How a One-Person Real Estate Firm Competes With National Giants – and Wins

Written by:

Steve Marcinuk

Date:

30 Jan 2026

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When Jeff Kravet launched his commercial real estate firm in 2012, he entered the market without a national brand, corporate resources, or a large team. Instead, he relied on a straightforward commitment: every client would receive his undivided attention, and there would never be conflicts of interest.

Thirteen years later, Kravet Realty is outperforming expectations. The Stamford-based firm recently achieved its highest annual sales, regularly competing against industry leaders like Cushman & Wakefield and CBRE. Kravet attributes this success to a practice most large firms avoid: co-broking every investment sale, meaning he splits commissions with outside brokers to maximize his clients’ sale prices.

“The client doesn’t care how my commission is divided,” Kravet says. “He cares that he gets the best price.”

Why Co-Broking Matters

In commercial real estate, co-broking refers to bringing in outside brokers and sharing commissions when a deal closes. While this is standard for tenant representation, major firms rarely allow it in investment sales, often claiming they already know every qualified buyer and don’t need outside help.

Kravet disagrees. “You call up CB, you call up Cushman, they’ll say, ‘Yeah, we know every buyer,’” he says. “I’m like, you do? I don’t think you do. I don’t know every buyer. How do you know every buyer?”

Recently, when competing with Cushman for a property listing in Westport, Kravet’s co-broking approach persuaded the sellers. By involving more brokers, he increased the pool of potential buyers, creating more competition and raising the likelihood of a higher offer.

The strategy worked – Kravet secured the listing.

No Conflicts, No Exceptions

Another key advantage for Kravet Realty is the absence of internal conflicts of interest. Large brokerages often represent both landlords and tenants, or buyers and sellers, within the same property or portfolio. This can lead to situations where the brokerage’s interests do not fully align with the client’s goals.

Kravet’s approach is direct. “If we take you on as a client, we’re going to fight for every last quarter on the deal,” he says. There is no internal pressure to prioritize listings the firm also represents, and no incentive to close quickly at the expense of the client’s best outcome.

Kravet explains his philosophy: “I look at it as if I’m writing that rent check every month, and that’s my money.” This approach has led to long-term relationships with clients such as a Verizon franchisee who expanded from 27 to 78 stores, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which relies on Kravet for Connecticut locations.

The Information Advantage Is Gone

Historically, large firms held an advantage by controlling access to market data, such as comparable sales and demographics. Today, platforms like CoStar and LoopNet allow any broker with a subscription to access the same information.

“The playing field is level,” Kravet says. “There’s no information that any of the big houses have access to that we can’t provide.” What differentiates brokers now is how they use that data: negotiation skills, personal outreach, and the ability to close deals on time matter more than proprietary technology.

Kravet keeps overhead low by outsourcing tasks that do not require his direct involvement, such as photography, marketing materials, and technical support. This allows him to focus on negotiation and deal execution.

Growing With the Right Partner

For several years, Kravet operated the business alone. Four years ago, a client asked him to meet with his brother, Lucas Severo, a recent University of Connecticut graduate interested in commercial real estate. Kravet agreed, setting three expectations: “You don’t get paid for showing up. You don’t get paid unless you add value. And if all you did was what I told you to do, you didn’t add value.”

Severo embraced the challenge. “It’s not one plus one equals three,” Kravet says. “It’s one plus one equals ten.” Their partnership has enabled Kravet Realty to handle more business in the past two years than in the previous two decades. Severo is now a full partner in the firm.

Mentoring Severo has also brought unexpected rewards. “I didn’t realize at the time how much I enjoyed mentoring and having someone by my side to teach the business,” Kravet says.

The Bottom Line

Competing with national firms is not a matter of matching their scale, but of offering what they do not. For Kravet Realty, this means personalized service, a strict avoidance of conflicts of interest, and a willingness to co-broke deals to achieve the best results for clients. In a market where information is accessible to all, trust, expertise, and execution distinguish successful brokers.

“I’m privileged that I love what I do,” Kravet says. “You’d be hard-pressed to show me a better industry, a better market, and better people to work with.”

About the Expert: Jeff Kravet is president of Kravet Realty LLC, a boutique commercial real estate business in Stamford, Connecticut. He specializes in tenant representation, investment sales, and landlord representation across Fairfield County and Westchester County. Kravet founded the company in 2012 after nearly 30 years in the industry.

This article shares insights about commercial real estate strategy. It does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice.