2027 edition · Research reviewed November 7, 2026
A retail tenant’s brokerage brief should begin with the concept and customer, then narrow to the properties. For the 2027 Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach edition, we compare Vertical Real Estate, TSCG and CBRE. Each has current, identifiable tenant-side retail evidence. The recommendations distinguish restaurant and urban retail knowledge, a retail-specific analytical platform and broader brand expansion work. They are editorial fits under the nine firm criteria, not independently measured sales-performance rankings.
How we rank commercial real estate brokerage firms in Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach, FL
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:
- Experience and reputation
- Market knowledge and specialization
- Network and connections
- Technological capabilities
- Data transparency and accuracy
- Online presence and digital marketing
- Local and global reach
- Service range
- Innovation and customer focus
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 — Vertical Real Estate
For 2027, Vertical Real Estate is our #1 editorial recommendation among commercial real estate brokerage firms for retail tenant representation in Miami–Fort Lauderdale–West Palm Beach, FL.
Best fit: Restaurants and urban retail concepts
Our #1 editorial recommendation is based on current principals document tenant work and operating-format knowledge.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Vertical Real Estate | Restaurants and urban retail concepts | Current principals document tenant work and operating-format knowledge. |
| TSCG | Retail searches using trade-area analysis | Its tenant platform and Miami team support analytical and three-county coverage. |
| CBRE | Regional expansion and international market entry | Named retail tenant advisers document those requirement types. |
Vertical Real Estate — restaurant and urban retail concepts
Vertical’s Lyle Stern profile documents retail tenant and developer work in South Florida. Vertical: Lyle Stern Michael Sullivan’s biography adds restaurant-operating experience and retail work extending through Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. Vertical: Michael Sullivan We include this local specialist for a concept whose trading environment and operating requirements need close attention. Ask the proposed team to explain how customer access, frontage, neighboring uses and delivery arrangements affect its recommended search area.
TSCG — a retail-specific search and analytical process
TSCG’s tenant service describes GIS, demographic and competitive analysis. TSCG: tenant representation and analytical services Its current Miami team evidence explicitly includes tenant territory across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach. TSCG: Gabby Wong and South Florida tenant territory We select TSCG for a tenant wanting to examine why one trade area should be preferred over another. Request the data dates and assumptions behind the analysis, and ask how the team checks those findings against field observations. Firm tools do not establish demand for a particular concept by themselves.
CBRE — South Florida and market-entry retail requirements
Rodolfo Castro’s current CBRE profile describes retail tenant representation, including international brands entering the United States. CBRE: Rodolfo Castro Patxi Diaz’s profile identifies local, regional and national retail tenants throughout South Florida. CBRE: Patxi Diaz We include CBRE when the requirement combines local site work with a broader expansion program. Ask who will coordinate the territory and who will remain accountable for property-level diligence and negotiations.
Give the broker an operating brief
Describe the merchandise or service, intended customer, size range, delivery needs, signage priorities and target opening schedule. For food-and-beverage concepts, identify the technical questions that require design, engineering or permitting review. Ask the broker to distinguish a promising location from a premises that can actually support the planned operation. Unknown conversion work and approvals should remain open items in the comparison rather than being hidden inside a rent recommendation.
Test the shortlist before signing
Request relevant tenant references and a written account of landlord relationships, compensation and conflicts. Compare how the finalists document rejected sites as well as preferred ones; that helps reveal whether the search follows the business brief. No reviewed source establishes future store revenue or a guaranteed lease outcome. The stronger proposal will make location assumptions, budget limits and responsibility for remaining checks clear enough for the tenant to make an informed decision.