The 1031 exchange business is off 75 percent from 2006, but that didn't stop Vincent Andreuccetti and Ryan Auer from forming Mission Valley-based Pacific Capital Exchange Inc. about eight months ago.
"That market was destroyed and it gave us an opportunity," Andreuccetti said.
Auer and Andreuccetti said Pacific Capital has already handled about 200 exchanges, and the firm expects to triple or quadruple that figure in 2010.
"There hasn't been a slow day since we started ..." Auer said. "And we can offer our services nationwide."