About

Founded in 2012, First Bridge Lending specializes in providing fast and creative debt solutions for both commercial and residential property types. With over 100 combined years of lending and investing experience, the principals at First Bridge Lending understand our borrower’s needs and know how to deliver optimal financing solutions.

Meet our Principals

Michael Joseph
Principal

Michael Joseph
Principal

After graduating from Lafayette College and then obtaining an MBA from the Wharton School in 1982, Michael Joseph began his career in real estate as a lender for Continental Illinois National Bank. Two years later, he moved into commercial mortgage brokering and spent the subsequent nineteen years working with a variety of firms, arranging billions of dollars of construction loans, permanent loans, and joint ventures. He also became a private money lender for his own account, an activity he has successfully undertaken for the past twenty-five years.

Louis Bardis
Principal
DRE# 01887699,
NMLS# 372531

Louis Bardis
Principal
DRE# 01887699,
NMLS# 372531

lbardis@firstbridgelending.com

Louis Bardis began his real estate career in 2005 with Benchmark Lending Group, Inc. In 2010, Mr. Bardis began working for a small private lending brokerage in Marin County, CA, where he selected and underwrote loan opportunities for high–net worth clients. In 2012, Mr. Bardis partnered with FJM Investments, LLC to form Northern California Mortgage Fund, II, III, and IV, LLC. Mr. Bardis is responsible for sourcing, underwriting, and the continued performance of the loans placed into the funds. In the same year, he created Theta Real Estate, LLC to further various real estate investment activities in the single family market. He graduated with Master of Science in Finance from University of San Francisco and is a licensed real estate broker in California. DRE# 01887699 NMLS# 372531

Matt Moran
Principal

Matt Moran
Principal

After receiving an AB in Economics from Stanford University, Matt Moran became involved in the real estate industry as a lender, first working for Travelers Insurance. Mr. Moran ultimately held positions with Wells Fargo Bank, Manufacturers Hanover, and Chemical Bank. In 1992, he joined William Wilson & Assoc. and became a founding partner and director of acquisitions for four real estate opportunity funds. This resulted in a $1.2 billion merger with Cornerstone Properties, Inc in 1998. At Cornerstone, Mr. Moran was the chief investment officer responsible for property acquisitions and dispositions nationwide. Cornerstone was sold for $6 billion to Equity Office Properties in June of 2000. Mr. Moran continued his real estate investment activities through his Westridge Investments LLC vehicle and, in 2002, formed FJM Investments with his partners, Michael C. Joseph and Mark Pirie. FJM Investments owns interests in several assets across the Western US and Canada. Mr. Moran values integrity in business. In service of this passion, he serves on the board of Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc (HPP), a NYSE-listed real estate investment trust where he chairs the Investment Committee and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.

Brian Haines
Principal
DRE# 01879626,
NMLS #2083974

Brian Haines
Principal
DRE# 01879626,
NMLS #2083974

bhaines@firstbridgelending.com
P: (925) 280-5394
C: (858) 401-2862

Brian Haines joined First Bridge Lending after a 12-year career at Owens Financial Group (OFG), where as a partner he oversaw business development, loan originations and credit analysis for the firm. In 2013 Brian played an instrumental role in converting OFG’s externally managed Limited Partnership into a publicly traded REIT. During the REIT’s tenure Brian was directly involved with the origination, structuring, and execution of $500MM+ of Commercial and Multifamily debt. He served as a member of the REIT’s executive management team and participated in all strategy and planning events through the REIT’s successful sale to a New York based REIT. He is a past President of the Bay Area Mortgage Association (BAMA) and an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) and the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Brian graduated from Pennsylvania State University, where he studied Economics and Business Law, and is a licensed California real estate broker. DRE# 01879626 NMLS #2083974

Our Originators

Christopher Carey
Director of Originations
DRE# 01212515,
NMLS# 377644

Christopher Carey
Director of Originations
DRE# 01212515,
NMLS# 377644

ccarey@firstbridgelending.com

Chris started his mortgage lending career in 1991 with Household Finance Corporation, underwriting and funding 2nd mortgages in the East Bay market. After a few years he began originating and underwriting residential purchase and refinance loans with several national residential lenders, as an Originator and later as a Manager, earning honors as a top-producer in both roles.

In 2001 he was offered the opportunity to introduce a new commercial loan platform to the Northern California mortgage broker community as a Wholesale Commercial Rep with GreenPoint Commercial Mortgage, and later at Impac Commercial Mortgage.

After the mortgage meltdown, Chris started his private lending career in 2010, originating and funding loans with private individuals. He later joined First Bridge Lending in 2015 and has originated several hundred loans since.

Chris has the experience and knowledge to quickly understand every type of loan scenario, and his many repeat clients know that they can rely on him to deliver fast, reliable results.

Roxanna Amaya
Originator
DRE # 02073743,
NMLS # 1804290

Roxanna Amaya
Originator
DRE # 02073743,
NMLS # 1804290

ramaya@firstbridgelending.com

Roxanna Amaya began her career in the mortgage industry nearly 9 years ago at First Bridge Lending, holding key positions throughout the company. She previously managed the loan servicing department, which gave her unique insights into the world of foreclosures and taught her how to identify red flags in the lending process. After that, Roxanna became a Loan Officer at Summit Funding Inc. The transition to consumer lending—including Conventional, FHA, and VA loans— allowed her to gain invaluable experience and she realized her true passion was in hard money lending. Roxanna’s previous role as a loan officer has prepared her return to hard money as a Loan Originator at First Bridge Lending. Her experience allows her to provide top-notch service to best assist clients.