From the outside, SRG Residential LLC’s rise might look like an overnight success story: a sleek Syosset headquarters, top-producing agents, and a growing footprint across Long Island’s most competitive markets. But for co-founders David Cohen and Jared Sarney, the company’s growth is rooted in years of lived experience, parallel career pivots, and a shared belief that real estate works best when expertise, transparency, and community come first.
Founded in 2023, SRG Residential LLC emerged at the intersection of two very different professional paths that ultimately converged on the same conclusion: the Long Island real estate market needed a more hands-on, honest, and construction-savvy approach. For Cohen, the spark came during a decade-long career in commercial real estate in New York City. While still working in the city, he began searching for his own home on Long Island just before the pandemic — a process that planted the seed for something bigger.
“After more than a decade in commercial real estate in New York City, I started looking for my own home on Long Island in late 2019,” Cohen says. “Going through that process made me realize there was room for a more hands-on, relatable approach for buyers like us, and that idea stayed with me.”
When COVID hit, the commercial real estate world stalled, but the suburban housing market surged. Cohen recognized the moment immediately.
“When the city slowed down, it became pretty clear that a lot of people I knew were ready to leave and come back to Long Island,” he says. What followed was a leap of faith. Cohen accelerated his licensing process, started working deals, and partnered with longtime contacts Sam and Jared Sarney. For two years, he balanced brokerage work with his corporate job before making the move full time.
“Eventually, the business grew to a point where it needed my full focus, and that’s when I made the jump full time,” Cohen says.
Sarney’s journey into real estate followed a very different trajectory, one that began in the travel industry and unexpectedly led him into construction.
“I was working in the travel industry before COVID, and I could see it was time to make a change,” Sarney says.
That career change started at home. After buying his parents’ house and enduring a frustrating renovation experience, Sarney stepped in as his own general contractor. The pattern repeated when he built his next home. Then, something clicked.
“I ended up taking over as the general contractor, and that experience completely changed things for me,” he says. “I really connected with the construction side of real estate.”
From there, Sarney began flipping homes, obtained his real estate license to manage his own transactions, and soon found himself fielding calls from friends, family, and referrals. What started as a practical move quickly snowballed into a full-scale brokerage career.
By early 2023, Cohen and Sarney, both operating under Samuel Realty Group, recognized they were already functioning as a Long Island-focused powerhouse. Rather than joining a major national brokerage, they chose to build something of their own.
“We wanted our own space and the ability to build something that really reflected how we work,” Sarney says.
They purchased and fully renovated their Syosset office, opening the doors on Aug. 8, 2023, Cohen’s birthday.
From day one, SRG Residential differentiated itself through a high-touch, construction-informed model that benefits both buyers and sellers. With extensive renovation experience, Cohen and Sarney are able to provide real-time insight that many agents simply cannot.
“When we tour a home with clients, we’re able to talk through renovations and costs in real time,” Cohen explains. “That practical understanding of how houses work really separates us from a traditional sales approach.”
Sarney adds that this expertise is equally powerful on the seller side.
“We also have a strong visual understanding from past projects and a clear sense of what renovations typically cost,” he says.
“That clarity helps buyers feel more confident in what they can offer, which often leads to stronger outcomes for sellers as well.”
At the heart of SRG’s growth is a philosophy that prioritizes honesty over quick wins, a stance that sometimes surprises clients.
“We want our clients to feel confident in their decisions, not rushed into them,” Sarney says. “The goal is for people to feel good about their choice long after the transaction is complete.”
Cohen echoes that sentiment, pointing to transparency as the company’s cornerstone.
“We try to be very straightforward with people,” he says. “Educating clients and sharing our honest perspective builds trust, and that goes a long way.”
Despite competing with national brands boasting massive marketing budgets, SRG has carved out a dominant position in several key markets.
For more information visit srg-residential.com
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