Meet Our Experts
Experienced professionals dedicated to providing exceptional private lending solutions and building lasting partnerships with the real estate community.
Our Leadership Team
Meet the experienced professionals who guide our mission to provide transparent and reliable private lending solutions.
David Diaz
Co-Founder & CEO
David brings more than two decades of experience in real estate finance, construction, and institutional investment. He has been directly involved in over 36,000 single-family and multifamily units, completed more than 1,200 renovations, built over 300 new homes, and transacted on more than 4,000 residential lots. His expertise spans capital markets, large-scale construction and renovation, and the integration of technology into real estate operations.
David began his career in commercial mortgage banking, where he underwrote and marketed more than $2 billion in structured real estate debt for agency, life company, and conduit lenders. He transitioned into operational leadership with a focus on value-add investment and large-scale residential platforms. In senior roles at Waypoint Homes, FirstKey Homes, and 1Sharpe Capital, David oversaw construction, acquisition, and asset management strategies for institutional portfolios across multiple U.S. markets. His work helped shape the operational and financial frameworks now standard in the single-family rental sector.
Most recently, he co-founded the Panther family of companies, focused on single-family rental development and management in Southwest Florida. As founder of Coastal Real Estate Funding, David applies his institutional experience to private lending — building a platform defined by speed, transparency, and disciplined execution. David is a graduate of Florida State University (MBA, Finance & Entrepreneurship) and the University of Central Florida (BS, Finance & Real Estate).
Roger Lehman
Co-Founder & COO
Roger brings over a decade of experience across capital markets, real estate finance, and development. He began his career on Wall Street, working in equity and credit derivatives before transitioning into real estate investment and private credit. Roger has since held senior financial and capital markets roles within multifamily development, private lending, and institutional real estate platforms. At Australy International, Lendmarq, and Bluenest Development, he helped structure and finance residential and commercial projects while managing risk and investor relations across diverse capital stacks.
Most recently, Roger serves as Director and Head of Capital Markets and Investor Relations at Sphere Properties, a vertically integrated real estate investment and development company based in Miami. His experience combines strategic financial leadership with operational execution in both debt and equity markets.
Roger's career reflects a unique progression from institutional finance to hands-on real estate development and private lending. His experience in both capital markets and construction finance enables him to bridge investors and developers with practical, data-driven capital solutions. As Chief Operating Officer of Coastal Real Estate Funding, Roger leads operations, capital strategy, and platform scalability — ensuring that Coastal delivers disciplined, intelligent lending solutions nationwide. Roger holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance and International Business from the University of Connecticut and a Global Executive MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.
Our Core Values
The principles that guide our leadership and drive our commitment to excellence
Transparency
Clear communication and honest dealings in every transaction. We believe trust is earned through openness and accountability at every stage of the lending process.
Expertise
Deep knowledge of real estate markets and lending practices. Our leadership team brings decades of combined institutional and hands-on real estate experience.
Reliability
Consistent delivery on our commitments and promises to borrowers. When we say we will close, we close — on time and on terms.
Innovation
Continuously improving our processes and service offerings. We leverage technology and data to deliver faster, smarter lending solutions.
Work Directly with Our Team
No account managers or call centers. When you work with Coastal, you work with the people on this page. Get pre-qualified in 24 hours.
