Prescott IOS vs Newmark: Choosing an Industrial Broker in Greater Boston

Goals for This Article

In this Prescott IOS vs. series, we are doing our best to give an actual, realistic, accurate comparison of Prescott IOS and other commercial real estate brokerage firms.

Each comparison we write has the following aims:

1. Honoring: We seek to write in a way that honors our competitors in each area of comparison.

2. Generous: We aim to be generous in sharing compliments about our competition, even recommending a competitor whenever we believe their products and services are a better fit for the client than Prescott IOS’s products and services.

3. Accurate: Each competitor should agree with every fact and description stated in our analysis, though they may disagree with some conclusions. That is for the reader to decide.

If your property has an Industrial Outdoor Storage (IOS) component, Prescott IOS is built specifically for that assignment. If your property is big box industrial, flex, or office with no meaningful yard or storage component in Greater Boston, Newmark is a strong and well-established choice, look at their website here. This page lays out where the two firms overlap, where each one is genuinely the better fit, and how to decide.

Overview of Newmark

Newmark has been characterized as one of the fastest growing commercial real estate firms. Founded in 1929 and headquartered in New York city, they have offices in major markets across the U.S. and globally. Each local office is comprised of diverse expertise. Newmark's Boston office provides services such as s tenant and landlord representation, retail services, investment sales, property management and project management. Their pedigree rivals that of other international firms that work with Fortune 500 companies. Their focus has historically been office and large industrial real estate inside 128 and along major highway corridors. Some of the largest office sales and leases over the last few years have been brokered by Newmark.

Where Prescott IOS and Newmark Overlap

Both Prescott IOS and Newmark will list IOS and IOS adjacent properties. Due to Newmark's participation in greater Boston's industrial real estate landscape, they have leased and sold IOS properties. These transactions have typically come as a by-product of existing industrial relationships and the influx of private equity chasing IOS real estate in the last decade.

When Newmark Is the Better Choice

Newmark is a strong choice for industrial listings that do not have Industrial Outdoor Storage (IOS) and are located inside 128. The level of professionalism and experience cannot be understated. They are a strong contender for large 100,000-1,000,000 SF+ Industrial landlord representation listing assignments.

General Commercial Landlord Representation

If you have an office or industrial property that you need leased, Newmark is a strong choice because of their experience and their network effect. They have a good handle on industrial, office, R&D, retail and medical real estate. Therefore, they will see more tenant activity for these non-IOS assets in more than Prescott IOS will.

Large Warehouse Tenant Representation

Newmark will be a better fit than Prescott IOS for large industrial warehousing searches that, again, do not have an IOS component. For companies that need to find warehouses inside 128 or anywhere in greater Boston, Newmark will be more aware of these ideal properties and will be able to find them faster because they are more attune to that property type. They are often in communication with developers and investors of large warehouses.

Institutional Office and Industrial Investment Sales, Including Portfolios

Newmark has become the gold standard for investment sales in the northeast, particularly in the last decade. Investment sales of office towers or large industrial properties will be a better fit for Newmark than for Prescott IOS because of Newmark's institutional focus and experience handling transactions of that size and scope.  

When Prescott IOS Is the Better Choice

IOS Landlord Representation

Prescott IOS will be a better fit than Newmark when listing truck terminals, service facilities, contractors yards, etc. because Prescott IOS has the network effect for IOS tenants in the same way that Newmark has a network effect for office, and large industrial tenants. This means that Prescott IOS will be aware of more IOS tenant interest across New England and will be able to bring those tenant requirements to properties in and around Boston.  

IOS Seller Representation

Prescott IOS tracks the top IOS investor groups and IOS users around the country and which ones are most active particularly in New England, making them a better fit than Newmark when selling property with Industrial Outdoor Storage. On a sale Prescott IOS will run the full-ranked list of top 50 IOS buyers, active in New England.  

IOS Tenant Representation

Prescott IOS focuses on IOS Tenant Representation and would be a better choice for this kind of assignment because most IOS tenants need properties that are found off-market. Prescott IOS has built a team, a dataset, and a repeatable process dedicated to finding off-market IOS properties, developed through our exclusive focus on IOS properties in New England.

There is a structural reason multi asset class firms are set up differently. A firm whose time is mostly spent marketing large institutional quality real estate is optimized for a different task than sourcing IOS assets.  

What We See When We Compete Against Them

We have won tenant representation assignments that were IOS focused when competing with Newmark due to the tools and technology we have built specifically for IOS.  

The other side of it is just as true. We have not competed well with Newmark when the listing is a high-rise office landlord rep assignment or a 100,000 SF+ warehouse search. They are a strong choice for marketing any large office, flex, or R&D property in Greater Boston.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Newmark handle IOS (Industrial Outdoor Storage) deals?

Yes. As institutional quality real estate brokers Newmark has leased and sold a number of IOS properties. Those deals have typically come as a by-product of their existing investor relationships rather than a dedicated IOS focus, as well as a strategy of sourcing properties for private equity and institutional investors in the IOS asset class.

Should I hire a specialist or a generalist for my IOS property?

If the property's value is driven by its yard, laydown, or outdoor storage, a specialist who tracks IOS buyers and tenants specifically will usually run a more competitive process. If the property is a conventional industrial building with no meaningful storage component, a strong generalist is an excellent fit.

Who is the best IOS broker in New England?

Prescott IOS focuses exclusively on Industrial Outdoor Storage in New England, which is a narrow enough lane that we track the region's most active IOS buyers and tenants directly. For general industrial, flex, and office assignments, established generalists like Newmark are highly capable.

Prescott IOS or Newmark, which should I choose?

Choose Prescott IOS when your assignment is IOS landlord, seller, or tenant representation. Choose Newmark when your assignment is large industrial buildings, or office leasing. Especially if that assignment is inside I-95

Talk to Prescott IOS

If you own or occupy an IOS or IOS adjacent property in New England, we will welcome the conversation. You can request a broker’s opinion of value on your property, schedule a call to talk through a specific assignment, or simply send us a question. Whatever the level of commitment, there is a way to start.