Avatar Financial Group provides real estate bridge financing to borrowers seeking timely capital or performing short-term, transitional projects. Avatar’s loans are intended to be temporary and bridge the time between the current financial situation and a future situation while offering a level of flexibility to borrowers that conventional financial institutions, such as banks, cannot. Avatar was capitalized in 2003 by one of the world’s largest university endowments. Avatar is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.
The Originator adheres to strict underwriting standards where it only funds mortgages in first lien position, with full recourse, typically below 70% LTV using an independent valuation, with up to 2-year terms, and which typically generate recurring income. Management is responsible for all due diligence and performs site visits for every loan. The CEO and President bring over 45 combined years of lending and underwriting experience and have funded over $1Bn in loans.
Since inception in 2003, Avatar has originated over $720M across 275 loans, resulting in an average loan size of $2.6M up to $28M. Since 2009, less than $9.0M in loan principal has entered default and only three loans have been foreclosed upon, neither of which resulted in principal loss. Since inception, approximately 25% of loans have been multifamily/student housing by dollar volume, followed by hotels with 16% and single family and office, which each represented 13%. Washington and California represented 21% and 20% of loan volume since inception, respectively. Texas was their third most active state with 10% of loan volume since inception.
Mr. Zevenbergen is the co-founder and CEO of Avatar. In addition to being active in loan origination and underwriting, Mr. Zevenbergen is responsible for: oversight of loan servicing, banking relationships, accounting and budgeting. Prior to founding Avatar, Mr. Zevenbergen joined Pacific Coast Investment Company (PCIC) as CEO in 1995, where he chaired the loan board, developed and managed and individual investor base and gave oversight to asset management of a $150M portfolio. He expanded lending activities from a local to a national scope and changed focus to larger loans averaging $2M. Prior to joining PCIC, Mr. Zevenbergen spent nineteen years as an accountant in both the public and private sectors. His most recent position in accounting was as Partner and Chair of the Audit Department of the Seattle Headquarters of public accounting and consulting firm, Moss Adams LLP. Mr. Zevenbergen graduated from Central Washington University with a BA in Business Administration.
Mr. Hazelrigg is the co-founder and President of Avatar. His responsibilities include loan origination and credit analysis as well as structuring Avatar’s national debt strategies. With over 25 years in the structured finance industry, Mr. Hazelrigg has built a nationwide network of real estate brokers, appraisers, mortgage brokers, investors and even competitors that provide Avatar with consistent, high quality loan volume. In addition to these responsibilities, Mr. Hazelrigg is instrumental in raising both institutional and family office capital for the company. His vast experience is an essential asset to all aspects of Avatar’s portfolio management. Mr. Hazelrigg graduated in 1994 from the University of Southern California’s top rated entrepreneurial program with a BA in Business Administration. From a class of 170, The University of Southern California’s entrepreneurship program faculty voted Mr. Hazelrigg, “Most Likely to Succeed.”