Finding an Advantage in Real Estate Investing

The Setup A few years ago I read a comment describing how real estate, unlike the stock market, is built on asymmetry. Asymmetry in local expertise, operational knowledge by market or product type, access to capital, and sometimes pricing knowledge for assets (not just what was paid, but why). Arbitrage in financial markets has become […]

Construction Lending Has Slowed. What are the implications?

Developers, like all entrepreneurs, are great problem solvers. Problems of all varieties occur, and while efficient access to accretive debt financing won’t rate as one of Donald Rumsfeld’s “unknown, unknowns,” the recent challenges associated with securing a construction loan have had, and will continue to have, significant impacts on the developer. What Happened? As we […]

San Diego’s Smart Growth Solution

San Diego is known to many as America’s Finest City, beloved for its endless miles of scenic coastline, amazing weather, top-notch restaurants, and friendly, laid-back attitude. It’s become a top destination for both homebuyers and businesses, and the region’s population is expected to increase by about 33% by 2050. However, the already-strained infrastructure currently in […]

Learn. Bring Your Entrepreneurial Ambitions to Reality.

If you want to achieve, become a world-class learner. That’s the tweet-sized heart of this blog. I grew up in a loving home of modest means. Creating a better reality for my future self became something of a mandate. Like my mom’s best friend used to say, “Money doesn’t suck, the lack of money sucks.” […]

Airbnb Further Disrupts Real Estate.

ULI San Diego/Tijuana just played host to JaJa Jackson at the Quartyard in downtown SD. JaJa is Head of Landlord Partnerships at Airbnb. His mandate is pretty clear: expand Airbnb’s market penetration. The lunch was fascinating and by far one of the more stimulating ULI events I’ve attended in recent years. Maybe that’s just because […]

Number 1 way to improve your leadership. Listen

The wonderful opportunity to become a member of Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) came my way two years ago. Connecting with this group of likeminded, successful, company founders has been truly transformational. As part of my EO experience, I gained admittance to the Entrepreneurial Master’s Program (EMP, co-produced by MIT and EO). The educational content here (which […]