Colliers International
Encyclopedia
Colliers International is a global commercial real estate
services organization with approximately 12,500 professionals in more than 500 offices in 61 countries.
Colliers International provides a range of services to commercial real estate users, owners, investors and developers worldwide. Primary services include consulting, corporate solutions, investment
services, landlord
and tenant representation, project management, property and asset management and valuation
and advisory services. The organization serves the hotel, industrial, mixed-use, office, retail and residential property sectors.
Headquartered in Seattle, Colliers International's annual revenues are nearly $2 billion The organization is a unit of publicly traded FirstService
Corporation ( TSX
:FSV).
. In 1985, US and Canadian
firms joined Colliers international, and by 1986, its Asia-Pacific
operations had reached 20 markets. In 1990, Colliers began to enter markets in central Europe
and Latin America
.
In 2004, Colliers' parent company, FirstService Corporation, invested in Colliers Macaulay Nicolls, the predecessor of FirstService REA and the largest member of Colliers International. FirstService REA subsequently invested in several North America
n-based firms whose operations focused on various commercial real estate service specialties. Among these investments were:
Recent geographically-based investments include:
Recent expansions include:
In April 2010, Colliers International and FirstService Real Estate Advisors combined their operations and global real estate services platforms, and began operation under the unified brand of Colliers International.
Amid a global, industry-wide consolidation among commercial real estate brokerages, industry watchers have noted the Colliers International expansion has run counter to this trend.
The NREI survey also found that Colliers International had posted an increase of more than 28 percent over its 2008 ranking, when it conducted leasing transactions and investment sales volume totaling $42 billion and ranked fifth.
In March 2010, the annual Lipsey Survey of the top 25 brands in the commercial real estate industry worldwide ranked Colliers International in the #2 position. The firm had held the third-place position in the Lipsey Survey since 2004, after rising from sixth place in 2002 to fourth in 2003.
In 2010, Colliers International was included in the Global Outsourcing 100 list by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) for the fifth consecutive year.
. The council is a union of national Green Building Councils from around the world, making it the largest international organization influencing the green building marketplace.
According to its corporate website, Colliers International is a member of the green building councils of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and USA. Additionally, the company sponsors and assists emerging members of the World Global Business Coalition and Global Business Coalitions in earlier stages of formation, including those in Albania, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Peru, Singapore and the EU GBC Network.
Colliers International is a founding member of the US Regenerative Network, a business consortium that "identifies leading green building product manufacturers and service providers and unites them with qualified buyers and leading industry architecture, engineering, construction and real estate professionals."
- which ranked first on NREI's 2010 list of the top 25 brokerages, with $97.2 billion in leasing transactions and sales - as well as Jones Lang LaSalle
and Cushman & Wakefield.
Within the United States, national competitors include:
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
services organization with approximately 12,500 professionals in more than 500 offices in 61 countries.
Colliers International provides a range of services to commercial real estate users, owners, investors and developers worldwide. Primary services include consulting, corporate solutions, investment
Investment
Investment has different meanings in finance and economics. Finance investment is putting money into something with the expectation of gain, that upon thorough analysis, has a high degree of security for the principal amount, as well as security of return, within an expected period of time...
services, landlord
Landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
and tenant representation, project management, property and asset management and valuation
Valuation (finance)
In finance, valuation is the process of estimating what something is worth. Items that are usually valued are a financial asset or liability. Valuations can be done on assets or on liabilities...
and advisory services. The organization serves the hotel, industrial, mixed-use, office, retail and residential property sectors.
Headquartered in Seattle, Colliers International's annual revenues are nearly $2 billion The organization is a unit of publicly traded FirstService
FirstService
- Subsidiaries :*Colliers International - Commercial Real Estate*FirstService Residential Management - Residential Property Management*The Continental Group, Inc.*TFC - Property Services**BrandPoint Services**California Closets**CertaPro Painters**College Pro...
Corporation ( TSX
Toronto Stock Exchange
Toronto Stock Exchange is the largest stock exchange in Canada, the third largest in North America and the seventh largest in the world by market capitalisation. Based in Canada's largest city, Toronto, it is owned by and operated as a subsidiary of the TMX Group for the trading of senior equities...
:FSV).
History
Colliers International began in 1976 with the launch of Colliers Property Consultants in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In 1985, US and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
firms joined Colliers international, and by 1986, its Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific or Asia Pacific is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean...
operations had reached 20 markets. In 1990, Colliers began to enter markets in central Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
In 2004, Colliers' parent company, FirstService Corporation, invested in Colliers Macaulay Nicolls, the predecessor of FirstService REA and the largest member of Colliers International. FirstService REA subsequently invested in several North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n-based firms whose operations focused on various commercial real estate service specialties. Among these investments were:
- PGP Valuation Inc.: A commercial and industrial real estate appraisal firm with 250 associates worldwide, PGP Valuation conducts market studies, consulting assignments, appraisal reviews and feasibility analyses.
- PKF Hotel and Hospitality Consulting: PKR is an association of independent firms in hospitality consulting, with 15,000 specialized hotel experts, auditors and tax consultants worldwide.
- MHPM Project Leaders: In 2007, Colliers Macaulay Nicolls, an affiliate in the Colliers International network (and predecessor to FirstService REA), acquired a majority interest in Canada's largest project management firm, MHPM Project Managers.
Recent geographically-based investments include:
- LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(October 2009): Colliers International made a major investment in Colliers CRE, a London-based real estate services enterprise with offices in the UK, Ireland and Spain. Colliers CRE subsequently rebranded as Colliers UK.
- New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
: New York-based FirstService Williams, formerly known as GVA Williams, adopted the brand of Colliers International and today functions as the entity's "tri-state" hub (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut). The office consists of more than 300 brokers.
- ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
(April 2010): Colliers International completed a significant investment in one of Chicago's largest commercial real estate services firms, Colliers Bennett & Kahnweiler (Colliers B&K), which now serves as the enterprise's Midwestern regional hub and operates as Colliers International.
Recent expansions include:
- Cincinnati, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
(April 2010): Colliers International added one of Cincinnati's largest commercial real estate firms, West Shell Commercial. - Nashville, TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
(April 2010): The Nashville commercial real estate brokerage firm known as NAI Nashville assumed the Colliers International name. - ColumbusColumbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Ohio (May 2010): Commercial real estate firm Adena Commercial ended its ten-year relationship with Grubb & Ellis to affiliate with Colliers International, effective May 1, 2010. - Grand Rapids, MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
(May 2010): Grubb & Ellis Paramount Commerce, one of West Michigan's largest commercial real estate brokerages, changes its affiliation to Colliers International effective May 1. - Long IslandLong IslandLong Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York (June 2010): Colliers International added Sutton & Edwards, based in Lake Success and Ronkonkama. Founded in 1962, the firm provides office, industrial, retail, land, medical office and investment property brokerage services.
In April 2010, Colliers International and FirstService Real Estate Advisors combined their operations and global real estate services platforms, and began operation under the unified brand of Colliers International.
Business model
According to CoStar, Colliers International utilizes a "partnership model...- an entrepreneurial, locally-grounded company combined with the strength, reach, accountability and versatility of a global firm. FirstService REA, formed by property services firm FirstService Corp. in 2005 after buying Collier International's largest affiliate, now owns about 70% of Colliers International globally, and retains worldwide rights to the Colliers International name. The remainder of equity in Colliers is retained by local market partners."Amid a global, industry-wide consolidation among commercial real estate brokerages, industry watchers have noted the Colliers International expansion has run counter to this trend.
Rankings and Honors
According to the April 2010 issue of National Real Estate Investor (NREI), Colliers International ranked second in the magazine's annual ranking of the top twenty-five brokerages in the global real estate industry. The ranking is based on the combined dollar value of leasing transactions and investment sales globally in 2009, which totaled $53.8 billion for Colliers International.The NREI survey also found that Colliers International had posted an increase of more than 28 percent over its 2008 ranking, when it conducted leasing transactions and investment sales volume totaling $42 billion and ranked fifth.
In March 2010, the annual Lipsey Survey of the top 25 brands in the commercial real estate industry worldwide ranked Colliers International in the #2 position. The firm had held the third-place position in the Lipsey Survey since 2004, after rising from sixth place in 2002 to fourth in 2003.
In 2010, Colliers International was included in the Global Outsourcing 100 list by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) for the fifth consecutive year.
Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability
Colliers International was the Founding Global Partner of the World Green Building CouncilWorld Green Building Council
The World Green Building Council is a coalition of national Green Building Councils. With member organisations in over 80 countries, it is the largest international organisation influencing the green building marketplace.-History:...
. The council is a union of national Green Building Councils from around the world, making it the largest international organization influencing the green building marketplace.
According to its corporate website, Colliers International is a member of the green building councils of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and USA. Additionally, the company sponsors and assists emerging members of the World Global Business Coalition and Global Business Coalitions in earlier stages of formation, including those in Albania, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Indonesia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Peru, Singapore and the EU GBC Network.
Colliers International is a founding member of the US Regenerative Network, a business consortium that "identifies leading green building product manufacturers and service providers and unites them with qualified buyers and leading industry architecture, engineering, construction and real estate professionals."
Competitors
Colliers International's global competitors include CB Richard EllisCB Richard Ellis
CBRE Group, Inc. , a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm . The Company has approximately 31,000 employees , and serves real estate owners, investors and occupiers through more than 300 offices worldwide...
- which ranked first on NREI's 2010 list of the top 25 brokerages, with $97.2 billion in leasing transactions and sales - as well as Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc. is a multinational financial and professional services company specializing in real estate. Global headquarters are located in Chicago, with an operational remit covering the Americas regional market...
and Cushman & Wakefield.
Within the United States, national competitors include:
- CB Richard EllisCB Richard EllisCBRE Group, Inc. , a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm . The Company has approximately 31,000 employees , and serves real estate owners, investors and occupiers through more than 300 offices worldwide...
(CBRE) - Cushman & Wakefield (C&W)
- Eastdil Secured
- Cassidy TurleyCassidy TurleyCassidy Turley is a privately owned commercial real estate services firm. It was launched on March 1, 2010 with the unification of nine regional firms across the U.S. Cassidy Turley has approximately 3,400 employees in 60 national offices and manages a property portfolio of 455 million square feet...
- Grubb & Ellis (G&E)
- Holliday Fenoglio FowlerHolliday Fenoglio FowlerHFF , with its affiliate HFF Securities L.P., is a large provider of commercial real estate and capital markets services to the U.S. commercial real estate industry. HFF offers a range of capital solutions including debt, equity, financial advisory, investment sales, loan sales and loan...
- Jones Lang LaSalleJones Lang LaSalleJones Lang LaSalle, Inc. is a multinational financial and professional services company specializing in real estate. Global headquarters are located in Chicago, with an operational remit covering the Americas regional market...
(JLL)