Imperial Realty Company

What Imperial Realty Company does

Imperial Realty Company is a Chicago-based, family-owned commercial real estate firm founded in 1956 (with modern operations dating to 1967) and currently led by the Klairmont family across three generations. The company owns, manages, and leases a portfolio of 100+ office, retail, and industrial buildings totaling more than 10 million square feet, serving over 4,000 tenants across the Chicagoland metropolitan area, and is ranked by Crain's Chicago Business as Chicago's 4th largest office space manager and 11th largest property manager. Its core offerings include commercial property leasing, third-party property management (10,000–400,000 SF range), brokerage services (landlord and tenant representation, acquisitions, dispositions), and development/redevelopment of distressed assets into stabilized income-producing properties.

The firm operates with no proprietary technology platform, relying instead on direct sales through its brokerage team, a website with property search functionality, and traditional marketing channels. Revenue is generated primarily through rental income from owned properties, transaction-based brokerage fees, recurring third-party property management fees, and one-time gains from the redevelopment and sale of assets. Imperial differentiates on tenant-friendly economics—below-market rents, no CAM pass-throughs on office leases, inflation-only rent adjustments, and the option for tenants to relocate within its 100+ building portfolio—which has supported an 86.7% tenant renewal rate from 2019 to 2021. The company is entirely self-financed through operating cash flow, with no venture, private equity, or institutional capital reported, and maintains a low-leverage profile with only two properties carrying significant mortgages out of approximately 100 owned buildings.

Name

Imperial Realty Company

Legal name

Imperial Realty Company

Website

https://imperialrealtyco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Imperial Realty Company is a Chicago-based, family-owned commercial real estate firm that owns, manages, and leases 100+ office, retail, and industrial properties totaling over 10 million square feet, serving 4,000+ tenants across the Chicagoland metropolitan area through in-house property management, brokerage, and redevelopment services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Real Estate Services

NAICS

Nonresidential Property Managers (531312), Lessors of Nonresidential Buildings (except Miniwarehouses) (531120), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512), Lessors Of Real Property, Nec (6519)

akta.pro primary industry

Office Real Estate Asset Management (BPAJAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Real Estate Investment Management (Acquisitions & Dispositions) (BPAJAMAK), Office Property Management (BPAJAGAA)

Keywords

• Commercial real estate
• Property management
• Commercial leasing
• Real estate brokerage
• Property redevelopment

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Commercial Property Leasing: Imperial Realty generates primary revenue through leasing office, retail, and industrial properties they own and manage. They own over 100 commercial buildings and market for lease additional properties in the Chicagoland market.
2. Brokerage Services: The company provides brokerage services including landlord representation, tenant representation, acquisitions and dispositions for commercial properties, generating transaction-based fees.
3. Property Management: Imperial provides third-party property management services for properties in the 10,000 – 400,000 SF range, generating management fees.
4. Development and Redevelopment: The company engages in development and redevelopment projects, converting buildings with potential into sought-after properties. Revenue comes from property appreciation and eventual sale of redeveloped assets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Imperial Realty Company owns, redevelops, leases, and manages commercial real estate across the Chicagoland metropolitan area, with a portfolio of more than 100 owned buildings exceeding 10 million square feet and serving over 4,000 tenants. The firm generates revenue primarily through long-term leases of owned office, retail, and industrial properties, supplemented by third-party property management assignments in the 10,000–400,000 SF range and brokerage services for acquisitions, dispositions, landlord representation, and tenant representation.

Product overview

Imperial Realty Company is a Chicago-based commercial real estate firm offering a comprehensive suite of services across office, retail, and industrial property sectors. The company's core offerings include Property Management (with over 100 owned buildings and 4,000 tenants managed in-house), Brokerage Services (landlord and tenant representation, acquisitions, dispositions), Development and Redevelopment (with over 10 million square feet redeveloped), Investment Acquisitions, Office and Commercial Property Leasing, and Specialty Leasing. The company operates throughout the Chicagoland metropolitan area with locations including Chicago, North Shore, Far North Suburbs, Northwest Suburbs, West Suburbs, and South Suburbs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Office and Commercial Property Leasing Leasing of office, retail, and industrial commercial properties owned and managed by Imperial Realty across the Chicagoland metropolitan area, including 100+ owned buildings and an additional set of properties marketed for lease on behalf of other owners.
• Property Management Full-service property management for commercial buildings of 10,000–400,000 square feet, with on-site hands-on management, dedicated tenant services coordination, and in-house maintenance, bookkeeping, legal, leasing, and construction departments.
• Brokerage Services Brokerage services for commercial properties across Chicagoland, including landlord representation, tenant representation, and the representation of buyers and sellers in acquisitions and dispositions.
• Development and Redevelopment Acquisition and redevelopment of commercial properties throughout Chicagoland, converting buildings with potential into sought-after real estate assets within the firm's owned portfolio.
• Investment Acquisitions Active identification, underwriting, and acquisition of office, retail, and industrial investment properties across metropolitan Chicago, representing property owners and buyers.
• Specialty Leasing Specialized leasing services for unique or non-standard commercial spaces within the Imperial Realty portfolio, including atypical property configurations outside standard office, retail, industrial, land, and self-storage categories.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86.7% tenant renewal rate from 2019-2021 (91.4% YTD 2021)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Harold E. Eisenberg FoundationminorOthersImperial Realty works closely with and makes charitable donations to the Harold E. Eisenberg Foundation which raises critical dollars for gastrointestinal cancer research and provides education, opportunities and programs for students interested in Real Estate. Al Klairmont serves as the long-time Educational Chairman of the Foundation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Tishman Speyer: Global real estate investment and development firm with major Chicago office portfolio. Comparable to Imperial in the office asset ownership and management vertical, though operating globally with institutional capital.
• CBRE Group: The largest global commercial real estate services firm, providing property management, brokerage, and investment advisory for office, retail, and industrial properties. Directly comparable to Imperial's property management and brokerage services across a much broader national/global footprint.
• Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL): Global real estate services firm offering property management, leasing, investment sales, and advisory across all major asset classes. Comparable to Imperial's full-service commercial real estate platform, with significantly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Cushman & Wakefield: Major global commercial real estate services firm providing property management, brokerage, and valuation. Overlaps directly with Imperial's property management, leasing, and acquisitions/dispositions services for office and industrial properties.
• Colliers International: Global commercial real estate services and investment management company providing brokerage, property management, and project management. Comparable to Imperial's mid-market commercial leasing, brokerage, and property management offerings.
• Transwestern Commercial Services: Privately held commercial real estate firm offering property management, leasing, and investment services across U.S. markets. Comparable in its privately-held status and integrated property management + brokerage model, though operating at national scale versus Imperial's Chicagoland focus.

Regional players

• U.S. Equities Realty: Chicago-based commercial real estate firm providing property management, leasing, project management, and capital markets services. Directly comparable to Imperial as a top-tier Chicago office property manager.
• MB Real Estate: Chicago-based commercial real estate services firm specializing in property management, leasing, and tenant representation for office buildings. Comparable to Imperial's Chicago office property management and brokerage business.
• Draper & Kramer: Chicago-based commercial and residential real estate firm providing property management, brokerage, and development in the Midwest. Directly comparable to Imperial as a regional Chicago-focused competitor offering office, retail, and multifamily management.
• Greenstone Partners: Chicago-based commercial real estate brokerage firm specializing in office leasing, investment sales, and tenant representation. Comparable to Imperial's brokerage and tenant representation services within the Chicago suburban market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Imperial-Realty-Company/143784082346759
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1660470?trk=tyah&trkInfo=tarId%3A1399661383655%2Ctas%3AImperial%20Realty%2Cidx%3A1-2-2
• Xx.com/imperialrealtyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Imperial Realty Company