Episodes

Two commercial properties can look nearly identical, yet one could be worth millions more. The difference? Zoning. In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Stephen Palmese, Managing Principal of Integritas Capital, to uncover how developers identify opportunities other investors overlook. From rezoning and land assemblage to navigating development approvals, Stephen explains how zoning can unlock hidden property value and what investors should know befor...

Finding an apartment in New York City can take months, but why is the process still so complicated? In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Gabe Einhorn, Co-Founder of Nesso, to explore why apartment hunting is so difficult for renters and how choosing the wrong tenant can be just as costly for landlords. From endless applications and rental scams to tenant screening and AI-powered apartment matching, they discuss what's broken in the rental process and...

What if the LinkedIn posts nobody notices today could bring you clients tomorrow? In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Gabe Einhorn, co-founder of Nesso and former commercial mortgage broker, to discuss how he turned daily LinkedIn posts into a competitive advantage. After months of little engagement, Gabe began attracting clients, closing deals, and eventually generating millions of views across social media. They also explore how personal branding ...

A 1031 exchange can be incredibly valuable, but there’s a lot more to it than the 45-day rule. In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with 1031 exchange specialist James Bean to break down what investors need to know before selling an investment property. James explains the 45-day identification and 180-day closing timelines, common misconceptions that can derail an exchange, why planning should begin before the property sells, and how net lease properties ...

What if you could see the actual financial performance of commercial properties before making your next investment decision? In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Lonnie Hendry, Chief Product Officer at Trepp and co-host of the TreppWire Podcast, to uncover the valuable information hidden inside commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS). Lonnie breaks down how CMBS loans work, why their data has become increasingly important in commercial real esta...

What does it actually mean to tokenize commercial real estate, and why are investors paying attention? In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Matthew Davis of DeFi CRE to break down what commercial real estate tokenization actually means and why investors and property owners should be paying attention. Matthew explains how blockchain could enable fractional ownership, create new ways for owners to access capital, and potentially bring greater liquidity...

Breaking into commercial real estate can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re starting with no industry experience. In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with her very first CRE mentee, Ciara Monfort, to talk about how mentorship helped Ciara learn the business, discover her niche in tenant representation, and build a career helping growing companies find commercial space. Ciara shares what she learned working alongside Aviva, why she ultimately gravi...

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Joe Killinger, Managing Partner of Commercial Brokers International, to talk about how AI and digital marketing are changing the competitive landscape in commercial real estate. Joe explains why brokers who consistently create useful content are positioning themselves to show up in AI search, how smaller independent brokerages can compete with major national firms, and why technology still cannot replace market kn...

Sales gets you in the door. This is what keeps you there — according to Ken Ashley, Executive Director at Cushman & Wakefield, who's spent 30 years building a name for himself in commercial real estate.In this episode, Aviva sits down with Ken to talk about the brutal first year that almost made him quit the business entirely (8.5 months with zero closed deals), the three decisions he made after the 2008 crash that changed everything financially, and why he became one of the first brokers in the...

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Dr. Shimon Blau, a candidate for Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, for a conversation about the issues affecting Denver businesses, property owners, and real estate. They discuss what a member of Congress can actually do for local businesses, the cost of development and housing, permitting, tariffs, federal funding, and the potential impact when major employers leave a market. Dr. Blau also shares his experie...

Before you invest in a real estate syndication, how do you know whether the deal—and the person running it—deserves your trust? In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with multifamily investor and syndicator Natasha Falconi to break down three things every passive investor should check: the sponsor’s track record and skin in the game, the debt and underwriting assumptions, and the fees you’re actually paying. Whether you’re considering your first syndicatio...

What makes a business worth buying—and how do you build one that gives you the freedom to sell or keep it? In Part 2 of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich and Kory Mitchell, founder of Iconic Founders Group, explore what buyers look for in a business, why some overlooked industries offer opportunities, and how strong leadership, recurring revenue, and the right real estate can create long-term wealth. Kory also shares what he would do differently after selling his family business, ...

What does it actually mean to become “famous” as a real estate broker—and why does it matter? In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with David Murphy, aka the “Dock High Guy,” to talk about how he built a recognizable niche in industrial real estate and used social media to expand his reputation far beyond traditional networking. David shares what worked, what didn’t, why authenticity beats constantly promoting listings, and why building a brand—just like ...

Selling a successful business can create life-changing wealth, but the check is only part of the story. In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Kory Mitchell, founder of Iconic Founders Group, to unpack what he learned growing a family environmental services company to 37 offices, 1,400 employees, and hundreds of millions in revenue before selling it. Kory shares the emotional side of exiting, why he kept the real estate, how leverage changed the way he...

What does a commercial real estate reporter notice that most investors, brokers, and owners miss? In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with BusinessDen reporter Matt Geiger to go behind the headlines and uncover how CRE stories actually get found. Matt shares how he tracks transactions, permits, financing records, and development activity, why the people behind a property often tell a better story than the building itself, and what greater transparency me...

How much does it actually cost to rent a warehouse in Denver, and what should tenants budget beyond the advertised rental rate? In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich uses a real 16,000-square-foot industrial property in the Denver market to break down base rent, triple-net expenses, and the true all-in occupancy cost, including why smaller warehouse users should consider underwriting roughly $14–$16 per square foot all-in as a starting point. Aviva also shares five ...

New construction often gets criticized for being lower quality than older homes, but is that reputation actually deserved? In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Zach LeMaster, founder and CEO of Rent to Retirement, to explain why today’s building codes and construction standards can make new properties more resilient and attractive investments. Zach also shares how he evaluates builders, invests in markets across the country, builds reliable local tea...

Flex space is attracting growing attention from investors, developers, and businesses, but what exactly makes the asset class work? In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Hamza Ali to break down what flex space is, who leases it, where development makes sense, and why demand is growing from trades, recreational users, startups, and other emerging businesses. Hamza also shares how he went from his first flex development to building a $50 million project...

You can be one of the smartest people in your industry, but if nobody knows it, opportunities can pass you by. Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Mitch Roschelle to learn how he went from commercial real estate expert to a recurring national media commentator on Fox Business, Bloomberg, and beyond. Mitch reveals how he made himself valuable to producers, learned to speak to what audiences actually care about, and turned media exposure into greater credibility with investors and business relationshi...

Most warehouse owners don't think about security until after a break-in, stolen equipment, or vandalism. By then, the damage is already done. The real question isn't whether you have security cameras—it's whether anyone is actually watching when something happens. In this episode, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Mendel Brafman, Founder of Guardian Vale, to discuss how live remote monitoring is helping warehouse owners, property managers, and developers prevent crime before it happens. They expl...

How do you build a successful real estate portfolio while working a demanding full-time job? In this episode, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Dr. Bharat Sangani, cardiologist and founder of Encore Enterprises, to discuss how he built a multi-billion-dollar real estate company while maintaining his medical career. Bharat shares why building the right team was critical to scaling, along with his approach to buying, managing, and exiting commercial real estate. He also explains how he mitigates ris...

Every commercial real estate investor has the same challenge: there are more deals to evaluate than there is time to analyze them. In this episode, Aviva Sonenreich and David Fields, Co-Founder and CEO of Acquios, discuss how AI is helping investors and acquisitions teams underwrite properties faster, organize due diligence, and spend less time building spreadsheets so they can focus on making better investment decisions. If you're buying, selling, leasing, or investing in industrial real esta...

Most commercial real estate professionals think their content should constantly be about deals, listings, and market expertise. In this episode, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Fly Jamerson to explore why the content that builds the strongest relationships may have nothing to do with real estate at all. They break down how humor, vulnerability, consistency, and simply being more human can help you stand out, stay top of mind, and create business opportunities over time.

Behind every commercial real estate deal is one thing that matters most: capital. In this episode, Aviva Sonenreich sits down with Peter Zabierek, CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager at Easterly Funds, to discuss how REITs work, what public real estate markets are signaling about the future of commercial real estate, and why sectors like industrial, senior housing, and data centers continue to attract institutional capital. If you're an investor, property owner, broker, or business owner who wants to...