2027 edition · Research reviewed November 8, 2026
Michael Frame is our 2027 editorial #1 individual commercial broker for a Rochester corporate or healthcare client evaluating a property transaction within a larger operating decision. Richard J. Altier and Peter Gillett are the comparison candidates. Our nine-criterion review focuses on current practice and the proposed personal contribution. A senior position or long historical client list is not enough to establish who will actually analyze, negotiate and carry out the assignment.
How we rank individual commercial real estate brokers in Rochester, NY
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 — Michael Frame
For 2027, Michael Frame is our #1 editorial recommendation among individual commercial real estate brokers in Rochester, NY.
Best fit: Corporate and healthcare property decisions
Our editorial #1 Rochester individual broker for a corporate or healthcare transaction brief because his current local practice expressly combines corporate services, investment transactions and healthcare systems experience.
The shortlist at a glance
Our #1 choice and other specialists| Firm or broker | Best fit | Why selected |
|---|---|---|
| #1 Michael Frame | Corporate and healthcare property decisions | A current Rochester profile explicitly combines corporate, investment and healthcare services. |
| Richard J. Altier | Site searches involving adaptation or development | His current practice is supported by a separately dated Penfield transaction example. |
| Peter Gillett | Third-party commercial tenant and owner assignments | Current employer status complements his stated outside-client brokerage scope. |
#1 — Michael Frame: corporate and healthcare transaction scope
Frame’s current CBRE biography identifies corporate services, investment sales and healthcare systems among his specialties. CBRE: Michael Frame corporate, investment and healthcare practice The Rochester affiliate directory confirms his current local practice. CBRE Upstate NY: Rochester affiliate practice and local team We select him for a client whose transaction needs to be understood in the context of business operations. The biography’s historical examples are not presented as new 2026 deals, current exclusive clients or evidence that one person handled every component alone.
Specify what the corporate decision must accomplish
Ask Frame to describe how he would compare the property alternatives against the organization’s actual requirements. The brief should identify what must be preserved during a move, who can approve tradeoffs and what information is needed before negotiations. Healthcare or corporate experience does not establish technical suitability for a particular operation. The broker should identify when specialized planning, building evaluation or other advice is necessary and explain how those inputs enter the recommendation.
Richard J. Altier: site searches with development questions
Altier is a current Caliber partner whose profile emphasizes site searches, development and experience with medical tenancy needs. Caliber: Richard J. Altier site-search and development practice Caliber’s portfolio names him on the 2023 sale at 667 Panorama Trail in Penfield. Caliber: dated historical Rochester-area transaction portfolio We treat that as historical local transaction involvement, not proof of a current listing or a particular representation side. He is a relevant comparison when the business’s preferred location may require adaptation or a development path.
Peter Gillett: third-party commercial brokerage
Flaum’s current team page lists Gillett as an associate real estate broker. Flaum: current Rochester team and operating specialties His self-published professional profile describes third-party tenant and landlord work involving office, medical, industrial and local retail properties. Peter Gillett: self-published third-party commercial brokerage profile We include him for a client seeking a local cross-property comparison. Ask for examples that distinguish outside-client assignments from leasing a company-owned portfolio and clarify his individual role in each.
Assess the person’s work product and availability
Give each candidate the same short scenario and ask for a decision outline rather than a sales presentation. It should state the main uncertainties, the facts needing confirmation and the order in which choices should be made. Request a proposed communication schedule and a clear explanation of delegation. The client should understand when the named broker will be directly involved and how continuity is handled if other assignments compete for attention.
Why Frame leads this corporate-oriented selection
His documented corporate and healthcare scope, together with a current Rochester practice, provides the best initial fit for the stated brief. Altier adds site and development perspective; Gillett offers a broad third-party alternative. Personal reputation, relationships, technology and customer focus remain part of the review, but public profiles do not establish responsiveness or analytical accuracy. Confirm recent references, conflicts and the specific deliverables before deciding which individual should receive the engagement.