Peter Bale

Peter Bale, Senior Certified Real Estate Investigator(SCREI), is a consultant and expert witness for Bates Group, where he uses his in-depth knowledge of  regulatory statute and rule, combined with many years as a senior finance officer, to assist real estate and property management firms on compliance and other matters.

Prior to joining Bates Group, Peter was an Investigator/Auditor at the Oregon Real Estate Agency (OREA) for 5 years, where he conducted over 100 investigations into real estate fraud and compliance issues.  He also testified as the OREA representative at three Administrative Hearings.

In 2016 Peter was awarded the Association of Real Estate Licensing Law Officials (ARELLO) Investigator of the Year.  This coveted international award was won in competition with investigators from the USA, Canada, and six other countries.  Peter served on the Investigator Resource Committee for ARELLO, authored the chapter on “Investigative Techniques” for the Investigator Training Manual.  Later he also authored a curriculum for investigators of Financial Elder Abuse, for San Diego State University Center of Excellence.

In 2011 he served as a Commissioner for the Portland, OR, Commission on Disabilities.

Having received his Fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (CPA) in 1976 in London, England, he embarked on a two-year contract in Ndola, Zambia, where he served as senior head office accountant for the Consumer Buying Corporation of Zambia.

He then returned to England, where he expanded his base of knowledge and skillsets as a Finance and Commercial Officer within two large groups of companies, and the University of Bath.  When his children had started their adult lives he chose to immigrate to the USA.

In addition to his work with Bates Group, Peter is writing and presenting trainings for real estate firms and property managers in Oregon, and investigators nationwide.