For Canada’s commercial real estate industry, 2025 has been marked by economic headwinds, volatile market dynamics and uncertainty.

Companies that were strategic and adaptable successfully navigated the unpredictable year.

Which is exactly why MSCI Real Assets Management ranked Colliers No. 1 in property sales during the first half of 2025, marking the sixth time the firm has earned the top spot in this category.

The reasons for Colliers’ continued high placement on the global research company’s list, despite the roller-coaster environment, boil down to an emphasis on in-house collaboration, adaptability and strong client relationships, all backed by in-depth, real-time data.

“The market has shifted dramatically, with higher interest rates, softening absorption and ever-increasing municipal fees,” said Morgan Iannone, executive-vice president with Colliers’ Vancouver brokerage group. “Our in-house research, national investor network and deep understanding of the local market allow us to pivot quickly.”

Demolishing the Silos

Colliers is a full-service firm, offering property appraisal, project management, asset consulting, financing, property management, and brokerage. But these divisions—and their experts—don’t act alone, in a vacuum.

“We regularly collaborate, meaning clients receive a full suite of services,” explained James Lang, vice-president with Colliers’ brokerage team in Vancouver. “Brokerage isn’t the goal but, rather, a component of the overall service offering.”

In addition to vertical, or in-house, integration, there is ongoing communication between regional offices, from the Maritimes to the Pacific Coast. This enables a boots-on-the-ground approach to market conditions, supply and demand, and other factors that inform decision-making.

For example, Colliers co-ordinated a cross-country team to sell a medical-office building in Victoria, B.C., on behalf of a non-profit client.

“We put together experts from Vancouver, Toronto and Victoria to execute a national approach,” Iannone said.

The approach resulted in the gathering of a substantial amount of local knowledge. It also “broadened the buyer pool, increased competitiveness and ultimately delivered an exceptional result for the client,” Iannone said.

Relationships Exceed Sales

One-off transactions with clients are one way to build a solid commercial real estate services business. So is creating a long-term relationship with those clients. The latter path requires more time and patience but ultimately leads to better outcomes.

“There may or may not be a near-term transaction, but providing expertise without the anticipation of immediate reward is critical to working with our clients,” Lang explained.

This is because such an approach benefits the client.

“Clients end up with well-informed, strategically-timed solutions for their specific situations with the long-term view,” Iannone pointed out, adding that building and maintaining those connections also builds trust.

Another benefit of an established relationship is the ability to develop and offer services that meet clients’ needs. Lang said that Colliers has pivoted to court-ordered sales, working with lenders and receivers.

“Given Colliers’ reputation with a track record of comprehensive marketing and unparalleled market information, we are a trusted source that assists in getting transactions approved in court,” he noted.

The new offering also boosts Colliers’ service-line diversification.

“By adapting our approach to align with evolving buyer priorities, particularly those centered on cash flow, long-term stability and strategic partnerships, we’ve been able to maintain strong transaction momentum even in a more selective market environment,” Iannone said.

Backing it with Data

All commercial real estate firms rely on data to analyze trends and provide recommendations. A typical database might include a demographics overview, tenant profiles, lease agreements, property characteristics, and rent and price expectations.

Colliers’ database has all of the above—and more. Canada’s Altus Group collects in-depth information on investment trends, economic movements, and impacts, as well as local market conditions, and feeds all of this intelligence into Colliers’ proprietary Comparables App.

Added to this pool of knowledge are municipal policy updates, development cost charges/amenity cost charges frameworks, rental-market data, and regularly updated construction cost indices.

Topping it off is a CRM, which tracks lease comparables and listings in real time, as well as “every verified sales transaction across Canada, combined with our exclusive tracking system, built through local relationships and on-the-ground market intelligence,” Iannone said.

The comprehensive store of knowledge, with its verified data and financial modelling, helps clients to make informed decisions regarding transaction timing, strategy and value positioning.

The real-time collection of land and investment property economics, prices and more, helps Colliers underwrite its opportunities with pinpoint accuracy, Iannone said.

Additionally, “the database offers comparable metrics, but the story behind transactions is just as important,” Lang said. “Since Colliers is so close to many deals, we can articulate why a deal happened and why it traded for a certain price, which gives our clients additional insights.”

Putting the Pieces Together

Colliers is similar to its competition by offering expertise, data and advice. However, Colliers goes beyond the basics by the depth of its data offerings, its reliance on internal collaboration, and the creation of new services, prioritizing long-term relationships over quick transactions.

The company’s operations are backed by its mission statement of value creation and trust. That, in turn, means Colliers has achieved a 32% market share in sales and earned ongoing recognition by MSCI.

“At the end of the day, we want our brand to be based on integrity and providing sound advice,” Lang observed. “Every action we take and decision we make is geared toward providing our clients with a high level of service to support their successes.”