1031 Exchange Specialists

What 1031 Exchange Specialists does

1031 Exchange Specialists, Inc. was a privately held Qualified Intermediary (QI) that facilitated Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges for real estate investors in the United States. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Ocean City, the firm provided consulting services, documentation, and exchange administration for investors seeking to defer capital gains taxes through like-kind property exchanges, including standard forward, reverse, and improvement exchanges. The company operated with a lean team of 1–10 employees and acquired customers through direct consultations and a referral network composed of real estate professionals, tax and legal advisors, lenders, and title/escrow officers.

The firm's product offering centered on exchange facilitation, augmented by a portfolio of compliance tools and educational resources, including a 45-Day identification / 180-Day closing calculator, on-demand webinars ("1031 Exchanges Made Easy"), and the "Exchanging Thoughts" educational blog. No proprietary technology platform, software-as-a-service product, or AI components are disclosed in the source material; the value proposition was relationship-driven service, Certified Exchange Specialists® (CES®), and fund safeguards rather than technology differentiation. Revenue was generated through transaction-based fees charged on each exchange facilitated, with no disclosed pricing tiers or subscription model. 1031 CORP. publicly states it has served "thousands of real estate investors" through its combined platform, although no per-customer revenue concentration is disclosed.

In April 2026, the company entered into an asset purchase agreement with 1031 CORP., a larger national QI, and is winding down operations with retirement of the principals planned by year-end 2026. Founders George Christofely and Bill Steffens announced the transition, citing client continuity and a long-standing professional relationship with 1031 CORP. dating to the early 2000s. Following the transaction, 1031 CORP. will initiate all new exchanges while 1031 Exchange Specialists completes its open book of business.

Name

1031 Exchange Specialists

Legal name

1031 Exchange Specialists, Inc.

Website

https://1031esi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

1031 Exchange Specialists, Inc. was a privately held Qualified Intermediary facilitating Section 1031 tax-deferred real estate exchanges for individual and commercial investors. Operating from Ocean City with 1–10 employees, the firm was acquired by 1031 CORP. in April 2026 and is winding down operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Qualified Intermediary / 1031 Exchange Services

NAICS

Title Abstract and Settlement Offices (541191)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

1031 Exchange Intermediary Services (BPAJAOAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Closing Coordination & Transaction Management (Broker/Agent Support) (BPAJAOAH), Escrow, Trustee & Agency Services (Custody-Adjacent) (FSAFAHAG)

Keywords

• 1031 exchange services
• Qualified Intermediary services
• Tax-deferred exchanges
• Real estate exchange
• Capital gains deferral

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocean City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Exchange Service Fees: 1031 Exchange Specialists generated revenue through fees charged for facilitating 1031 tax-deferred exchange transactions for real estate investors. As a Qualified Intermediary (QI), the company provided exchange services including reverse exchanges and improvement exchanges for a fee.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

1031 Exchange Specialists acted as a Qualified Intermediary facilitating 1031 tax-deferred real estate exchanges for investors. The firm guided clients through strict 45-day identification and 180-day closing timelines, structured standard, reverse, and improvement exchanges, safeguarded client funds, and coordinated with professional advisors (real estate professionals, tax/legal advisors, lenders, and title/escrow officers) to complete exchanges.

Product overview

1031 Exchange Specialists offers a unified service platform for tax-deferred real estate exchanges. The core offering is exchange facilitation services supported by expert Certified Exchange Specialists. The portfolio includes specialized exchange types (Reverse Exchanges, Improvement Exchanges), educational resources (on-demand webinars), and compliance tools (45-Day ID & 180-Day Calculator). The company operates as a single service offering with supporting modules and resources rather than a modular platform architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 1031 Exchange Services Qualified Intermediary facilitation of standard 1031 tax-deferred real estate exchanges for individual and commercial real estate investors, including guidance from Certified Exchange Specialists and safeguards for client-held funds.
• Reverse Exchanges Specialized 1031 exchange service that allows an investor to acquire the replacement property first, before selling the relinquished property, structured and held through the Qualified Intermediary.
• Improvement Exchanges Specialized 1031 exchange structure that permits the reinvested proceeds to be used for capital improvements on the replacement property prior to closing, with the Qualified Intermediary holding and disbursing the funds.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• 1031 CORP.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 20261031 Exchange Specialists, Inc. entered into an asset purchase agreement with 1031 CORP. in April 2026. As part of this transition, 1031 Exchange Specialists completed all open exchanges while 1031 CORP. began initiating all new exchanges. The partnership ensures continuity for existing clients and brings expanded resources to serve the community. Leadership noted strong alignment in values and client commitment, with relationships dating back to the early 2000s. Operations were winding down with retirement anticipated at end of year.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Equity Advantage 1031 Exchange: Pacific Northwest-headquartered Qualified Intermediary offering 1031 exchange services, DST/investment advisory for replacement properties, and educational content aimed at real estate investors and tax advisors.
• IPX1031 (Investment Property Exchange Services): One of the largest national Qualified Intermediaries providing forward, reverse, and improvement 1031 exchanges with regional offices; competes head-to-head with 1031 Exchange Specialists for the same investor and advisor referral network.
• Asset Preservation, Inc. National Qualified Intermediary specializing in 1031 exchanges, including reverse and improvement structures, with a similar professional-partner referral model serving real estate investors, brokers, CPAs, and attorneys.
• 1031 CORP. The acquiring Qualified Intermediary and parent company; offers the same core 1031 exchange facilitation, reverse exchanges, and improvement exchanges to real estate investors with multiple regional branches. It is the most directly comparable peer and now owns the acquired assets.

Broad incumbents

• First American Exchange Company: Exchange arm of First American Financial Corporation, one of the largest title insurance companies; provides 1031 exchange services leveraging the parent's national title and escrow infrastructure—competing on scale and integrated transaction services.
• Fidelity National Title Exchange Services: Exchange services offered through Fidelity National Financial's title insurance platform; competes with independent QIs by bundling exchange facilitation with nationwide title and escrow capabilities for institutional and high-net-worth investors.
• WFG National Title / Williston Financial Group 1031: Title insurance underwriter with affiliated 1031 exchange services, leveraging a national agent network to source exchange transactions from real estate brokers and lenders.
• Old Republic Exchange: Exchange services arm of Old Republic National Title Insurance, providing Qualified Intermediary services alongside title and escrow offerings to real estate investors and professional partners nationwide.

Regional players

• RealtyPro 1031: Regional Qualified Intermediary operating primarily on the East Coast, offering standard and reverse 1031 exchanges with strong CPA and attorney referral channels—comparable to 1031 Exchange Specialists in size and service mix though in a different sub-region.

Emerging players

• Atlas 1031 Exchange: Regional Qualified Intermediary providing 1031 exchange facilitation with a focus on education and advisor relationships; comparable as a smaller-scale QI competing for the same Northeast/Mid-Atlantic investor base.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 1031 Exchange Specialists