Custom DST portfolio design

Preserve capital. Protect income. Reclaim your life.

Petra Capital Properties helps 1031 investors move from active property management to passive ownership through custom portfolio design, disciplined underwriting, and a team built to move quickly when exchange deadlines get real.

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$10B+ invested capital 100+ years combined experience $2B+ fractional 1031 programs
Signature deliverable: POPP

Personal Optimized Property Portfolios designed around your exact exchange.

Not a generic property list. Not a rushed "pick something before day 45" process. Petra uses a proprietary DST database and portfolio design center to build a personalized replacement strategy around your goals, timeline, debt needs, and risk tolerance.

  • Designed for self-managed rental owners, high-net-worth families, and family offices.
  • Built for speed, clarity, and cleaner execution under 1031 timelines.
  • Structured to support capital preservation, income protection, and long-term estate planning.
$10B+in invested capital across public and private real estate offerings
100+years of combined senior real estate investment experience
$2B+in fractional 1031 exchange programs participated in by leadership
POPPPetra's branded portfolio design process for custom 1031 planning
SWANSleep Well At Night thinking built into every portfolio conversation

The transition Petra is built for

You are not looking for more real estate. You are looking for a better way to hold it.

Most Petra clients have already done the hard part. They spent years building wealth through rental property ownership. Now they want out of day-to-day management without forcing a rushed 1031 decision or creating an avoidable tax problem.

  • Tired of tenants, trash, and toilets.
  • Concerned about concentration risk in one property or one market.
  • Trying to defer taxes while replacing income and simplifying life.
  • Need a team that can help them move quickly and intelligently.

What a better outcome looks like

Passive ownership, more diversification, and a strategy designed around your life.

  • Custom DST portfolio construction through Petra's portfolio design center.
  • Access to institutional-quality replacement property strategies.
  • Projected monthly income streams, subject to risk and no guarantees.
  • Alignment around capital preservation, income protection, and estate planning.
See what happens in a session

Why people choose Petra

Technology-backed portfolio design. High-touch guidance. Faster execution.

Petra's edge is not volume for volume's sake. It is the combination of a proprietary DST database, portfolio construction discipline, and a team approach that helps investors evaluate choices faster and with more confidence.

Placeholder visual Portfolio design center dashboard, risk heatmap, or POPP preview

Proprietary portfolio design center

Petra uses a proprietary database and workflow to source, evaluate, and organize DST strategies into personalized replacement plans.

Speed under deadline pressure

When the 45-day identification period matters, Petra helps reduce the drag of manually sorting through replacement options from scratch.

Team-based execution

Clients get guidance from portfolio research, transaction coordination, underwriting, and investor relations instead of a one-person sales process.

Ready to see what a custom portfolio could look like for your exchange?

Book Your Portfolio Design Session

How it works

A five-step process designed to reduce confusion and get to alignment faster.

1

Start with your sale

Petra reviews your property, exchange timing, debt replacement needs, and what you want the next phase of life to look like.

2

Clarify your mandate

Capital preservation, income needs, estate planning goals, liquidity preferences, and risk tolerance drive the design process.

3

Build your POPP

Petra structures a Personal Optimized Property Portfolio around your objectives using its proprietary portfolio design center.

4

Move with a team

Research, underwriting, investor relations, and transaction support work together to keep the process moving from design through closing.

See the full process

Representative case study

From actively managed fourplex to diversified passive income portfolio.

Petra's current case study centers on a 62-year-old investor selling a residential fourplex, replacing debt, and needing a moderately conservative solution built around capital preservation, monthly passive income, and a 5-7 year exit strategy.

  • $1.5M sale proceeds
  • $1.08M exchange equity after debt payoff and closing costs
  • Objectives: defer taxes, preserve capital, generate passive income, simplify estate planning
Explore the case study
"Since 2007, we have completed seven 1031 exchanges utilizing Brad Watt's expertise totaling $35 million. The quality and stability of our DST assets provide my family with great comfort. Put your trust in Petra Capital Properties and you will sleep well at night."
CB Craig B. — $35 Million in 1031 Exchanges

Decision support

Use the capital gains calculator before your clock starts.

The calculator helps investors estimate taxable gain, approximate tax exposure, and likely exchange equity before a portfolio design session. It is one of the easiest ways to turn a fuzzy conversation into a more concrete planning discussion.

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Supporting education

Video and written resources that help investors get comfortable with DST strategy.

Petra's existing videos and insights now sit inside a cleaner resource experience built for cold visitors, active exchangers, and professional partners.

Watch the videos Read the insights

What clients and partners say

Consistently the same themes: customization, speed, and trust.

"Brad provided client-focused solutions that allowed our exchangor to review and select the best overall option for them. The process was bespoke to their specific needs and strategy, resulting in a Personal Optimized Property Portfolio."
TG Tom Gustafson, Atlas 1031 Exchange
"Their approach to risk management and diversified asset allocation allowed me to actively participate in the construction of my portfolio. Their POPP technology platform was invaluable."
JB Jon B. — $2M+ diversified DST portfolio
"The very best thing that Brad brings to the table is Brad himself. He genuinely cares for the people he's helping and pours his heart into everything he does."
AL Anthony Lombardi, Lombardi Family Office

Team depth

A boutique team with underwriting, transaction, tax, and portfolio construction depth.

Petra's team spans portfolio design, property research, due diligence, transaction coordination, investor relations, and tax expertise. That matters when a high-stakes exchange needs more than a sales script.

Meet the team

Brad Watt

Founder focused on capital preservation and income protection across multiple cycles and recessions.

Mark Dickinson

Managing Director focused on strategic capital allocation, risk management, and passive income strategy.

Research + Operations

Portfolio research, due diligence, and transaction support that keeps design and execution connected.

Next step

Book your portfolio design session.

No sales theatrics. No public inventory dump. Just a focused conversation about your property sale, tax exposure, income needs, and what a custom POPP could look like.

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