Stafford
Stafford is a 100% employee-owned, full-service commercial real estate firm operating in the Southeastern United States. It owns, develops, leases, and manages over 1.7 million square feet of retail and office properties and a hospitality portfolio, serving national, regional, and local tenants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1947
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Stafford does
Stafford is a 100% employee-owned, full-service commercial real estate firm headquartered in Tifton, Georgia, with a regional office in Atlanta, operating across the Southeastern United States. Founded in 1947 by DeNean Stafford Jr. and converted to an ESOP in 2016, the firm owns, develops, leases, and manages a portfolio of more than 1.7 million square feet of retail and office properties averaging 95% occupancy across Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, alongside a hospitality platform that has developed, acquired, and disposed of more than 1,000 rooms under Hilton, IHG, Wyndham, Choice, and Best Western brands.
The company's product set spans grocery-anchored neighborhood and power centers (Camden Woods, Pleasant Hill Point, 278 Commercial Center, Julington Square, The Exchange, Valdosta Mall Corners, McCormick Place, Crossings of Beaufort, Crossvine Commons), adaptive-reuse mixed-use destinations (Terminal South in Atlanta's Peoplestown neighborhood), and hotel assets currently including Hilton Garden Inn Tifton, Hampton Inn & Suites Fultondale Birmingham, and SpringHill Suites Tifton, with The Chambray (a 125-room JdV by Hyatt) under development in downtown Roswell, GA. Service offerings are organized into four lines: Development Services (ground-up construction, build-to-suits, ground leases, redevelopment, value-add acquisitions, joint ventures), Management & Leasing Services (third-party management and leasing for external owners), Investment Services (capital sourcing through long-standing institutional and partner relationships), and Hospitality Management.
Revenue mechanics are diversified across owned rental income from the 1.7M+ sq ft portfolio (recurring), third-party management and leasing fees (professional services, multi-year contracts), hotel operating revenue and management fees from owned and managed hospitality properties, and development fees and ground-lease income. Tenant relationships are anchored by national retailers (Costco, Chick-fil-A, Target, Publix, Walmart Neighborhood Market, ALDI, Best Buy, Starbucks, Staples, Marshalls, Harbor Freight, Planet Fitness, Ollie's, Hobby Lobby) supplemented by regional and local tenants. Capital is sourced through direct relationships with investors, partners, and institutions established over five decades, with recent transactions structured as joint ventures (e.g., the DSM Real Estate Partners partnership on The Chambray).
Stafford firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stafford
- Legal name
- The Stafford Companies
- Website
- https://staffordprop.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1947
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Stafford is a 100% employee-owned, full-service commercial real estate firm operating in the Southeastern United States. It owns, develops, leases, and manages over 1.7 million square feet of retail and office properties and a hospitality portfolio, serving national, regional, and local tenants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stafford industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Real Estate
- NAICS
- Real Estate Property Managers (53131), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312), Rental and Leasing Services (532)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Operators Of Nonresidential Buildings (6512), Real Estate (6500), Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Property Management Advisory & Leasing Administration (FSAEAJAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commercial Real Estate Brokerage (Leasing & Sales) (FSAEAJAB), Office Property Management (BPAJAGAA), Office Real Estate Asset Management (BPAJAMAG)
Keywords
Where Stafford is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Stafford business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Property Rental and Lease Income: Stafford generates revenue from owning, developing, and leasing retail and office properties across the Southeast. The company collects rent from national retailers, regional tenants, and local businesses in its portfolio of over 1.7 million square feet of properties.
- Management and Leasing Services: Stafford offers third-party property management and leasing services to external property owners, charging fees for comprehensive management solutions, tenant mix creation, and leasing strategy services.
- Hospitality Management: Stafford develops, acquires, and manages hospitality properties (hotels). The company has developed, acquired, and disposed of over 1,000 rooms associated with Hilton, IHG, Wyndham, Choice, and Best Western brands in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina, generating revenue from hotel operations and management fees.
- Development Fees and Capital Sourcing: Stafford earns development fees by overseeing ground-up construction, build-to-suits, ground leases, redevelopment, tenant re-positioning, value-add acquisitions, and joint ventures. Capital is secured through relationships with investors, partners, and institutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Third-party property management and leasing services |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Stafford product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stafford is a 100% employee-owned, full-service commercial real estate firm that develops, owns, leases, and manages retail and hospitality properties across the Southeastern United States. The company holds a portfolio of over 1.7 million square feet of properties with 95% average occupancy and offers third-party property management, leasing, development, and hospitality management services. Its operations span retail shopping centers, mixed-use developments, ground-up construction, build-to-suit projects, and hotel properties affiliated with major brands such as Hilton, IHG, and Hyatt.
Product overview
Stafford is a 100% employee-owned, full-service commercial real estate firm serving the Southeast United States. The company operates a diversified portfolio of retail and hospitality properties alongside a range of service offerings. The core products include retail shopping centers (Pleasant Hill Point, Camden Woods, 278 Commercial Center, Julington Square, The Exchange, Valdosta Mall Corners, McCormick Place, Crossings of Beaufort, Crossvine Commons) and mixed-use/hospitality developments (Terminal South, The Chambray hotel). Service offerings encompass Management & Leasing Services, Investment Services, Hospitality Management, and Development Services. The company holds over 1.7 million square feet of retail and office properties around the Southeast with an average occupancy rate of 95%.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Management & Leasing Services
- Investment Services
- Hospitality Management
- Development Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 95% average occupancy across the portfolio
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Stafford
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Stafford technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Stafford partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- City of AtlantaminorThe City of Atlanta, led by Mayor Andre Dickens, participated in the Terminal South ribbon cutting ceremony, reflecting a collaborative relationship between Stafford and municipal government for the redevelopment project in Peoplestown.
- DSM Real Estate PartnerscoreStafford is partnered with DSM Real Estate Partners for the development of The Chambray, a JdV by Hyatt boutique hotel in downtown Roswell, Georgia. Stafford serves as co-general partner and co-developer alongside DSM Real Estate Partners. The project involves a five-story, 125-room hotel expected to open in summer 2027.
- Indigo Road Hospitality GroupcoreIndigo Road Hospitality Group is the operating partner for The Chambray boutique hotel. They will manage the property once complete, operating the five-story, 125-room JdV by Hyatt hotel in Roswell, GA.
- Melissa RisenbergminorMelissa Risenberg is identified as a Terminal South JV partner in news coverage of the project's groundbreaking, representing a joint venture partnership on the adaptive reuse mixed-use development in Atlanta's Peoplestown neighborhood.
- Viridian (Georgia Square Mall Redevelopment)minorThe Viridian mixed-use redevelopment of Georgia Square Mall is adjacent to Stafford's acquisition at 3755 Atlanta Highway in Athens, GA. This neighboring development project creates complementary retail and residential density in the same corridor, benefiting both developments.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Stafford competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Selig Enterprises: Atlanta-based, privately held commercial real estate developer, owner, and operator focused on retail, mixed-use, and office properties across the Southeast. Highly comparable to Stafford in geography (Atlanta/Southeast), product mix (retail centers, mixed-use redevelopments), and full-service development model.
- Ben Carter Properties: Atlanta-based retail real estate developer and owner with a portfolio of shopping centers and mixed-use developments across the Southeastern US. Directly comparable to Stafford's retail-center development and ownership strategy in the same core geography.
- The Sembler Company: Southeast-focused retail real estate developer, owner, and manager with a portfolio of shopping centers anchored by national grocers and retailers. Directly comparable to Stafford on retail center focus, anchor tenant strategy, and Southeast US geographic concentration.
- Branch Properties: Atlanta-based retail real estate investment and development firm focused on grocery-anchored shopping centers across the Southeast. Comparable to Stafford's Publix-anchored and Walmart Neighborhood Market-anchored retail strategy and Atlanta/Southeast footprint.
- Continental Real Estate: Privately-held retail real estate investment and management firm operating shopping centers across the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic US. Comparable to Stafford's third-party management and leasing services and retail ownership strategy in overlapping geographies.
- Mid-America Real Estate Corporation: Privately-held commercial real estate investment and brokerage firm focused on retail shopping centers across the Midwest and Southeast. Comparable to Stafford's retail leasing, brokerage, and investment services with overlapping tenant representation capabilities.
Broad incumbents
- Phillips Edison & Company: National publicly-traded REIT focused on grocery-anchored neighborhood shopping centers. Larger scale peer to Stafford with overlapping grocery-anchored retail strategy, but operates nationally rather than concentrating in the Southeast.
- Regency Centers Corporation: National publicly-traded REIT focused on grocery-anchored shopping centers across high-density markets. Broad incumbent peer with overlapping tenant base (Publix, etc.) and similar neighborhood-retail investment thesis, though materially larger and geographically diverse.
- Kimco Realty: One of the largest publicly-traded retail REITs in North America with a national portfolio of open-air shopping centers. Comparable to Stafford's retail-center ownership and leasing model at much larger scale and broader geography.
- Federal Realty Investment Trust: National publicly-traded REIT specializing in grocery-anchored and mixed-use open-air retail. Comparable to Stafford's mixed-use redevelopment strategy (e.g., Terminal South) and grocery-anchored retail ownership at substantially larger scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Stafford social profiles
Digital presenceStafford financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stafford leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Stafford subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Stafford funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stafford M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Stafford
What does Stafford do?
Stafford is a 100% employee-owned, full-service commercial real estate firm that develops, owns, leases, and manages retail and hospitality properties across the Southeastern United States. The company holds a portfolio of over 1.7 million square feet of properties with 95% average occupancy and offers third-party property management, leasing, development, and hospitality management services. Its operations span retail shopping centers, mixed-use developments, ground-up construction, build-to-suit projects, and hotel properties affiliated with major brands such as Hilton, IHG, and Hyatt.
Is Stafford a public or private company?
Stafford is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Stafford founded?
Stafford was founded in 1947. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Stafford based?
Stafford is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does Stafford make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Property Rental and Lease Income is the primary driver. The others are management and Leasing Services, hospitality Management and development Fees and Capital Sourcing.
Who are Stafford's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Selig Enterprises, Ben Carter Properties, The Sembler Company, Branch Properties, Continental Real Estate and Mid-America Real Estate Corporation. Broad incumbents are Phillips Edison & Company, Regency Centers Corporation, Kimco Realty and Federal Realty Investment Trust.
Does Stafford have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stafford.
What industry is Stafford in?
Stafford's product category is Commercial Real Estate. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAJAN, Property Management Advisory & Leasing Administration, with a secondary code of FSAEAJAB, Commercial Real Estate Brokerage (Leasing & Sales). Its NAICS code is 53131 and its SIC code is 6531.