Welcome to a very special Wisdom Wednesday.
This past week, we celebrated one year of ownership of Keith Junior High School. Today, I want to briefly reflect on what that experience has meant to us and share a few lessons we’ve learned from a real estate development standpoint.
Hopefully, you can take something from it—and celebrate with us that we’re still standing.
When we first bought this building, I actually walked away from the deal several times. The first time I saw it, I got up on the roof, and it felt like it stretched on for two football fields. At least, that’s what it felt like at the time.
And I remember thinking, “There are a thousand things here that could bankrupt me.”
As we moved through the process, we eventually decided to take the leap. We believed in our ability to figure it out, to do the due diligence, and to handle challenges as they came. And really, that’s what real estate development is—believing in your abilities, making informed decisions, and adapting as problems arise.
We’ve had challenges, and we’ve had wins. And this building, honestly, is incredible. Structurally, it’s in amazing shape. The tenants are wonderful people—several of whom I now consider close friends. It’s a great community, especially within this 55+ setting.
This project has also opened doors in other areas, including opportunities like LIHTC developments and new partnerships we’ve formed along the way.
We’re especially grateful for the support of First Commonwealth Bank and Kish Bank, who helped make financing this project possible. There have been so many moments of progress we’re thankful for—and we’ve seen both opportunity and challenge throughout the journey.
We’ve also faced plenty of difficult situations: sprinkler system failures, water line breaks that went unnoticed while thousands of gallons were being lost, and even digging up infrastructure at our own expense. We’ve replaced roofs, handled leaks, and navigated ongoing renovations and major remodeling plans that are still ahead of us.
And through it all, one thing has become very clear—real estate development is not for the faint of heart.
It is hard. It is unpredictable. It is anything but certain. And if it were easy or guaranteed, everyone would do it, and nothing would be affordable.
But when you combine effort, attention to detail, and persistence, you can create something meaningful. You can preserve something valuable. And in the long run, you can build wealth while also being a steward of something important to your community.
So as we celebrate one year of ownership of Keith Junior High School, there’s a lot to be grateful for.
And for those of you in real estate—whether you own a single-family home or manage hundreds of units—this is the same message: persevere.
Get wisdom. Lean in. Work hard. Expect storms, but also expect sunny days.
That’s your Wisdom Wednesday.
Have a great one—we’re certainly grateful to be celebrating one year here at Keith Junior High School.
