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MortgagePoint ยป Your Trusted Source for Mortgage Banking and Servicing News 32 February 2025 E X P E R T I N S I G H T S M ichael Gevurtz is an entre- preneur and investor in the real estate and finance industries. He is the CEO and Founder of Bluebird Lending, a na- tional private lender servicing real estate developers and investors with an array of loan products to acquire, construct, and refinance residential and multifam- ily properties. Michael has 14 years of experience in the real estate industry, having previous- ly worked at Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT), co-founding Six Stone Management Group and investing in his own properties. He is experienced in all aspects of real estate ownership, including acquisitions, financing, development, construction management, leasing, and property management. At PREIT, Michael worked as a site acquisitions associate, identifying and performing due diligence for acquiring land for retail power centers. He was also an Associate Director of Develop- ment, overseeing shopping center and enclosed mall development projects totaling over $50 million throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Since 2010, Michael has focused on opportunities in the revitalization of Philadelphia's emerging neighbor- hoods. Michael has renovated and built from the ground up, over 75 single family homes for sale and rent. He has developed and manages a portfolio of mixed-use properties throughout South Philadelphia. Michael recently sat down with MortgagePoint to discuss how he got his start in the industry and what differenti- ates his offerings from the competition. Q: How did you first get your start in the industry? It happened by accident in 2013. I was developing single-family and multifam- ily properties throughout Philadelphia. I secured financing with regional banks, but learned of competitors who were struggling to fund their projects. We were in a slow recovery from the 2008 great recession, and lenders were still hesitant to commit to projects. Some competitors approached me to partner on their projects, but I didn't think that was the best way to proceed. So instead, I made senior secured bridge loans and monitored them as if I were managing the projects. Q: What attracted you to get involved with revitalizing neighborhoods in need? I believe that you can do well and do good at the same time, so I found a niche where that was possible. Some viewed this as some selfless, altruistic mission. It's not. It's good business when you discover an alignment of interest for several stakeholders, and everyone focuses on a favorable outcome. Q: Did you have any mentors as you rose through the ranks in the industry? My first professional mentor was Ron Rubin, former Chairman and CEO of Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT). He always said, "life is built on relationships." That quote has I believe that you can do well and do good at the same time, so I found a niche where that was possible." Michael Gevurtz CEO Bluebird Lending