eXp Realty Canada agents Justin Salazar and Jack Anbara of the Anzar Group have been knocking down big deals in Ottawa/Toronto over the course of their careers. In May, the duo closed a deal for $17.85 million (CAD) – one of the larger sales of their track record – and just last week, they put the final touches on another commercial transaction for $11.85 million. In the first quarter alone, they sold $33 million worth of sales while adding the two above-noted transactions in the second quarter of 2023.
Their Anzar Group (a combination of their last names) is firing on all cylinders. They have a team of 10 agents and staff split between their main base in Ottawa and their expansion into Toronto. While the media reports grim headlines about the commercial industry, their CRE business is on fire.
“We are quite busy and although we have to navigate current market conditions, business has been steady,” said Justin. “We are actively growing and are looking for driven agents who are willing to learn or have the knowledge already to help us with all the transactions coming our way.”
The $17.85 million deal closed in May and involved a seven-story, 102-unit apartment building in East Ottawa near the city’s Montfort Hospital. It was built in the 1960s and also includes a multilevel parking structure. The Anzar Group was direct to both the seller and the buyer, a publicly traded company and a private family in Toronto with a large portfolio.
Anzar Group Has a Formula for Finding and Closing Deals
Jack and Justin have been in real estate for 11 and 6 years, respectively, joining forces in 2018 to create their burgeoning commercial team and invest in real estate together and separately. They currently own 80 units across multiple buildings. Commercially, they specialize in apartment buildings, development land and retail and are doing some office, hotel and industrial deals.
“I was selling multifamily properties and quickly transitioned to commercial full-time,” said Jack. “I like numbers. I’m a numbers guy. Less emotion, more numbers. Also, dealing with investors is interesting because I knew I wanted to be an investor.”
Their winning formula for completing deals involves lots of phone time, networking and having a sixth sense for serious buyers.
“Our business is mostly word of mouth,” said Jack. “Because of the deals we’ve done, our track record and how we go about our business, we are constantly bringing in new clients. That being said, we have been fortunate to work with the groups and people we have and appreciate the trust in us as well as our team and we are looking forward to growing our client base across North America.”
Justin said, “It’s not always about the money, but who fits the specific asset we are trying to sell. We try to target buyers specifically in order to ensure they have the capacity to close and move through due diligence efficiently. During initial conversations, we try to extract as much information and learn about the client or company as possible. This allows us to have a deep understanding of exactly what metrics they are looking for and which opportunities will be a good fit for that specific client.”
They Have Their Sights Set on Deals Across North America
The Anzar Group is planning on expanding across Canada and into the U.S.
“After every deal is complete, we feel great. It’s challenging but definitely rewarding to be able to help our clients achieve their investment goals. There’s a solution to every problem and we love thinking outside of the box and using experiences from past transactions to help us come to those solutions,” said Justin.
The pair praises their director of acquisition, Geof and director of operations, Katie, along with their entire team of talented agents.
“Without them, their constant support and willingness to learn along with us we would not be able to do what we do,” said Jack and Justin.
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