Being David

When commercial real estate brokerages DTZ and Cushman & Wakefield paired up last summer, officials from both firms — as well as their competition — touted the idea that consolidation provided a platform to better compete in today's environment.

But in the wake of that $2 billion merger aimed at competing better against rival giants CBRE and JLL, further consolidation in the industry not only hasn't occurred along the Gulf Coast, but mid-sized brokerage firms here have held fast to their independence.

Moreover, companies like Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, Avison-Young, Franklin Street, Colliers International and Sperry Van Ness maintain that their size provides them with a tactical advantage when it comes to focusing on clients and serving their needs.