NAI Charleston

What NAI Charleston does

NAI Charleston is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina. Founded in 2017 by four local brokers — Thomas Boulware, Dexter Rumsey, David Ingle, and David Grubbs — the firm operates as an independent franchise of NAI Global, providing access to an international network of 5,800 professionals across 325 offices in 36 countries while remaining owner-operated at the local level. The firm serves the Charleston MSA and broader Lowcountry market, with service lines spanning core brokerage (sales and leasing), investment sales, tenant and landlord representation, plus three add-on modules: marketing and research, valuation, and property management. Property management is delivered through an October 2017 strategic partnership with Alliance Commercial Property Management, which manages more than 2.5 million square feet in the Charleston MSA and more than 6 million square feet across the Southeast.

The firm generates revenue primarily through transaction-based commissions on commercial real estate sales and leases, supplemented by professional service fees from valuation and advisory work and management fees routed through the Alliance partnership. There is no proprietary technology platform; the firm leverages NAI Global's commercial real estate technology resources and an online MLS-style property search interface for market research and listing distribution. Customer segments span real estate investors, business owners and corporate clients, developers, and commercial property owners, with named engagements across manufacturing (Red Metals), healthcare (Charleston Dermatology), media (Garden and Gun), industrial (Engineered Systems), and retail (Caviar & Bananas) sectors.

The go-to-market approach is relationship-driven field sales executed through a team-based brokerage model, with twelve brokers and associates, plus marketing and administrative support, totaling approximately twenty team members. Multiple brokers hold SIOR and CCIM designations, and the firm has earned Charleston Realtors of Distinction recognition in both 2022 and 2023. Since 2017 the firm's brokers have collectively closed nearly $1 billion in transaction volume. No institutional investment, PE sponsorship, or M&A activity is evidenced in the source material; ownership remains with the founding partners and operating team.

Name

NAI Charleston

Legal name

NAI Charleston

Website

https://naicharleston.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NAI Charleston is a privately-held commercial real estate brokerage founded in 2017 in Charleston, South Carolina, serving investors, business owners, developers, and property owners across the Charleston MSA with sales, leasing, valuation, and property management services via its NAI Global franchise affiliation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Real Estate Brokerage

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (531210), Nonresidential Property Managers (531312)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAJACAB

Manufacturing & Heavy Industrial Facilities Brokerage

Business & Public Services/Real Estate Services (Brokerage, Property Management)/Industrial Real Estate Brokerage

Keywords

• Commercial real estate brokerage
• Property sales leasing
• Tenant representation services
• Commercial property management
• Real estate valuation advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions: The firm earns commissions on commercial real estate sales and lease transactions. This includes buyer representation, seller representation, tenant representation, landlord representation, and investment sales services. Revenue is transaction-based, generated upon successful closing of real estate deals.
2. Property Management Services: Through partnership with Alliance Commercial Property Management, the firm offers property management services including tenant relations, accounting services, and lease administration for commercial properties.
3. Valuation and Advisory Services: The firm provides valuation services, market analysis, and advisory solutions for commercial real estate properties, generating revenue through professional service fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NAI Charleston is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm serving the Charleston, SC MSA. The company provides commercial property sales (buyer, owner, and investment representation), leasing services (tenant and landlord representation), valuation and advisory, marketing and research, and property management (delivered through Alliance Commercial Property Management). Revenue is generated primarily via commissions on closed transactions and professional service fees.

Product overview

NAI Charleston is a full-service commercial real estate firm offering a unified platform of brokerage services. The core offerings consist of Sales Services (buyer representation, owner representation, investment sales) and Leasing Services (tenant representation, landlord representation), supplemented by three add-on service modules: Marketing & Research, Valuation, and Property Management. The firm also publishes quarterly Market Research Reports covering industrial, office, and retail market snapshots for the Charleston MSA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Real Estate Sales Services Commercial real estate sales brokerage services including buyer representation, owner (seller) representation, and investment sales to maximize property value and ensure profitable transactions for owners, buyers, and investors.
• Commercial Real Estate Leasing Services Commercial real estate leasing services providing tenant representation and landlord representation to find optimal space or maximize property value through strategic lease negotiations across office, retail, industrial, and land assets.
• Property Management Services Commercial property management services delivered through partnership with Alliance Commercial Property Management, covering tenant relations, accounting, lease administration, and full-service property operations for office, industrial, and retail assets.
• Valuation and Advisory Services Property valuation and advisory solutions including income analysis, property valuations, risk analysis, highest and best use studies, portfolio reviews, and auction evaluations for commercial real estate owners and investors.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.9 million industrial property acquisition facilitated for M&M Investments (Charleston's largest transportation company)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NAI GlobalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNAI Charleston operates as an independent franchise of NAI Global, one of the leading global commercial real estate firms. This membership provides independent access to the largest, most powerful network of owner-operated commercial real estate firms in the world, comprising 5,800 professionals in 325 offices and 36 countries. The partnership enables NAI Charleston to serve clients with international real estate needs and participate in global referral networks.
• Alliance Commercial Property ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormed in October 2017, this strategic partnership handles all property management needs for NAI Charleston clients. At the two-year anniversary, ACPM was managing more than 2.5 million square feet across all asset types in the greater Charleston MSA. ACPM as a company manages more than 6 million square feet across the Southeast. Services include property accounting, tenant relations, lease administration, and comprehensive property management.
• James 'Jimmy' Black - Alliance Commercial Property ManagementminorOthersContact person for Alliance Commercial Property Management. Provides turnkey, third-party property management services for commercial properties including office buildings, industrial sites, and retail centers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CBRE Group: Largest global CRE services firm with deep Charleston presence; competes for investment sales, tenant representation, and large corporate accounts that NAI Charleston also targets.
• Newmark Group: Global CRE services firm offering leasing, investment sales, and advisory; operates in Charleston and competes for similar commercial mandates as NAI Charleston, particularly on investment sales and tenant representation.
• Avison Young: Global CRE services firm emphasizing principal-led brokerage; competes for owner and tenant representation mandates in Charleston with overlap in office, industrial, and retail segments.
• Colliers International: Global full-service CRE services firm (brokerage, management, valuation, advisory) with a Charleston office; competes directly for commercial sales, leasing, and advisory mandates in the same MSA.
• Cushman & Wakefield: Global CRE services firm (brokerage, valuation, property management) with Charleston operations; comparable full-service competitor for office, industrial, and retail mandates.
• JLL: Global CRE services firm with agency leasing, tenant rep, and capital markets capabilities operating in Charleston; competes for institutional and corporate mandates on the same asset types as NAI Charleston.

Direct peers

• NAI Earle Furman: Sister franchise within the NAI Global network serving the Upstate South Carolina market; operates with the same owner-operated commercial real estate model and shared brand/referral pipeline, making it the closest structural peer.
• SVN International Corporation: Commercial real estate franchise network with a Charleston office; structurally comparable to NAI Charleston as a locally owned office leveraging a global brand and referral platform.
• Marcus & Millichap: National CRE investment sales brokerage specializing in single-tenant net-lease, multifamily, and retail investment properties; competes with NAI Charleston's investment sales services for institutional and private capital buyers.
• Lee & Associates Charleston: Direct local CRE brokerage competitor in Charleston, SC; Will Sherrod (NAI Charleston associate) previously worked at Lee & Associates Charleston, illustrating direct talent and mandate overlap in the same Charleston metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NAICharleston
• Facebookfacebook.com/naicharlestoncre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/naicharleston
• Instagraminstagram.com/naicharleston

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 NAI Charleston