IPE 1031

What IPE 1031 does

IPE 1031 is a privately-held professional services firm headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, that acts as a Qualified Intermediary (QI) facilitating Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges of investment, business-use, and agricultural real estate. Founded in 2003, the firm supports three core exchange structures: delayed exchanges (the standard structure, governed by strict 45-day identification and 180-day acquisition timelines), reverse exchanges (where replacement property is acquired first via an Exchange Accommodation Titleholder), and improvement exchanges (where build-out occurs on the replacement property). Operationally, the firm holds exchange proceeds in segregated, non-pooled custodial accounts at Bank Iowa, issues direct bank-to-client statements, and produces IRS-compliant documentation packages for each transaction. The team consists of nine in-house professionals, four of whom hold the Certified Exchange Specialist (CES) designation — a credential held by only approximately 100 accommodators nationwide.

The firm's go-to-market is relationship-led and referral-driven, built around professional advisor networks (attorneys, CPAs, REALTORS, REALTORS Land Institute members) rather than direct consumer marketing, supplemented by an educational content strategy including free webinars (some with CE credit), downloadable reference guides, and podcast appearances targeting real estate investors and the agricultural landowner community. Revenue is generated entirely through transaction-based QI fees, with delayed exchanges priced at a base level and reverse/improvement exchanges commanding substantially higher fees to reflect transfer taxes, mortgage taxes, escrow/title fees, lender charges, legal and accounting fees, insurance, and special-purpose entity creation costs. Fees are quote-based and customized by transaction complexity rather than published.

IPE 1031 holds deep institutional positions in the Federation of Exchange Accommodators (FEA), the trade body governing the QI industry: its principal David Brown served nine years on the FEA Board of Directors, chaired its Ethics Committee, served as its 2013 President, and currently co-chairs its Government Affairs Committee. The firm operates exclusively in the United States, serves no disclosed named-account enterprise customers, and has raised no external capital since founding — ownership remains with management.

Name

IPE 1031

Legal name

IPE 1031

Website

https://ipe1031.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IPE 1031 is a privately-held West Des Moines-based Qualified Intermediary firm facilitating IRC Section 1031 tax-deferred real estate exchanges for individual investors, farmers, and commercial property owners, with a nine-person team that includes four Certified Exchange Specialists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Qualified Intermediary Services

akta.pro primary industry

1031 Exchange Intermediary Services (BPAJAOAL)

Keywords

• Qualified intermediary services
• Section 1031 exchanges
• Tax-deferred exchanges
• Real estate like-kind exchanges
• Exchange accommodation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Iowa City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Qualified Intermediary Exchange Fees: IPE 1031 generates revenue through fees charged for acting as Qualified Intermediary in Section 1031 exchanges. The company facilitates delayed exchanges, reverse exchanges, and improvement exchanges. Fees are based on the level of complexity of the transaction, with reverse, build-to-suit, and improvement exchanges commanding substantially greater fees than delayed exchanges due to additional requirements including transfer taxes, recording fees, mortgage taxes, lender charges, escrow and title fees, legal and accounting fees, insurance fees, and costs of creating special purpose entities.
2. Exchange Accommodation Titleholder (EAT) Services: Revenue from reverse and improvement exchange services where the EAT must own the 'parked' property. These services involve extensive advanced planning and transactional costs inherent to the transaction structure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IPE 1031 is a Qualified Intermediary firm that facilitates Section 1031 tax-deferred real estate exchanges. It acts as QI to hold exchange sale proceeds in segregated trust accounts, prepares IRS-compliant exchange documentation, and structures three exchange types—delayed, reverse, and improvement/build-to-suit—using Exchange Accommodation Titleholder (EAT) entities where required. Services are delivered by an in-house team that includes four Certified Exchange Specialists (CES®).

Product overview

IPE 1031 operates as a Qualified Intermediary (QI) providing Section 1031 tax-deferred exchange services. The core offering is the exchange facilitation service, which encompasses three exchange types: Delayed Exchanges (the standard structure where replacement property is acquired after selling the relinquished property), Reverse Exchanges (for acquiring replacement property before selling), and Improvement Exchanges (for constructing improvements on replacement property). Supporting the core exchange services, IPE 1031 offers a Webinar Series providing free educational content on Section 1031 topics with professional continuing education credits, and Reference Guides and Educational Resources including downloadable guides on exchange basics, red flags, and qualified intermediary selection criteria.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Section 1031 Exchange Services (umbrella Qualified Intermediary engagement) End-to-end Qualified Intermediary engagement facilitating Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges for taxpayers (individuals and entities) holding investment or business-use real estate. Includes exchange structuring, IRS-compliant documentation, and custodial holding of exchange sale proceeds in segregated, non-pooled accounts at Bank Iowa.
• Delayed Exchange Standard exchange structure in which IPE 1031 serves as Qualified Intermediary; the relinquished property is sold first and replacement property is acquired within the IRS-mandated 45-day identification and 180-day acquisition windows. Lowest-complexity (and lowest-fee) of the firm's three exchange types.
• Reverse Exchange Exchange structure in which the replacement property is acquired prior to closing the sale of the relinquished property. IPE 1031 uses an Exchange Accommodation Titleholder (EAT) to step into the shoes of the exchanger and hold the 'parked' property, enabling transactions that would otherwise fail Section 1031 timing requirements. Commands substantially greater fees than delayed exchanges due to additional transactional costs.
• Improvement (Build-to-Suit) Exchange Exchange structure in which improvements are constructed on the replacement property during the exchange process, using an Exchange Accommodation Titleholder (EAT) to hold title while construction is completed within the 180-day exchange window. Commands substantially greater fees than delayed exchanges due to transfer taxes, recording fees, mortgage taxes, lender charges, escrow/title fees, legal and accounting fees, insurance fees, and special purpose entity creation costs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Deferral of capital gains tax on investment property sales through proper exchange structuring
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Federation of Exchange Accommodators (FEA)coreOthersIPE 1031 is an active member in good standing with the Federation of Exchange Accommodators, the only trade organization and governing body of the qualified intermediary industry. FEA is dedicated to promotion of client security, integrity, and professionalism in the QI industry. IPE 1031's principal served nine years on FEA's Board of Directors (Chair of Ethics Committee), served as past President, and currently serves on the Government Affairs Committee.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• First American Exchange Company: Subsidiary of First American Financial Corporation providing QI services for 1031 exchanges at national scale with parent-company resources. Bank-owned competitor leveraging financial parentage and broad title insurance distribution.
• Asset Preservation, Inc. Specialized national Qualified Intermediary focused exclusively on Section 1031 like-kind exchanges, including reverse and improvement structures. Closely comparable niche QI specialist competing for the same advisor-driven referral business.
• WFG National Title 1031 Exchange Services: 1031 exchange services offered through Williston Financial Group's national title insurance platform, providing QI facilitation alongside title and escrow. Title-affiliated peer combining QI services with broader real estate transaction infrastructure.
• IPX1031 (Investment Property Exchange Services): One of the largest national Qualified Intermediaries in the US, offering delayed, reverse, and improvement 1031 exchanges with in-house EAT capabilities. Direct head-to-head competitor to IPE 1031 across all three exchange types and advisor referral channels.
• National 1031 Exchange Services: National Qualified Intermediary offering delayed and reverse 1031 exchange services with a focus on advisor relationships. Comparable QI competitor of similar size and service mix to IPE 1031.
• Accruit: National Qualified Intermediary providing 1031 exchange facilitation with technology-enabled documentation and custody workflows. Competes with IPE 1031 on nationwide QI service quality and advisor relationships.
• Old Republic Exchange Company: National QI affiliated with Old Republic Title, providing 1031 exchange facilitation backed by a major title insurance underwriter. Bank/title-owned peer offering similar services through title agent distribution channels.
• Kensington Vanguard National Exchange Services: Long-established national Qualified Intermediary handling delayed, reverse, and improvement 1031 exchanges nationwide. Competes with IPE 1031 on advisor referral relationships and full-service EAT capabilities.
• Exchange Resources, Inc. Specialized national Qualified Intermediary providing delayed, reverse, and improvement 1031 exchanges. Comparable boutique-to-mid-sized QI competitor relying on advisor referrals and CES-credentialed staff.

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity National 1031 Exchange Services: 1031 exchange services operated within Fidelity National Financial, one of the largest US title insurance groups. Larger incumbent offering QI services as part of a broader title and escrow portfolio rather than as a pure-play QI specialist.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 IPE 1031