About
Why BIGHAT Real Estate? Click here to find out more.
I was born in Dublin, Ireland; my parents were U.S. citizens who were studying in Europe. My first experience with real estate was when my parents brought me home from the hospital to a cold-water flat. For the uninitiated, that’s an apartment with no running hot water. Creative brokers might spin that as “charming,” or “Bohemian,” but even as a three-day-old baby, I sensed how drearily second world it was.
In the post-Angela’s Ashes period, we returned to the U.S., where my father finished his medical training. We settled in Gloversville, NY, an idyllic place to spend a childhood. A poster child for the Rust Belt, Gloversville’s once-quaint downtown has been hobbled by the invasion of the Big Box stores. Richard Russo’s book, Mohawk, is based on Gloversville.
I went to college at Colgate in upstate New York and spent two years in Boston working as a clerk/paralegal for a large law firm. I went to law school at Lewis & Clark in Portland and later received Masters in Taxation degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
From 1994-1998, I was a lawyer at the National Association of Realtors (NAR). I absorbed a wealth of knowledge about real estate law, regulations, ethics, and transactions. I spent the bulk of my time providing content for NAR’s fledgling website, One Realtor Place, which educated brokers on a spectrum of legal issues. If it involved residential real estate transactions, we covered it.
From 1998 to 2000, I was an International Tax Consultant with Arthur Andersen, where I worked for clients including Sara Lee, Wells Fargo, Levi Strauss, Real Networks, and Microsoft. These business behemoths had an endless supply of tax and planning issues. A typical year would involve consulting on business and tax strategies, designing systems to streamline 1031 exchanges, and tracking cost recovery for real estate and other assets.
From 2001-2004, I owned Craftsman Homes, a general contracting company that restored period-style houses in the Irvington, Grant Park, Sabin, and Alberta Arts neighborhoods. As a contractor, I learned a lot of business and people-management skills. My wife used to kid me that I ran a day-care center for subcontractors. I still maintain my subcontractor list. It includes talented roofers, plumbers, electricians, and others who work in the BIGHAT neighborhoods.
Since 2003, I have been an active Oregon real estate broker. Prior to moving to M Realty LLC in early 2010, I worked for a mid-size franchise. I work in residential sales, investment real estate, small commercial leasing and sales, and real estate development. I have a national network of residential and commercial brokers, so referrals are simple and dependable. I also work with a variety of mortgage brokers and bankers. This allows my clients to find the right loan for them.
Personally, I enjoy sports, movies, reading, and spending time with my family. My wife, Sarah, is an accomplished writer who has had numerous articles published in the New York Times. She is a contributing editor for Shape Magazine and has co-authored two books (The Essential Breastfeeding Log and Run Like a Mother). Even with her busy schedule, Sarah still has time to be a dedicated wife, exercise junky, and mother to our three children.
I believe in giving back to the community. I spent two years as the president of the Northeast Indoor Park (NEIP), have been affiliated with the Irvington Home Tour since 2004 (on the IHT Board since 2009), and I coach a Laurelhurst Soccer Club team in the fall and spring.
My legal background, hands-on contracting experience, and work as a real estate broker give me a skill set that few other brokers possess. I would like to put these skills and attributes to work for you.
