January 27, 2023
Valbridge Property Advisors | Salt Lake City began providing real estate appraisal services in 1976. We are proud to be a founding member firm of Valbridge Property Advisors servicing all of Utah, Western Wyoming, and Southeastern Idaho. The Salt Lake City office is led by Tyler Free, MAI, and Gary Free, MAI, SRA, Non-Practicing. The office is also the home base for Michael Baxter, CRP, Audrey Brown, Brent J Clark, and Douglas Fairbanks. The Salt Lake City office provides a variety of valuation services including eminent domain, agricultural and ranches, multi-family, residential, office, retail, industrial, self-storage, convenience stores, hospitality/lodging, carwashes, churches, recreational, and resort appraisals. Notable and interesting assignments completed include the historic Fort Douglas military base, Solitude ski resort, a haunted house, a 700,000 square foot mall with ninety tenants, a 27,000 square foot homes with ski-in/ski-out access and an 18-car garage, and numerous other high-end homes including those owned by Utah Jazz players.
Meet the team:
Gary Free, MAI, SRA, Non-Practicing, Senior Managing Director
Gary Free began his appraisal career in the mid-1970s after graduating from the University of Utah. Although Gary has stepped away from appraising, he still maintains active management and mentorship roles as a Senior Managing Director and majority shareholder. Throughout his appraisal career, he earned the MAI and SRA designations and held many leadership positions with the Appraisal Institute and Society of Real Estate Appraisers. Gary began developing self-storage facilities in 1994, thus launching Towne Storage which now includes over thirty locations in Utah, Nevada, and Arizona. Gary is an enthusiastic supporter of various charitable activities, including Mentors International and AMAR. Gary and his wife, Kathy, had six children and twenty-two grandchildren. He enjoys skiing and automobile racing, having competed in the NASA national and local race series in his factory-built race car.
Tyler Free, MAI, Senior Managing Director
Tyler Free started with our firm as a part-time employee assisting our residential department in taping photos and organizing reports for delivery and shrinking floor plans to be inserted into reports. He took a break to serve a mission for his church and picked up in the research department while attending the University of Utah where he graduated in 2005. Tyler holds the MAI designation, is a Senior Managing Director, a shareholder in the firm, and is a certified general appraiser licensed in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and Arizona. Tyler and his wife, Jaime, have four boys ranging in age from 5 to 17. As a result, he has coached several basketball and football teams and even picked up coaching lacrosse from time to time. Tyler enjoys skiing, snowboarding, basketball, and enjoying the Utah mountains.
Michael Baxter, CRP, Senior Appraiser
Mike was born and raised in Southern California, moving to Utah to attend Brigham Young University after a service mission for his church. He graduated with a BS in Building Construction and Real Estate and obtained his real estate sales license. Mike was hired as our first residential appraiser, and has a very impressive tenure with our firm, having started in 1984! He is a Utah State Certified Residential appraiser, holds the CRP Relocation Council designation, and is an approved FHA appraiser. Mike and his wife, Marki, have four children and nine terrific grandchildren.
Audrey Brown, Appraiser
Audrey joined our firm in 2021 and is our newest certified general appraiser in the Salt Lake office. She works primarily on commercial land, retail, and office property types. She began her appraisal career in 2017 and became a certified residential appraiser working in western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming. She now lives in Utah County and in her free time, she enjoys exploring the beautiful Utah mountains.
Brent J. (BJ) Clark, Appraiser
BJ started working for our firm in 2001 as a part-time employee delivering appraisal reports and taking photos for the appraisers. He graduated from the University of Utah in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Finance, and is currently a licensed appraiser, working toward certification. BJ is our firm’s specialist in eminent domain and is sought out by UDOT and other local and state agencies, always earning perfect scores for his appraisal work with UDOT. BJ and his wife Lauren have two girls, ages 4 and 7. They keep him busy with dance, gymnastics, and soccer. BJ enjoys riding dirt bikes, camping, and traveling with his family.
Douglas Fairbanks, Appraiser
Doug joined our firm in 1996 and is a full-time researcher. After just a few months, he began inspecting properties with a senior commercial appraiser, began writing portions of the appraisal reports, and became a License appraiser. Doug is our firm’s specialist in industrial properties but also completes office, retail, and vacant land properties. Doug and his wife are about to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. They share three daughters and three grandchildren. They enjoy watching their grandchildren’s volleyball, soccer and football games. In his spare time, Doug enjoys reading, walking, and spending time with family and friends.