2027 edition · Research reviewed November 8, 2026
Matthew J. Lester is our 2027 editorial #1 retail tenant broker for a Rochester operator planning a structured expansion program. Jaymes Keenan and R. Scott Burdett are the comparison candidates. All nine individual-broker criteria inform the review, with particular attention to current employment and tenant-side scope. The choice reflects the proposed task, not an independently measured personal production league table or an assumption that the largest firm always offers the best adviser.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Rochester, NY
Our 2027 ranking uses the same nine-part methodology as our 2026 guides. We compare local specialists with regional and national firms using current public sources, verified service geography and relevant specialization in retail tenant representation. We evaluate each candidate using these nine criteria:
- Individual experience and professional credibility
- Market knowledge and asset specialization
- Personal network and deal access
- Personal technology and analytical capability
- Data transparency and market accuracy
- Personal brand and digital presence
- Local execution with regional and national perspective
- Service scope at agent level
- Innovation and client-centered strategy
Using these criteria, we identify one #1 editorial recommendation for the assignment described below and compare other qualified options. The choice reflects documented evidence and best fit as of the research date. Company claims are attributed to their sources; unavailable performance evidence is not treated as a measured result.
OUR #1 RECOMMENDATION
#1 — Matthew J. Lester
For 2027, Matthew J. Lester is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers for retail tenant representation in Rochester, NY.
Best fit: Retailer expansion planning and structured site searches
Our editorial #1 Rochester retail tenant broker for an expansion program because his current practice explicitly centers on retailer growth and national-tenant representation, reinforced by a named Upstate site requirement.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Matthew J. Lester | Retailer expansion planning and structured site searches | A current national-tenant specialty is reinforced by a named Upstate requirement. |
| Jaymes Keenan | Retail site selection with a Rochester affiliate specialist | His current profile separates tenant and owner representation experience. |
| R. Scott Burdett | Regional retailer searches involving New York and Pennsylvania | Current employer status complements a stated regional retail practice. |
#1 — Matthew J. Lester: expansion planning as a defined specialty
Lester’s current Caliber biography identifies retailer growth strategy and national-tenant representation as central to his practice. Caliber: Matthew J. Lester current national-retailer practice A published Upstate New York tenant requirement names him alongside Marc Quercia. Caliber: GNC Upstate New York requirement and named contacts We choose Lester for the first interview when the operator needs to plan a search, compare sites and coordinate decisions over more than one location. The requirement is undated and does not establish a recent closed Rochester transaction or a currently exclusive client mandate.
Evaluate the strategy the named broker would deliver
Ask Lester to explain how he would sequence locations, identify a trade area that should be deferred and distinguish a viable site from one requiring unacceptable assumptions. The useful work product is a decision framework that the operator can review. Establish his personal involvement in owner discussions and negotiations, along with the role of colleagues and outside advisers. Development experience is relevant context, but it does not make approvals or delivery timing certain.
Jaymes Keenan: a Rochester affiliate retail comparison
Keenan’s current CBRE profile covers retail site selection and distinguishes tenant and owner examples within his transaction history. CBRE: Jaymes Keenan current retail practice and separately identified transaction roles We include him for an operator seeking a local specialist connected to CBRE Upstate NY. Ask which recent work best matches the proposed format and whether the intended search conflicts with any existing owner relationship. A biography can establish professional scope, but it cannot show how the individual will prioritize a new engagement.
R. Scott Burdett: a regional retail adviser
Flaum’s current team confirms Burdett as an associate real estate broker. Flaum: current Rochester team and operating specialties His self-published profile describes retail tenant and landlord work with a New York and Pennsylvania focus. R. Scott Burdett: self-published retail tenant and landlord practice profile This makes him a useful comparison when Rochester is part of a wider regional plan. We use the current employer’s role description rather than relying on an older executive title. Confirm the relevant territory and the person conducting each local search.
Ask for a record of the advice, not just the selected site
Give each candidate the same operating constraints and ask them to document an early recommendation. The record should distinguish information obtained from the client, the property owner and independent review. It should also identify what is still unknown and what would change the recommendation. This allows the client to assess reasoning and communication before the process reaches a deadline at which it becomes harder to reconsider a favored location.
Why Lester leads the tenant-broker comparison
His explicitly defined retailer-expansion specialty and named requirement contact give the closest fit for the program-oriented brief used here. Keenan adds a Rochester affiliate perspective; Burdett provides regional retail coverage. We considered personal networks, technology, transparency and customer focus, but no common verified dataset supports claims of superior negotiated savings. Review a sample analysis, confirm availability and request relevant references before selecting the person who will be responsible for the actual work.