TENANT-ONLY SINCE 2004
Two Former CBRE Brokers Who Left to Build Something Different.
FOUNDING PARTNERS
Co-Founders
Tom and Dave each spent nearly twenty years at CBRE—one of the largest commercial real estate firms in the world. They were good at it. But they kept seeing the same thing: tenants at the table with a broker who also represented their landlord. The conflict wasn’t theoretical. It showed up in renewals that weren’t pushed hard enough, alternatives that weren’t surfaced, and concessions that were left on the table. In 2004 they left and formed Tenant Advisors, Inc.—a firm with one rule. They haven’t represented a landlord since.
Tenant Advisors, Inc. is a member of ITRA Global, an international association of real estate professionals specializing in representing tenants and occupiers of commercial space.
“We kept watching tenants sit across from a broker who also worked for their landlord. In 2004 we decided to only sit on one side of the table.”
Tom Koelzer & Dave Ven Horst · Co-Founders
Tom Koelzer
CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING PARTNER
Tom started negotiating Chicago office leases in 1986, after graduating from the University of Michigan, and spent nearly two decades at CBRE, rising to First Vice President on the landlord side. He learned how buildings price space, which concessions they hold back, and how often a tenant’s “advisor” was protecting a landlord relationship at the tenant’s expense. In 2004 he and Dave Ven Horst left to build a firm with one rule: represent tenants, never landlords. With no buildings to lease and no listings to protect, every recommendation points one direction. A licensed Illinois real estate broker, Tom works directly on every engagement, handling renewals, relocations, and restructurings across the Northwest Suburbs, O’Hare, and the East-West Corridor.
Dave Ven Horst
CO-FOUNDER & MANAGING BROKER
Dave has negotiated Chicago office leases since 1986, including nearly two decades at CBRE, where he finished as First Vice President and saw how landlords structure a deal and where the money is buried in one. He co-founded Tenant Advisors with Tom Koelzer in 2004 because tenants needed an advisor with no landlord to answer to. A University of Illinois accountancy graduate, CPA, and licensed Illinois real estate broker, Dave focuses on the numbers: complex restructures, financial analysis, and long-term occupancy strategy, so clients know the true cost of every option before they sign.
David EtsHokin
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
David has represented only tenants since 2009. At a landlord-side firm, a broker’s next listing can depend on keeping the building happy. At Tenant Advisors, the only relationship that matters is the client’s. That freedom shows in his work with medical and dental practices, where build-out costs, specialized infrastructure, and long lease terms make a bad deal expensive for a decade. A University of Minnesota graduate and licensed Illinois real estate broker, he handles renewals, relocations, and restructures across the North Suburbs and Chicago CBD.
Mike Vizzone
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Mike has represented only tenants since 2010, and he joined Tenant Advisors for the same reason the firm exists: tenants deserve an advisor whose only incentive is the tenant’s outcome. A UNLV graduate and licensed Illinois real estate broker, he runs site selection, market evaluation, and deal structure for companies across the North Suburbs and downtown Chicago, and he is known for getting complicated transactions closed without giving ground on terms.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays Tenant Advisors?
The landlord pays our fee as part of the lease transaction. There is no cost to tenants for our representation.
Has Tenant Advisors ever represented a landlord?
No. Since 2004, Tenant Advisors has represented office tenants only. We never represent landlords, so there is no conflict of interest in any negotiation.
Who will work on my lease?
A co-founder or an Executive Vice President leads the work.
Which markets does Tenant Advisors cover?
Five Chicago-area office submarkets: the Northwest Suburbs, O’Hare, the East-West Corridor, the North Suburbs, and the Chicago CBD.
What size office tenants do you represent?
Most of our clients lease between 3,000 and 50,000 square feet, from professional firms and medical practices to regional headquarters.