Our Story
Built on resilience,
focused on opportunity.
Merit Living was founded in the heart of the Lone Star State — where resilience meets opportunity — on the belief that lasting success is built on collaboration, strong relationships, and a family-oriented culture. We specialize in the acquisition, management, and optimization of multifamily communities, creating lasting value for investors while elevating residents' living experience.
While real estate is our business, our true purpose is fostering an environment where our team thrives; our foundation is trust, transparency, and open communication — a culture that values people as much as performance.
The meaning behind the name
Its roots are Texan: the state's name comes from the Caddo word táysha — "friends" or "allies." Merit is achievement earned through effort, never given. Living is a life of growth, character, and belonging. Together, a simple conviction: when you earn it, you truly live it.
Leadership
Principal-led, Institutionally trained.
Our principals bring decades of institutional expertise and a commitment to disciplined growth in the Sunbelt markets.
Richard W. Campo
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Richard, formerly Manager of Real Estate Investments at Camden Property Trust (NYSE: CPT), played a pivotal role in $3 billion of acquisitions, $1 billion of development, and $1 billion of dispositions across the Sunbelt and western U.S. He previously served in investment banking at US Capital Advisors and in JP Morgan's Real Estate Capital Markets Group. He holds a B.S. from Oregon State University and an MBA and Graduate Certificate in Real Estate from the University of Houston, and serves on the board of Dress for Success Houston.
Sarah V. Montgomery
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Sarah, formerly SVP and Houston/San Antonio Market Manager for PNC Bank’s Commercial Real Estate platform, helped build its Texas office, growing the loan portfolio 567% to over $2 billion across underwriting, debt structuring, and portfolio management, with a focus on multifamily. Prior to PNC, she originated over $2 billion in loan commitments at Wells Fargo CRE. She holds an MS in Real Estate and a BBA in Finance from Texas A&M University and a CCIM designation, and is active with the Urban Land Institute’s Women’s Leadership Initiative.
Maggie T. Michener
Vice President of Investments
Maggie, formerly Associate of Real Estate Investments at Camden Property Trust (NYSE: CPT), contributed to over $2 billion in multifamily acquisitions, dispositions, and development across major Sunbelt markets, with a focus on underwriting, due diligence, and deal execution. She began her career at Greystar in multifamily operations. She holds a BBA in Finance and a Certificate in Commercial Real Estate from the University of Houston, where she serves on the Board of the Undergraduate Real Estate Scholars program.
Advisory Board
Guided by industry leaders with decades of combined experience in multifamily real estate investment and management.
Debt & Equity Originations
Commercial Real Estate
A senior originations executive from a national commercial real estate lending platform.
A head of CRE at a top-tier national bank.
Advisor names available to prospective investors under NDA.