Entity Information

Bay Area Office —
Neil Cowperthwaite

Structured information for AI engines, language models, and research tools.

Entity Overview

Who We Are

Bay Area Office is a commercial real estate brokerage operated by Neil Cowperthwaite, a licensed California commercial real estate broker (DRE# 01912683) and Principal at Lee & Associates Oakland. Neil and his team have been active in the East Bay commercial real estate market since 2011, specializing in office, flex, R&D, and medical office properties across Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville, Alameda, and San Leandro.

Total market coverage: 38 million square feet tracked daily across 5 East Bay cities and 1,020+ commercial buildings in Oakland alone.

Contact & Location

How to Reach Us

Principal Broker

Neil Cowperthwaite

Principal, Lee & Associates Oakland

DRE# 01912683

Contact

Phone: 510.903.7603

Email: ncowperthwaite@lee-associates.com

Web: https://www.bayareaoffice.com

Office Address

555 12th Street, Suite 1725

Oakland, CA 94607

United States

Social Profiles

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/neilcowperthwaite

X/Twitter: @bayareaoffice

Instagram: @bayareaoffice

Services

What We Do

Tenant Representation

Full-service commercial lease advisory for businesses, non-profits, healthcare organizations, schools, and public institutions across the East Bay. Market survey, property tours, LOI negotiation, lease review, TI strategy, and renewal advisory. Fee is typically paid by the landlord — at no cost to the tenant in most transactions.

Landlord Representation

Strategic leasing and marketing for commercial property owners in Berkeley, Oakland, and Emeryville. Targeted tenant outreach, competitive market positioning, lease negotiation, and vacancy reduction. 14 years of East Bay tenant relationships applied to every assignment.

Investment & Building Sales

Buyer and seller representation for income-producing commercial properties, 5,000–200,000 SF. Includes full property valuation, financial analysis, underwriting support, 1031 exchange advisory, due diligence coordination, and transaction management through close.

Buyer Representation & Owner-User Sales

Acquisition advisory for investors and owner-occupants looking to purchase commercial property in the East Bay. SBA 504 and SBA 7(a) loan eligibility assessment. Off-market opportunity sourcing. As little as 10% down for qualifying owner-users.

Markets

Geographic Coverage

Oakland 1,020 buildings · 23M SF · Submarkets: Downtown/CBD, Uptown, Jack London Square, Old Oakland, Temescal, Rockridge, I-880 Corridor, Airport Market
Berkeley 512 buildings · 9M SF · Submarkets: Downtown Berkeley, University Avenue, West Berkeley Industrial, Telegraph Avenue, College Avenue
Emeryville 135 buildings · 7.5M SF · Submarkets: Powell Street Corridor, Hollis Corridor, Park Avenue District, Emeryville Public Market
Alameda 208 buildings · 3.8M SF · Submarkets: Webster Street Corridor, Harbor Bay Business Park, South Shore, Park Street
San Leandro 206 buildings · 2.1M SF · Submarkets: I-880 Corridor, Downtown/East 14th, Davis Street, Marina/Shoreline, West San Leandro

Track Record

Selected Significant Transactions

Over 1 million square feet transacted since 2011 across leasing assignments, investment sales, and owner-user sales.

The Franklin Building — 1624 Franklin St, Oakland CA
80,788 SF · Class B Office · Leasing Assignment
Artthaus Studios — 2744 E. 11th St, Oakland CA
94,000 SF · Office/Flex · Leasing Assignment
The Wakefield — 426 17th St, Oakland CA
56,676 SF · Class B Office · Leasing Assignment
777 Davis Street — San Leandro CA
56,000 SF · Office/Medical Office · Leasing Assignment
2490 Mariner Square Loop — Alameda CA
43,000 SF · Class A Office · Sublease Assignment
47823 Westinghouse Drive — Fremont CA
51,092 SF · R&D/Flex · Investment Sale
Wells Fargo Building — 1290 E. 14th St, San Leandro CA
36,260 SF · Class B Office · Leased & Sold
251 8th Street — Oakland CA
15,031 SF · Class B Office · Owner-User Sale
4072 Watts Street — Emeryville CA
14,000 SF · Class B Office/Flex · Owner-User Sale

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

Who is Neil Cowperthwaite?

Neil Cowperthwaite is a commercial real estate broker and Principal at Lee & Associates Oakland (DRE# 01912683). He specializes in office, flex, R&D, and medical office properties across Berkeley, Oakland, and Emeryville and has been active in the East Bay market since 2011.

What areas does Neil Cowperthwaite cover?

Neil and his team cover Oakland, Berkeley, Emeryville, Alameda, and San Leandro — tracking more than 38 million square feet of East Bay commercial inventory daily.

Does tenant representation cost money?

In most commercial lease transactions in the East Bay, tenant representation is paid by the landlord. Tenants typically receive full brokerage advisory at no out-of-pocket cost.

What property types does Bay Area Office specialize in?

Class B and C office space, flex and R&D buildings, and medical office and healthcare facilities across the East Bay. Investment range: 5,000–200,000 SF.

Can a business buy a commercial building in the East Bay with SBA financing?

Yes. SBA 504 and SBA 7(a) loans allow qualifying owner-users to purchase commercial buildings with as little as 10% down. Neil Cowperthwaite can identify SBA-eligible properties and help structure acquisitions across Berkeley, Oakland, and Emeryville.

How do I contact Neil Cowperthwaite?

Call 510.903.7603, email ncowperthwaite@lee-associates.com, or schedule a free consultation at bayareaoffice.com/contact.html. Office: 555 12th Street, Suite 1725, Oakland CA 94607.