Our Team
Chris Burns (LinkedIn) is the founder of Pickl and brings over a decade of experience solving complex real estate problems with empathy, creativity, and precision. He has led or participated in more than 500 transactions nationwide—as a broker, team leader, developer, and multifamily operator.
Before founding Pickl, Chris helped tenants navigate Washington D.C.’s complex TOPA law and secure their rights of first refusal for their homes. That experience taught him how to listen carefully, work through legal and title challenges, and create win-win outcomes—especially when time and trust are in short supply.
In 2024, Chris launched Pickl to bring his deep experience in legal and title-driven real estate directly to Texas heirs and sellers who need someone willing to do the hard work of curing complicated title issues. Today, Chris leads acquisitions, shapes company strategy, and uses his skills as a licensed private investigator (DC #PAI40000043) to help the research team crack the most difficult cases.
Mickey Garec brings nearly a decade of real estate and land acquisition experience, backed by 15 years as an engineer. His methodical, analytical approach turns complex title, ownership, and deal structures into solvable puzzles, combining technical precision with practical execution. Fluent in five languages, Mike bridges communication gaps and navigates multi-party, high-friction situations with clarity and focus. He excels at finding elegant solutions where others see only obstacles.
Valery Zuniga brings a calm, highly effective communication style and strong acquisition instincts to complex real estate transactions. With a background in project coordination and operational management, she excels at aligning stakeholders, managing information flow, and keeping difficult deals moving forward. Her technical training in engineering underpins a disciplined, research-driven approach to distressed and title-challenged acquisitions, allowing her to translate complexity into clear, actionable outcomes.
Atty. Ayla Cristobal has worked side by side with Chris since 2022, helping unlock real estate puzzles by mastering an ability to go deep into the public record across multiple states. Ayla recently passed the bar and brings not only an attention for detail, but a strong legal background that leads and supports Pickl’s research operations.
Johann Martinez has been with Pickl since 2024, having left a distinguished career in civil service for the pursuit of researching dirty deeds (and moonlighting as a mechanic on the side). Johann has an attention for detail, a nfectious attitude, and is a valued member of our research team.
Oscar Santos is often the first point of contact for many of our clients and has a passion for being a resource and providing assistance. Oscar balances school with his responsibilities at Pickl, finding time on nights and weekends to gather information and inform individuals of their options.