With extensive expertise and experience in residential and mixed-use development, we are pioneering creative, market-driven, and attainable solutions to the housing shortage in California and beyond.
At Sancerra we don't just build houses, we build communities. We don’t just build developments, we build neighborhoods. We transform land into productive, sustainable, and engaging spaces.
Through honest, collaborative, and sustainable development, we partner with communities and investors to reimagine the housing landscape.
With a track record of more than 175 transactions valued at over $10 billion, Sancerra is leading the industry through the housing shortage.
Managing Partner
Jim is the Co-Founder of Sancerra and has been instrumental in managing over 60 transactions with a market value of over $3.0B. Most recently, he spent 17 years as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Integral Communities and was a key member of the company's Executive Management team, with direct responsibility for accounting, finance, forecasting, strategic planning, legal, investor relations, acquisitions, dispositions and partnership compliance. Jim has also held leadership positions with Pulte Homes, Ryland Homes, and Ernest & Young, and has served on the Board of Directors for the Make a Wish Foundation and Thomas House Family Shelter. Jim graduated with a BS in Business Administration from the University of Michigan.
Managing Partner
Marcus brings more than 30 years of real estate and investment experience to the Sancerra team. Mr. Cook is a Co-Founder of Sancerra and has managed nearly 40 transactions with a market value of over $2.7B. Marcus spent 7 years as the Head of Acquisitions for the Irvine Company, where he was responsible for acquisitions, dispositions, due diligence, development planning, market research, and analytics across the company’s 5 product lines. Marcus has also held positions of leadership with Integral Communities, MBK Homes, Larwin Homes, and Bank of America. He spent 11 years on the Executive Committee for USC's Lusk Center of Real Estate, and 5 years as an adjunct professor for USC's Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) program. Marcus graduated with BS in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California.
Partner
As a Partner at Sancerra and its Chief Investment Officer, Mike brings a vast amount of experience to the Sancerra team as he has managed over 50 transactions with a market value of over $5.0B. Mike was previously Chief Investment Officer at Lyon Living, leading a team responsible for the acquisition, capitalization, asset management and disposition of assets. Mike also served as Vice President at Alvarez & Marsal and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., where he managed a $2.0B portfolio of distressed commercial real estate investments on behalf of the bankrupt Lehman Brothers estate. Mike began his career with leadership positions at Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse. He graduated with a BS in Business Administration from Pace University in New York.
Partner
Prior to joining Sancerra as the Head of Acquisitions and Development, Adam was successful in his previous executive level roles managing over 25 transactions resulting in the acquisition or development of over 8,000 residential units. He was the former Head of Development at Lyon Living, where he was responsible for leading a team tasked with the due diligence, pre-development, and entitlement of the company's most complex multifamily and mixed-use assets. Adam was also a founding member and Vice President at CV Communities (a division of City Ventures), where he managed the acquisition, entitlement, asset management, and disposition of distressed residential land assets. Adam began his career with leadership positions at Standard Pacific Homes and Boeing. He graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from UC Santa Barbara and earned his MS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.
Vice President
Michael White brings over 38 years of extensive experience in homebuilding and land development to his role at Sancerra. A recognized leader in the industry, Michael has spearheaded a wide array of successful projects throughout Southern and Northern California, significantly enhancing regional development. His esteemed career includes serving as President and board member of the Riverside County Building Industry Association, where he played a pivotal role in shaping industry standards and practices. Michael holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Northern Iowa and an MBA from the University of Redlands.
Vice President
Michael is a licensed attorney and real estate broker serving as Vice President of Sancerra. He has developed more than 7,000 residential units and 30 million SF of retail-driven mixed-use projects throughout California, valued over $3B. While a partner at the private equity firm Merlone Geier Partners in 2012, he received the San Jose Business Journal Structures Award for Best Mixed-Use Development for The Village at San Antonio in Mountain View, CA. In conjunction with N4FL, he conceptualized and entitled OceanKAMP, consisting of 700 multi-family units, a 300-key hotel, 130,000 SF of office and retail space, and a 6-acre surf lagoon in Oceanside, CA. Previously, Michael was a real estate and land use attorney at Sheppard Mullin, and prior to that, an investment broker and analyst at Colliers International. He graduated from Duke University, cum laude, with bachelor's degrees in Economics and English, and later received his JD from the University of San Diego School of Law, where he received the Law Alumni Scholarship.
Director
Scott’s career began as a tenant representation broker for the Staubach Company and later a land broker for the Hoffman Company. He has held land acquisition leadership roles at DR Horton, Integral Communities, and Warmington Residential, and has been responsible for the entitlement, acquisition, and disposition of over 1200 units/lots across Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura and Riverside Counties. He maintained responsibilities ranging from deal sourcing, market analysis, transactional review, and project management. Prior to his real estate career, Scott played at quarterback for the St. Louis Rams, Cincinnati Bengals, and Kansas City Chiefs. He graduated with a BS in Business Administration from the University of Miami.
Manager
Jake previously worked at Taco Bell Corporate, where he served in various roles in Finance, Development, and Franchise Strategy. He was responsible for sourcing, underwriting, and managing the development of over 100 combined restaurants, totaling over $200M in revenue. Additionally, he supported all franchisees west of the Mississippi on their financial health, acquisitions and dispositions, and asset strategy. Jake also managed the company’s multi-million-dollar corporate development capital account and new development pipeline. Prior to his career in real estate development, Jake was a professional baseball player with the Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Diego Padres. He graduated with a BS in History and earned his certificate in Markets and Management from Duke University.
