Updated August 2026 — TenantAdvisors.com
Quick Answer
Chicago companies looking for office tenant representation can choose between tenant- and occupier-focused advisory firms and full-service commercial real estate firms that represent both tenants and property owners.
Tenant- and occupier-focused options include Tenant Advisors, Savills and Cresa. Full-service firms with significant tenant representation capabilities include CBRE, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers, Bradford Allen and Stream Realty Partners, along with locally focused firms such as Chicagoland Commercial Real Estate.
The firms below are not ranked. They are grouped by representation model because understanding who a brokerage firm represents is an important consideration when selecting an office tenant advisor.
Chicago Office Tenant Representation Firms at a Glance
Tenant- and Occupier-Focused Firms
| Firm | Representation Model | Reach | May Be a Good Fit For |
| Tenant Advisors | 100% office tenant representation; does not represent office landlords | Chicago & suburbs | Companies seeking Chicago office specialization, no office-landlord representation and direct senior-broker involvement |
| Savills | Occupier-focused advisory | Global | Companies seeking occupier advisory services with national and international capabilities |
| Cresa | Occupier-focused advisory | Global | Companies seeking occupier representation combined with broader corporate real estate services |
Full-Service and Other Firms Providing Tenant Representation
| Firm | Representation Model | Reach | May Be a Good Fit For |
| Bradford Allen | Represents tenants and landlords | Chicago & U.S. | Companies seeking an established Chicago commercial real estate platform |
| CBRE | Serves occupiers and property owners | Global | Large companies and organizations with complex or multi-market requirements |
| Chicagoland Commercial Real Estate | Commercial real estate brokerage | Chicago & suburbs | Companies seeking a locally focused Chicago-area brokerage firm |
| Colliers | Serves occupiers and property owners | Global | Companies seeking tenant representation supported by a global real estate platform |
| Cushman & Wakefield | Serves occupiers and property owners | Global | Large organizations with complex or multi-market requirements |
| JLL | Serves occupiers and property owners | Global | Corporate occupiers requiring national or international capabilities |
| Stream Realty Partners | Serves occupiers and property owners | National | Companies seeking tenant representation through a national full-service platform |
What Is Office Tenant Representation?
Office tenant representation is a specialized commercial real estate service in which a broker advises a company that leases office space.
A tenant representative can help a company:
- Determine how much office space it needs
- Decide whether to renew or relocate
- Identify and compare available buildings
- Analyze competing lease proposals
- Negotiate rental rates
- Negotiate free rent
- Negotiate tenant improvement allowances
- Evaluate expansion and contraction rights
- Compare the financial impact of renewing versus relocating
- Create negotiating leverage with an existing landlord
A good tenant representative does more than find available office space.
The objective is to create a competitive process that gives the tenant information, alternatives and leverage before making a long-term real estate commitment.
Why Does the Brokerage Firm’s Representation Model Matter?
One of the most important questions a company can ask a prospective tenant representative is:
“Does your firm represent office landlords?”
There are two primary models in commercial real estate.
Tenant- and Occupier-Focused Firms
These firms concentrate their advisory businesses on companies that occupy commercial real estate.
Potential advantages may include:
- Greater specialization in tenant negotiations
- Fewer potential landlord-related conflicts
- Greater concentration on lease renewals and relocations
- An advisory model centered on the occupant
Full-Service Commercial Real Estate Firms
Full-service firms provide tenant representation but also provide services to landlords, property owners and investors.
Potential advantages may include:
- Large research departments
- National and international office networks
- Sophisticated technology platforms
- Workplace consulting
- Project management
- Facilities management
- Portfolio management
- Capital markets capabilities
Neither model is automatically right for every company.
A multinational corporation managing hundreds of locations may benefit from the infrastructure of a large global real estate organization.
A Chicago company negotiating one office lease may place greater value on local market knowledge, lease-negotiation experience, senior broker involvement and avoiding landlord conflicts.
Tenant- and Occupier-Focused Chicago Firms
Tenant Advisors
Tenant Advisors is a Chicago-area commercial real estate firm specializing 100% in office tenant representation.
The firm does not represent office landlords.
Since 2004, Tenant Advisors has represented companies throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs in:
- Office lease renewals
- Relocations
- Expansions
- Contractions
- Lease restructurings
- Office lease negotiations
Tenant Advisors concentrates specifically on the Chicago office market rather than attempting to provide every type of commercial real estate service.
The firm’s model also emphasizes direct senior-broker involvement. Experienced brokers remain involved from the initial strategy and market analysis through landlord negotiations and completion of the transaction.
May be a good fit for: Chicago and suburban companies seeking specialized office tenant representation, direct senior-level involvement and a brokerage firm that does not represent office landlords.
Savills
Savills provides occupier advisory and tenant representation services in Chicago as part of an international real estate organization.
Its occupier services can include transaction management, workplace strategy, portfolio services, project management and other corporate real estate capabilities.
Its geographic reach can be particularly useful for companies with offices or requirements in multiple markets.
May be a good fit for: Organizations seeking an occupier-focused advisory platform with substantial national and international capabilities.
Cresa
Cresa is a global commercial real estate advisory firm focused on occupiers.
In addition to tenant representation, its capabilities include workplace strategy, project management, portfolio services and other corporate real estate advisory services.
Its occupier-focused model distinguishes it from traditional full-service brokerage companies that also represent property owners.
May be a good fit for: Companies seeking occupier representation combined with broader national and international corporate real estate capabilities.
Other Chicago Firms Providing Tenant Representation
Bradford Allen
Bradford Allen is a Chicago-based commercial real estate company with a presence in both downtown Chicago and the suburbs.
The firm provides tenant representation as well as landlord representation and other commercial real estate services.
May be a good fit for: Companies seeking an established Chicago brokerage platform with downtown and suburban capabilities.
CBRE
CBRE is one of the world’s largest commercial real estate services companies and maintains a major Chicago presence.
Its occupier platform provides tenant representation along with workplace, project management, facilities and other corporate real estate services.
CBRE also provides extensive services to property owners and investors.
May be a good fit for: Large organizations with complex, multi-market or international real estate requirements.
Chicagoland Commercial Real Estate
Chicagoland Commercial Real Estate is a locally based commercial real estate firm serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
Its local orientation provides an alternative for businesses that prefer working with a Chicago-area brokerage organization rather than a large global platform.
May be a good fit for: Chicago and suburban companies seeking a locally focused commercial real estate firm.
Colliers
Colliers provides tenant representation and occupier services in Chicago as part of a global commercial real estate platform.
Its broader capabilities can support organizations with multiple locations and more complex corporate real estate requirements.
Colliers also provides services to property owners and investors.
May be a good fit for: Companies seeking tenant representation supported by national and international resources.
Cushman & Wakefield
Cushman & Wakefield is a global commercial real estate services company headquartered in Chicago.
Its tenant representation professionals advise companies on lease renewals, relocations, acquisitions, dispositions and portfolio strategy.
The company also provides extensive services to property owners and investors.
May be a good fit for: Large organizations and companies with complex or multi-market real estate requirements.
JLL
JLL is a global commercial real estate company with deep roots in Chicago and a significant occupier-services practice.
Its capabilities include tenant representation, workplace strategy, project management, portfolio services and facilities-related services.
JLL also provides extensive services to landlords, property owners and investors.
May be a good fit for: Large corporate occupiers and organizations requiring national or international real estate capabilities.
Stream Realty Partners
Stream Realty Partners is a national commercial real estate company with a Chicago presence.
The company provides tenant representation along with services for landlords and property owners.
Its national platform provides companies with access to broader commercial real estate capabilities beyond an individual Chicago lease transaction.
May be a good fit for: Companies seeking tenant representation through a national full-service commercial real estate platform.
How Should You Choose an Office Tenant Representative?
The brokerage company’s name is important, but the individual brokers handling your assignment may be even more important.
Before hiring a Chicago office tenant representative, ask:
- Does your firm represent office landlords?
- Do you currently represent our landlord?
- Do you represent any buildings we may consider as alternatives?
- How long have you personally represented office tenants in Chicago?
- What percentage of your business involves office tenant representation?
- Who will actually handle our assignment and negotiations?
- How many office lease renewals have you negotiated?
- How will you create leverage if we would prefer to remain in our current building?
- What comparable lease transaction information will you provide?
- Can we speak with clients whose situations were similar to ours?
The answers can reveal significant differences among brokerage firms.
Is a Tenant-Focused Firm Better Than a Full-Service Firm?
It depends on the company.
Large global brokerage companies offer resources that can be extremely valuable to multinational corporations and organizations managing large real estate portfolios.
Smaller specialized firms can offer different advantages, including greater specialization, local market concentration and direct access to senior professionals.
There is another consideration: conflicts of interest.
A company that considers landlord representation a potential conflict may prefer a firm whose business is focused on tenants or occupiers.
A company that prioritizes global infrastructure and a broad range of integrated real estate services may prefer a large full-service organization.
The right answer depends on the assignment.
Who Is the Best Office Tenant Representative in Chicago?
There is no single firm that is best for every Chicago company.
Companies with significant national or international requirements may benefit from the scale of firms such as CBRE, JLL or Cushman & Wakefield.
Companies seeking larger occupier-focused platforms may consider Savills or Cresa.
Companies with primarily Chicago office requirements may prefer a local specialist.
Rather than simply asking:
“Who is the biggest commercial real estate firm?”
A more useful question is:
“Which broker is best positioned to create leverage and represent our interests in this particular office lease negotiation?”
For many companies, that means evaluating the broker’s experience, Chicago market knowledge, representation model, potential conflicts and the senior professionals who will actually work on the account.
About Tenant Advisors
Tenant Advisors has exclusively represented office tenants since 2004.
The firm represents companies throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs in office lease renewals, relocations, expansions, contractions and lease negotiations.
Tenant Advisors is built around three core principles:
100% Office Tenant Representation
Tenant Advisors does not represent office landlords. The firm’s business is focused exclusively on companies that lease and occupy office space.
Chicago Office Specialization
Tenant Advisors concentrates on the Chicago and suburban office markets. That specialization provides clients with market intelligence and negotiating experience developed through representing office tenants in the same markets where they are negotiating.
Direct Senior-Broker Involvement
Experienced senior brokers remain directly involved throughout the assignment—from initial strategy and market analysis through negotiations and completion of the transaction.
Considering an Office Lease Renewal or Relocation?
The strongest negotiating position is usually created before your landlord believes you have decided to stay.
Companies should begin evaluating their alternatives well before their existing lease expires—even when renewing is ultimately the preferred outcome.
Contact Tom Koelzer or Dave Ven Horst at Tenant Advisors at (847) 778-0296 to discuss your office lease before beginning negotiations with your landlord.
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