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Optivest
Greg Goettsch founded Optivest in 1987, a Dana Point wealth manager operating as both an RIA and a licensed mortgage broker.
Optivest
Optivest, Inc. was founded by Gregory P. Goettsch in Dana Point, California, in 1987. Goettsch, a registered investment advisor, constructed the firm as a hybrid advisor and mortgage broker, a dual-capability structure that remains a core part of its client offering today. The firm's disclosed investment strategy is anchored by direct real estate lending and private equity placements. Optivest operates its own mortgage division, Optivest Properties, Inc., which originates and services private loans secured by California real estate. On the securities side, the firm structures private placements for accredited investors, with historical offerings concentrated in real estate development and operating businesses in the Western United States. Team size is not publicly disclosed, though the firm maintains offices in Dana Point and operates through dual FINRA- and CA Department of Real Estate-regulated entities. In 2018, Optivest resolved a SEC administrative proceeding concerning disclosures in a private placement offering, paying a $75,000 civil penalty without admitting or denying the findings. Optivest's structural differentiator is its in-house mortgage brokerage, a feature rare among wealth management firms of its size. The firm functions as both a fiduciary investment advisor and a direct lender to the real estate developers and investors who make up a significant portion of its client base, creating a vertically integrated capital loop uncommon in Southern California's private wealth market.
General information
Firm type
Multi Family Office
Year founded
1987
AUM
$200M – $500M (Altss estimate)
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Dana Point
Corporate office
Dana Point, CA, United States
Principals
Gregory P. Goettsch
Founder & President
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How is Optivest structurally different from a standard RIA?
Optivest operates both a registered investment advisor and a licensed mortgage brokerage, Optivest Properties, Inc., under the same corporate umbrella. This allows the firm to originate, fund, and service private real estate loans for clients, while also managing securities portfolios. Few Southern California wealth managers of comparable scale combine fiduciary asset management with an in-house lending arm.
What types of investments does Optivest offer its clients?
The firm has historically placed client capital into direct private real estate loans, private equity offerings, and traditional managed securities accounts. Its mortgage division originates loans secured by California residential and commercial property. Private placement memoranda show a focus on real estate development projects and small to mid-sized operating businesses in the Western U.S.
What was the SEC proceeding involving Optivest?
In March 2018, the SEC entered an administrative order finding that Optivest failed to disclose certain compensation arrangements in a private placement memorandum for a $3 million offering in 2011. The firm settled the matter by consenting to a cease-and-desist order and paying a $75,000 civil penalty, without admitting or denying the findings (per SEC File No. 3-18383, 2018).
Who runs investment decisions at Optivest?
Gregory P. Goettsch, the founder and president, is the central investment decision-maker and the named principal on both the firm's RIA and its FINRA broker-dealer registration. No additional named investment committee or CIO has been publicly identified in regulatory filings or the firm's communications.
Does Optivest participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Optivest's disclosure record and offering history point primarily to direct, sponsor-led private placements and individually negotiated real estate loans, rather than blind-pool fund commitments. The firm structures each private placement as a discrete offering, typically for a single development project or operating business.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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