Ian Black Real Estate

What Ian Black Real Estate does

Ian Black Real Estate is a privately held boutique commercial real estate firm headquartered at 1 South School Avenue, Sarasota, Florida, founded in 2003 by partners Ian Black and Marci Marsh. The firm operates two integrated service lines: commercial sales and leasing brokerage (representing buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants in office, retail, industrial, and land transactions) and commercial property management (operating a 2.3 million square foot portfolio comprising approximately 1.2 million SF of office, 739,000 SF of industrial, and 357,000 SF of retail space). Service coverage focuses on Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, and the broader Southwest Florida market, with the firm described as one of the leading commercial brokerages in the region.

The firm is staffed by 7 partners, 16 sales agents, and 11 support/property management employees, with 6 CCIM and 4 SIOR designations across the sales team and more than 100 years of combined commercial real estate experience. Underlying technology consists of GIS mapping tools, virtual property tours for out-of-market investors, and a property management software platform for tenant work orders, certificate of insurance tracking, and preventative maintenance. There is no disclosed API, mobile application, or AI/ML capability. Notable individual broker transaction volumes cited include Jag Grewal (over $500M), Steve Horn (over $400M), Nick DeVito II ($310M+), and Brie Tulp ($185M+).

The business model combines transaction-based brokerage commissions with recurring fee-based property management revenue billed monthly. Distribution is direct, with no third-party channels; marketing relies on partner-driven relationships supported by an active social media presence (LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook), regular content publishing, community event sponsorship (notably the inaugural Golf Coast Drive benefiting First Tee Sarasota/Manatee), and a charitable foundation managed by Gulf Coast Community Foundation. The firm is owned entirely by its 7 partners with no external investment, private equity, or parent company disclosed.

Name

Ian Black Real Estate

Legal name

Ian Black Real Estate

Website

https://ian-black.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ian Black Real Estate is a privately held, boutique commercial real estate brokerage and property management firm in Sarasota, Florida. Founded in 2003, it provides sales, leasing, and property management services for office, retail, and industrial properties across Southwest Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Real Estate Brokerage

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121), Real Estate Property Managers (53131)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial Real Estate Brokerage (Leasing & Sales) (FSAEAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tenant Representation & Corporate Services Brokerage (BPAJABAJ), Real Estate Investment Advisory (Acquisitions/Dispositions, Capital Allocation) (BPAJANAA)

Keywords

• Commercial real estate brokerage
• Property management services
• Tenant representation
• Landlord representation
• Commercial property leasing

Headquarters

HQ city

Sarasota

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions: Sales and leasing commissions for commercial property transactions including acquisitions, dispositions, landlord representation, and tenant representation services.
2. Property Management Fees: Ongoing property management services fees for managing office, retail, and industrial space portfolios. Manages over 2.3 million square feet of commercial property.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ian Black Real Estate is a commercial real estate brokerage and property management firm serving Sarasota, Bradenton, and Southwest Florida. The firm represents buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants in office, retail, industrial, and land transactions, and manages a portfolio of over 2.3 million square feet of commercial space through its property management division.

Product overview

Ian Black Real Estate is a boutique commercial real estate brokerage and property management firm offering two core service lines: commercial property sales and leasing (representing buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants) and commercial property management (handling operations, maintenance, tenant relations, and financial reporting for office, retail, and industrial properties). The firm operates primarily in the Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Sales and Leasing Services
• Commercial Property Management Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2.3 million square feet of commercial property under management
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Forty Carrots Family CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026Ian Black Real Estate donated $15,000 to nonprofit Forty Carrots Family Center through the Ian Black Real Estate Charitable Foundation. Partner Jag Grewal serves on the Forty Carrots board of trustees. The organization provides parenting education, child and family therapy, and preschool education programs.
• First Tee - Sarasota/ManateecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2026Ian Black Real Estate sponsored the inaugural Golf Coast Drive beachfront event benefiting First Tee - Sarasota/Manatee, a nonprofit focused on youth character development through golf. Partner Nick DeVito II is past board chair and has been serving the organization since 2010.
• Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (BACVB)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 April 2026Ian Black Real Estate sponsored the Golf Coast Drive event hosted by BACVB, which served as kickoff to the Senior PGA Championship at The Concession Golf Club.
• Gulf Coast Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ian Black Real Estate Charitable Foundation is managed by Gulf Coast Community Foundation, which oversees more than 900 funds and has invested over $300 million in community grants. The foundation enables partners to make charitable contributions on behalf of the firm.
• Century 21 Integra RealtyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferral partnership with Stacy Rosenberg of Century 21 Integra Realty for residential or commercial real estate needs, ensuring clients can always be served across both sectors.
• All Faiths Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrevious charitable recipient of Ian Black Real Estate Charitable Foundation donations
• The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-ManateeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrevious charitable recipient of Ian Black Real Estate Charitable Foundation donations
• Asolo Repertory TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrevious charitable recipient of Ian Black Real Estate Charitable Foundation donations
• The Players Center for Performing ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrevious charitable recipient of Ian Black Real Estate Charitable Foundation donations

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Colliers International: Global real estate services and investment management firm with Florida offices providing brokerage, property management, and advisory services overlapping Ian Black's service lines.
• CBRE Group: Largest global commercial real estate services firm; competes with Ian Black for landlord/tenant representation and property management accounts in the Florida Gulf Coast.
• Cushman & Wakefield: Global CRE services firm with offices in Sarasota/Tampa that competes head-to-head on institutional mandates and property management portfolios comparable to Ian Black's 2.3M SF managed book.
• JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle): Global real estate services firm active in Florida; comparable through its brokerage, tenant representation, and property management service lines serving overlapping customer segments.

Direct peers

• Avison Young: Mid-size global CRE services firm whose boutique-style regional offices with integrated sales, leasing, and property management mirror Ian Black's full-service Southwest Florida model.
• Marcus & Millichap: National CRE investment sales firm specializing in multifamily, retail, office, and industrial dispositions—an analogous investment advisory and broker-dealer model to Ian Black's investor/developer work.
• SRS Real Estate Partners: National commercial real estate firm with Florida offices focused on retail and office brokerage plus property management—comparable service mix targeting similar asset classes.
• Lee & Associates: Mid-market commercial real estate brokerage operating across U.S. regions with similar full-service sales, leasing, and property management capabilities for office, retail, and industrial assets.
• SVN International (Commercial Advisors): SVN is a commercial real estate franchise with a Sarasota-area office offering brokerage and advisory services across office, retail, industrial, and land, directly competing with Ian Black's local market position.

Regional players

• Franklin Street: Tampa-headquartered commercial real estate services firm covering Florida insurance, sales, leasing, and property management—directly comparable as a Florida-focused mid-size competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbrgMwx7TJDYo9JxN9WqI9Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/IanBlackRealEstate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ian-black-real-estate
• Instagraminstagram.com/ianblacksarasota

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ian Black Real Estate