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Valbridge Property Advisors, founded in 2013, has offices in 67 cities and just added the Portland area to the mix.

The local office, which opened earlier this month in Tualatin, will serve the Portland-Vancouver metro area, the Salem metro area, the north Oregon coast and the Columbia River Gorge.

Valbridge specializes in all types of property and land including office, industrial, retail, multifamily, lodging/hospitality and other special-use properties. Kurt Plaster is managing director of the new branch with co-owners Kurt Mueller and Jamie Kurasz as senior managing directors.

With the opening of its first Oregon office, Valbridge now has offices in 47 states with a total staff of more than 650.

Mueller and Kurasz, both long-time appraisers in Portland, each owned their own individual companies before joining Valbridge, Plaster said. About three years ago, the two men decided to join forces and formed their own company, which now has joined Valbridge.

鈥淢ueller and Co. has been around since the mid-1990s, and Jamie has been here about 10 years,鈥� Plaster said. 鈥淚 got to know them over the past few years and thought it was the right time to open.鈥�

Appraisers joining forces is a national trend, according to Plaster.

鈥淏eing part of Valbridge enhances things we can do with technology and referral work,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e’re more connected nationally with more resources to draw from.鈥�

Each Valbridge branch is individually owned, so the local venture became Valbridge Property Advisors|Mueller Kurasz.

Because of Valbridge’s national status, Mueller, Kurasz and Plaster will be able to tap into an array of advantages, from sharing technology and best practices to databases and standardized reporting.

鈥淭here is also a large need for clients that need multi-state appraisals, like life insurance companies and real estate investment trusts,鈥� Mueller said.

Valbridge had been pitching the idea of founding a firm to Mueller for the past three years, but he said he held off taking that step until this year.

鈥淟ast year the stars started to align, and I knew for me to take on Valbridge as an overlay I needed to bring in younger partners,鈥� he said. 鈥淜urt (Plaster) is in his 30s, Jamie is in his 40s and I’m in my 50s. Both guys had what it takes to get it off the ground.鈥�

All Valbridge appraisers are certified, which gives Mueller confidence that he’s giving clients good service.

鈥淚 just referred work to the L.A. (Los Angeles) office to do work in Palm Springs,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n the past I would have called around and tried to get a good referral in San Diego. This way I’m assured the highest quality work.鈥�