While real estate is all about location, experts say, Robert Dailey is all about his clients. Which puts him at the right place at the right time.

Helping clients achieve what they want is the biggest reward, according to this Omaha attorney, who has practiced real estate law for nearly 40 years.

In fact, client satisfaction is what motivates him most.

“I wake up early. I look forward to seeing my clients. I can’t wait to get up in the morning,” he said.

An attorney with McGrath North since 1985, Dailey deals with anything real estate related in his law practice.

“More specifically a lot of HOAs and condominium associations and condominium developers,” he said.

Again, he finds himself at the right place at the right time – with new avenues to explore.

Although the real estate market is starting to cool, he sees opportunity.

 “It’s really exciting right now. There are a few changes that are very pro-condominium development. That area is really taking off,” he said.

In addition, he works with borrowers and lenders of PACE loans, a new concept in Nebraska that provides funding for environmental reasons – prime for the taking.

“I do a lot of PACE loans for hotels, used to put new roofs, which saves a lot of energy, for adaptations to utilities, which saves a lot of money,” for example, he said.

In fact, PACE loans are a great opportunity for nonprofits, especially churches, many with old windows or leaky roofs.

“It’s easy to repay. You can stretch out your payments 20 to 25 years. It’s usually 5 years,” he explained.

But if you asked the Creighton University grad if he intended to purse a law degree, he’d say, “It was a big surprise to me.”

A journalism major, who was managing editor of the campus paper and manned its radio station, simply enjoyed being in college.

As to why real estate law, the married father of two college-age daughters, claims it was just curiosity.

“The more I looked into it. The more I liked it. I really liked the clients and slowly grew into it,” he said.

And so has his client base, which included high profile projects like the ConAgra Riverfront Campus, which was great for Omaha as well as ConAgra, back in the day.

But he didn’t stop there. Again, it was all about location, location, location.

McGrath North has made its mark well beyond Omaha’s borders. A distinction, he believes, that sets the firm apart.

“We have a lot of exposure to national work,” he said. “We bring a Midwest sensibility to it. I’ve done work in all 50 states. I’ve learned a lot, and they’ve learned a lot from that knowledge, meaning how to do things less expensively and “cut to the chase,” he euphemistically suggests.

Despite his success, Dailey has had his share of challenges.

“I had a stroke seven years ago. All the people around me, except my family, treated me as if my career were over,” he said.

Since then, he’s had some physical limitations, including paralysis. But like any good lawyer, he said, “I proved them wrong.”

His secret, “I really listen to people. Break down their problems. Down to the smallest unit possible, then try to build it up from there,” he said.

In hindsight, he never really imagined what his career might be like.

“My work almost completely changes every five years. It carries me along to something new,” he muses.