2027 edition · Research reviewed November 7, 2026
Dave Cheatham of Velocity Retail Group is our #1 editorial choice for an individual adviser guiding a retail market-entry program in Phoenix. Darren Pitts, Ed Beeh, Robbie Petty and Michael Feldman are selected for other tenant requirements. We reviewed the nine individual criteria using each person’s current practice description. The ranking emphasizes what the broker personally advises on; it does not infer a person’s capability from all services offered by the employer.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale, AZ
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 — Dave Cheatham
For 2027, Dave Cheatham is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers for retail tenant representation in Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale, AZ.
Best fit: Retail market entry and store-network planning
Our #1 for a Phoenix retail market-entry program has explicit personal experience advising multi-store rollouts, aligning the recommendation with the tenant’s sequence of expansion decisions rather than a generic retail brokerage title.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Dave Cheatham | Retail market entry and store-network planning | His personal profile explicitly describes multi-store market-entry work. |
| Darren Pitts | Large-format retail expansion | His current biography identifies a big-box retail specialty. |
| Ed Beeh | Arizona retail tenant advice | His Phoenix profile documents personal retail tenant representation. |
| Robbie Petty | New locations connected with existing lease decisions | His personal scope includes restructuring and disposition alongside tenant work. |
| Michael Feldman | A focused Metro Phoenix store search | His biography expressly identifies retail tenant site selection. |
Dave Cheatham — our #1 for a new market-entry program
Cheatham’s current Velocity profile identifies retail advisory work and multi-store rollouts for businesses entering a market. Velocity: Dave Cheatham, retail market-entry advisory We prioritize that particular experience for a tenant choosing how to establish a local store network. Ask him to explain the proposed entry sequence and the decisions that should be made before a site search expands. Confirm how much of the engagement he will lead and which specialists will support the work.
Darren Pitts — large-format retail requirements
Pitts’s current profile identifies a large-format retail focus, including home-improvement, fitness and other major store concepts. Velocity: Darren Pitts, large-format retail expansion We select him when the premises and development requirements are central to the expansion problem. Ask how an apparently attractive site will be tested against the operating concept. His stated specialty is a reason for an interview; it is not evidence that every necessary approval or construction decision is already resolved.
Ed Beeh — an Arizona tenant representation comparison
SRS identifies Beeh as a Phoenix EVP and Managing Principal whose work includes Arizona retail tenants. SRS: Ed Beeh, Arizona retail owner and tenant services We recommend considering him when the operator wants a senior local adviser with a clearly documented retail scope. Ask for examples close to the concept and for the name of the person who will maintain the active search. A senior title should lead to a precise service commitment rather than an assumption about personal availability.
Robbie Petty — store decisions involving existing leases
Petty’s current SRS biography identifies tenant representation, lease restructuring and disposition services. SRS: Robbie Petty, tenant representation and lease restructuring We select him for a retailer whose new-space requirement cannot be separated from existing locations. Ask how the current portfolio affects the timing and priority of new commitments. Keep the tasks distinct so that a search, a lease change and an exit decision each receive the appropriate evidence and attention.
Michael Feldman — focused local site selection
Feldman’s LevRose biography documents retail tenant representation and site selection in Metro Phoenix. LevRose: Michael Feldman, retail representation We include him for a business seeking a local alternative to a larger rollout team. Request a clear account of the target areas and the criteria used to screen premises. Explain which aspects of the concept are fixed and which can adapt as property information becomes available.
Define the individual assignment
Cheatham is first for the market-entry brief because his personal profile addresses that problem directly. Another selected broker may fit a different store format or portfolio issue more closely. Ask finalists about current workload, references, conflicts and communications. The reviewed biographies do not supply a comparable audited personal performance dataset. Our #1 is therefore an explained editorial selection, not a score or a promise about future store or transaction results.