Raj obtained his real estate license in 2005 and started Portica Real Estate in 2013. Driven by a passion for design and attention to detail, Portica is now one of the most well respected boutique brokerages in the area. Despite acquisition offers from large brokerages and the trend of multi member teams, Raj choses to keep his firm agile, manageable, ultra responsive and one in which he is the singular point of contact with all his clients. Raj truly has his pulse on every one of his listings, client purchases and searches.
Raj received his B.A in Economics and his Masters Degree in Architecture, both from Washington University in St. Louis. This unique educational background is the basis of an approach to real estate unlike any other brokerage in St. Louis. He is able to cost effectively calibrate and prepare his listings to gain maximum appeal and, in turn, value. His clients benefit from his artistic eye honed during his graduate studies and time at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. You can sometimes spot one of his original art pieces in one of his listings.
Raj’s love of negotiating grew over the years of practice and through his coursework of becoming a certified mediator. He believes the way in which you communicate can yield positive results for his clients. Some situations require a firm approach, others require some finesse. This method creates a level of respect among his peers which often gives clients represented by him a competitive advantage.
St. Louis is Raj’s hometown and he prides himself on expanding his knowledge of the area, knowing that the area’s neighborhoods need to be understood street by street, sometimes even block by block. However, with most of his extended family living abroad, a few stints in San Francisco, Wyoming and Boston and his love of travel, Raj brings a global perspective to meet his local knowledge. This is one reason many of his clients rely on him over and over again and even coined the phrase, “Raj Knows”.
In addition to serving on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis, Raj serves as a member of the MICDS Alumni Board. He has also served on the Facilities Committee for DOORWAYS and the Windmark Beach Architectural and Design Review Committee.