Max J. Derbes

What Max J. Derbes does

Max J. Derbes, Inc. is a privately held, full-service commercial real estate firm founded in 1934 and headquartered in Elmwood Business Park, New Orleans. It is licensed in Louisiana and Mississippi and serves the Metropolitan New Orleans area and adjoining Southeastern U.S. markets. The firm operates through a seven-member brokerage team led by President and Managing Broker David B. Quinn, SIOR, and Vice President Gerard E. Henry, SIOR, with multiple team members holding SIOR or CCIM designations.

The firm's revenue model is built primarily on transaction-fee brokerage commissions from the sale and lease of industrial, office, retail, investment, and marine/petrochemical properties, supplemented by recurring property management fees structured as a percentage of monthly income or a set fee. Ancillary services include corporate representation, consulting, and auctioneering. Pricing on the brokerage side is transaction-based with deal sizes ranging from several hundred thousand dollars to multi-millions on the investment side.

The underlying technology is conventional: a content marketing website with a self-serve property search, an email newsletter managed via Constant Contact, and standard listings syndication. There is no proprietary software, AI tooling, or platform product. Competitive positioning rests on broker tenure (combined thousands of transactions and hundreds of millions of dollars in historical deal volume), institutional relationships (Procter & Gamble, Abbott, Coca-Cola, Federal Express, Huntington Ingalls, Port of New Orleans, Starbucks, and others), and continuous regional recognition through the Commercial Investment Division of the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors.

Name

Max J. Derbes

Legal name

Max J. Derbes, Inc.

Website

https://maxderbes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Max J. Derbes, Inc. is a privately held, full-service commercial real estate brokerage founded in 1934 in New Orleans, providing sales, leasing, property management, and investment services across industrial, office, retail, and marine properties throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and the Southeastern U.S.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions: Commissions from commercial real estate sales and leasing transactions for industrial, office, retail, and investment properties
2. Property Management Fees: Fees based on percentage of monthly income or set fee, dependent upon scope of services property owners desire
3. Investment Property Services: Investment property search and brokerage services ranging from several hundred thousand dollars into the multi-millions

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Max J. Derbes, Inc. is a full-service commercial real estate firm providing sales and leasing brokerage, property management, and investment property services across industrial, office, retail, and marine/petrochemical property types. The firm represents buyers, tenants, sellers, and landlords in commercial real estate transactions and offers ongoing property management to commercial property owners in the Metropolitan New Orleans area and Southeastern U.S. markets.

Product overview

Max J. Derbes, Inc. is a full-service commercial real estate firm offering an integrated portfolio of services centered around three core offerings: Sales & Leasing Brokerage (covering industrial, office, retail, and marine/petrochemical properties), Property Management (providing efficient management since 1934 with fee structures based on percentage or fixed rates), and Investment Properties (searching national and local markets for qualified investments). The company also showcases featured property listings including industrial buildings for sale and lease, such as the 6000 Jefferson Highway development site, the 1100 Edwards Avenue investment property, and the Rue Sucre Class A distribution warehouse. The firm operates throughout the Metropolitan New Orleans area and southeastern U.S. markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sales & Leasing Brokerage Full-service commercial real estate brokerage covering industrial, office, retail, and marine/petrochemical properties. Provides seller/landlord representation, buyer/tenant representation, and corporate services for businesses seeking commercial real estate solutions in the Metropolitan New Orleans area and Southeastern U.S. markets.
• Property Management Affordable and efficient property management services provided since 1934, focusing on expense reduction through maintenance cost control to maximize property owners' return on investment. Fee structures based on percentage of monthly income or set fee dependent on scope of services.
• Investment Properties Searches national and local markets for qualified investment opportunities ranging from several hundred thousand dollars into multi-millions, working to achieve true net income and portfolio returns for individual and institutional investors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gerard E. Henry: Over 1,000 sales and leases valued in excess of $400,000,000
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record.

• Louisiana Real Estate CommissionOthersLicensed and regulated by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission, providing official state authorization to conduct commercial real estate brokerage activities in Louisiana.
• Mississippi Real Estate CommissionOthersLicensed by the Mississippi Real Estate Commission, enabling the firm to conduct commercial real estate transactions in Mississippi.
• Constant ContactTechnology or IntegrationEmail marketing services provider used for newsletter distribution to clients and prospects, enabling regular communication of market updates and property listings.
• National Association of RealtorsOthersMembership organization providing professional standards, resources, and industry representation for commercial real estate professionals.
• New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors (NOMAR)OthersRegional professional association for real estate professionals in the Greater New Orleans area, hosts Commercial Investment Division (CID) awards and networking events.
• Society of Office and Industrial Realtors (SIOR)OthersProfessional organization for industrial and office realtors. Multiple team members hold SIOR designation representing top professionals in the industry.
• Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) InstituteOthersProfessional organization providing CCIM designation to commercial real estate professionals. Multiple team members hold CCIM designation.
• University of New OrleansOthersDavid B. Quinn selected as speaker for the University of New Orleans Economic and Real Estate Forecast, providing market insights on metropolitan New Orleans industrial market.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• JLL: Global commercial real estate services firm with a strong industrial and logistics brokerage platform and property management franchise. Overlaps with Max J. Derbes on industrial brokerage, investment sales, and property management, while competing as a national/incumbent player for large enterprise accounts.
• NAI Global: Global commercial real estate brokerage network connecting independent owner-operated brokerages across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia. Comparable to Max J. Derbes through its affiliated Gulf South members (e.g., NAI Latter & Blum), offering a franchise alternative to independent ownership with similar industrial brokerage capabilities.
• CBRE: World's largest commercial real estate services firm, providing brokerage, property management, and investment services across all major CRE verticals including industrial and office. Comparable to Max J. Derbes on industrial and office brokerage and property management, but with vastly larger scale, global reach, and institutional client roster.
• Colliers: Global commercial real estate services and investment firm with substantial industrial, office, and retail brokerage operations. Directly comparable to Max J. Derbes on service mix (brokerage, property management, investment sales) and industrial specialization, though at far greater scale and geographic breadth.
• Marcus & Millichap: National investment sales commercial real estate firm with deep specialty in industrial, office, retail, and multifamily investment property transactions. Comparable to Max J. Derbes' investment property brokerage line, though operating at a much larger scale and with national capital markets reach.

Direct peers

• SRS Real Estate Partners: National commercial real estate firm specializing in retail, industrial, office, and investment properties, with significant Gulf South presence. Directly comparable on industrial brokerage specialty and client-base composition, though operating at meaningfully larger scale than Max J. Derbes.
• Stirling Properties: Louisiana-based full-service commercial real estate firm headquartered in the New Orleans metro area, offering brokerage, property management, and investment sales across the Gulf South. Closely comparable to Max J. Derbes in size, geography, and service mix, with similar industrial and retail focus.
• NAI Latter & Blum: Long-standing Louisiana commercial and residential real estate firm with deep New Orleans roots, providing brokerage, property management, and investment services. Comparable in regional scope and multi-generational history to Max J. Derbes, with overlap in industrial, office, and retail segments.
• Lee & Associates: National commercial real estate services firm with strong industrial and office brokerage franchise, organized as a network of local offices. Comparable to Max J. Derbes on industrial-focused brokerage service and tenant/landlord representation, with shared SIOR-affiliated broker talent.
• Corporate Realty: New Orleans-based commercial real estate brokerage focused on office, industrial, and retail properties in the Gulf South. Closely comparable to Max J. Derbes in market, size, and service scope, operating as a direct local competitor for tenants, landlords, and investors in the New Orleans metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MaxJDerbesInc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/max-j-derbes

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Max J. Derbes