Brown Commercial Group commemorates its 10th anniversary this year, reflecting on the company’s expansion throughout Chicago’s suburbs and significant increase in transaction volume.
The company was formed by Daniel Brown in 2004, focusing on office and industrial leasing in the growing O’Hare market. During the past 10 years, including a span that included a challenging business and economic climate, the firm has experienced a significant increase in transaction volume. The firm recorded its 1,500th completed transaction earlier this year.
Dan Brown attributes the increase in transaction volume to a number of factors, including the expansion of the Brown Commercial team—both in terms of services provided and the number of brokers on the team—as well as the company’s geographic expansion. The firm covers the entire Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane and Will county areas, with a strong concentration of business in the Elk Grove Village, Addison, Schaumburg, and Elgin markets.
Brown also expanded into investment sales several years ago and routinely works with local and regional investors to evaluate office and industrial assets. The firm has worked with many banks and trustees to help them dispose of foreclosed assets.
“We’ve achieved tremendous success with our focus on being the trusted advisors who help clients find solutions,” Brown said. “We’re always looking beyond the transaction to how we can build value for clients on a long term basis.”
Among the firm’s notable transactions and events for 2014: • Selling many properties within 30 to 45 days. In many cases, the properties were sold through Brown’s extensive investor contacts before being placed in a multiple listing service. • Representing banks and law firm trustees in selling distressed assets, such as the sale of a 103,000-square-foot multi-tenant building at 1101-1189 Tower Road in Schaumburg. The asset was on the market for just two weeks and was sold to a private investor. It was the fourth asset Brown Commercial Group sold for Seyfarth Shaw LLP in Chicago and was part of a 46-property bankruptcy portfolio. • Working with several building owners to fill significant vacancies in their buildings. • Generating approximately 90 percent of yearly business from referrals and transactions from previous clients.
