Kevin Wakelin
About Kevin
With 20-plus years of experience in the development of pioneering urban infill, new construction, and adaptive re-use residential/mixed-use developments. Kevin is amongst a handful of niche real estate specialists in his field with over 1,000 homes developed, sold, and leased in his prolific career. Raised in the United Kingdom and the Far East, Kevin’s international upbringing and extensive travel has consistently provided him with a natural affinity for leadership roles, lateral thinking, and a unique perspective for alternative approaches to ideation and problem solving.
After graduating from London’s Kingston University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in human geography/regional urban planning, his real estate career commenced when he joined the Jacobs Island Company – a boutique, pioneering, live-work loft development company. Renowned for creating the first line of innovative, alternative, and architecturally significant loft dwellings in London, conversions of old and abandoned brick-and-timber framed industrial warehouses into luxury open-plan loft spaces, this is where Kevin’s passion for real estate ignited. Numerous projects received architectural and conservation awards, which propelled the company onto a high-profile platform, and with it, Kevin’s appreciation and understanding of all things real estate: architecture, engineering, design, construction, finance, marketing, and sales.
Since relocating to San Francisco in 1995, Kevin has continued his passion to develop and evolve the live-work loft product in the Bay Area, notably as CEO at the pioneering development firm Holliday Development, taking leadership roles in the execution of The Marquee Lofts at 1000 Van Ness Ave., Emeryville Warehouse, Iron Horse Lofts, Blue Star Corner, Central Station, Capital Lofts, Pacific Cannery Lofts, Truckee Railyard, and Chandler Corners.
During the economic downturn, Kevin shifted his innovative focus with his real estate investment company, The Vibrant Group, to leverage opportunities in the local foreclosure markets. With nearly $10MM of private-equity investment capital, Kevin purchased over 125 single-family homes during the 2009-2013 period in Solano County. Assembling a team of contractors, engineers, designers and other real estate professionals, Kevin led an investment strategy that completely renovated each house for both a buy-and-sell strategy, as well as a strategy to hold homes for long-term leasing. Kevin now maintains a personal portfolio of 35 leased single-family homes for future disposal.
Kevin now brings his exceptional real estate experience to Compass, with an opportunity for private clients to leverage this vast history of real estate knowledge. With nearly 20 years residency in San Francisco, Kevin has a deep and rich appreciation of the housing submarkets in the Bay Area and has an extensive network of vendors and professionals to assist all the needs of his real estate clients. From sourcing the perfect home to negotiating with agents to managing the transactional process meticulously to leveraging all of his vendor networks, Kevin has more skill sets at hand than most clients could ever expect from their realtor.
Underscoring all of his professional activities are passion, creativity and integrity – core values that run through everything he does. Kevin has resided in the Marina, SOMA, and Noe Valley and currently resides in San Francisco's Castro district with his daughter Hana. He is the founder of Vitality, a professional networking group for LGBT executives, and Castro Dads, the largest social group for gay dads and their kids in San Francisco.
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