Professionalism, commitment and drive—these are three words that only begin to describe Brian McMartin. 39 and single, McMartin is the owner of McMartin Realty, Sacramento’s rising star in the real estate industry. Raised in Bangor, California, a small town of 500 north of the Bay Area, McMartin lived on a ranch until age 18. He and his brother bought their first house at age 18 and the Real Estate bug bit him. “My agent was wonderful. She became a mentor to me. She introduced me to the business.” Working three jobs and going to school, McMartin graduated from CSUS with a degree in sociology but also became licensed in Real Estate at age 21. He worked for Sunrise Real Estate and Dunmore homes, as a project director for a condominium development in Santa Barbara and eventually for the Bennett & Compton in Lodi. Another break for more education in 1995 brought McMartin into the GLBTI community. “I went back to school to rediscover myself—to do all the things I didn’t do the first time. I studied foreign languages and was an exchange student in Mexico!”

In 1998, McMartin began his a new phase in his career with Mark Whistler and Whistler Land Company. “I have the greatest respect and appreciation for Mark. He loaned me the money to get started.” Leaving Whistler in 2002, McMartin embarked on the current venture, McMartin Realty. “I never wanted to own my own business when I was younger. But I felt a void. There are many GLBT-owned Real Estate companies in other cities in other cities—why not here?” he says. “I wanted a full-service Real Estate firm that is a part of my own community. I wanted somewhere a GLBT person could pick up the phone and feel comfortable.” This does not mean, however that McMartin Realty is a GLBT-only company. “We are more than just another gay-owned business”, quips McMartin. “We don’t wear a badge or have pictures of Marilyn Monroe on the wall. We are about professionalism in our image and our treatment of clients. In fact, 50 percent of my agents are straight. We have an extremely diverse office,”

McMartin Realty prides itself on standing out in its field. “We pay attention to every client who comes through that door”, he says. The firm features the most up-to-date technology, including a large Internet presence. “We take particular pride in our agent training and follow-through. We don’t take shortcuts when working with clients. Our agents meet weekly and we discuss every single client and case in the business. We share resources and information. We work as a team—sometimes competitive in a friendly way—but a team nonetheless.” In fact, on a weekly basis the most spirited person is awarded the ‘Team Spirit Bear’, a badge of honor in the company. “We trust one another. This is the spirit that we show to our clients and makes all the difference.”

A new venture for the agency looms. “Presently we have around 23 agents and we’ve sold 138 homes to date in 2005”, he notes. “Our focus has been residential property and income-producing residential Real Estate.” With explosive growth over the past two years, the firm is now ready to move into commercial property concerns as well. “When our current facility at 21st and K became available, I took the opportunity knowing we had extra space to fill. We still have room for another 15-20 agents”, he says. “We have gone through a lot of internal growth. We’ve focused on training and infrastructure issues with the business. Now I am considering moving forward in a new direction”. The new direction, McMartin Realty Commercial, is not yet ready to launch. “I am considering both property management as well as commercial sales. We’ll launch when we’re ready to move to the next level.“

Deeply committed to the charitable concerns of the GLBTI community, McMartin has been involved with many local organizations during his life. McMartin is a member of Stonewall Democratic Club, the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce and was one of the co-founders of Lambda Community Fund’s History Project. He now serves as Board President for Breaking Barriers. “I love Sacramento and the community we have here. It is an honor to be a member. I am now able to fulfill my dreams—to do what I do best and still support my community and work for same-sex rights.”

On the current state of the market, McMartin is far more positive than many in the industry. “We’re in for a soft thud, not a pop”, he says. “The market is returning to normal growth patterns. Single-digit annual growth is sustainable.” What does this mean to the prospective buyer or seller? “Sellers need to be more realistic about how they price their properties. Homes are on the market a bit longer, but they are selling”, he notes. “Buyers are able to breathe a bit more now. It creates some challenges for the agents, who need to be more creative, but it is still a positive-growth environment.” McMartin Realty appears up to the challenges ahead. “Gay or straight, we want to do better for our clients. This business is closely connected to my own identity. It’s not just about money. How we work reflects directly on me. Our goal is to make sure we provide the highest level of service to everyone who calls.”

McMartin can be reached at 916.447.1600, www.mcmartinrealty.com