At REEP Equity, we recognize that our most valuable assets are our team members.  

Join us as we highlight answers to questions from Jack Garza at REEP Development. 

Q: Can you start by giving us an overview of REEP Development and the role it plays in shaping the company’s mission? 

A: REEP Development is an owner-operator firm that specializes in multifamily and single-family residential developments. Like REEP Equity, REEP Development offers investment opportunities through its projects. A key difference is that REEP Development’s projects do no exist at the time they are offered. This difference allows us to take raw land and bring it to its highest and best use, which we feel is the ultimate value add.  

Q: What motivated you to pursue a career in this industry? Can you share some of the defining moments that brought you to where you are today? 

A: From my first job working as a porter at a multifamily property, I knew providing people with a nice place to live was something that called to me. As I grew in my real estate experience, I found a natural draw to things like maintenance and Cap Ex project management. What really sold me is when i discovered what I refer to as the “Sandbox” component of development. This is the fact that rules and regulations act as the form boards providing some structure. They may tell you how to build something and what can/cannot be built, but besides that, raw land is the sand, a blank canvas.  

Q: Is there a specific project or achievement from your time here that stands out as a career highlight? What made it so meaningful? 

A: I’m a firm believer that my current projects are always the next best project, but I do have a sweet spot for my first project. I was fortunate to have a fantastic program for my undergrad through the UTSA Real Estate Finance and Development program and my first project was where I was able to put my degree to work. It showed me that the theory behind my education was crucial to getting me started, but that development would be an eternal journey of learning. It was also my first experience in navigating through the many interested parties that are involved with development projects. This first project demonstrated the unpredictability of the human factor when dealing with these various parties like municipalities, architects, contractors, etc. This is something that makes development unique when compared to other types of real estate investment opportunities.  

Q: Over the course of your career at REEP, what key lessons have you learned that have had the biggest impact on your personal and professional growth? 

A: One of the first big lessons learned is that by choosing to work in providing housing, it behooves us to treat our jobs as callings, and to take this responsibility seriously. We are essentially a service industry and the service we provide is incredibly important to our tenants. Not only do we provide a place to call home, but we also have a fiduciary for our investors that trust us to steward their hard-earned money and produce good returns. This is also incredibly important to them. Thankfully, by understanding the gravity of our jobs, a virtuous cycle can exist. If we take care of our tenants, we take care of our community and our investors. 

Q: Looking ahead, how do you envision your role evolving, and what excites you most about the future of the industry? 

1. I love my role and hope to guide the next generation of team members at REEP Development. But I am just getting started so it feels a little distant. I see San Antonio as a city just starting to boom and I would love to help shape this vision. San Antonio has a unique soul to it that is not found in any other city in Texas. Getting involved with directing our near infinite growth potential while keeping the soul of the city alive is something I am very passionate about. I believe you should always be learning to stay sharp. 

Q: Outside of your professional life, what hobbies or personal passions inspire you, and do they influence the way you approach your work? 

A: I like to get out and play a round of golf, snow ski, listening to music and I have been learning to compose orchestral/big band musical pieces.  Music is helpful when dealing with some of the more tedious aspects of my job but also serves to help me decompress. My nerdiest hobby is watching educational videos on a variety of topics to satisfy my need to learn new information.  

Q: Are there any particular team efforts or company-wide initiatives you’ve been involved with that are especially meaningful to you? Why? 

A: I have had the good fortune of participating as a presenter at our company-wide meetings, sharing with the larger team about the development projects and pipeline. This allows me to share the vision the company has for Development and new projects our operations team will inherit.  

Q: What advice would you share with new team members who hope to excel and make a lasting impact at REEP Equity? 

A: First, I would say that since they are joining the team, they already possess all that they need to excel and make a lasting impact. Be yourself and bring your unique qualities and skills to work each day. At REEP, intentional & earnest actions are the mechanism to leave an impact, not needing to change or conform. Our culture is one that feels like you are working among family and everyone on the team is a ‘culture ambassador’ whose job it is to welcome newcomers to the REEP team in a warm, welcoming way.