Taking Ownership

Commercial real estate brokers often are at the mercy of the markets and their parent company.

In the good years, brokers do well but they have to share the spoils with their corporate parent. In bad years, commissions are lean. And when they leave or retire, brokers usually don't have an ownership stake in the business they helped build.

A California-based commercial real estate brokerage called Lee & Associates has a business model that is a departure from the traditional organization. It recently added Naples-Fort Myers as its 45th office when it attracted a group of brokers who formerly were affiliated with Grubb & Ellis.