2027 edition · Research reviewed November 7, 2026
Retail owners should compare individual leasing brokers around the specific assignment and the decisions they will help ownership make. This Des Moines–West Des Moines guide selects Mike Cunningham, Grant Wright and Lucas Hedstrom. Their current sources document owner-side retail work in different practice settings. We reviewed all nine individual criteria and distinguish reported capabilities from execution quality that must be tested through a proposal and references.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Des Moines–West Des Moines, IA
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 — Mike Cunningham — Buyers Realty
For 2027, Mike Cunningham — Buyers Realty is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers for retail leasing for landlords in Des Moines–West Des Moines, IA.
Best fit: Retail premises and ground-lease alternatives
Our #1 editorial recommendation is based on personal landlord practice and metro listings.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Mike Cunningham — Buyers Realty | Retail premises and ground-lease alternatives | Personal landlord practice and metro listings. |
| Grant Wright — CBRE | Shopping-center landlord assignments | Named central Iowa retail portfolio role. |
| Lucas Hedstrom — JLL | A research-informed agency comparison | Current retail agency and analytical scope. |
Mike Cunningham — Buyers Realty
Cunningham’s Buyers Realty biography identifies retail landlord work, while his current listings include retail and ground-lease opportunities in the metro. Buyers Realty: Mike Cunningham We select him for ownership considering the form of the property offering as well as the prospective tenant. Ask how his approach would differ for an existing suite, a pad site or a space requiring further delivery decisions.
Grant Wright — CBRE
CBRE identifies Wright with leadership of the team’s central Iowa landlord retail portfolio. CBRE: Grant Wright We include him for an owner seeking a named shopping-center practitioner in a national firm. Ask him to identify his direct responsibilities and explain how the campaign would be coordinated with colleagues. Review competing assignments and the communication process before relying on the size of the platform.
Lucas Hedstrom — JLL
Hedstrom’s current JLL profile identifies retail agency work alongside research and analytical responsibilities. JLL: Lucas Hedstrom We select him as another local proposal option for an owner wanting a clear evidence trail behind leasing recommendations. Ask him to discuss an assignment matching the property’s format and explain which information he would need before committing to a strategy.
Ask each candidate to frame the ownership decision
Provide the same plans, condition information and delivery assumptions to all finalists. Ask which prospective uses they would investigate first and which characteristics of the premises could limit those uses. Require a distinction between immediate marketing work and questions that need an owner decision or specialist assessment. A concrete proposal should make those dependencies understandable.
Measure the work you can actually observe
Agree on reporting for outreach, qualified inquiries, tours, proposals and stalled opportunities. Ask how the broker would interpret repeated objections and what evidence would justify changing the tenant strategy. Clarify responsibility for inspections, property information, follow-up and recommendations to ownership. The reporting process should lead to decisions rather than a count of activity with no explanation.
Make the final appointment on evidence
Confirm personal capacity, compensation, conflicts and references for relevant properties. These employer sources establish current affiliation and service scope, but do not supply common audited rents, leasing speed or tenant retention results. We do not infer those outcomes from a title or client list. Networks, technology and client focus should be tested against a current work plan before choosing the lead.