THE PRINCIPALS

The principals of Market Watch have the long term perspective and intuitive insight to find market solutions in an ever-changing market. They are specialists in evaluating all aspects related to the recent surge of “Distressed” or “Re-Set” real estate assets (revenue potential, absorption, exit strategies etc.). The principals have a combined experience of more than 100 years in the industry, with senior positions held in major building and development companies as well as in research and consulting.

Victor H. Cooper

Mr. Cooper has been involved in marketing within the homebuilding industry since 1971. He has successfully developed product concepts, marketing strategies, merchandising programs, and sales plans for a diversity of projects ranging from high-density, urban mixed-use complexes, to multi-phased master planned communities. He has provided marketing management for a number of major companies on a consulting basis, and has often acted as the team leader for marketing teams consisting of architects, planners, advertising/public relations agencies, interior designers, and merchandising specialists. Mr. Cooper’s primary areas of focus are on product determination, design development, marketing strategy, and marketing plan implementation. He also provides consulting services as: a project facilitator, gaining entitlements for new projects; and in the negotiations of sales transactions of major land parcels.

Robert S. McFarland, M.I.R.M.

Mr. McFarland has provided consulting services for the Southern California regional offices of five of the top ten Homebuilding Companies in the Country. He has advised lender, builder, and land developer clients resulting in the successful development of single family and condominium/townhouse developments (including high-rise), multi-family rental projects, master planned communities, and mixed use development.

Mr. McFarland was a Principal with The Concord Group in Newport Beach, and prior to that was Senior Vice President of Market Profiles Inc. He also held management positions with several key homebuilders based in Southern California during the 1970’s and 1980’s.

With a formal education at USC and UCSB (B.A.), and over 30 years of experience in evaluating real estate development as an appraiser, homebuilder marketing executive, and consultant; he has been invited to speak at: National Association of Home Builders Conferences, Pacific Coast Builders Conferences, BIA Conferences, USC, UCI, and Cal Poly Pomona. He has also served as a past judge of architecture regarding the BIA’s annual awards for new home development in Southern California. Mr. McFarland has authored several articles concerning the marketing of new homes for periodicals, and has historically been a media source regarding trends related to the housing market.

Richard K. Tamura

Mr. Tamura has been engaged in homebuilding for more than 35 years. During his career, he has served both as a consultant to wide range of clients, including land owners, developers, builders, and lenders, and also as a marketing executive for several major homebuilding companies. His experience that combines the objectivity of an independent consultant with the knowledge of practical issues as a member of an in-house team provides Mr. Tamura with the foundation to analyze, design, develop, and implement creative, practical and cost effective marketing strategies.

Throughout his career, he has been involved in projects that have ranged from small-scale, specialized products that are narrowly targeted to a large number of master planned communities that have broad consumer appeal.

Recently, Mr. Tamura served as Director of Marketing for the 6,000-unit new urban master planned community of Playa Vista in Los Angeles. There, he provided marketing guidelines for the conceptualization and design of its variety of residential products and coordinated the communications efforts of the overall community and its diverse member building companies. This experience has led to his current focus on creating marketing and product strategies for new urban residential development.

OTHER ASSOCIATES

“Other Associates” or the extended project team of Market Watch consists of specialists in the principal fields of homebuilding. This ensures our clients that services provided are the product of the most experienced and qualified personnel in order to maximize the development potential of any given project. Market Watch has close working relationships with leading firms specializing in architecture, land planning, engineering, residential sales, real estate law, local government entitlements, real estate finance, and advertising/public relations.

Larry I. Smith

Larry I. Smith is the founder and President of Larry I. Smith & Associates. Larry has 30 years of experience in the real estate development and homebuilding industry with some of the industry’s most recognized companies. Most recently, he served for 13 years with William Lyon Homes/Presley Homes primarily as a Division/Regional President with P&L responsibilities for operations in San Diego and the Inland Empire. For over 6 years prior, he held a comparable position with Coleman Homes, responsible for operations in Southern California and Bakersfield. His direct homebuilding experience exceeds 19 years and he has managed the acquisition, entitlement, development, marketing and sale of nearly 7,000 homes.

Larry can attribute much of his success to his ability to understand market trends and target successful/profitable development opportunities. In addition, he has repeatedly proven his ability to operate successfully in up or down markets and in both start-up or work-out situations.

Prior to joining Coleman Homes, Larry served for 5 years as the Director of Sales & Marketing for Markborough Calif., a major land owner and developer of master planned communities. He started his career as a market research analyst with Market Profiles in 1979 and worked his way up to Executive VP in charge of all residential consulting. While there, he managed over 350 market evaluations and developed sales, marketing, and development strategies for builders, developers and lenders throughout the Southwestern United States.

Larry is a graduate of the Annenberg School of Communications from the University of Southern California, a graduate of the Light Construction & Development Management program, a Master In Residential Marketing (MIRM), a licensed Broker and a current and past board member of the Building Industry Association and HomeAid. He resides in Newport Beach, CA with his wife of 30 years, Natalie