Daily Inspiration: Meet Sayre Brennan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sayre Brennan.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
For me, it’s all about relationships and enhancing your skillset. During summer breaks over high school, I started working for the local historical society and a real estate brokerage in The Hamptons on Long Island, NY. During those experiences, I obtained an appreciation for the nexus between preservation and real estate development. As a junior in college, I was exposed to city planning courses and fell in love with the subject. Eventually, I went on to earn my BS in Political Science and MPA. 

After college, I had a professor who assisted me in obtaining an internship with Park City Municipal Corporation in Park City, Utah. I worked for Park City for five years and during that time, I was able to work with a broad array of residents, visitors, government agencies, general contractors, and real estate developers. Through that experience, I was able to launch my career in project management and city planning for world-renowned cities and in the private sector for Fortune 500 real estate companies. Today, I have fourteen years of professional experience in consulting, customer relationship management, development review, facilities management, government operations and relations, long-range planning, land use and zoning, negotiations, and construction/project management. 

Currently, I work in the public sector as a real estate project manager, and I have a second career as an associate real estate broker for Keller Williams DTC and as an independent planning consultant with my company, Brennan Development Services, Inc. As a certified project manager (PMP), city planner (AICP), and REALTOR®, I value continuing education.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No! It has not been relatively smooth. While I have had some great employers, experiences, and educational opportunities, I wasn’t always comfortable in some of my professional roles. I have struggled with not knowing what it was I wanted to do, boredom, and concerns for professional growth. My personal life drove me to move around the country, which resulted in a lot of job-hopping. However, with the bad comes the good. 

So far, my current career path has been fun, interesting, and I have learned a lot from some great mentors. For me, finding the right college and employer(s) were key. You must go into a situation and say to yourself, “Can I picture myself working for this company day to day, year after year, and am I passionate about the work I am doing?” An employer’s culture and being honest with yourself is key. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
First off, it’s not about me. It’s about being sensitive to the needs of my employer or clients and helping them meet their real estate objectives. So, if a client is planning/rezoning, renovating/building, buying, selling, renting, or investing in a property, I must do what is in their best interest, not mine. With over 14 years of experience in city planning and real estate project management, I offer clients a vision-driven approach to decision making, strategic planning, and tactical implementation. 

My career history demonstrates my outstanding communication and collaborative skills as well as my reputation for being an analytical thinker and skillful project manager. Further, my record of leadership in city planning has resulted in measurable benefits to the City and County of Denver, the Town of Hudson, and Arapahoe County. Below are some examples of the value that I bring to clients: 

• I have extensive experience analyzing land use data, land surveys, plats, and creating contracts and development agreements. For example, the annexation of the Xcel Power Plant that I managed generates over two million dollars in annual property tax revenue for the Town of Hudson.
• Developing amendments to long-range plans, zoning, and municipal codes. I was part of the project team that modified the group living provisions of the Denver Zoning Code, which provides people with more freedom of choice in their housing.
• I am adept at managing large-scale budgets and schedules for community development, capital improvements, as well as real estate construction. The largest project I was a part of was the pre-construction budget for a thirty-million-dollar custom home in Atherton, CA. I have worked on several Class A commercial tenant improvements in Newport Beach, CA, and Downtown Los Angeles. 
• I am an effective communicator able to employ multiple communication methods to collaborate with developers, communities, city boards, commissions, councils, and regulatory agencies to build consensus and create and implement plans.
• Assist clients in obtaining increased property value through the land use and zoning processes to entitle their properties with the best and highest use possible.
• The most unique construction project I have been involved with is the Arapahoe County Coroner’s body cooler expansion.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
In this ever-changing geopolitical landscape and technology-driven economy, you must learn how to be flexible, resilient, and adapt as best as possible. Continue to learn from, and work with, mentors who have more experience and knowledge than you. Most importantly, find a balance between your work life and personal life. Take some time to check in with yourself and those that you love. 

Contact Info:

• Email: sayrebb@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/co_real_estate_leader
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sayrebrennanrealestate
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/brennan_sayre