Sperry Van Ness has an office in Bethesda and nearby Columbia, Casalena tells GlobeSt.com. It also recently joint ventured with a local firm on the Eastern Shore to better target that part of the state and the nearby perimeter of the Delmarva peninsula. This will be the company's first Downtown Baltimore office, however, he says. "Right now it is a very exciting market to be in; there is a lot of redevelopment going on in the city."

Casalena, who was vice president for Coldwell Banker Commercial, specializes in the sale of office and industrial properties. He is looking to add brokers that focus on multifamily and retail, among other asset classes.

The office will focus primarily on investment sales, but also handle office leasing and some retail leasing when the office is better established. "We see investment sales as our niche – we bring a lot of exposure to the market from outside investors. We also can, thanks to our national network, introduce local investors to opportunities elsewhere."