Faris Lee Investments
Faris Lee Investments is a privately held retail real estate investment brokerage firm founded in 1996 and headquartered in Irvine, California. It specializes in disposition, acquisition, and advisory for retail investment properties—including single-tenant NNN assets, multi-tenant centers, and portfolios—serving private investors, REITs, family offices, 1031 exchange buyers, and developers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Faris Lee Investments does
Faris Lee Investments is a privately held retail real estate investment brokerage firm founded in 1996 and headquartered in Irvine, California. The firm specializes in the disposition, acquisition, and recapitalization of retail investment properties spanning single-tenant NNN assets, multi-tenant shopping centers, grocery-anchored centers, portfolios, and sale-leaseback transactions. Its client base includes private investors, institutional investors, REITs, family offices, 1031 exchange buyers, merchant developers, and corporate retail chains, served by a team of 14+ professionals including three Managing Principals (Shaun Riley, Jeff Conover, Don MacLellan) with 26–40+ years of individual experience and collective track records of billions of dollars in closed transactions.
The firm operates a unified, team-based platform built around a proprietary live database of 1031 Exchange Buyers and active foreign investors, combined with a predictive analytics capability that the firm states integrates real-time financial, real estate, and retail lead indicators. Supporting technology consists of standard commercial integrations: Google Analytics for web traffic, Constant Contact for email marketing, and Buildout for commercial real estate listing distribution. As the Capital Markets arm of the X Team Retail Advisors national platform, Faris Lee leverages a network covering 43 U.S. and Canadian markets, supplemented by regional partnerships (SRSA Real Estate in Louisiana, John Cumbelich & Associates in Northern California) for localized tenant rep and leasing coverage.
Faris Lee generates revenue primarily through commission-based brokerage fees on retail investment property transactions, supplemented by advisory fees for dispositions, acquisitions, recapitalizations, distressed asset resolutions, portfolio sales, and corporate sale-leaseback mandates. Pricing is transaction-value-based and not publicly disclosed. The firm pursues an enterprise field sales motion through direct broker relationships, supplemented by digital marketing (newsletter, website, LinkedIn, Instagram), ICSC conference participation, and its proprietary investor database. Recent strategic activity in 2026 has emphasized regional partnership expansion, sustained execution on mid-sized grocery-anchored and single-tenant product, and incremental hiring of financial analysts and marketing leadership.
Faris Lee Investments firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Faris Lee Investments
- Legal name
- Faris Lee Investments
- Website
- https://farislee.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Faris Lee Investments is a privately held retail real estate investment brokerage firm founded in 1996 and headquartered in Irvine, California. It specializes in disposition, acquisition, and advisory for retail investment properties—including single-tenant NNN assets, multi-tenant centers, and portfolios—serving private investors, REITs, family offices, 1031 exchange buyers, and developers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Faris Lee Investments industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Real Estate Brokerage
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Real Estate Investment Advisory (Acquisitions/Dispositions, Capital Allocation) (BPAJANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Real Estate M&A / Joint Venture Advisory (Platform Deals, Partnerships) (BPAJANAF), Buy-Side M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAB), Industry-Specialist / Sector-Focused M&A Advisory (FSAEAGAJ)
Keywords
Where Faris Lee Investments is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Faris Lee Investments business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Brokerage Commissions: Commission-based fees on retail investment property sales, typically a percentage of transaction value
- Advisory Services: Advisory fees for dispositions, acquisitions, recapitalizations, distressed asset resolutions, portfolio sales, and corporate sale-leaseback transactions
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Faris Lee Investments product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Faris Lee Investments is a retail real estate investment brokerage and advisory firm that represents owners and investors in the sale, acquisition, recapitalization, and disposition of retail properties. The firm's services span single-tenant net lease (STNL) investments, multi-tenant shopping centers, strip and neighborhood centers, 1031 exchange transactions, portfolio sales, and corporate sale-leasebacks, supported by predictive analytics and a proprietary investor database. Clients include REITs, institutional investors, family offices, private investors, merchant developers, and corporate retail chains across 40+ U.S. markets.
Product overview
Faris Lee Investments operates as a unified, team-oriented retail real estate investment brokerage platform offering a comprehensive suite of advisory and brokerage services. The firm's core offerings include retail investment sales and brokerage (spanning single assets to large portfolios), 1031 exchange property services, single tenant net lease (STNL) advisory, and multi-tenant shopping center sales. Supporting these client-facing services is a proprietary market analytics capability using predictive analytics based on real-time financial, real estate, and retail data. The firm also maintains a Private Capital Acquisition Advisory Group for investors seeking full-service acquisition support. The company leverages the X Team Retail Advisors national platform for localized market coverage across 43 U.S. and Canadian markets.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Retail Investment Sales & Brokerage Services
Quantifiable outcome
- $21M sale of Plaza Pacifica in San Clemente, CA - closed at contract price in less than 60 days
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Faris Lee Investments
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Faris Lee Investments technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature2 records
Faris Lee Investments partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SRSA Real EstatecorePartnership with Louisiana's leading leasing and tenant rep firm for combined capital markets expertise and local market knowledge. Faris Lee/SRSA team has closed north of $100M in investment sales over the past several years. Scott DeYoung led AutoZone transaction ($4.55M) in partnership with SRSA's Kirsten Early.
- John Cumbelich & AssociatesminorPartnership for sale of 24,604 SF retail strip center in Fairfield, CA. John Cumbelich & Associates is a regional retail leasing and tenant representation firm providing local market expertise.
- X Team Retail AdvisorscoreFaris Lee Investments serves as the Capital Markets arm of X Team Retail Advisors national platform. X Team offers integrated retail specialized platform with tenured real estate professionals covering 43 markets across the United States and Canada. Partners specialize in Tenant Representation and Landlord Leasing, providing national scope with local market expertise through collaborative resource sharing.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Faris Lee Investments competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- JLL Capital Markets: Global real estate investment and advisory firm with a capital markets practice covering retail investment sales. Competes for large portfolio, recapitalization, and sale-leaseback mandates that overlap with Faris Lee's advisory services.
- CBRE Group: World's largest commercial real estate services firm with a retail investment sales platform. Competes for the same institutional, REIT, and developer mandates; multiple Faris Lee principals (Don MacLellan, Tyler Strauss) previously worked at CBRE.
- Eastdil Secured: Specialized commercial real estate investment banking firm focused on large-capital, institutional-grade transactions. Comparable for high-end institutional retail capital markets, recapitalizations, and portfolio sale-leasebacks.
- Cushman & Wakefield: Global commercial real estate services firm with a retail capital markets group serving institutional and private clients. Overlaps with Faris Lee's disposition, acquisition, and recapitalization advisory for retail assets.
- Newmark Group: Major global commercial real estate services firm offering investment sales, leasing, and capital markets across all property types including retail. Broad incumbent competing for the same institutional retail mandates Faris Lee pursues, with a much larger service portfolio.
Direct peers
- SRS Real Estate Partners: National retail-specialist commercial real estate brokerage providing investment sales, landlord leasing, and tenant representation. Closest niche competitor to Faris Lee, with similar retail-only focus and integrated investment sales + leasing platform model.
- Marcus & Millichap: Large U.S. commercial real estate investment sales brokerage with a specialty retail investment sales platform. Most directly comparable at national scale — Faris Lee competes for the same retail investment sale mandates, though Marcus & Millichap operates with far larger headcount.
- Calkain Companies: Net lease investment sales firm focused on single-tenant retail and triple-net properties. Direct comparable to Faris Lee's STNL (single-tenant net lease) advisory practice, serving similar private and institutional buyers.
- Mid-America Real Estate: Retail-focused investment sales and advisory firm serving institutional and private clients across the U.S. Comparable retail investment sales offerings and client type (institutional REITs, private investors, family offices).
Emerging players
- B+E (Banyan Equity): Net lease and retail investment sales platform with a tech-enabled brokerage model. Comparable in retail net lease focus and use of proprietary buyer databases to source institutional and 1031 exchange buyers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Faris Lee Investments social profiles
Digital presenceFaris Lee Investments financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Faris Lee Investments leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Faris Lee Investments funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Faris Lee Investments M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Faris Lee Investments
What does Faris Lee Investments do?
Faris Lee Investments is a retail real estate investment brokerage and advisory firm that represents owners and investors in the sale, acquisition, recapitalization, and disposition of retail properties. The firm's services span single-tenant net lease (STNL) investments, multi-tenant shopping centers, strip and neighborhood centers, 1031 exchange transactions, portfolio sales, and corporate sale-leasebacks, supported by predictive analytics and a proprietary investor database. Clients include REITs, institutional investors, family offices, private investors, merchant developers, and corporate retail chains across 40+ U.S. markets.
Is Faris Lee Investments a public or private company?
Faris Lee Investments is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Faris Lee Investments founded?
Faris Lee Investments was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Faris Lee Investments based?
Faris Lee Investments is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does Faris Lee Investments make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Brokerage Commissions are the primary driver. The others are advisory Services.
Who are Faris Lee Investments's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are JLL Capital Markets, CBRE Group, Eastdil Secured, Cushman & Wakefield and Newmark Group. Direct peers are SRS Real Estate Partners, Marcus & Millichap, Calkain Companies and Mid-America Real Estate. B+E (Banyan Equity) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Faris Lee Investments have an API?
No public API is recorded for Faris Lee Investments.
What industry is Faris Lee Investments in?
Faris Lee Investments's product category is Commercial Real Estate Brokerage. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJANAA, Real Estate Investment Advisory (Acquisitions/Dispositions, Capital Allocation), with a secondary code of BPAJANAF, Real Estate M&A / Joint Venture Advisory (Platform Deals, Partnerships). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6531.