Meet the 2026 rising stars of real estate

Real estate is being remade by a new generation of talent.

As the industry is being reshaped by lawsuits over agent commissions, shake-ups at listing sites, changing tax rules in states like New York and California, and the rise of AI, young professionals are navigating challenges their predecessors never faced. They're also finding new opportunities to stand out.

"Real estate is built for a world that no longer exists," said Selin Sonmez, the cofounder of sublet startup Snag and one of our 2026 rising stars. "Its biggest challenge is adapting to the new economic reality of the rising generation."

Business Insider identified 20 of the most promising young talents ages 35 and under working across commercial and residential real estate. They include agents, brokers, fintech entrepreneurs, and public relations professionals.

This year's class of rising stars is brokering billion-dollar commercial deals, finding homes for the next generation of buyers, and starting companies to help alleviate the stressors of the housing market.

Joey Ben-Zvi, 30

You may have seen Joey Ben-Zvi on Netflix's "Buying Beverly Hills," but when he's not in front of a camera, he's in the field closing high-profile deals in California.

Ben-Zvi, 30, got into real estate after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and founded the Ben-Zvi Group in 2021 in his backyard. It's since totaled over $200 million in transactions in the last two years thanks to Ben-Zvi's thoughtful yet efficient approach.

"Every property has its own story, challenges, and opportunities," Ben-Zvi told Business Insider. "What we've found is that while the approach to every home is different, the underlying process of preparation, positioning, and execution can be replicated."

Kenny Burgos, 32

Rent stabilization has been a key response to New York's housing crisis, but critics argue that it discourages new development and puts financial pressure on property managers.

Former New York State Assemblyman Kenny Burgos has seen both sides of the debate. During his time representing the Bronx, he saw firsthand how high rents affect constituents. Now, as the inaugural CEO of the New York Apartment Association, he is focused on improving the system for tenants and building owners alike.

NYAA represents private owners, landlords, and property managers of about half a million rent-stabilized apartments statewide. Since taking the role in 2025, Burgos has worked with lawmakers and nonprofit groups to promote policies that he says could increase housing supply while preserving tenant protections.

"I don't consider myself a real estate professional," Burgos said. "But my philosophy, as it relates to real estate policy, is to try to first and foremost close the education gap among the public, lawmakers, and staff who shape housing policy."

Julia Callahan, 32

Julia Callahan built her career in real estate PR at M18, starting in an entry-level position in 2016 and rising through the firm's ranks to become senior director.

"Over the past decade, I've worked my way up from supporting accounts to leading them, shaping strategy for our clients, managing and mentoring people newer in their careers, and now helping bring new business into the agency," Callahan told Business Insider.

Though the 32-year-old usually works in the luxury real estate sector, one of her favorite recent projects was more offbeat, when she worked with a vending machine company to transform subway newsstands into retail spaces.

"Much of my career has focused on luxury real estate and telling stories about spaces designed for the 1%," Callahan said. "This was a very different kind of project for me, and an especially gratifying one."

Saharsh Chordia, 33

Over the last six years at the apartment company Cortland, Saharsh Chordia has risen through the ranks from an analytics product manager to vice president of strategy and analytics. Last year, as AI became a more pronounced industry priority, he built RevenX, Cortland's AI-driven revenue management platform.

"I believe real estate is ultimately a people business powered by data," Chordia said. "Residents don't experience strategies or spreadsheets; they experience the quality of the homes we provide and the service we deliver every day."

Chordia leads Cortland's machine-learning models for pricing recommendations and demand forecasting. He has integrated data science into the team's investments, capital markets, revenue management, and construction teams, asserting that the work isn't merely a back-office function.

"What separates Saharsh from his peers is the rare combination of deep technical fluency and executive-level business leadership," said Scott Moore, Cortland's chief technology officer.

Michael Dillon, 31

At 31, Michael Dillon has already made a name for himself in the real estate capital markets space. A vice president at Prime Finance, Dillon has sourced, evaluated, structured, and traded a $3.1 billion portfolio of investment-grade securities and lower-rated commercial mortgage-backed securities. Dillon has played key roles in the firm's capital-raising efforts and has strengthened its modeling and analytical capabilities.

Dillon launched Prime Finance's first separately managed account with a sovereign wealth fund. Dillon has also positioned himself to help younger real estate professionals, serving as a leader of the nonprofit trade association CRE Finance Council's Young Professionals Steering Committee. This year, his team has grown its portfolio management to over 350 deep-credit bond positions backed by over 4,000 underlying loans and 8,000 properties.

"There's no substitute for hard work, a good attitude, and creativity," Dillon said. "Beyond that, have conviction in a well-studied credit view. Do the work, know the deal or task, and be willing to defend your position, while letting others' views sharpen your own."

Alex Dobosh, 28

While more young people are entering the real estate industry, it is still largely an older crowd. That doesn't intimidate Alex Dobosh.

"A lot of people I'm surrounded by have more experience than me," Dobosh said. "However, what you can't make up in experience, you can make up in preparation. If you've done the work, you can present with confidence, and people will take you seriously."

As an associate director at the New York-based commercial real estate capital advisory firm HKS Real Estate Advisors, Dobosh helps arrange debt and equity for real estate investors, including institutional firms and middle market real estate companies across a mix of asset classes, including multifamily, student housing, retail, and hospitality.

To date, he has helped execute more than $2 billion in transactions, including over $350 million in the past year.

"My proudest moment of 2026 is seeing what our team has been able to accomplish despite the ever-changing market," Dobosh said. "Some days I still question why we do this, but pushing through it as a team and getting deals done has been rewarding, both personally and professionally."

Tim Donovan, 30

You might say that Tim Donovan was lured away from a career in finance. The 30-year-old managing director of investments at Midloch said he was diverted from pursuing a career in stock and bond wealth management in college after he became involved in a "phenomenal" real estate program at Marquette University. Close family friends in real estate were also an inspiration for him to enter the industry himself.

Donovan spent several years involved in real estate underwriting and due diligence at the investment firm MLG Capital before launching Midloch with his business partners when he was 23. The firm, which has a focus on boutique commercial, industrial, and multifamily investments worth up to $50 million, has since overseen $1 billion in historic transactions.

"It was a little bit nerve-wracking," Donovan said of the leap to launch his own firm. "I figured there was really no better way to really dive in headfirst than to be a key member of a very small team."

Donovan said he's dabbled in "a little bit of everything" over the years, from working in due diligence to strategy to the investment side of real estate. He said a focus on building good relationships has been key to scaling his career. He's also involved in a mentorship program at his alma mater, supporting college students interested in real estate careers.

"Maybe it's not a real estate philosophy per se, but I think it's a really good life philosophy that applies to real estate: Relationships are paramount," Donovan said. "I could go back to countless deals that would've never gotten done if it wasn't for the quality of the relationship that we've built and maintained with the individuals involved."

Paige Engeldrum, 35

Paige Engeldrum has, in the literal sense, grown into her job. The 35-year-old executive director joined Cushman & Wakefield straight out of college and has been at the commercial real estate services firm for over a decade, working in its brokerage business.

Engeldrum, who was recognized as one of Cushman's youngest directors in the Tri-State region, largely focuses on advising tenants and landlords in the New York area. Moody's, Franklin Templeton, Rockefeller Group, and the New York Fed are on her list of high-profile clients.

Engeldrum said being able to work on both sides of the real estate transaction has been extremely valuable in her career. Her experience provides her a unique perspective on how clients are motivated and the role creative solutions can play in finalizing a deal.

One of her biggest-ever deals involved helping Moody's transfer its global headquarters from the World Trade Center to 200 Liberty Street, a transaction that encompassed over 400,000 square feet and involved working with Brookfield to relocate some existing tenants in the building. The deal marked one of the largest office signings in New York in 2025, with an estimated annual cost of $28.1 million, according to data from CoStar.

"I've been compelled less by making moves and more by continuing to put myself in situations where I'm learning, taking on greater responsibility, and solving increasingly complex problems," Engeldrum said.

Jack Harris, 28 & Michael Fahimian, 28

Jack Harris and Michael Fahimian got a running start in the world of real estate. The Beverly Hills Estates agents both started their careers working for other real estate agents in high school before eventually earning their own real estate licenses.

Since then, the 28-year-olds have established themselves as a formidable force in the luxury residential market. The pair, who focus on high-end properties in Beverly Hills, Malibu, and surrounding neighborhoods, have closed more than $800 million in sales in 2025 and were recognized as the top small real estate team this year, per a RealTrends ranking.

One of their largest sales involved representing the buyer on the O'Malley estate in Malibu's Paradise Cove for $55 million. The pair also hold the exclusive listing for the $400 million Chalon Estate, one of the most expensive residential properties in the world.

Over the course of their careers, Harris and Fahimian have closed more than $2 billion in sales and currently oversee around $1 billion worth of property listings.

Jameson Hartman, 32

Jameson Hartman started his career on the investment side of real estate, working at Goldman Sachs in real estate investment banking. In 2020, the Utah native joined the Park City-based RET Ventures, where he now serves as Industry Principal.

"I knew I wanted to move to the buy side, and RET Ventures felt like a particularly interesting opportunity," Hartman told Business Insider. "I had covered multifamily real estate at Goldman, so I could bring a strong understanding of residential real estate to the role, but RET also gave me the opportunity to move into technology investing."

Hartman has helped underwrite billion-dollar-plus mergers while supporting dozens of investors and portfolio companies — and he still finds time to teach at his alma mater, the University of Utah.

Landy Liu, 33

When Landy Liu began the process of buying his first home in 2022, he quickly grew frustrated with the lack of support that existed for first-time homebuyers. So Liu, who had worked as a trader before moving to Better.com, said he "put everything into finding a solution," using the downpayment for his first home to start a business.

Liu created Foyer, a "401(k) for homeownership" that uses an FDIC-insured downpayment account, credit-building tools, and structured guidance. Users can open a Foyer downpayment account with a 3.58% APY, optimize their credit profile, shop lenders for the best rate, and identify homebuyer assistance programs.

At Foyer, Liu, 32, has helped first-time homebuyers transact on nearly $100 million in home sales and has brought on over 20,000 users. This year, Foyer signed its first Fortune 500 company as a partner and built out corporate benefits for its employees. Foyer has generated traction among groups that have historically been disenfranchised in the housing market, including lower-income buyers.

"My hope is that eventually first-time homeownership becomes a tax-advantaged benefit like retirement accounts, so that the dream of owning a home doesn't feel so out of reach to the average American," Liu said.

Ruben Marin, 27

Ruben Marin isn't even 30 yet, but he's already made a name for himself as one of the highest-volume agents in the CENTURY 21 Circle network. Over the past year, he closed over $6 million in sales volume and grew his number of closed units by 411%, all while maintaining a 99% closed-to-list-price ratio.

When he's not helping clients buy and sell homes, Marin is giving back to his real estate community. For the past four years, he has served as marketing director for his local chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), where he helps bring the organization's events to life and leads the chapter's social media and public relations efforts.

Katherine McGrath, 27

Katherine McGrath went from intern to strategic director at government relations firm Kasirer after starting there while in college at Fordham University.

Six years later, she's in charge of land use projects in New York City, like a mixed-use redevelopment in downtown Brooklyn bringing more than 1,200 housing units.

"This was the client's first large-scale rezoning, so I was very proud to lead the political and community engagement strategy, coordinating closely with City Hall, HPD and other agencies, and local leadership to build consensus and move the project forward," McGrath, 27, told Business Insider.

She's also helping develop the next generation as a co-coordinator of Kasirer's internship program.

Cordelia Meserow, 35

Cordelia Meserow believes in the power of a good connection.

The 35-year-old vice president of asset management at Harbor Group International said good relationships have been critical as she's climbed the ranks in real estate. For her, the line between friends from work and friends outside of work is "blurred," she said.

It's one ingredient that has helped establish Meserow in New York's sprawling office market. Earlier in her career, she was involved in a partnership to sell the 477 Madison Avenue building in New York, which was closed in about six weeks. This year, she also played a role in leasing 51W52, the $760 million skyscraper and former CBS headquarters, in two long-term multi-floor deals.

Meserow began her career working as an analyst at Eastdil Secured, with a focus on office investment sales. Later, she entered the asset management side of the business at Shorenstein Properties before eventually moving to Harbor.

She advises younger people looking to enter real estate to explore different sides of the job, from dealmaking to brokering to working on the capital markets side of the business.

"You get so much exposure to different investors and capital structures, while learning underwriting fundamentals. You also forge relationships with both clients and colleagues, some of whom become life-long friends and mentors," she said.

Kate Mooney, 30

Kate Mooney began her career in commercial real estate underwriting at WSFS Bank before moving to EQT's real estate practice. In 2025, she joined Alterra IOS, a real estate company that invests in and manages industrial outdoor storage properties across North America.

As a senior associate in capital markets, Mooney, 30, works with global banks, debt funds, and institutional lenders to source, underwrite, and execute deals. She supports more than $2 billion in debt financing and has helped facilitate more than $997 million in transactions.

Over the past year, she has helped lead several of the company's largest deals, including a $400 million refinancing led by Truist and KeyBank, a $244 million loan from Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies, a $103 million facility from PGIM, and Blue Owl Capital's inaugural $150 million loan facility in industrial outdoor storage.

Mooney said the key to her success has been in building strong relationships.

"Real estate is a relationship-driven industry, and being someone others can trust and rely on goes a long way," she said.

Dominic Parikh, 35

Having access to capital can help an entrepreneur grow their business. But for real estate agents who rely on commission-based income, getting that funding is sometimes easier said than done.

Dominic Parikh joined Real, now part of Real REMAX Group, in 2025 to tackle that challenge. In less than a year, he led the creation and launch of Real Wallet Capital, a digital lending solution that considers an agent's business performance rather than relying solely on traditional metrics, such as personal credit scores. Since its launch, the company said it has provided more than $25 million in funding to over 1,700 agents.

"I entered fintech when it was still a new industry, then moved from SMB lending into real estate. Each time, I challenged myself to learn, adapt, and start fresh," Parikh told Business Insider. "I've always tried to stay curious, take the best from every experience, and use it to keep growing. Looking back, I'm proud that I've never let the fear of the unknown stop me from moving forward."

Steven Rivera, 35

Down the street from where his children began school, Steven Rivera, 35, opened the flagship location of his family-run real estate company Team Rivera at Keller Williams Points North. Rivera, whose brokerage operates along the North Shore of Long Island, began investing in real estate over a decade ago and earned his license in 2018. He began the business with his mother, Rosemary, and has grown it to cover much of Long Island and Southwest Florida.

Rivera, whose team landed a $10 million waterfront sale this fall and has closed nearly 100 transactions, has kept pace with emerging technology by building an AI-powered back office that handles paperwork, scheduling, and follow-ups.

"As a younger agent, I do not try to win on years in the business," Rivera said. "I win on responsiveness, transparency, and a level of service clients do not expect: High-tech back office, handshake front office."

Jared Sheiker, 33

At 24 years old, Jared Sheiker was tasked with a $1.3 billion portfolio sale at the firm he had recently joined, Oak Street Real Estate Capital.

"The process was far from smooth," Sheiker told Business Insider. "I made plenty of mistakes, came close to quitting more than once, and dealt with countless setbacks, including the buyer's financing falling through at a critical stage."

The deal eventually got done, and the experience gave him the tenacity he needed to progress into a managing director and chief of staff at Blue Owl Capital.

Now 33, Sheiker has continued to be a part of large deals in 2026, including a $2.4 billion take-private acquisition of the real estate investment trust Sila Realty Trust.

Selin Sonmez, 32

Serial entrepreneur Selin Sonmez founded a company that stores luggage in local shops and one that helps neighbors connect and build community. So when she noticed that a lot of her users were subletting, she founded another company in 2025: Snag, which aims to make the subletting process easier for renters.

"We built Snag to bring trust, speed, and infrastructure to the new consumer culture," Sonmez, 32, told Business Insider. "What compelled each move in my career is the instinct to disrupt traditional industries."

Her disruption landed Snag $4 million during its seed round in September.

While funding is great, Sonmez said she's more proud of helping users.

"I was proudest when a Snag user we interviewed on 76th Street told us he found a place on Snag in less than a day, faster than on any other platform he'd tried," she said. "He had a huge smile."

James Williams Jr., 35

James Williams Jr., 35, became one of the youngest-ever shareholders in the real estate group at the law firm Gunster, focusing mainly on land use and zoning. Over the last year and a half, Williams has generated close to half a million dollars monthly through his book of business, spanning major developers, homebuilders, and retailers.

He's led teams including attorneys, planners, architects, traffic consultants, and economists through public hearings and final approvals. His clients include Lithia Motors, the US's largest automotive retailer by revenue, and Greystar, the country's largest apartment manager.

"At this stage of my career, being responsible not only for the legal work, but also for developing those client relationships, assembling the right teams, and shaping the strategy is what makes the accomplishment meaningful to me," Williams said.

Williams has led entitlement efforts for Greystar on the redevelopment of a 25-acre portion of the Miami International Mall to permit up to 896 multifamily units. He has also spearheaded entitlements on a proposed 3.65 million-square-foot industrial hub across 238 acres in Miami-Dade County, as well as secured approval for a 21-story mixed-use building under Florida's Live Local Act. Williams has further secured approvals for a church campus and two charter school campuses.

"Simply put, James is not merely participating in South Florida's real estate market," said H. William Perry, CEO and managing shareholder at Gunster. "James is helping determine what gets built, how the region's most difficult projects move forward, and how the next generation of real estate professionals learns to lead."

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