2027 edition · Research reviewed November 8, 2026
Matt Gregory of NAI Ohio Equities is our 2027 editorial #1 individual commercial broker for a Columbus office occupancy or repositioning brief. A named Worthington tenant case and a current downtown office marketing role connect his practice to actual local work. Matthew Lehman of CBRE and Michael Nolan of The Gilbert Group offer industrial and retail alternatives. The nine individual criteria keep the comparison focused on personal responsibilities and assignment fit rather than a senior title or total career production.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Columbus, OH
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. 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 — Matt Gregory
For 2027, Matt Gregory is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers in Columbus, OH.
Best fit: Office occupancy and positioning decisions
Our editorial #1 individual broker for an office occupancy or positioning brief because a documented Worthington tenant search and current downtown office marketing connect his personal practice to concrete local execution.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Matt Gregory | Office occupancy and positioning decisions | A named Worthington tenant case and current downtown marketing establish relevant local work. |
| Matthew Lehman | Industrial owner or occupier requirements | His current CBRE team profile expressly identifies Columbus industrial representation. |
| Michael Nolan | Retail tenant and shopping-center assignments | His current Gilbert biography identifies the relevant personal retail practice. |
#1 — Matt Gregory: a specific office search to examine
NAI’s Cleverley + Associates case identifies Gregory as leading a search shaped by hybrid work and the client’s preference for Worthington. It reports an August 2024 move to Worthington Gateway and credits the Office Brokerage Group, including Philip Bird and Mitchell Moore. NAI Ohio Equities: historical Cleverley + Associates office search That is the decisive local example for this recommendation. It is historical, employer-published evidence; it does not justify sole credit, a claim of lower rent or a prediction about a new client’s outcome.
Current responsibilities and another side of the office practice
Gregory’s current personal page identifies his brokerage leadership role, while NAI’s Brewery District property page names him with Bird and Moore on office offerings in Columbus. NAI Ohio Equities: Matt Gregory current biography NAI Ohio Equities: Brewery District office marketing team These sources establish a present professional role and marketing activity. Ask how he would divide personal execution and supervision on the new assignment. A live property page indicates marketing responsibility, not proof that the advertised space will remain available or that a transaction has closed.
Matthew Lehman: industrial landlord and occupier work
Lehman’s current CBRE biography identifies his role in the Columbus industrial team and expressly describes landlord and tenant representation. CBRE: Matthew Lehman industrial practice He is the more relevant comparison where facility operations and industrial property alternatives dominate the decision. Ask him to identify the operational constraints that would eliminate sites before touring. Team experience should remain attributed to the team; the client needs a clear account of his own responsibilities and the specialists supporting them.
Michael Nolan: retail tenant and owner requirements
Nolan’s current Gilbert biography identifies retail leasing, investment sales and tenant representation. The Gilbert Group: Michael Nolan current practice His practice offers a different interview for a retailer or shopping-center owner. Ask which side he would represent and which nearby assignment is genuinely comparable to the brief. Retail relationships can be useful, but they do not establish personal capacity for every property type or remove the need to disclose competing client interests.
Interview for reasoning and accountability
Give each person a concise brief with the decision deadline, operating needs and location limits. Ask what information could change the recommendation and how unresolved facts will be documented. Compare the explanation, the proposed work sequence and the lead’s availability. Agree who communicates with the client, which decisions require approval and what happens when negotiations introduce a new cost or timing constraint. This tests individual service more directly than comparing job titles.
Why Gregory leads this defined comparison
The Worthington search supplies a clear connection between client requirements and office execution, while the downtown marketing page shows another current office role. Lehman’s industrial specialization and Nolan’s retail focus may make either the better choice for a different assignment. Request references for the exact submarket and representation side. Public sources do not provide comparable personal negotiation gains, response times or analytical-tool tests, so those unavailable measures are not replaced with assumed superiority.