2027 edition · Research reviewed November 7, 2026
A retail owner should ask how the proposed lead would make a property more understandable to suitable prospective tenants. This Dallas–Fort Worth comparison selects three people with landlord or project-leasing evidence and reviews another local specialist. We applied all nine individual-broker criteria. The focus is on the actual role and assignment context, with no invented scores for leasing speed, rent performance or tenant retention.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TX
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 leasing for landlords. 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 — Michelle Caplan — Weitzman
For 2027, Michelle Caplan — Weitzman is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers for retail leasing for landlords in Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington, TX.
Best fit: Project and pre-leasing coordination
Our #1 editorial recommendation is based on development-team and retail project experience.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Michelle Caplan — Weitzman | Project and pre-leasing coordination | Development-team and retail project experience. |
| Jake Burns — The Retail Connection | Mixed-use retail positioning | Named DFW landlord and project practice. |
| Dan Shoevlin — CBRE | Larger-space and project alternatives | Anchor disposition and project-leasing scope. |
Michelle Caplan — Weitzman
Caplan’s current profile describes retail project representation and work with development teams on pre-leasing. Weitzman: Michelle Caplan We select her for an owner whose campaign needs coordination with project planning. Ask what leasing decisions should be made early, what information is still missing and how the broker would coordinate with the owner’s technical advisers.
Jake Burns — The Retail Connection
Burns’ Dallas profile identifies landlord strategy and mixed-use or retail project leasing, including The Star and The Gates of Prosper. The Retail Connection: Jake Burns We include him when tenant positioning must fit a broader property concept. Ask how he would define the likely audience for your asset and how the campaign would change if early prospect feedback challenges that view.
Dan Shoevlin — CBRE
Shoevlin’s current CBRE biography describes project leasing and anchor disposition in a Dallas retail practice. CBRE: Dan Shoevlin We recommend an interview for an owner weighing a larger-space or project-leasing decision. Ask which transaction paths he would compare and how he would separate immediate marketing work from choices needing further ownership analysis.
Another local practitioner reviewed
Weitzman’s Emilie Paulson is identified with DFW retail project representation as well as tenant work. Weitzman: Emilie Paulson She offers an additional local comparison when the owner wants another named lead’s proposal. Request relevant property examples and discuss capacity; a roster listing or company production ranking does not establish that the individual is the right fit for every campaign.
Prepare a brief the candidates can challenge
Share the existing configuration, delivery assumptions, current tenant context and the owner’s unresolved decisions. Ask each broker which uses appear plausible and what evidence would be needed to support them. The proposal should identify responsibility for property information, tours, technical questions and the evaluation of requested changes. Require clear distinctions between an existing feature and an improvement the owner might consider.
Use reporting to evaluate the strategy
Agree how the lead will report qualified prospects, proposals and reasons opportunities stop. Ask how that evidence will lead to recommendations and ownership decisions. Verify references, availability, fees and competing assignments. Current biographies support relevant practice, while comparable audited client economics remain unavailable. Networks, analytical tools, transparency and client focus should therefore be tested through a concrete plan and the proposed working relationship.