EXCLUSIVE: ‘The Real Estate Commission’ Star Reveals How Anyone Can Earn a Fortune From the ‘Trillion Dollar Industry’ of Commercial Property

Commercial real estate broker Todd J. Drowlette knows what it takes to close more than $2 billion in deals on properties used by some of the world’s biggest businesses, including Dunkin’ and Starbucks.

Now, he’s sharing his tips for how others can claim a piece of the “trillion dollar” commercial real estate pie on his new A&E show, “The Real Estate Commission.”

The 44-year-old founder of TITAN Commercial Realty Group, who is based in Albany, NY, has worked in the commercial real estate industry for more than two decades and invests in it himself.

“I represent some of the country’s biggest companies [and] I’ve done over 1,700 deals,” says Drowlette. “When I was 22, I was the youngest exclusive Starbucks broker in the country. I found the locations, analyzed the sites, and negotiated the deals. 

“I currently represent a large Dunkin’ franchisee, label shopper Peter Harris [Clothes]—they're like a T.J. Maxx [and] they have 80 stores that I've represented in the last 20 years—Hertz Corporation, Enterprise, I can name a ton of retailers that I've done deals with and do deals with regularly,” he adds. 

“I own office buildings. I owned a portfolio of trailer parks, which was very lucrative. Right now, a big project I'm doing is up in the North Country. I have 100 acres of riverfront property where I'm doing a 250-lot subdivision of affordable housing. It's about a $40 million project.”

Ahead of his new unscripted series, which premieres on Oct. 11, Drowlette spoke to Realtor.com about his desire to familiarize viewers with commercial real estate, not only to broaden their perspective, but to inspire them to invest in what he believes is a "hidden" gold mine.

“Commercial real estate, it's a trillion dollar industry that's hidden in plain sight,” says Drowlette. “People use it every day. I go shopping. I go to the gas [station]. I'm at the office. I work from home, but I order stuff constantly from Amazon or Temu or whatever else, well, [that’s] using commercial real estate.

“Even though we're a much bigger volume than residential real estate, it's not something people are thinking about every day."

Drowlette understands why commercial transactions that come with "a lot of complexities" might make an investor hesitant to act.

"Commercial deals are very convoluted,” he says. “To just give you an instance, a typical house contract might be five pages. A commercial lease might be 80 pages.”

While buying, selling, or leasing buildings, land, and properties for commercial use can be complex, Drowlette encourages everyday investors to look past the process to see the real money-making potential.

“Commercial real estate is not scary,” he says. “It’s approachable; it's really for everyone. You're using it every day. You might as well invest in it.

“You can buy into commercial real estate in some markets for as low as $200,000, and commercial real estate, over time, is always going to outperform the market. Over time, it generally appreciates.

“People think it's intimidating,” he acknowledges before arguing, “It's not. The roof's not that much different than the roofs on your house. You have a hot water tank [that] isn't that much different than the hot water tank in your house.”

Drowlette’s best advice for entering the commercial real estate market is to “start small”—and take advantage of current deals.

“Commercial real estate doesn't have to be a huge investment,” he advises. “You can start with a couple hundred grand and get your feet wet. You can buy a two-tenant strip center for a couple hundred thousand dollars."

However, he says there is one key aspect that everyone must take into account when investing in property: its location.

“Pick something that's in a good location,” he cautions. “It might be a nail salon or hair salon, or you can buy a small office building because people are selling them across the country at fire sales. 

“If you're an owner-occupied business owner, that's a great first step into owning commercial real estate.”

Not only can investing in commercial opportunities be personally lucrative, they also have the power to reinvigorate local economies.

“If people care about their downtowns, you need to bring the office tenants back,” suggests Drowlette. “That helps the overall community and everybody else. Businesses and offices grow communities.”

That community-minded sentiment can be applied anywhere, according to Drowlette, who believes investors don’t have to limit themselves to looking in major metropolitan areas in order to improve their lot in life. 

“Most of the market isn't New York and LA,” he contends. “Most real estate transactions, whether commercial or residential, happen everywhere else in the country, and it really is possible for the average person to change their life investing in commercial real estate.”

"The Real Estate Commission” debuts Saturday, Oct. 11 at 9 a.m. on A&E.