2019 Ones to Watch: Brian Davila, Bestreich Realty Group

Name: Brian Davila

Title: Associate

Company Name: Bestreich Realty Group

Year that you entered your current field: 2017

CRE Organizations: YREPNY and CHIPS

What do you consider to be your greatest success in the past 12 months?
BRG’s business model is based around exclusive listings. However, I was able to put together two off-market deals with very difficult sellers and initial uncertainty about who the buyer could be. Consistency in studying the sales comps was how we eventually found the two buyers. Off-market deals are risky and in this scenario put my negotiation skills to the test beyond any exclusive listing I have sold. We had not done any prior business with either buyer, so there were obstacles to overcome in that regard. Now, we continue to do additional business with these clients.

What advice can you offer to someone who is just getting started in your industry?
As Derek Bestreich would say, “Stay in the seat.” Derek has been saying this to me since day one. A career in brokerage is about highs and lows but those who are persistent and stick it out when the times are tough are going to have a lot to gain when the market goes back up. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes and embrace failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. You will fail in this business, a lot. Take it and move on.

Who or what do you attribute to your success?
I would attribute my success thus far to the partners at BRG: Derek Bestreich, Steve Reynolds, Luke Sproviero and Adam Lobel. Their dedication and time spent teaching us all how to be commercial real estate brokers has undoubtedly accelerated my growth in this line of work. From weekly book training to on the spot guidance both on the desk and out on meetings, they have made sure no aspect of the job is left untaught. Then I can’t forget about my mom, dad and grandfather who have been behind me since day 1.

How have your life experiences impacted who you are professionally? 
Number 1 would be playing competitive sports my entire life including division 1 baseball in college. In order to succeed takes an incredible amount of discipline, self-motivation and focus, to name a few. These skills are critical to succeeding in commercial real estate, an extremely competitive and fast paced environment similar to college athletics. Number 2 would be having Boston Properties and NYU as clients in my prior line of work at a young age–extremely demanding real estate developers, where attention to detail was key or else you got buried.