CBRE alternative · Metro Detroit commercial real estate
ICON vs CBRE. A fair look, side by side.
Comparing CBRE with other commercial real estate brokers in Metro Detroit? Here is what each firm does, where its office is, and who each one fits best, taken from their own public websites.
§ 01Who they are
About CBRE.
A global commercial real estate services firm whose Southfield office handles brokerage, investment property sales, corporate services, valuation and property management in Metro Detroit. Its Metro Detroit office is at 2000 Town Center, Suite 2200, Southfield, MI 48075.
On its website it describes itself this way: Over 1,000 employees in Michigan; calls its Detroit office 'the dominant player in the Detroit commercial real estate market'; company-wide over 155,000 professionals in more than 100 countries; its Detroit office opened in 1985.
From cbre.com (opens in a new tab), checked 2026-10-30. Prices, people and terms change, so check with CBRE before you decide.
§ 02Side by side
ICON and CBRE, compared.
"Not published" means we looked on their website and did not find it. We did not call for quotes.
| Topic | ICON Commercial Experts | CBRE |
|---|---|---|
| Who they are | A 4-person commercial team, the commercial division of ICON Realty Experts, a licensed Michigan brokerage. | A global commercial real estate services firm whose Southfield office handles brokerage, investment property sales, corporate services, valuation and property management in Metro Detroit. |
| Metro Detroit office | 33483 Woodward Ave, Birmingham, MI 48009 | 2000 Town Center, Suite 2200, Southfield, MI 48075 |
| Size | Four people: Joseph Jazrawi, Dylan Jajo, Jerry Nahhas and Fanar Ayar. You deal with them directly. | Over 1,000 employees in Michigan; calls its Detroit office 'the dominant player in the Detroit commercial real estate market'; company-wide over 155,000 professionals in more than 100 countries; its Detroit office opened in 1985. |
| Services | Investment Sales, Landlord Representation & Leasing, Tenant Representation, Business Acquisitions & Sales, Development & Land. | Brokerage, Investment property sales, Corporate services, Project management, Property management, In-house appraisal / valuation, Move management and furniture advisory. |
| Property types | Retail, Office, Industrial, Multifamily, Land / Build-to-Suit, Business for Sale, Restaurant / QSR, Car Wash. | Office, Retail, Industrial, Multifamily, Hotels, Data centers, Life sciences, Healthcare (site-wide list). |
| Markets | Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties: 31 cities, from Birmingham to Rockwood. | Metro Detroit, Southwest Michigan (Grand Rapids office), Global platform. |
| Investment sales | Off-market retail centers, industrial, multifamily, car washes and QSRs, underwritten with the cap rate, NOI and pro forma. | Investment Property Sales is listed as a Detroit office service; no further detail on the page checked. |
| Leasing and tenant rep | Landlord leasing (including pre-leasing new construction) and tenant searches with comps and offers. | Brokerage listed; no Detroit-specific leasing detail on the page checked. |
| Business sales | Yes. Operating businesses on their own or with the real estate. | Not published |
| Listings with the numbers | Yes. Every offering page leads with its numbers: the price, and the NOI and cap rate for income property. Off-market addresses follow an NDA. | Has a public property search on cbre.com. We could not confirm whether it shows price or cap rate for Metro Detroit listings. |
| Off-market deals | Yes. An off-market list gets deals before they go public. | Not published |
| Published fees | Not published. Ask Joseph on 586-331-6211. | Not published |
| Local or national | Local independent, based in Birmingham. Part of the ICON family with ICON Residential and M1 Title Agency. | National firm with a Detroit office (in Southfield) |
§ 03Who fits where
Who each one fits best.
CBRE
Institutional owners, large corporate occupiers and big-ticket sales that benefit from a global platform with in-house valuation and management.
§ 04Questions
ICON vs CBRE: questions.
What is the difference between ICON Commercial Experts and CBRE?
CBRE: A global commercial real estate services firm whose Southfield office handles brokerage, investment property sales, corporate services, valuation and property management in Metro Detroit. ICON is a four-person Birmingham team that sells, leases and underwrites commercial property across Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties and shows the price, NOI and cap rate on every offering.
Is ICON a good CBRE alternative in Metro Detroit?
If you want one small local team, a direct line to the person running your deal and the numbers up front, yes. Institutional owners, large corporate occupiers and big-ticket sales that benefit from a global platform with in-house valuation and management. Talk to both before you decide.
Does ICON sell businesses as well as buildings?
Yes. We sell operating businesses on their own or together with the real estate. Business acquisitions and sales.
Where does this comparison come from?
From CBRE's own public website (cbre.com), checked 2026-10-30. We did not call for quotes. "Not published" means we looked and did not find it. Prices, people and terms change, so check with each firm.