James R. Wacht
Principal

A life-long resident of Manhattan, Jim is an active member of the Real Estate Board of New York, National Realty Conference, New York State Bar Association and the Community Housing Improvement Program Board of Directors and a past First Vice Chairman of Community Board No. 8 in Manhattan. Backed by three generations of experience in the New York real estate business, Jim earned his Juris Doctorate degree at Boston University School of Law. As a real estate attorney specializing in commercial leasing, property financing and acquisitions, he worked for the New York law firm of Bachner, Tally, Polevoy & Misher and, in 1989, joined Sierra Realty Corp. as a Vice President. He became President of Sierra Realty in 2000. In addition to contributing articles to The New York Law Journal and Commercial Lease Law Insider on a variety of real estate issues, Jim has lectured at The Steven L. Newman Real Estate Institute of Baruch College. He has also moderated panel discussions at the National Realty Conference on various topics, including "Deferring Payment of Real Estate Taxes on the Sale or Other Disposition of Real Estate" and "Techniques for Reducing Gift and Estate Taxes on Real Estate."

jwacht@srcny.com

Thomas McAteer
Executive Managing Director

Raised in Scotland and educated in schools in Europe and at the University of Edinburgh, Thomas has lived and worked in New York City since 1979. He has been involved in more than $170 million worth of residential property sales: before joining Sierra Brooklyn, he was principal of his own sales and leasing consultancy firm and, for several years prior to that, was Managing Director of Sales and Leasing at Cooper Square Realty. In addition to his real estate activities, Thomas has enjoyed a successful career as a theatre director. (Among the productions he has directed are the American premiere of Les Liaisons Dangereuses and The Elephant Man.) He is also the co-author of an award-winning Arts and Education program that was implemented in schools throughout New York City. Thomas sits on the advisory board of The Mirror Repertory Company and serves as president of St. John’s Condominium.

tmcateer@LGSbklyn.com

Peter Braus
Principal

As Executive Vice President of Sierra Realty Corp., Peter currently represents M&T Bank (Manhattan retail locations), Reprise Media, Union Square Hospitality Group and The Suarez Restaurant Group, among others. During his more than 10 years in the real estate business, he has also represented such landlords as the Battery Park City Authority, Gotham, Goldman, Sachs & Company, RAL Properties and The Kinsey Corporation, and has completed in excess of 300 commercial leasing transactions with an aggregate value of well over $250 million. Peter joined Sierra Realty in 2001, and was made a partner in 2004. Previously he had worked for New Spectrum Realty Services and Newmark & Co. Real Estate. A member of Community Board No. 1 in Manhattan, the Real Estate Board of New York Stores Committee, the National Realty Club and the International Council of Shopping Centers, Peter is the current Membership Chairperson of the Stores Committee, and sits on the World Trade Center Redevelopment and Tribeca Committees. He earned his MBA with a concentration in Marketing from Columbia University Business School and his BBA from Emory University.

pbraus@srcny.com

Marc J. Lazar, CPM®
Senior Managing Director

A Certified Property Manager® credentialed by the Institute of Real Estate Management, Marc is a veteran manager with over a dozen years of real estate experience. Currently Senior Vice President at Sierra Realty Corp., Marc brings expertise in operations and management, structural renovation, restoration, contract negotiation, staff supervision, labor disputes and landlord/tenant issues to his supervision of activities for Sierra Realty’s management portfolio. Prior to joining Sierra Realty, Marc was Vice President of one of the largest management companies in the city and was a past Managing Director for the Insignia Residential Group. A graduate of Yeshiva University where he earned his BS degree in Accounting, Marc has a background in Construction Management & Development, having received a Certificate of Construction Management from New York University.

mlazar@srcny.com

Deirdre Owen
Licensed Real Estate Sales Agent

Deirdre comes to Sierra Brooklyn with a decade of experience in brokering real estate deals with a focus on residential sales. She began her career working directly with investors, and in her very first year, exhibited her real estate acumen and was selected "Rookie of the Year." Her last year has seen her generating an impressive $11 million in sales. She hails from two generations of real estate experience in her family, which, combined with highly tuned negotiating skills, diplomacy and the ability to listen, is what makes Deirdre a success. Deirdre moved to Brooklyn from Manhattan in 2004. Originally from San Diego, CA, she grew up tending an avocado grove, riding horses and playing tennis. She has a BFA in Dance from California State University, Long Beach, and has traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia as well as Europe. She is happy to bring her professionalism and dedication to the Brooklyn market. She lives in Greenwood Heights with her husband, two-year-old son and their dachshund Humperdink.

dowen@LGSbklyn.com