2027 edition · Research reviewed November 7, 2026
Don Moser of Retail Insite is our #1 editorial individual choice for a San Diego retail owner considering how leasing fits a center’s repositioning or redevelopment. Steve Avoyer, Stewart Keith and David Hagglund provide alternative owner practices. We applied all nine individual-broker criteria and separated personal assignments from company-wide claims. The recommendation is for that stated owner brief; a straightforward vacancy or a different retail format may justify choosing another adviser.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in San Diego–Carlsbad, CA
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 — Don Moser
For 2027, Don Moser is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers for retail leasing for landlords in San Diego–Carlsbad, CA.
Best fit: Leasing connected with center repositioning or redevelopment
Our #1 for a retail owner integrating leasing with a broader property plan has named San Diego County center and redevelopment assignments, including Encinitas, Escondido, Mission Valley and Chula Vista, that directly support the combined strategic and leasing brief.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Don Moser | Leasing connected with center repositioning or redevelopment | Named local center and redevelopment assignments match the combined owner brief. |
| Steve Avoyer | Retail leasing with development consulting | His biography establishes a personal owner-side advisory scope. |
| Stewart Keith | A shopping-center campaign informed by county projects | His biography provides identifiable local owner and development examples. |
| David Hagglund | Centers, pads and build-to-suit owner requirements | The current CBRE profile explicitly identifies the relevant landlord formats. |
Don Moser — our #1 for leasing within a property plan
Moser’s current biography identifies local owner work at Encinitas Ranch Town Center and Escondido Promenade, plus Mission Valley and Chula Vista redevelopment assignments. Retail Insite: Don Moser, retailer strategy and landlord projects We select him when the owner must connect the tenant plan with a wider property direction. These are firm-published experience examples, not independently audited outcomes. Ask what he personally handled and how the proposed engagement would move from the owner’s objectives to an executable leasing plan.
Steve Avoyer — retail leasing and development consulting
Avoyer’s current profile identifies San Diego retail leasing and development consulting in his personal practice. Flocke & Avoyer: Steve Avoyer, current retail practice We include him for an owner who wants another experienced local retail adviser. Define the campaign responsibilities and how consulting work relates to the leasing appointment. A broad advisory background should be translated into specific decisions and deliverables for the asset, rather than left as a general statement of experience.
Stewart Keith — named county shopping-center projects
Keith’s current biography names owner and development assignments including EastLake Village Marketplace, Del Sur Town Center and Bressi Ranch Village Center. Flocke & Avoyer: Stewart Keith, tenant searches and owner projects We recommend him where that shopping-center experience is relevant to the owner’s property. Request examples matching the current problem and clarify which historical projects were completed, underway or proposed. An announced development should not be treated as evidence of completed leasing results.
David Hagglund — a format-specific national-firm comparison
Hagglund’s CBRE biography expressly includes landlord representation in San Diego County and retail center, pad and build-to-suit work. CBRE: David Hagglund, San Diego retail representation We select him for an owner comparing how those formats might fit the property. Discuss the role he would perform personally and which colleagues would supply other services. A recognized employer provides context; it does not establish the individual’s availability or the outcome of the proposed campaign.
Ask for the property logic before the prospect list
Give each adviser the same information about the asset and ask what it can realistically offer an occupant. Discuss which questions require further investigation and which owner decisions must precede marketing. Request a plan for prospect feedback, follow-up and revisions to the campaign. A proposed tenant mix should be explained in relation to the property’s objectives, not presented as a list of attractive brands without a route to engagement.
Why Moser leads this assignment
Moser’s named local center and redevelopment experience best matches the combined property-strategy and leasing brief used here. The alternatives offer relevant personal owner experience for different needs. Before appointment, establish responsibility, conflicts, reporting and references. The available material does not support an audited comparison of achieved rents, vacancy reduction or investment returns, so the editorial ordering is based on documented fit and transparent limits on the evidence.