2027 edition · Research reviewed November 8, 2026
Mark Ansara is our 2027 editorial #1 retail leasing broker for a Grand Rapids–Wyoming landlord seeking to reposition a shopping-center vacancy or former restaurant. Todd Leinberger and Kevin VanHaitsma are the selected comparisons. All nine personal criteria are considered, with attention to current employers, actual owner-side roles and supporting local examples. The judgment favors a specialist whose stated work matches the brief; it does not present an independently measured market-wide performance winner.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Grand Rapids–Wyoming, MI
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 — Mark Ansara
For 2027, Mark Ansara is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers for retail leasing for landlords in Grand Rapids–Wyoming, MI.
Best fit: Shopping-center vacancy and restaurant-space repositioning
Our editorial #1 retail landlord broker for Grand Rapids–Wyoming repositioning because his current landlord and restaurant-backfill specialty is supported by jointly documented Knapp’s Crossing leasing work.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Mark Ansara | Shopping-center vacancy and restaurant-space repositioning | A current landlord specialty aligns with joint local center-leasing evidence. |
| Todd Leinberger | Neighborhood and second-generation retail leasing | The Eastown assignment identifies a specific landlord role. |
| Kevin VanHaitsma | Retail within a broader owner strategy | Current role and a jointly marketed Grand Rapids retail offering support the comparison. |
#1 — Mark Ansara: a current landlord-focused practice
Ansara is currently an Advantage partner and senior vice president whose profile emphasizes landlord representation and restaurant backfills. Advantage: Mark Ansara current landlord representation practice We give him the first interview for that specific assignment. Older Colliers references should not be used as his present affiliation. Ask him how he would distinguish a space problem from a marketing problem and what facts he would need before recommending an improvement allowance or a change in intended use.
Keep the joint Knapp’s Crossing evidence in context
Advantage’s August 2024 case credits Ansara and Mike Murray together on the Knapp’s Crossing leasing program. Advantage: August 2024 joint Knapp’s Crossing leasing case It supplies a local owner-side example, but the article’s account of filled space does not establish current occupancy, rent collections or independently audited results. Ask for a comparable owner reference and the individual’s exact role. A successful historical campaign is most useful when the broker can explain the decisions behind it without promising that a new property will behave identically.
Todd Leinberger: neighborhood uses and existing space
NAI identifies Leinberger as the landlord broker for Eastown Pottery’s expansion, and his current profile includes first- and second-generation space. NAI Wisinski: Eastown Pottery lease and landlord representation NAI Wisinski: Todd Leinberger current retail brokerage role He is a strong alternative for owners seeking a practical discussion about smaller or neighborhood-oriented premises. Have him identify the operating questions that should be resolved before a tour becomes a proposal. A potential tenant’s enthusiasm should not be mistaken for a complete understanding of the building’s delivery requirements.
Kevin VanHaitsma: an owner adviser with broader specialties
VanHaitsma is currently a Bradley vice president with a primary focus on industrial, land and investment work, alongside retail assignments. Bradley: Kevin VanHaitsma current vice-president role and specialties Bradley’s Rowe brochure names him with Ashlie Kuiper for the retail offering at 201 Michigan Street NW. Bradley broker brochure: joint retail leasing at 201 Michigan Street NW That is marketing evidence, not a completed lease or confirmation of current availability. He is a useful comparison where retail is part of a broader owner strategy; ask how the proposed team would provide dedicated leasing attention.
Require an evidence-led recommendation
Provide the same suite plan, condition information and ownership constraints to each candidate. Ask for a proposed tenant profile and a reason for excluding at least one apparently plausible use. The campaign should distinguish confirmed premises facts from assumptions, record tour feedback and identify decisions only the owner can make. Request a demonstration of the report the broker would actually deliver rather than relying on a generic technology description or a firm-wide marketing promise.
Why Ansara leads this comparison
His current landlord specialty and jointly documented center-leasing work give the clearest fit for this repositioning brief. Leinberger provides a neighborhood-use alternative within the NAI network, and VanHaitsma a broader owner-advisory comparison. Public evidence does not establish comparable leasing speed or achieved-rent performance, so those measures remain unscored. Confirm workload, conflicts, references and the limits of the appointment. The editorial #1 identifies the most relevant initial discussion, not a promise about the next tenant or the property’s future value.