J
ay Soneff, a Denver‑based commercial broker, grew weary of the steep fees his former marketing partner demanded—over $600 a month and a three‑year contract with harsh penalties. Feeling the pressure was extortionate, he decided to build a rival platform to CoStar, LoopNet, and Crexi.
He launched Commercial Co‑Op in 2022, first testing it in Grand Junction before expanding to Denver a year and a half later. Soneff, who runs Jamis Cos., a local brokerage, investment, and management firm, invested $2 million into the venture. He claims the site matches or exceeds competitors’ capabilities for a fraction of the cost.
“Our platform is agile, adaptable, and intuitive,” he says. “We’re adding new features in spring that will make it even more compelling.” Commercial Co‑Op offers property listings, marketing tools, messaging between sellers and agents, comparable sales data, and financial analysis for $150 a month. By comparison, LoopNet’s most basic plan starts at $153 but lacks the research tools found on CoStar, and its premium tier costs $1,100 a month.
Soneff notes that technology is the biggest expense for many commercial firms—often surpassing rent and facility costs—making the high prices understandable but still burdensome. “I can’t explain why they charge so much,” he admits.
The company’s founding team includes broker Amy Garris, long‑time admin Marsha Laurienti, and Soneff’s daughter Jaclyn, who handles marketing. Isaiah Mayfield serves as a full‑time salesperson, while a small coding team in Pakistan supports development. Commercial Co‑Op currently serves 700 users and hosts 7,000 listings statewide, with about 3,700 properties listed for sale or lease in Denver alone.
The platform’s built‑in messaging system facilitates communication among agents and sellers. Soneff’s early success came in the Western Slope, a region with a smaller, fax‑dependent real‑estate community that is reluctant to pay for expensive tech. “We’re entrenched there,” he says. “Our plan is to move down the mountain—Pitkin, Garfield, then Denver—because the platform works well for less connected markets.”
Looking ahead, the focus is on the Denver metro. The company has already attracted small, one‑ or two‑person shops and aims to partner with mid‑size firms to accelerate growth and secure outside funding by next spring. “Partnering with midsize firms would help us scale faster and reach our funding goal,” Soneff explains.
On the residential side, Soneff notes that the MLS site REcolorado charges agents $60 a month. He is also on the board of a new General Improvement District in the Ballpark area, where he owns several properties. He plans to target similar submarkets across the city to boost listings.
“Commercial Co‑Op was built from the idea that existing platforms don’t work for many agents,” says Laurienti. “We designed it to make an agent’s life easier and affordable.”
