Dayton Business Journal: Dayton executive sells stake in brokerage, joins new real estate firm

(Click here to read the story in the Dayton Business Journal.)

Tom Kretz is Glasshouse Realty Group’s new vice president of commercial real estate. Kretz actively sells across all commercial asset classes and property types including retail, office, medical, industrial, restaurant, multi-family, hotel, development land and more.

After selling stake in Dayton’s second largest real estate brokerage, a well-known Dayton executive is moving on to help a fast-growing real estate firm continue its growth. 

Glasshouse Realty Group recently hired Tom Kretz, former Irongate Inc. Realtors executive vice president and partner, to the role of vice president of commercial real estate. Under Kretz’s leadership, the firm will jump start a new commercial division. 

Kretz joined Glasshouse after finalizing the sale of his co-ownership stake in Irongate Inc. Realtors. During his time with Irongate, Kretz developed and managed all aspects of the commercial division, growing the annual commercial real estate transaction volume by 1,500% in less than three years. 

During his time in commercial real estate with Berkshire Hathaway from 2009 to 2021, Kretz ranked No. 3 globally for top commercial agents in the Berkshire Hathaway Global CRE Network. He also holds several leadership positions across industry, and local and regional government, and serves on numerous boards, commissions and committees including Dayton Realtors. 

“We know Tom is the right leader at the right time for Glasshouse with his exceptional sales record and extensive service throughout our community,” said Kari Abitbol, vice president of communications and marketing for Glasshouse Realty Group.

Kretz officially started his role Aug. 5. 

Kretz said Glasshouse has the key ingredients for growth: customer and agent-centric, technology-driven, detail-focused, nimble, and energetic. He said he was attracted to the firm after watching the team “command more and more market share” while attracting talent and maintaining an “outstanding” reputation. 

“Being in this business for the past 15 years, coupled with 26 years of business ownership in industries ranging from real estate, distribution, manufacturing, self-storage, farming, development and more, I quickly recognized the untapped potential for Glasshouse to expand its business model into the commercial space,” Kretz said. “There’s something different here – and frankly, it’s exciting.”

Glasshouse Realty Group 

Revenue 2023: $5.9 million (11.5% average growth from 2020)

Sales volume 2023: $210 million (3.4% increase from 2022’s $203 million) 

Local real estate agents: 189 

Headquarters: 201 E. Sixth St., in the Armory building in downtown Dayton’s Oregon District 

Founded: 2019

Kretz will not join Glasshouse as a partner. After starting, acquiring, growing, and selling 10 businesses over the last 26 years, Kretz will work with and manage a broad book of his own commercial real estate brokerage business and clients while building, mentoring and growing a full-service team of commercial real estate agents. The exact number of new employees and agents to be brought on as part of the launch and its early growth has yet to be determined. 

“Tom is widely respected in the commercial real estate space, a successful industry leader, and known as a dealmaker and deal whisperer,” said Mo Zahedi, Glasshouse Realty Group co-founder and broker. “His development of a specialized commercial team – a team that will be set up for success from the start with access to modern tools, technology and marketing – will soon push Glasshouse into a new tier of sales volume.”