Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryce Ocepek.
Hi Bryce, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I got my real estate license at 19 because I was obsessed with the game of Monopoly—and the idea that you could play it in real life. I cut my teeth at Berkshire Hathaway as a licensed assistant learning how to create marketing campaigns. From there, I went solo at Pineywoods Realty and began to actually produce on my own,. Then, I moved to EquityPro after I graduated college, where I focused on investment property. By 23, I’d transacted more than $15M in investment real estate, including 100+ multifamily units and 120+ self-storage units. Those early years taught me how to underwrite quickly, negotiate creatively, and—most importantly—deliver for clients.
In 2022, my dad, Mark (a U.S. Navy Veteran and Nassau County SWAT Officer), and I took the leap and co-founded Anabasis Realty, LLC in Downtown Jacksonville. We started boutique-style: a lean team with high standards, and a heavy emphasis on systems. Within two years we grew to a dozen independent sales agents. In December 2024, we franchised with Coldwell Banker—launching both Coldwell Banker Anabasis Realty (residential) and Coldwell Banker Commercial Anabasis Realty—to bring global brand power to our local execution.
Parallel to the brokerage, we’d been investing and operating our portfolio. Through Anabasis Real Estate Investment Trust, LLC (REIT), which my dad and I co-founded, we targeted distressed and value-add opportunities across multifamily, self-storage, and single family—managing an eight-figure portfolio while staying nimble. That owner/operator lens helps us coach clients and agents with real life situations.
We opened our Baker County office in March of 2025 to serve greater Northeast Florida with a “client-first, agent-powered” model. From there, we cover everything from first time home buyers to complex investment and commercial assets. At the core of our growth is a simple belief: technology should amplify the human touch, not replace it. I’m hands-on with automation, analytics, and AI-driven lead systems so our agents can spend more time advising and less time clicking. That operational backbone is a big reason we affiliated under Coldwell Banker’s Inclusive Ownership program—alignment on building a modern, diverse brokerage that mirrors the communities we serve.
A major inflection point was earning our Zillow Flex partnership—an invite-only, performance-based program Zillow reserves for top converting teams. I fought hard to secure it by ranking among the top 1% of Zillow Premier Agent Partners in the nation. Flex matters because it compounds: the better we serve customers, the more the program rewards our team with leads and opportunities.
Franchising and earning a Zillow Flex contract were huge milestones, but the work is day-to-day: recruiting the right people, raising the bar on service, and giving agents unfair advantages with systems and mentorship. We’ve built playbooks for residential and commercial producers, added in-house training for investment analysis, and implemented tech that shortens the path from lead → relationship → closing. My north star is to make Coldwell Banker Anabasis a household name in Northeast Florida for both consumers and top-of-market talent.
A few moments that meant a lot to me personally: I was recognized by Coldwell Banker as part of the 30 Under 30 Class of 2025; I was also named one of Coldwell Banker’s five global finalists for AI Innovator of the Year—recognized for the systems I built to automate client updates, tighten agent accountability, and compress time from lead → relationship → closing. It’s not “tech for tech’s sake”; it’s practical automation that lets agents be more present with clients.
Where we’re headed next: we’re doubling down on Northeast Florida while building a cross-border footprint into Southeast Georgia, expanding our commercial services, and continuing to integrate mortgage partnerships to simplify the client experience. The vision is a vertically integrated, tech-enabled real estate platform that pairs world-class service with investment-grade rigor—from first showing to long-term portfolio strategy.
As previously mentioned, we’ve integrated the financing piece as well. Our affiliated mortgage company, Centennial Mortgage Alliance—partnered with Dustin Hodges (NMLS #269783)—gives clients a competitive edge on speed and pricing while giving our listing agents meaningful advantages (think: stronger pre-approvals, tighter timelines, and marketing leverage around preferred rate options where compliant). The company is active in Florida with a 2024 filing and an established loan-officer presence.
What I’m Building (and Who Should Reach Out)
An Agent Platform with unfair advantages. We combine Zillow Flex connections, AI-driven CRM workflows, a vertically integrated edge, and hands-on coaching with the #1 rated marketing brand in Real Estate 12 years running — so agents can focus on high-value conversations—not busywork. If you’re hungry, coachable, and ready to scale, you’ll thrive here.
If there’s a through-line to my journey, it’s momentum: start early, iterate fast, and keep your promises to yourself and your clients. The snowball effect is real. Northeast Florida raised me; Anabasis is how I give back—one client, one agent, and one transaction at a time. And if you’re an agent who wants top-tier opportunities, modern systems, and real mentorship, my door is open.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Has it been a smooth road?
Definitely not—and I’m grateful for that. The hard days are where we built the muscle.
Implementing management and delegating was the first battle. In the beginning, I tried to do everything—recruiting, sales, training, operations. The business leveled up when I delegated real authority to leaders, gave them scoreboards, and got out of the way.
Getting busy agents to change habits, tag consistently, and update stages in real time took relentless coaching, custom dashboards, and a lot of “inspect what you expect.” It’s not glamorous, but it’s why our follow-through feels different today.
Winning—and keeping—Zillow Flex hasn’t been easy. Flex is performance-based. We’ve had weeks where answer rates dipped, iOS settings or Wi-Fi calling throttled connections, and early reps treated the first showing like the finish line. We rebuilt the playbook: speed-to-lead, 14–17 touch automated nurture campaigns, value-first showings, and post-tour follow-ups that convert. The reward is a compounding pipeline—but it was earned, not handed to us.
I made early hires that weren’t culture fits. We corrected by raising the bar, adding mentorship tiers, and being crystal clear about expectations (activity, office presence, training). When necessary, we reassigned responsibilities and tightened feedback loops. The right people accelerated; the wrong fits self-selected out.
Moving to a national brand while expanding services meant more process, more paperwork, and higher scrutiny. Add an affiliated mortgage partnership and you have RESPA guardrails, disclosures, and training to get perfect every time. We invested in checklists and cross-team SOPs so agents can move fast without crossing lines.
Opening offices, marketing, and carrying growth while deals are still maturing is a juggle. We learned to forecast like operators—protect margins, negotiate vendor terms, and focus on specific and measurable indicators, not hope.
What has kept us moving is a simple rule: improvise, adapt and overcome. Every struggle forced a system, a standard operating procedure, or a new hire that has made us better. If you’re an agent reading this: the road isn’t smooth here either—but it’s paved with opportunity, support, and a playbook that works if you do.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Coldwell Banker Anabasis Realty?
About Coldwell Banker Anabasis Realty (and why we’re different)
What we do.
We’re a full-service, tech-enabled real estate company serving Northeast Florida (and expanding into Southeast Georgia) across residential, investment, and commercial. Under the Coldwell Banker® banner, we operate both Coldwell Banker Anabasis Realty (residential) and Coldwell Banker Commercial Anabasis Realty (commercial).
Specialties / What we’re known for.
– Zillow Flex partner: A performance-based, invite-only pipeline that delivers qualified, live connections to our agents—because we’ve proven we convert and serve customers at a high level.
– Investor-operator lens: We advise like owners. My team and I actively analyze returns, financing structures, and value-add strategies, so buyers and sellers get numbers-driven guidance—not just marketing speak.
– Commercial competence: From hospitality and mixed-use to small industrial and land, we bring deal structure, underwriting, and go-to-market strategy to the table.
– AI-powered execution: I was named a Top-5 AI Innovator (Coldwell Banker, 2025) for building practical systems—automated client updates, accountability dashboards, and speed-to-lead playbooks that compress time from inquiry → relationship → closing.
– Integrated mortgage experience: Our affiliated mortgage company, Centennial Mortgage Alliance (partner: Dustin Hodges), gives clients an edge on clarity, speed, and pricing—and gives our listing agents real leverage with stronger pre-approvals and timeline control (always RESPA-compliant).
What sets us apart.
– Operational playbooks, not slogans. Agents don’t guess here; they execute proven workflows (lead handling, follow-up cadences, staging/price strategy, deal management) that have been tested and iterated.
– Human + tech balance. We use multiple AI integrated CRM systems and in-house automations to remove busywork so our pros can do the human work: advising, negotiating, and closing.
– Culture of coaching. Clear expectations, real mentorship, and data-visible results. Newer agents get a step-by-step path; top producers get leverage and scale.
– Local roots, regional reach. We planted our flag in Baker County but cover clients across Duval, Nassau, St. Johns and Clay Counties all through Jacksonville and the Beaches—community-first, results-obsessed.
Brand pride.
Our brand promise is simple: “Live Well with Coldwell.” To us, that means pairing the trust of a global brand with the intensity and care of a boutique. I’m proud that people describe us as relentlessly reliable—we answer fast, communicate clearly, and keep our word. Recognition like Zillow Flex and CB Top-5 AI Innovator is great; the real trophy is clients and agents who stay with us for their second, third, and fourth transactions.
Offerings & services (for consumers and agents):
– Residential sales & luxury marketing (creative launch plans, social + syndication, concierge vendor network).
– Commercial sales & leasing (valuation, underwriting, capital stack strategy, targeted buyer outreach).
– Investment advisory (buy-box creation, yield modeling, 1031 strategy, portfolio optimization).
– Affiliated mortgage via Centennial Mortgage Alliance (pre-approval strategy, rate/program options, timeline coordination).
– Property management startup function (for select owners and as a support to our investor clients).
– Agent platform (Zillow Flex lead flow, AI-enhanced CRM, one-on-one coaching, team-lead mentorship, and a clear path to higher production).
What I want readers to know.
If you’re a buyer or seller, you’ll feel the difference in our responsiveness, preparation, and negotiation. If you’re an agent who’s hungry to grow, we built a platform with real advantages—quality live connections, modern systems that actually help, and leaders who are in the trenches with you. We’re building a vertically integrated, tech-forward company on a very old-school foundation: do the right thing, do it fast, and do it well.
If that sounds like your kind of team—or the experience you want for your next move—reach out.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Where is real estate headed in the next 5–10 years?
1) Compensation & consumer transparency go mainstream.
Buyer-broker agreements, clearer value articulation, and upfront service menus become the norm. Agents who can quantify their impact (pricing strategy, negotiation deltas, days-to-close saved) win. We’ve already retrained our team around value-based conversations and written service scopes.
2) Portals → Platforms.
Lead sources keep shifting from simple ad portals to full-funnel platforms (instant connections, financing, touring, closing). Performance contracts like Zillow Flex expand, rewarding conversion and customer satisfaction—not spend. Our ops are built for this world: speed-to-lead, deep nurture, and measurable outcomes.
3) AI becomes necessary (and invisible).
Agents won’t “use AI”; their CRM, phones, and email will quietly do it—summarizing calls, auto-drafting follow-ups, flagging at-risk deals, and recommending next best actions. The differentiator won’t be access, it’ll be implementation. Our Top-5 CB AI recognition came from deploying practical automations that shorten the path from inquiry → relationship → closing.
4) Integrated transactions.
Consumers will expect a single, coordinated experience across search, lending, insurance, and closing—fewer hand-offs, tighter timelines. Brokerages with vertically integrated services will have a real edge on certainty and speed. That’s why we built Centennial Mortgage Alliance into our workflow: stronger pre-approvals, cleaner timelines, and better listing leverage – and we will look at potential partnerships in the Title and Insurance realms for the future.
5) Data-driven pricing & smarter listing launches.
Pricing will lean more on micro-market velocity data (absorption at each price band, days-to-offer curves, showing-per-contract ratios). Listing plans will look like product launches—staged “drops,” audience retargeting, and rapid price/terms adjustments in week one. We’ve already templated these playbooks.
6) Investor-style thinking for regular consumers.
With rates/affordability cycles, more buyers will think like investors: house-hack, ADUs, seller credits to buydown, assumables, and long-term hold math. Agents who can underwrite and structure deals (not just “sell houses”) will stand out. This is a core part of our training.
7) Compliance, privacy, and professionalism will tighten.
From advertising disclosures on AI use to the recent NAR lawsuit disclosing commissions, the bar will continue to rise. Teams that prioritize compliance—checklists, QC, documented workflows—will move faster, not slower. We treat compliance as a product feature, not paperwork.
8) Local trust + regional scale.
Consumers still choose people—but those people will be backed by regional infrastructure: shared ops, marketing studios, and training. Our play is exactly that: boutique care on the surface, enterprise systems underneath.
9) Talent concentrates with operators.
As the market professionalizes, agents will migrate toward platforms that supply opportunity (live connections), proven systems, and real coaching. That’s where we live: Flex pipeline, AI-powered CRM, and mentorship that turns effort into outcomes.
Bottom line: The next decade rewards operators—teams that combine human guidance with tech-driven execution and integrated services. That’s the road we’re on at Coldwell Banker Anabasis: transparent value, platform partnerships, practical AI, and a client experience that feels coordinated end-to-end.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.anabasisrealty.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coldwellbanker_anabasisrealty/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anabasisrealty
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/anabasisrealty
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BrokerBryceOfficial
- Other: https://www.zillow.com/profile/anabasisrealty
