INVEST WITH ASSURANCE
Multifamily Investment & asset management for the Puget Sound region
Debra is Principal and Co-Founder of Gordian Knot Investments LLC. With over forty years of professional practice in the combined fields of commercial real estate, architecture and law, she has worked on hundreds of millions of dollars of real estate projects. From 2010 to 2020, she was a founding partner at the real estate syndication firm of Ironridge Real Estate and specialized in acquisition and repositioning of value-add multifamily properties as well as funding property syndication, redevelopment, management and the dispositions on investment assets. She has served as a Professional Affiliate in both The American Institute of Architects and the American Institute of Certified Planners. She holds a law degree from the University of Puget Sound, was AV rated by Martindale Hubble and was listed in Seattle’s Best Lawyers.
Matt is Principal and Co-Founder of Gordian Knot Investments LLC. With over ten years of experience in real estate finance, he has worked on hundreds of millions of dollars of combined real estate transactions, investment executions, and debt/equity financing engagements. His previous experience includes asset valuation, joint venture equity financing and residual land valuation analysis at Moran and Company, as well as serving as financial controller for several PNW multifamily investment and property management firms including Insite Property Solutions. He is a licensed CPA and managing broker in the State of Washington. He holds a MS in Real Estate with a focus in Real Estate Finance and BA in Business with a focus in Accounting from the University of Washington.
Property management is a vital component to good investment planning and construction execution. Having an integrated property management company allows for insightful participation through the planning, construction and lease-up of an investment project. It is also a core component to serving one of our most important stakeholders, our tenants. Often overlooked is the importance of tenant satisfaction to the bottom line.
We maintain a unique relationship with a preferred general contractor in the Seattle area. This relationship allows for incredibly accurate and timely construction/capital improvement pro forma estimations and ensures timely project completions within budget. We require a full construction budget, provided by our preferred general contractor, before going under contract on any of our investment projects.
The Raleigh Manor, in close proximity to the Northgate Link light rail expansion and the Northgate mall, offered underground secured parking and a vacant retail space. All unit interiors were dated and building exteriors needed repairs as well as cosmetic upgrades.
Complete interior renovations of residential units and residing of street facing exterior façade. The commercial space was modernized to a vacant open shell floorplan which attracted a high-quality commercial tenant.
The Sunwood, located in a rapidly evolving rental market, south of Seattle, was composed of a unique unit mix dominated by large 2-bedroom units. All unit interiors were dated, bottom floor units offered unsecured decks, and ground level parking surfaces needed rehabilitation. Structure was only three stories and offered elevator access to residents.
Complete interior renovations of residential units. Ground floor patios were secured with privacy enclosures and parking was resurfaced and repainted. These renovations, in tandem with uniquely large 2-bedroom floor plans & elevator access, attracted tenants that desired a high quality of life and easy access to second and third story units.
The Westwood Vista, located in a rapidly evolving West Seattle rental market, was composed of a unique unit mix dominated by large 2-bedroom units. All unit interiors were dated and the buildings exteriors needed cosmetic upgrades. The residential amenities, including a swimming pool, needed reprograming to align with Seattle’s renter demographic.
Complete interior renovations of residential units. Exterior siding was repainted, and outside decks were updated. Additional den-style rooms were added to select two-bedroom units. The outdoor pool was decommissioned and repurposed into an outdoor gathering space with BBQ’s & fire pits. A fitness center with modern fitness equipment and a pet-spa was added. These improvements aligned the Westwood Vista’s residential experience with a broader pool of high-income earning tenants.
We were reluctant to get involved in real estate because we didn’t know much about investing in apartments. Debra walked us through her investment process and was able to explain the benefits of diversifying into real estate as an alternative asset class. After participating in several of her projects we have benefited greatly and look forward to investing in future projects."
We have known Debra and Matt for years, and have been involved in several of Debra’s projects. Debra and Matt bring a wealth of investment expertise and industry knowledge to their work and when we participate in Gordian Knot investments, we are doing so knowing we are partnering with people we can count on. Debra & Matt are affable, available, and highly ethical individuals, and we look forward to a continued long-term relationship."
