Our History

1773

REI Limited is founded in London, England.

1906 

The company that became CB Commercial is founded in San Francisco by Colbert Coldwell as Tucker, Lynch & Coldwell.

1914

Benjamin Banker is named partner.

1925 

Company’s first residential real estate office opens in San Francisco.

1940

Name is changed to Coldwell, Banker & Company.

1968 

Company's head office opens in downtown Los Angeles.

1977 

Previously a division of Coldwell, Banker & Company, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage becomes a separately incorporated subsidiary on the heels of rapid expansion.

1982

Coldwell Banker Commercial and Coldwell Banker Residential are acquired by Sears, Roebuck & Company.

1983 

Canadian Company is formed under the name Coldwell Banker Canada Inc. as a joint venture between Canadian real estate executives and the Commercial Group of Coldwell Banker in the United States.

1989

Commercial operations of Coldwell Banker are sold to a group comprised of investors, management and employees.

1991

CB Commercial name is adopted.

1995

Westmark Realty Advisors, Langdon & Reider is acquired.

1996

L.J. Melody & Company is acquired; company celebrates 90th anniversary; initial public offering is completed

1997 

Koll Real Estate Services is acquired; company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

1998

REI Limited is acquired; company changes name to CB Richard Ellis; Canadian operation is purchased taking ownership from 25% to 100%. Hillier Parker May & Rowden is acquired and now operates as CB Hillier Parker in the UK.

1999

CB Richard Ellis merges operations in Japan with Ikoma Corporation, to become that country's largest real estate services entity. Expands in Scandinavia and South America through various acquisitions

2001 

In Canada, CB Richard Ellis Limited and O & Y Enterprises form a joint venture company, O&Y CBRE Facilities Management, to develop facilities management and corporate real estate services opportunities in Canada; CB Richard Ellis Inc. goes private and the stock no longer trades on the New York Stock Exchange; the Canadian company opens its Atlantic Canada operation.

2003

In July 2003, CB Richard Ellis and Insignia were brought together to form the world's premier, full-service real estate services company, operating under the name CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).

2004

In December 2004, O&Y CBRE Facilities Management becomes CB Richard Ellis Management Services, with the mission to provide comprehensive real estate services for a range of institutional, investor, corporate, and individual clients.

2005

CB Richard Ellis was identified as one of the top corporate cultures in Canada by corporate recruiting firm Waterstone Human Capital and continues to hire the best young talent.

2006

CB Richard Ellis acquires The Trammell Crow Company.  The acquisition expands CB Richard Ellis’ global leadership and strengthens its ability to provide integrated account management and comprehensive real estate services for corporate, institutional, health care and government clients.

Euromoney has named CB Richard Ellis the overall winner in its 2006 Global Real Estate Awards. CB Richard Ellis swept the board winning a total of 48 awards from the global financial publication, including the award for top Global Advisory firm.

2007

CB Richard Ellis was named one of the 50 “best in class” companies and among the top 40 "most generous" companies by  BusinessWeek , as well as ranked 33rd in Fortune's List of 100 Fastest Growing Companies.

CB Richard Ellis became the first real estate services firm to announce plans to be carbon-neutral by 2010, including CBRE's major initiative to assist clients with energy efficiency programs at the 1.7 billion square feet of building space that the company manages around the world.

2008

CB Richard Ellis becomes first commercial real estate service provider included in the Fortune 500, is voted Global Real Estate Advisor of the Year for third time in four years and is named EPA Energy Star Partner of the Year. In Canada CB Richard Ellis acquires Tempest Management Corp.

2009

Ranked real estate industry’s top outsourcing company by IAOP and named real estate industry’s top company for corporate responsibility by CRO Magazine.

2010

CB Richard Ellis is voted best property investment advisor by Financial Times. Named top real estate outsourcing company by Frost & Sullivan and The Black Book of Outsourcing and ranked number 30 in Newsweek’s list of the “greenest big companies;” highest ranked real estate company.

2011

Acquired ING’s real estate investment management business in Europe and Asia and its listed securities business. CBRE ranked real estate industry’s top outsourcing company by IAOP.
 Name changed to CBRE.