There is no underestimating the importance of market data in real estate. It is the lens through which individual commercial real estate decisions come into focus and provides the context needed to turn those transactions into useful intelligence.

While NAI Ohio Equities has deep market knowledge across the firm, developed through the firsthand experience of our agents, having access to a centralized database, with the most relevant data sets, has been an ongoing priority.

“We have long recognized the value that strong data and thoughtful research bring to our clients and our brokerage team. Creating a dedicated position reflects our commitment to expanding that capability and making market intelligence an even more integral part of how we identify opportunities, guide decisions and serve our clients,” said Executive Managing Director, Matt Gregory.

That’s where Brian Irwin comes in.

As our Director of Market Research, Irwin brings nearly two decades of commercial real estate experience spanning market research, brokerage, property management and operations. In this new role, he will spearhead our firm’s market research initiatives, delivering data-driven insights that will inform strategic real estate decisions.

“By building an in-house database of properties that meaningfully influence the market, our agents will conduct localized research and develop solutions that are more closely aligned with each client’s unique needs,” said Irwin.

That centralized market data will complement the firsthand experience of our brokers, providing a consistent research resource across the firm, and expanding both the depth and specificity of the market intelligence NAI Ohio Equities provides.

As Irwin explained, “Broad market statistics only tell part of the story unless they’re supported by meaningful data. Every transaction has a story to tell, and it’s our job to understand the details, the context, and why they matter.”

Over time, Irwin sees the research platform growing to include deeper property details, verified ownership information, tenant data and emerging market trends.

For property owners and investors, that could mean greater context around competitive positioning, pricing and transaction activity. For occupiers, it could provide another layer of intelligence when evaluating locations, lease economics and long-term real estate plans.

Irwin brings a perspective shaped by experience in multiple areas of the industry. Most recently, he served as Director of Market Research for Columbus REALTORS®, where he led housing and commercial market research, managed the CREXi and Moody’s Analytics databases and delivered market intelligence to industry professionals.

Earlier in his career, Irwin worked in commercial brokerage, commercial real estate database management, and gained experience in property management and operations. He has maintained longstanding involvement in the Columbus commercial real estate community, including serving as a past chair and board member of the Central Ohio Commercial Information Exchange (COCIE). He remains active with the Ohio Commercial Real Estate Exchangors (OCREE) and Columbus Commercial Industrial Investment Realtors® (CCIIR).

“Brian possesses exactly the combination of skills we envisioned for this role. His background in data and research, firsthand understanding of brokerage, and ability to communicate complex information in a clear and practical way make him uniquely qualified to turn market intelligence into meaningful insights. Just as importantly, his personality and collaborative approach make him an ideal fit for our culture,” noted Gregory.

That combination of expertise is what will help us build a research function around the real-world needs of our professionals and clients.

By bringing research in-house, we have an opportunity to make market information more consistent and accessible, expand the intelligence we provide and give our professionals additional tools to apply their expertise to increasingly complex client questions.