About
More ways to get where you want to go.
Highest Use Commercial is a creative California commercial real estate brokerage operating as Ross M. Budrakey, California Real Estate Broker, DRE #01981449. We don't start with a predetermined way to do the deal. A conventional transaction may be exactly right; another approach may better fit the client's objective. We explore the options without making a deal creative for creativity's sake.
Ross M. Budrakey
California Real Estate Broker · DRE #01981449
Since 1998, Ross has worked across real estate and financing, including mortgage lending, commercial brokerage, California syndications, seller financing, notes, 1031 exchanges, and property repositioning. His experience includes participation at varying levels in 17 California LLC and syndication investment entities, with active participation in three, as well as long involvement with the Thousand Oaks Boulevard specific-plan process. That range helps him consider who might value an asset, how to position it, and which transaction paths deserve discussion. Ross leads the licensed brokerage relationship.
Neil G. Socquet
Strategic Advisor
Neil's background centers on multifamily and affordable housing, particularly LIHTC tax-credit equity and syndication, alongside structured finance, acquisitions, and asset management. He spent nine years at AIG SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners/SunAmerica and founded IFG Capital, a LIHTC syndication firm. His career experience has involved more than $4 billion in U.S. real estate investments. As Strategic Advisor, he brings an institutional lens to possibilities that may warrant review by qualified financial, legal, and tax professionals.
Ed Hale
Strategic Advisor · Fido Parry
Ed focuses on front-end commercial real estate development, including deal consultation, feasibility, due diligence, and discretionary entitlements. His perspective can help owners examine potential value and buyers investigate what a property may realistically allow before committing. He advises on development questions; he is not the broker, an architect, engineer, attorney, or government approval authority.
Why work with us
Start with the outcome. Then choose the path.
Their complementary perspectives and relationships with more than 1,000 investors, owners, operators, and buyers can help HUC look beyond simply listing or locating a building. That number describes relationships, not 1,000 active buyers or guaranteed access to a particular party. Depending on the asset and your goals, we may consider a conventional transaction, a different buyer audience, alternative positioning, seller participation or financing, an exchange consideration, separating an operating business from its real estate, or an assemblage. Some options will not fit.
The objective isn't to make the transaction creative. It's to find the structure that best serves the client. Being deliberately small and nimble lets us give individual situations attention and flexibility.
Where we work
We are based in the Conejo Valley and work with commercial property owners across Ventura County, the western San Fernando Valley, and the greater Los Angeles area, and with owners elsewhere in California where the opportunity fits what we do.
- Thousand Oaks
- Westlake Village
- Agoura Hills
- Simi Valley
- Camarillo
- Conejo Valley
- Eastern Ventura County
- Western San Fernando Valley
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM PT. Closed and Closed.
How we work with you
Start with a conversation about what you are trying to accomplish. For an owner, a complimentary highest-use review may clarify whether opportunity-focused marketing would help. For a buyer, we can learn your criteria and look proactively for a fit, then help frame what should be investigated about intended use, feasibility, timing, and contingencies before a major commitment. If the straightforward path makes more sense, we will say so.
Highest Use Commercial is a real estate brokerage. We are not architects, engineers, contractors, land-use attorneys, entitlement consultants, or an approval authority, and we do not provide legal, architectural, engineering, environmental, accounting, or tax advice. All concepts we discuss are subject to zoning, entitlement, architectural, engineering, environmental, financial, and governmental review.