"Marcus & Millichap continues to grow as our specialization in commercial sales, financing and research, coupled with our cooperative approach to brokerage, are enabling our clients to move capital nationally and execute transactions," Berman says. "Our agents and managers possess in-depth market and submarket knowledge, which has enabled Marcus & Millichap to continue to arrange real estate investment sales through every market cycle, including this one."

Within its first five years of operation within Florida, the Fort Lauderdale office became one of Marcus & Millichap's top ten in terms of sales volume and remains ranked as a leading office nationwide, Berman says. The firm has since added offices in Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Jacksonville and Melbourne, the latter of which has moved to Vero Beach.

Harvey E. Green, president and CEO of Marcus & Millichap, says the commercial real estate industry questioned his company's moves to put so many investment sales brokers in Florida a decade ago. "We responded by opening more offices, which demonstrates that our critical mass of brokers and ability to place these brokers in specific submarkets only enhanced our success in the state," Green stated in a release.

Berman explains that Marcus & Millichap's national platform allows agents from other states to bring in capital from outside specific markets to acquire local properties. Because its managers and executives were once active real estate agents, he says, they can effectively train and develop the skills of newer agents while understanding challenges being faced in the current down cycle.

"Ultimately, the extensive market and transaction expertise of our investment specialists has enabled Marcus & Millichap to remain the dominant force in Florida's real estate investment market," Berman says. "The agents and managers in our offices assist in creating, managing and growing the income stream of our institutional and private investor clients within Florida and outside the region."