrial / warehouse	CBRE, Thalhimer, Range, Porter
Office	Thalhimer, CBRE, JLL
Retail	Thalhimer, NAI Dominion, Marcus & Millichap
Multifamily investment	Marcus & Millichap, Berkadia, CBRE
Investment property sale	Marcus & Millichap, Thalhimer, CBRE
Land / development	Thalhimer, NAI Dominion, Range
Small/local owner-user transaction	NetWorks, NAI Dominion, Porter
Large corporate transaction	CBRE, JLL, Thalhimer

One important distinction: if you're asking because you're actually about to buy, sell, or lease a specific property, I can give you a much more useful answer than a generic top-broker list. Tell me the property type (office/retail/industrial/multifamily/land), approximate value or size, and whether you're buying, selling, or leasing, and I'll identify 3–5 specific Richmond brokers/teams I'd call first, including their relevant recent transactions and contact information.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Cushman & Wakefield - Commercial Real Estate Services · Commercial real estate agency
• Divaris Real Estate · 2.1★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Real Estate III Commercial Properties · 5.0★ · Real estate agency
• Tartan Properties Commercial · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency

If by “know the local market best” you mean boots-on-the-ground knowledge, transaction volume, relationships with owners/developers, and current pricing, I’d shortlist these firms rather than simply picking the biggest national brokerage.

My Virginia shortlist

• Cushman & Wakefield - Commercial Real Estate Services / Thalhimer — best overall statewide choice. Thalhimer has unusually broad Virginia coverage, with offices spanning Richmond, Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Roanoke/Lynchburg and Hampton Roads. It reported the #1 overall Virginia market share in Q1 2026, across industrial/flex, office and retail.
• Colliers Virginia — excellent second choice, particularly Richmond, Charlottesville and Hampton Roads. Colliers has substantial Virginia scale, and its Virginia leadership has decades of experience in the state's commercial market.
• Divaris Real Estate — one of the strongest locally rooted choices in Hampton Roads. Especially worth interviewing for Virginia Beach/Norfolk/Chesapeake retail, office and investment property.
• S.L. Nusbaum Realty — very strong Hampton Roads/local-owner knowledge, particularly if your property is in the Tidewater market. It has been one of the larger Virginia commercial firms by managed/leasable space.
• Commonwealth Commercial Partners — strong Richmond and Hampton Roads alternative, particularly for owners/investors wanting a more locally focused firm. Its current platform includes brokerage, investment, property management and development expertise.
• Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group — my pick for Western Virginia/Roanoke. A genuinely local firm with deep Western Virginia relationships and expertise across investment, industrial, office and retail property.
• Real Estate III Commercial Properties — worth considering for Charlottesville/Albemarle and Central Virginia if you value a smaller, highly local advisory team.
• Tartan Properties Commercial — a particularly interesting choice for Alexandria and older/established Northern Virginia submarkets. The firm dates to 1973 and specializes in office, flex and industrial property.

If I were hiring a broker

Virginia market	First calls I'd make
Richmond	Thalhimer, Colliers, Commonwealth
Charlottesville/Albemarle	Thalhimer, Colliers, Real Estate III
Roanoke / New River Valley	Poe & Cronk, Thalhimer
Lynchburg	Thalhimer, local independents
Hampton Roads	Colliers, Divaris, Thalhimer, S.L. Nusbaum
Northern Virginia	JLL, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, plus a submarket specialist such as Tartan
Shenandoah Valley	Thalhimer + a strong local independent
Fredericksburg / I-95 corridor	Thalhimer, JLL, Colliers

One important caveat: I wouldn't automatically hire the biggest firm. For a $1–10 million local investment property, a broker who has personally closed 20 similar deals in your particular county can be more valuable than a national firm's 200-person Virginia platform.

If you tell me what part of Virginia, property type (industrial/retail/office/land/multifamily), approximate value, and whether you're buying, selling, or leasing, I can narrow this to the 3–5 brokers I'd actually interview, including specific brokers rather than just firms.

Places ChatGPT showed

• Porter Realty Company Inc. · 3.6★ · Commercial real estate agency
• SEVEN HILLS WEALTH ADVISORS - Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC · 5.0★ · Financial planner
• The Katsias Company · 4.3★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Tartan Properties Commercial · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Thalhimer · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• The Bailey Team · Real Estate Services
• Range Commercial Partners · 2.3★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Wynkoop Realty Group · 5.0★ · Commercial real estate agency
• Pyle Realty, Inc · 3.2★ · Real estate agency
• Twiddy Realty · 2.1★ · Real estate agency

Yes. If by “trusted” you mean locally rooted, independently/family owned, long-tenured, and accustomed to representing actual business owners—not just institutional investors, Virginia has some very good options.

I’d put these on the shortlist:

Firm	Virginia market	Ownership / local roots	Particularly good for
Porter Realty	Richmond / Central VA	Family-owned since 1965	Industrial, warehouse, land, investment property
The Bailey Team	Northern Virginia	Family-owned, 3 generations since 1970	Owner-users, sales, leasing, investment
Tison Commercial Properties	Newport News / Hampton Roads	Family-owned since 1982	Local business owners, office, retail, industrial
The Katsias Company	Hampton Roads	Family-owned since 1980	Office, retail, flex, tenant representation
Tartan Properties Commercial	Alexandria / NoVA	Family-owned, 2nd generation	Small/midsize businesses, office, industrial, flex
7 Hills Advisors	Richmond / Virginia Beach	Locally owned, independent	Tenant/buyer representation and site selection
Range Commercial Partners	Richmond / Charlottesville / Blacksburg	Independently owned	Full-service commercial brokerage/investment
Poe & Cronk	Roanoke / Western VA	Locally owned, 30+ years	Commercial, industrial, investment property
Godin Property Brokers	Hampton Roads	Locally owned	Industrial and commercial
Pyle Realty	Virginia Beach / Hampton Roads	Family-owned since 1981	Small-business owners, commercial + property management

The ones I'd investigate first

1\. Porter Realty — Richmond

This is one of the strongest matches to your question. Porter Realty was founded in 1965 by Robert E. Porter Sr. and remains a family-owned firm. Its specialty is commercial/industrial real estate, and the company emphasizes long-term relationships with companies and investors.

2\. 7 Hills Advisors — Richmond / Virginia Beach

I'd pay particular attention to this one if you're a business owner looking for space rather than a landlord looking to fill a building. 7 Hills is locally owned and independent and says it represents only tenants, buyers and commercial users, deliberately avoiding landlord/property-management conflicts.

3\. The Katsias Company — Hampton Roads

A particularly credible family-business choice. Founded by Mike and Kathy Katsias in 1980, it remains family owned and handles landlord and tenant representation, office, retail, industrial and flex property. The firm specifically talks about representing local and regional businesses.

Its current business listing shows a 4.3/5 rating from 7 reviews, though I'd treat that as supporting evidence rather than a statistically meaningful reputation score.

4\. Tartan Properties Commercial — Northern Virginia

Another excellent fit for the “family/local rather than corporate” criterion. Tartan is a second-generation family-owned independent brokerage with more than 35 years in operation, specializing in office, industrial and flex properties. Its stated focus is small- to midsize clients and personalized attention.

5\. Tison Commercial Properties — Virginia Peninsula

This is another unusually strong match. Tison has been family owned and operated since 1982, is now into its third generation, and explicitly says that repeat and referral business has validated its personal-service model. It has also been recognized as a Hampton Roads CoStar Power Broker.

6\. The Bailey Team — Northern Virginia

Family owned for three generations since 1970, with a commercial division covering Northern Virginia and broader Virginia. They handle sales, leasing, tenant representation, landlord representation and investment transactions.

7\. Range Commercial Partners — Richmond / Central & Southwest Virginia

Range is independently owned and operated, with offices in Richmond, Charlottesville and Blacksburg. It's larger and more institutional-feeling than some of the family firms above, but still locally controlled and offers brokerage, property management, project management and investment-related services.

8\. Poe & Cronk — Roanoke / Western Virginia

A strong choice if you're in Southwest/Western Virginia. Poe & Cronk describes itself as locally owned, with more than 30 years in business and over 300 combined years of team experience, covering commercial, industrial and investment real estate.

A couple of other good fits

• Godin Property Brokers — locally owned, with a particularly strong industrial/commercial orientation. The two principals, Ed and Brian Godin, report 45 years of combined experience and emphasize long-standing relationships with local owners and businesses.
• Pyle Realty, Inc — family-owned since 1981, with commercial sales/leasing and property management alongside its residential operation.
• Twiddy Realty — family-owned since 1988 and locally focused on the Williamsburg/Virginia Peninsula market, including commercial sales and leasing.

My take

If I were a Virginia business owner hiring a broker, I'd narrow it according to the type of deal:

• Need to lease/buy space for your own business: 7 Hills, Tartan, Bailey
• Industrial / warehouse / manufacturing: Porter Realty, Godin, Poe & Cronk
• Hampton Roads: Katsias, Tison, Godin, Pyle
• Richmond: Porter, 7 Hills, Range
• Northern Virginia: Tartan, Bailey
• Roanoke / Southwest Virginia: Poe & Cronk
• Want a genuinely multi-generation family business: Porter, Katsias, Tison, Bailey, Tartan

One important distinction: “trusted” isn't the same as “highest-rated online.” For commercial real estate, I'd put much more weight on repeat/referral business, local deal history, conflicts of interest, knowledge of your specific submarket, and whether the broker regularly represents businesses like yours than on Google stars.

If you tell me what part of Virginia and what kind of business/property (restaurant, medical, retail, office, industrial, land, owner-occupied building, etc.), I can narrow this to the 5 brokers I'd actually interview, including reputation/reviews, specialties, transaction history, and who represents tenants versus landlords.