Universal Commercial

What Universal Commercial does

Universal Commercial Real Estate Group, PLLC is a Memphis, Tennessee-based commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm founded in 2007 by Darrell Cobbins. The firm provides a full-service suite including buying, selling, property valuation, acquisition and disposition brokerage, tenant and landlord representation, lease negotiations, advisory consulting, and project management. It targets small businesses, corporations, government entities, 501C3 nonprofits, investors, property owners, tenants, and developers across the Mid-South region. Revenue is generated exclusively on a per-transaction commission basis, with no recurring fees, software product, or proprietary technology platform. The firm has a small team of four (President & Principal Broker Darrell Cobbins, Vice President & Principal Brandon Ingram, Associate Suzannah Fisher Ragen, and a Spring 2026 intern) and operates from a single headquarters at 119 S Main St in downtown Memphis.

In January 2026, Universal Commercial became the first Memphis office to join TCN Worldwide, a global alliance of independent CRE firms serving more than 200 markets, extending the firm's effective reach well beyond its local footprint. Its most prominent publicly documented mandate is representing Shelby County in the $1.2B-$1.5B acquisition of the former Commercial Appeal building on Union Avenue for Regional One Health's new hospital campus — a deal the firm's leadership has described as 'career-defining.' The firm competes on relationship-driven, personalized service rather than technology, with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, no digital product offering, and a go-to-market motion built on direct broker-to-client engagement, earned media, client referrals, and network-driven introductions. The company is privately held, founder-owned, and has no external institutional capital or parent organization.

Name

Universal Commercial

Legal name

Universal Commercial Real Estate Group, PLLC

Website

https://universalcommercial.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Universal Commercial is a Memphis-based, founder-owned commercial real estate brokerage founded in 2007, serving small businesses, corporations, government entities, and nonprofits across the Mid-South with buying, selling, leasing, valuation, and advisory services on a per-transaction commission basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

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

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions: Universal Commercial earns commissions on commercial real estate transactions including acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, and tenant/landlord representation. Revenue is generated on a per-transaction basis as a percentage of deal value.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Universal Commercial is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm providing acquisition and disposition brokerage, tenant and landlord representation, lease negotiations, property valuation, advisory consulting, and project management. The firm focuses on office and warehouse properties for investors, property owners, tenants, developers, corporations, government entities, and nonprofits in the Memphis and Mid-South markets.

Product overview

Universal Commercial is a full-service commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm that provides a unified suite of services rather than a software product platform. The firm operates through interconnected service offerings including Buying Services, Selling Services, Property Valuation, Acquisition and Disposition Brokerage, Tenant and Landlord Representation, Lease Negotiations, Advisory Consulting, and Project Management. These services are designed to work together holistically, guiding clients through the complete lifecycle of commercial real estate transactions—from initial property search and valuation through negotiation, closing, and ongoing advisory support across office and warehouse properties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buying Services Assists clients in sourcing commercial property opportunities that match their investment parameters and acquisition goals. Targeted at investors, corporations, government entities, and small business buyers seeking office and warehouse properties in the Memphis and Mid-South markets.
• Selling Services Provides property listing and marketing services with extensive market exposure to drive traffic and achieve the highest possible price in the shortest timeframe. Targeted at commercial property owners, investors, corporations, and government entities in the Mid-South seeking disposition support.
• Property Valuation Offers investment property valuation combining analytical methods with market expertise to determine accurate property worth. Targeted at CRE investors, property owners, corporations, and government entities evaluating acquisition, disposition, or internal reporting needs.
• Acquisition and Disposition Brokerage Represents buyers and sellers in commercial real estate transactions throughout the Mid-South region, supporting portfolio acquisition, disposition, and advisory for commercial properties. Targeted at investors, corporations, government entities, and small business owners engaged in CRE transactions.
• Tenant and Landlord Representation Provides representation services for both tenants seeking space and landlords looking to lease their commercial properties. Targeted at commercial tenants and developers as well as landlords in the Memphis and Mid-South markets.
• Lease Negotiations Facilitates commercial lease negotiations between property owners and tenants to achieve favorable terms for all parties. Targeted at commercial tenants, landlords, developers, and small businesses engaging in office or warehouse leasing.
• Advisory Consulting Delivers strategic consulting services to help clients make informed decisions regarding their commercial real estate investments and operations. Targeted at CRE investors, property owners, corporations, government entities, and nonprofits seeking market data and decision support.
• Project Management Manages commercial real estate projects across multiple property sectors, coordinating stakeholders and timelines for successful completion. Targeted at commercial tenants, developers, and property owners undertaking complex CRE projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Highest possible price in the shortest amount of time through unparalleled market exposure

Named customers1 record

Segments6 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.

• TCN WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026TCN Worldwide is a global alliance of independent commercial real estate firms serving more than 200 markets. Universal Commercial Real Estate Group, PLLC joined as a member firm, becoming the first Memphis office in the network. The partnership strengthens TCN Worldwide's presence in the Greater Memphis, Tennessee market and provides Universal Commercial with global reach and referral capabilities across the alliance.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Avison Young: Privately held, partnership-based global commercial real estate services firm. Closely comparable in model — relationship-driven, partnership-style boutique competing against the Big Four — and overlaps in office, industrial, and investment sales brokerage.
• Marcus & Millichap: Specialist in commercial real estate investment sales, financing, and advisory. Comparable in offering acquisition/disposition brokerage and advisory to investors and owners — Universal Commercial's core service line.
• SVN International: Commercial real estate franchise network offering investment sales, leasing, and advisory services. Comparable to Universal Commercial as a relationship-driven brokerage with shared-service platform and multi-local-office franchise structure.
• NAI Global (member firms): Global network of independent commercial real estate brokerage firms, structured similarly to TCN Worldwide. Direct structural peer in business model: local boutique broker leveraging a global alliance for referral flow and cross-market deal support.

Broad incumbents

• Colliers International: Global real estate advisory and investment firm with strong U.S. regional offices. Directly comparable brokerage services including tenant/landlord representation, capital markets, and valuation — competing for similar mid-market and corporate clients.
• JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle): Global real estate services firm with deep brokerage, capital markets, and tenant representation capabilities. Competes with Universal Commercial for corporate tenant rep and large institutional disposition mandates in the Mid-South.
• CBRE Group: Largest global commercial real estate services firm offering brokerage, advisory, valuation, and property management across all major CRE sectors. Universal Commercial competes on a local, mid-market basis against CBRE's regional Memphis office for institutional and government mandates.
• Cushman & Wakefield: Global commercial real estate services firm with strong agency leasing and capital markets practices. Overlaps with Universal Commercial on investor/owner representation and government-related transactions in the Mid-South.
• Berkshire Hathaway Commercial (BH Commercial): National commercial real estate brokerage network with regional affiliate offices across the U.S. Overlaps with Universal Commercial on small business and mid-market owner/tenant representation, particularly in the Mid-South.
• Newmark Group: Full-service commercial real estate advisory and services firm active in capital markets, leasing, and investment sales. Competes with Universal Commercial for larger disposition and tenant rep mandates in secondary U.S. markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/universalcre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Universal Commercial