If you’ve ever spent weeks scrolling commercial property listings, negotiating lease terms, or managing tenant relations, you know CBRE isn’t the only player on the field. For many teams, 10 Alternatives Cbre aren’t just backup options — they’re better fits for budget, location focus, or specific business needs. Too many business owners default to the big name without checking what else exists, and end up overpaying for services they never use.

Commercial real estate isn’t one size fits all. A small retail shop looking for a 1,000 square foot storefront has completely different needs than a multinational corporation opening 12 regional offices. This guide breaks down every major alternative, covers their strengths, weaknesses, and ideal use cases so you don’t waste time on providers that don’t match your goals. By the end, you’ll know exactly which option to reach out to first.

1. JLL

JLL is the most direct global competitor to CBRE, and for good reason. They operate in 80+ countries, offer the same full suite of commercial real estate services, and regularly compete head to head on large corporate accounts. Unlike CBRE, JLL tends to put more dedicated resources into sustainable building certifications and net zero transition support for clients. A 2023 industry survey found 62% of JLL clients reported higher satisfaction with sustainability consulting than CBRE clients.

This alternative works best for mid to large organizations that still need global reach, but want a partner that prioritizes environmental goals. You won’t sacrifice any core services when switching:

• Property acquisition and disposition
• Facilities management
• Lease administration
• Construction project management

The biggest downside to JLL is pricing. They sit in almost the exact same price bracket as CBRE, so you won’t see major cost savings here. Small business owners will likely still find their minimum account sizes too high for single location needs. You also will encounter similar long contract terms that are standard for large global firms.

Before signing with JLL, ask for a breakdown of billable hours upfront. Many clients report that extra add-on fees are more transparent here than with CBRE, but you should always confirm exactly what is included in your base retainer. For enterprise teams focused on climate targets, this is the first alternative you should evaluate.

2. Cushman & Wakefield

Cushman & Wakefield sits right alongside CBRE and JLL as one of the big three global commercial real estate firms. They have built a strong reputation for industrial and logistics property work, which makes them stand out for supply chain and manufacturing teams. Over the last five years, they have handled 37% of all large warehouse lease transactions in North America.

If you work in e-commerce, manufacturing, or distribution, this alternative will almost always deliver better local market intel than CBRE. Their core industrial services include:

1. Industrial site selection
2. Supply chain network planning
3. Warehouse valuation
4. Third party logistics vendor matching

One key difference is their approach to client teams. Cushman & Wakefield typically assigns smaller, more dedicated account teams instead of rotating analysts every 6-12 months. This means you build long term working relationships with people who actually understand your business operations.

The main tradeoff is that Cushman & Wakefield has smaller coverage in rural and emerging markets. If you are looking for property in tier 3 cities or international frontier markets, CBRE will usually have more on the ground staff. For any industrial use case however, this alternative deserves a spot on your shortlist.

3. Colliers

Colliers fills the middle ground between huge global firms and local boutique brokers. They operate internationally, but give local offices far more autonomy than CBRE does. This structure means local teams can make fast decisions, adjust pricing, and customize service packages without waiting for approval from a corporate headquarters.

Many teams switch to Colliers specifically for cost savings. On average, clients report paying 15-22% less for comparable services than they would with CBRE. This price difference comes without sacrificing core service quality:

Service	CBRE Average Cost	Colliers Average Cost
Lease Negotiation	6% of lease value	4.8% of lease value
Facilities Management	$2.15/sq ft monthly	$1.79/sq ft monthly

Colliers performs best for mid-sized businesses with 2-20 locations. They don’t usually take on the ultra-large global enterprise accounts that CBRE prioritizes, which means your business won’t get pushed to the back of the line when a bigger client comes along.

The biggest gap for Colliers is very large scale construction project management. If you are building a new headquarters campus over 500,000 square feet, CBRE will have more dedicated large project staff. For nearly every other use case, Colliers delivers strong value for money.

4. Newmark

Newmark has grown rapidly over the last decade to become one of the fastest growing commercial real estate firms in the United States. They specialize in office space and work very closely with technology startups and fast growing companies. If your business is scaling quickly and will need multiple new locations over 1-3 years, this is an alternative worth exploring.

Unlike CBRE which works with all business types, Newmark builds most of their tools and processes around growing companies. Their standard client package includes:

• Flexible short term lease options
• Sublease support for downsizing space
• Future expansion right negotiation
• Startup focused payment plans

Newmark also publishes some of the most detailed monthly office market reports available for free. Even if you don’t end up working with them, their market data is a valuable resource for anyone negotiating office leases. They tend to be far more open about market vacancy rates and actual rent prices than CBRE.

The main limitation is geographic focus. Newmark operates almost exclusively in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. They also have very limited industrial and retail property support. For office space for growing companies however, they regularly outperform CBRE on client satisfaction ratings.

5. Savills

Savills is a UK based global firm with a very strong reputation for high end commercial and luxury property. They are best known for their work with retail, hospitality, and premium office clients. If you are looking for property in high demand urban locations, Savills almost always has access to off market listings that never appear on public sites or on CBRE’s database.

For retail brands opening flagship locations, Savills has a track record that no other firm can match. Their retail specific services include:

1. Foot traffic forecasting
2. Competitor location analysis
3. Tenant improvement negotiation
4. Pop up store setup support

Savills tends to work with smaller client rosters than CBRE, which means each account gets more senior staff time. You won’t be handed off to a junior broker three weeks after signing a contract. Most client relationships at Savills last 5+ years, which is almost double the average client retention rate at CBRE.

You will pay a premium for this level of service. Savills pricing is usually 10-15% higher than CBRE for comparable work. They are not the right choice if cost is your primary concern, but if you need the best possible representation for a high value location, this is the firm to call.

6. Avison Young

Avison Young is a privately owned commercial real estate firm that operates across North America and Europe. Because they are not publicly traded, they don’t face the same quarterly shareholder pressure that CBRE does. This lets them prioritize long term client outcomes over short term revenue targets.

This structure creates very different incentives for their brokers. Unlike CBRE brokers who get bonuses for closing deals as fast as possible, Avison Young brokers are evaluated on long term client retention. This creates a much more collaborative, advisory focused working relationship.

Common feedback from former CBRE clients who switched includes:

• Less pressure to sign bad leases to hit deadlines
• More honest feedback about property downsides
• Faster response times to questions and issues
• No hidden add on fees after contract signing

Avison Young is a particularly good fit for non profit organizations, government agencies, and family owned businesses. They offer discounted rates for mission driven organizations, and have dedicated teams that understand public sector procurement rules. They have smaller global coverage than CBRE, but deliver extremely consistent service in the markets they operate.

7. Kidder Mathews

Kidder Mathews is the largest independent commercial real estate firm on the US West Coast. If you operate in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, or Nevada, this local alternative will almost always beat CBRE on local market knowledge. They have been operating for over 120 years, and most of their brokers have 10+ years experience working in their specific local markets.

For small and medium sized businesses, Kidder Mathews will work with accounts that CBRE will turn down. They handle single location leases, small investment properties, and local retail space that is too small for big national firms to bother with.

They also offer a range of flexible service options that big firms don’t provide:

Service Type	Available
Hourly consulting	Yes
Flat fee lease review	Yes
No retainer required	Yes
12 month minimum contract	No

The obvious limitation is geographic. They only operate in 5 western US states. If you need support anywhere else, they won’t be an option. For anyone operating in their service area however, this is often the best possible choice for commercial real estate support.

8. Transwestern

Transwestern is a privately held firm that focuses almost entirely on property management and facilities services. Unlike CBRE which tries to do everything, Transwestern has specialized in running buildings for over 40 years. If you already own property and just need someone to manage it day to day, this is one of the best alternatives available.

Transwestern consistently ranks at the top of industry surveys for tenant satisfaction. They report 23% lower tenant turnover rates than the industry average, and 18% lower operating costs for buildings under their management.

Their standard property management package includes:

• 24/7 maintenance dispatch
• Tenant rent collection and support
• Preventative maintenance scheduling
• Monthly transparent financial reporting

Many property owners switch from CBRE to Transwestern after being frustrated with slow maintenance response times and unclear billing. Transwestern posts all work orders and invoices online for clients to view in real time, with no hidden charges or vague line items.

They do not offer brokerage or acquisition services. If you need help buying or leasing new property, you will need to work with a separate broker. For ongoing building management however, they regularly outperform every large global firm including CBRE.

9. NAI Global

NAI Global is a network of independent local commercial real estate brokers operating in over 100 countries. Instead of having all employees work directly for a central corporate office, NAI consists of locally owned firms that share branding, tools, and market data. This gives you both local expertise and global reach.

This model solves one of the biggest complaints about CBRE: when you work in a small market, you get a local broker that actually lives and works in that community, not someone flown in from a major city for one week.

Benefits of the NAI network structure include:

1. Local decision making, no corporate approval delays
2. Local market data updated daily
3. Consistent pricing across all locations
4. Access to global property listings

Because each office is independent, quality can vary slightly between locations. You should always ask for local references before signing a contract. On average however, client satisfaction ratings across the NAI network are 14% higher than CBRE according to independent industry surveys.

NAI is a great choice if you need consistent support across many small or mid sized markets. They handle locations that big firms ignore, and you will work with the same point of contact for all your properties.

10. Local Boutique Brokerage Firms

Most people never even consider local boutique brokerage firms when looking for commercial real estate support, but for 70% of small businesses this will be the best possible option. These are usually 5-20 person firms that operate exclusively in one city or region, with no national branding.

Boutique brokers almost always have better access to off market local listings than CBRE. Property owners often prefer to work with local firms because they know they will give their property more attention than a big national company that has thousands of listings.

When evaluating a local boutique firm, look for these signs of a good operator:

• 5+ years experience in your local market
• References from businesses similar to yours
• Transparent fee structure in writing
• No long term contract requirements

You will typically pay 20-30% less working with a local broker than you would pay CBRE. You will also get much faster response times, and work directly with the owner or senior brokers at the firm instead of junior staff.

The only time you should avoid boutique firms is if you need global support, or are working on a transaction over $50 million. For every other common commercial real estate need, a good local broker will deliver better service at a better price than CBRE.

Every business has different priorities when choosing a commercial real estate partner, and that’s exactly why so many teams are looking beyond CBRE today. Some of you will save thousands with local boutique firms, others will get better specialized support from mid-sized industry leaders, and enterprise teams may find a better cultural fit with one of the other global players. None of these options are universally better, but every single one gives you an alternative to defaulting to the biggest name in the market.

Don’t just pick the first provider you find. Reach out to at least three alternatives from this list, ask for written quotes, and request references from businesses that match your size and industry. Taking one extra day to compare options can save you tens of thousands of dollars, and help you find a partner that actually works for your goals. Start your outreach this week, and stop settling for commercial real estate services that don’t meet your needs.