Real Estate
Articles
My Tenants Have Names
July 31, 2026. My tenants have names. I know their stories, celebrate their successes, and occasionally share in their struggles. Despite the occasional headaches, I wouldn't trade them for anything.
Housing Is Local
July 24, 2026. Every election cycle, candidates in Washington promise to make housing more affordable. Congress debates new legislation. Presidents propose incentives. Federal agencies roll out programs designed to encourage homebuilding and expand homeownership.
The Science of Slowing Down
July 17, 2026. Transportation engineers generally describe traffic calming using three principles: deflection, constriction, and friction.
Why the Cameras Came to Town
July 10, 2026. On Wednesday, July 1st, millions of Americans woke up to the national show Fox & Friends broadcasting live from downtown Edmond as LibertyFest celebrated our nation's birthday.
Freedom, Fireworks, and Front Porches
July 3, 2026. Every Fourth of July, our tradition begins the same way, on the rooftop of The Chapman House in downtown Edmond. With the stars and stripes fluttering above, the LibertyFest Parade rolling below, and crowds lining the streets in celebration, it is a moment that always gives me pause.
More Than a Scoreboard
June 26, 2026. Recently, I attended the OKC Chamber Forum, Beyond the Game: The Economic Impact of Sports in OKC. The discussion featured leaders from our hospitality, tourism, and sports industries. While the conversation focused on athletics, the message was much bigger than sports.
Where Have All the Realtors Gone?
June 19, 2026. The future of real estate brokerage is not extinction. It is adaptation. The number of Realtors may shrink, but the value of expertise may become even more important.
The Transit Opportunity Ahead of Us
June 12, 2026. ONE Transit represents an opportunity to think differently about the future. Regional rail is not simply about moving people from one city to another. It is about creating new places, encouraging investment, and giving future generations more choices in how they live and travel.
The Floating American Dream: Why Some People Call the Marina Home
June 5, 2026. Most Americans still picture the American Dream as a house with a white picket fence, a backyard grill, and a mortgage. Yet scattered across marinas from Florida to California, and even here in Oklahoma, are people quietly redefining what home means.
Whitechapel: Layers of London
May 29, 2026. This week, I found myself leading a group of University of Central Oklahoma students through the East End of London, weaving our way through the streets of Whitechapel, Brick Lane, and Spitalfields.
UCO London Study Tour 2026
May 22, 2026. For many students, this becomes one of the defining educational experiences of their college careers. London has a unique way of connecting the past, present, and future all within a single walk through the city.
UCO’s London Research Tour 2026
May 15, 2026. I’m writing this week’s column from a transatlantic flight aboard a Boeing 777 bound for London. Alongside me are seven student researchers from the University of Central Oklahoma, all part of our annual London Research Tour.
Damned if You Do, Damned if You Don’t
May 8, 2026. This new perspective forces us to ask a hard question: are we creating opportunity, or quietly limiting it? Are we unintentionally keeping society from achieving the “American Dream” of owning a home, by providing a significantly better alternative?
Outlook 2026 Conference
May 1, 2026. With the support of the entire OREC team, and especially Executive Director Bailey Crotty, Matt Holder orchestrate one of the most professional and impactful real estate conferences I have ever attended.
Transit Without TOD Is Just a Train
April 24, 2026. Every time a city starts talking seriously about transit, commuter rail, light rail, or enhanced bus service, the conversation quickly turns to routes, vehicles, and funding. Those details matter, but they miss the real issue. In my opinion, and the research supports it, transit only works when it is paired with Transit-Oriented Development, or TOD.
The Law of Unintended Consequences
April 17, 2026. I love real estate, and I like creating policy. If you want to understand policy, do not just read the legislation. Watch what developers actually build.
Belfast: From The Troubles to a World-Class City
April 10, 2026. Eight years ago, I wrote that Belfast was on the path to recovery. Today, I can say with confidence, it has arrived.
12th Annual ULI Impact Awards: Celebrating the Places That Shape Us
April 3, 2026. Last week marked one of my favorite nights of the year in Oklahoma’s real estate community: the 12th Annual Urban Land Institute Impact Awards.
Incremental
March 27, 2026. The dictionary defines incremental as “increasing gradually by small amounts.” It is a simple definition, but one that carries a powerful lesson for how we build better cities and communities.
Spring Break Lessons from South Padre Island
March 20, 2026. Julie and I are spending spring break this year at South Padre Island (SPI). I know what some of you may be thinking. Don’t you get enough of college students at the University of Central Oklahoma? Do you really need to vacation at one of the most famous spring break destinations in the country?