Sean Erez

Early life

Sean Erez was born in Canada and grew up with an innate appreciation for elegant design, genuine functionality, and business innovation. These core interests would eventually shape his work across the industries of both online retail fashion sales and urban property development.

Career

Upon founding Shop Under in 2012, Sean Erez deliberately set out to make designer fashion more accessible to global shoppers from all walks of life and income levels. Soon after its debut, the Montreal-based e-commerce company gained international attention by offering luxury fashion items—like accessories and apparel from Gucci, Tom Ford, and Prada—at competitive prices. Shop Under also incorporated ZeeApparel, a youth-oriented and fashion-forward streetwear and activewear brand, into its business family. ZeeApparel has since developed a loyal following with the clothing-buying public in the United Kingdom.

After achieving quick and sustained success in the realm of e-commerce, Erez made a conscious decision to branch out into new business areas. Taking stock of the increasingly strained residential landscape of the mid-2010s and early 2020s, he noticed a growing demand for housing, specifically in his home country of Canada, and shifted his focus accordingly.

Within the real estate sphere, he concentrates on building and managing multi-residential units, seeing them as the most practical answer to the growing Canadian housing crisis. As a developer, he now owns and operates a large number of high-end rental properties throughout the city of Montreal. These properties are known for their pleasing, modern design, high-quality building materials, and tenant-first management principles.

Speaking with Exeleon Magazine, Sean Erez related his decision-making process for determining where to locate his new developments. “I look for neighbourhoods that have strong fundamentals, like access to transit, green spaces, and community. I also think about where there’s potential to add value. Whether that means reconstructing what’s already there or starting from scratch, the goal is to build something that makes the neighbourhood better and meets a genuine demand.”

Erez’s approach to development is different from many of his peers in the industry. He begins by envisioning the people who will live in the buildings and considering their needs and desires—details like light, layout, and comfort. He also puts a premium on sustainability, as well as long-term livability, and smart use of space.

In his interview in Exeleon Magazine, “Sustainability is a central part of all of our decisions, from the materials we’re using to the energy efficiency of the buildings. We collaborate with area tradespeople who believe in the same things we do. We think long-term in everything we do. We want to build long-term value and long-term environmental integrity into all of our properties.”