In this first Ownership Update, I share where I’m at in my ownership journey and how I’m applying the advice I’ve been learning from mentors in real time. I walk through the process my wife and I used to choose Colorado—then narrow down to a specific community—starting with lifestyle and long-term fit, and moving into a practical market search.

I break down how I approached location selection step-by-step: working with a broker and a third-party demographics company, running macro and micro analysis, and physically driving potential areas multiple times to see what the numbers don’t show on paper. I also explain how the market itself helped clarify my decision between acquisition vs. startup, and why I’m currently leaning startup based on the type of community we chose.

Finally, I share a few hard-earned lessons—like not rushing big decisions, not falling in love with a single site too early, and how visibility and real-world feel can change everything. Next episode, I’ll get more tactical and walk through what’s happening with LOIs and negotiations as this vision starts to become real.

If you’re early in your ownership journey, I hope this gives you a practical roadmap—and a mindset—for making one of the biggest decisions in the process.