Behind the Deal

LIVE Commercial Real Estate Development Case Studies

Every 2nd Tuesday | 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Casa Chapala | Austin, Texas

Next Event: Tuesday, November 10, 2026

What does it REALLY take to turn a piece of land into a profitable commercial real estate development?

We're going behind the scenes of TWO active Central Texas developments—and you're invited to follow the journey!

No hypothetical deals. No expensive seminars. No polished success stories that skip over the hard parts.

Real developers. Real projects. Real decisions. Real challenges.

Join Real Estate Investing For The Win (REIFTW) and the Austin Commercial Real Estate Investing Discussion community for an ongoing monthly series designed to help you understand how commercial real estate projects come together—from identifying the opportunity to operating the finished development.

Two Projects. Two Developers. Two Different Strategies.

Andrew Brown | The RV Park at McKinney Roughs — Bastrop Area

A 40-acre destination RV resort development featuring 252 RV sites, 30 cabins, a recreational lake, pool, lazy river, and resort-style amenities.

Follow Andrew as he shares the decisions, challenges, financial considerations, and execution strategies behind developing a large-scale hospitality property.

Tim Dowling | The Roundabout in Buda — Buda, Texas

Founder of Buda Capital Partners and broker with BTM Realty, Tim brings more than 20 years of real estate experience.

His active mixed-use retail development features approximately 64,276 square feet of rentable space across nine buildings on 18 acres.

Discover how Tim identified an underserved market, worked with the community, and turned a development opportunity into a project now under construction.

Follow the Entire Development Journey

Rather than jumping from one unrelated presentation to another, we'll follow these projects through the major stages of commercial development:

Finding the Opportunity: Market demand, site selection, and highest and best use.
Due Diligence & Negotiations: Feasibility, contracts, risk assessment, and acquisition.
Funding the Deal: Pro formas, capital stacks, investor equity, financing, and closing.
Planning & Permitting: Engineering, approvals, infrastructure, and regulatory challenges.
Construction & Development: Budgets, contractors, scheduling, and solving unexpected problems.
Opening & Operations: Marketing, leasing, revenue, expenses, stabilization, and exit strategies.

Each month, the developers will share project updates, walk through relevant decisions, answer questions, and discuss lessons learned.

You'll see not just WHAT they're doing, but WHY they're doing it—and how you can apply those lessons to your own investment opportunities.

And because development doesn't happen only in a conference room, we'll also arrange special on-site construction tours and hands-on learning opportunities throughout the series.

A Special Celebration — November 10

Honoring Ken Harris: 11 Years of Connections, Education & Community

Our November gathering will also include a special recognition of Ken Harris, who has faithfully led the Austin Commercial Real Estate Investing Discussion group for 11 years.

Ken has brought investors, developers, operators, and real estate professionals together week after week, helping build relationships and opportunities throughout Central Texas.

As he passes the leadership baton to Linda Pedersen, founder of Real Estate Investing For The Win, we're celebrating the community he created and carrying that legacy forward.

We'll present Ken with a special award and a commemorative book filled with memories, photographs, and messages of appreciation from the people whose lives he's touched.

Have a favorite Ken Harris memory?

We invite you to contribute a story, photograph, or personal message to his tribute book.

Deadline for printed-book submissions: October 29, 2026.

[Insert Ken Harris tribute form link]

Who Should Attend?

Whether you're a seasoned commercial investor, residential investor ready to expand into larger projects, developer, operator, real estate professional, or someone simply curious about how commercial development works, you're welcome.

This is a community built around learning from one another, sharing experiences, building meaningful relationships, and recognizing opportunities.

No sales pitches. No paid education programs. Just real-world learning from people actively doing the work.

Meeting Details

When: Every second Tuesday of the month, starting November 10, 2026

Where: Casa Chapala, 9041 Research Blvd, Austin, TX

Time: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Lunch and networking
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Live case studies, project updates, and discussion
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Questions, conversations, and networking

As always, please plan to purchase lunch to support Casa Chapala, our longtime community host.

Why Attend Every Month?

Because commercial development is a process—not a single transaction.

One month you might see how a developer evaluates a property. The next, how they navigate financing challenges or negotiate with contractors. Later, you'll see the impact of those decisions as construction advances and operations begin.

Each session adds another piece to the puzzle.

Come for the knowledge. Stay for the connections. Learn how to make your own deals happen.

Learn Together. Invest Together. Win Together.