Holrob

What Holrob does

Holrob is a privately held, integrated commercial real estate services firm headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, founded in 1997 by Robert Talbott and purchased by current President Mark Shipe in 2019. The company operates through two coordinated divisions: Holrob Investments, which performs ground-up and build-to-suit development for national, regional, and local retail users, and Holrob Commercial Realty, which provides full-service brokerage (owner and tenant representation, sales, leasing, and site selection) and property management services. Across its history, Holrob has developed more than 2.5 million square feet of commercial real estate and currently manages over 1.3 million square feet with vacancy rates below market standard. Its tenant and development roster includes Costco, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Kroger, Earth Fare, Fifth Third Bank, and Five Guys Burgers and Fries, among others, with engagement spanning East Tennessee and the broader Southeastern United States.

The firm employs approximately 20 professionals organized across the President, Development, Administration & Accounting, Property Management, and Brokerage functions. Revenue is generated through three streams: brokerage commissions on completed sales and leases, development fees tied to land acquisition and build-to-suit projects, and recurring monthly property management fees based on managed square footage. Distribution is direct, executed through the firm's broker network and supplemented by listings on LoopNet, Commercial Exchange, and KAAR. Pricing is transaction- and contract-based, with rates negotiated per engagement rather than published; multi-year contracts characterize development and ongoing property management mandates.

Holrob's competitive positioning rests on the combination of integrated service delivery (developer, broker, and manager under one brand), long-tenured national retailer relationships, locally embedded East Tennessee market presence, and a broker team credentialed with designations such as CCIM and multiple regional REALTOR-of-the-Year honors. The firm owns no disclosed technology platform beyond standard website and listing infrastructure, holds no patents, has completed no acquisitions, and has raised no outside capital; operational systems are conventional for the commercial real services sector.

Name

Holrob

Legal name

Holrob

Website

https://holrob.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Holrob is a privately held, integrated commercial real estate services firm in Knoxville, Tennessee, offering ground-up development, brokerage, and property management for national retailers, regional businesses, and property owners across East Tennessee and the Southeastern United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions: Full-service commercial real estate brokerage providing tenant and owner representation, sales, and leasing services for retail, office, industrial, and land properties. Revenue generated through commissions on completed transactions.
2. Development Fees: Comprehensive ground-up and build-to-suit development services for national, regional, and local retail users. Revenue earned through development fees, land acquisition, and capital sourcing arrangements.
3. Property Management Fees: Property management services for retail, office, and industrial properties. Revenue generated through ongoing management fees based on square footage managed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Holrob is a full-service commercial real estate firm providing brokerage (sales and leasing of retail, office, industrial, and land with tenant and owner representation), development (ground-up and build-to-suit projects for national, regional, and local retail users), and property management services for commercial portfolios in the East Tennessee and Southeastern U.S. markets. The firm collectively manages more than 1.3 million square feet and has developed more than 2.5 million square feet across its history.

Product overview

Holrob is a commercial real estate services company operating as a unified brand comprising two primary divisions: Holrob Investments and Holrob Commercial Realty. Holrob Investments handles development services including ground-up and build-to-suit projects for national retailers. Holrob Commercial Realty provides full-service brokerage and property management. Together they offer end-to-end commercial real estate services spanning development, brokerage sales/leasing, and property management for retail, office, and industrial properties, managing over 1.3 million square feet of commercial real estate.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Holrob Investments — Commercial Development Comprehensive ground-up and build-to-suit commercial real estate development services for national, regional, and local retail users, including land acquisition, contract negotiations, project due diligence, entitlements/zoning, capital sourcing, and fee development. Holrob has developed projects for national retailers including Costco, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Kroger, and Earth Fare.
• Holrob Commercial Realty — Brokerage Services Full-service commercial real estate brokerage including owner and tenant representation, office/retail/industrial/land sales and leasing, and site selection across East Tennessee and national markets.
• Property Management Services Property management services covering retail, office, and industrial properties including facilities maintenance, vendor selection and supervision, operating budget preparation, project management, lease administration, tenant relations, cost control, and financial reporting. Holrob manages more than 1.3 million square feet of commercial real estate at below-market-standard vacancy rates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vacancy rate below market standard for managed properties
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cushman & Wakefield: Global commercial real estate services firm with full-service capabilities across brokerage, valuation, and property management; competes with Holrob in retail and office leasing for enterprise tenants.
• NAI Global: Large global CRE services network with broker-owned affiliates across the U.S.; competes with Holrob in brokerage, property management, and development services through its Tennessee affiliate offices.
• JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle): Global professional services firm specializing in real estate and investment management; competes with Holrob in retail brokerage, property management, and development advisory for enterprise clients.
• Lincoln Property Company: National commercial real estate firm with a strong property management platform; comparable to Holrob in retail, office, and industrial property management services.
• Colliers International: Global commercial real estate services firm offering brokerage, property management, and project management; competes with Holrob for institutional and enterprise clients in the Tennessee/Southeast market.
• CBRE Group: World's largest commercial real estate services firm; competes with Holrob across brokerage, property management, valuation, and development services in the Tennessee/Southeast market for institutional clients.

Direct peers

• Marcus & Millichap: Specialized commercial real estate investment brokerage focused on investment sales, financing, and research; comparable to Holrob's brokerage arm in transaction-based commercial real estate services.
• SVN (Sperry Van Ness) | R.M. Moore: Knoxville-based SVN affiliate brokerage and property management firm; directly comparable as a regional CRE services platform operating in the same East Tennessee market with brokerage and management capabilities.

Regional players

• Crye-Leike Commercial: Memphis-based, Mid-South-focused commercial and residential real estate firm with a strong Tennessee footprint; competes directly with Holrob in brokerage, leasing, and property management across overlapping regional markets.
• Horne Properties: Tennessee-based real estate development and management firm; comparable to Holrob Investments in retail and commercial development within the broader Tennessee market, and a former employer of Holrob's founder.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holrob-commercial-realty

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 Holrob