WHO WE ARE
Our Story
Valiance is defined as the qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing great adversity. Valiance is how the founder’s story begins, the son of immigrant refugees who escaped the oppression of a communist regime in small fishing boats in search of a brighter future. Raised in a poor family of blue collar parents who relied on food stamps, flea markets and social housing programs like Section 8, he was ingrained with the values of humility, gratitude and hard work as he witnessed the heroic courage of his parents working multiple manual labor jobs, seven-days a week to make ends meet for a family of six. He learned perseverance at a young age as his family constantly struggled with hardships in pursuit of the “American Dream,” which always seemed out of reach. Through adversity; however, came the invaluable gifts of finding purpose and the mission to meaningfully change the outlook of his life and the lives around him. Mr. Nguyen Le’s relentless pursuit of financial freedom for his family eventually evolved into a deeper passion to empower and inspire others in their pursuit towards financial independence; and to help build and protect their dreams so they may live life on their terms.
From the valiant acts of his parents to the everyday interactions of helping people along his journey, he is continually inspired to make an impact in the lives of others by leading his own path. Mr. Nguyen Le not only invests in all investments, but is one of the largest investors with the company because he firmly believes real estate is the best place for his capital and for those who partner with Valiance. Being one of the largest investors is a significant distinction from other firms because it provides complete alignment with our partners so that everyone may succeed and build financial freedom, together. When you partner with Valiance, you share in our mission and pursuit of creating real value in our investments, in the quality of our lives, and in the lives of others.
OUR MISSION
To empower and inspire individuals to take control of their financial lives, build meaningful careers for our people, and create sustainable changes to the communities and planet in which we live and work.
OUR VISION
To become a technology-enabled and vertically-integrated real estate investment management and advisory firm that delivers superior value.
What We Do
Valiance Capital is a privately held real estate investment firm that focuses on the acquisition of opportunistic, value-add multifamily and student housing properties. We specialize in repositioning well-located assets with significant value-add potential through the successful execution of a detailed investment strategy and vertically integrated management platform, with a focus on high demand/supply-constrained markets in California. In the world of real estate investing, there is a core of principles for long-term success. Valiance Capital strives to creatively navigate through the volatility and constant shifting of the dynamic real estate market. Our approach is fostered on proven strategies of excellence and innovation to complex solutions, enabling significant enhancement to each of our real estate investments; and positive impact to our investors and communities.
OUR TEAM
Nhan Nguyen Le
Principal & Founder
Nhan's Bio
Mr. Nhan Nguyen Le is the CEO and Principal of Valiance Capital, a commercial real estate private equity firm focusing on Student Housing and Multifamily assets. He leads the firm’s strategic vision, planning, investment decisions, and manages all aspects of the firm’s operations. With over 12 years of real estate investment experience and a track record of 23 principal-sponsored, value-add and opportunistic transactions, he has grown a current portfolio of operating assets to a market value in excess of $180 million.
Throughout his career, Mr. Nguyen Le has actively participated as a principal sponsor or general partner, and has built several operating companies and successful investment portfolios. Prior to Valiance, Mr. Nguyen Le was a co-founder and managing partner of Tesseract Capital Group, a commercial real estate private equity company. He is also the founder and key principal of The Berkeley Group, a real estate property management company specializing in Student Housing and Multifamily rental properties. Mr. Nguyen Le holds a California real estate license, Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation, and LEED Green certification.
Winston Lee
Senior Vice President - Acquisitions & Development
Winston's Bio
Mr. Winston Lee is Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Development at Valiance and brings over 16 years of real estate development and structured finance experience to the team. Having closed over $600MM in transactions, from debt placements, equity capital raises, and JV equity structures, Mr. Lee brings a multi-faceted depth of experience in support of the firm’s strategy, investment decisions, construction management, operations, and the overall execution of our opportunistic investments.
Prior to joining Valiance, Mr. Lee started his career on the principal and lender side of the business, where he brings extensive acquisition and development experience in retail, multi-family, and office properties while working for a privately held boutique real estate firm. His entrepreneurial experience includes being a senior member on a 21-acre mixed-use development in Riverside, CA, a repositioned vacant K-Mart shopping center in Palmdale, CA, and 139-units of ground-up luxury apartments across 4-projects in Los Angeles, CA.
On the lender side, Mr. Lee served as a Corporate Banking Officer for Comercia Bank in their Real Estate Group, where he financed construction and land development loans for many of LA’s largest real estate developers. In addition to his real estate experience, Mr. Lee was a successful start-up founder of a consumer product and brand where he grew annual sales to $2.5MM and gained distribution into over 1,000 stores including, Costco, Target, and Whole Foods. His talent and unique background adds a valuable perspective to the team and is a positive influence on our company principles and culture.
Mr. Lee earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and a Master of Real Estate Development (MRED) from the University of Southern California (USC). He also holds a California real estate license.
Amanda Irish-Aubert
Vice President – Asset Management & Finance
Amanda's Bio
Mrs. Amanda Irish-Aubert is an Asset Manager at Valiance Capital, bringing nearly a decade of experience in real estate management. Mrs. Irish-Aubert oversees existing stabilized multifamily assets and is vital to the underwriting and due diligence of new acquisitions at Valiance. She is responsible for the formation and implementation of operating plans and maximizing the asset’s value. Mrs. Irish-Aubert provides oversight to both the portfolio’s asset management and property management divisions and is integral to the day-to-day operations of Valiance.
Prior to joining Valiance, Mrs. Irish-Aubert was the Portfolio Manager at the Berkeley Group for four years, where she oversaw and managed a portfolio of student housing properties strategically located within blocks around the UC Berkeley campus, with over $60M of AUM. Prior to the Berkeley Group, Mrs. Irish-Aubert was a Project Manager for HartWest, a San Francisco based real estate development consulting firm whose social equity and conservation mission positioned them as one of the leading developers of religious and educational institutions on the West Coast, and a leader in green development practices. While at HartWest, her background in real estate further evolved with projects ranging from business plans and feasibility studies to asset management, project management and construction management. Mrs. Irish-Aubert has a B.A. from Gonzaga University with a concentration in Business and Economics.
Nicholas Doan
Vice President - Construction & Development
Nicholas' Bio
Mr. Nicholas Doan joined Valiance Capital in 2018 to serve on the Construction and Development team tasked with executing on several company projects, including the entitlement of Valiance’s first planned zero-carbon-footprint student housing ground-up development located two blocks from UC Berkeley. Nicholas primary role is to grow and develop the construction management platform for Valiance. From project planning to acquisition support, Nicholas strives to develop the best strategies and methods to streamline information from the development team to our field teams. Areas of focus include project management, scheduling and budgeting, and creative problem-solving.
One of Nicholas’ dreams is to manage and oversee the custom-build a new house for his parents to retire in and spearhead the ground-up development of multifamily apartments on his family’s portfolio of real estate while applying his growing knowledge of the unprecedented tax-advantaged benefits of Qualified Opportunity Zones. Nicholas holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Policy and Planning from UC Davis.
Tasha Haston
Operations Manager
Tasha's Bio
Tasha oversees the Company’s property management team with a primary focus on leasing and marketing; to ensure monthly rents are paid and all leasing activities are in accordance with policies and guidelines. Manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets.
Qui Le
Facilities Manager
Qui's Bio
Qui is responsible for the security, maintenance, and services of work facilities to ensure that they meet the standards Valiance delivers to each and everyone one of its investment properties. Qui’s duties are, but not limited to, supervising multi-disciplinary teams of staff including cleaning, maintenance, grounds and security, managing budgets and ensuring cost-effectiveness, and ensuring that facilities meet government regulations, environmental, health and security standards. Qui brings over 5+ years of experience and is a vital member of Valiance’s day-to-day procedures.
For Investors
We connect accredited investors with alternative CRE investments with XX-XX% target returns.
Location
VALIANCE CAPITAL HQ
2120 University Ave
Berkeley, CA 94705