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Boutique multifamily in east Austin
CategoriesOur Projects

Project Spotlight: The Johnny, Geyser’s Boutique, 76-unit Development in Austin

By Jorge Lopez,

This month, our Property Highlight series is focusing on The Johnny, a 76-unit multifamily development in East Austin roughly between Downtown and The Domain. Partnering with The Sephira Group, this multifamily project features condominium-like design elements and will offer 16 units of affordable housing for those who earn below 60% of the median family income.

Current Progress on The Johnny  

The Johnny provides a modern solution for those looking to live near the heart of the city in a luxury, boutique development. It is located steps from the red rail line at Crestview Station, and directly adjacent to The Crescent shopping center with quick access to 99 Ranch Market, Kura Sushi, Texas Pizza, and many other specialty stores and restaurants. 

the johhny multifamily development in east austin groundbreaking ceremony
November 2021
the johnny multifamily development in east austin parking garage
April 2022
the johnny multifamily development in east austin construction
June 2022

The Future of The Johnny 

The Johnny is currently under construction with a completion date set for January 2023. Since breaking ground in November, The Johnny has been full steam ahead on construction and is now framing. This property sits in proximity to the major development corridors along Lamar Blvd and Burnet Road. Additionally, The Johnny is located close to Downtown Austin, The Domain, The University of Texas, the ACC Highland Redevelopment, and Mueller. Who doesn’t want to be close to the action?

“The Johnny will provide residents with sophisticated living in a boutique development that offers an alternative to the large 300-unit plus communities that saturate the market.  We are also very excited about our wellness balcony, which will feature a hot and cold swim spa and provide residents with a space to relax and recharge.”  – Managing Director Michael Bernstein

2021 Renderings
2022 Renderings

If you are interested in being a resident at the Johnny, when completed, check out the website here for ongoing updates. 

If you want to check out our other Project Spotlight feature, click here! 

Interested in other developments? Check out our portfolio and sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of our Investor Page to be notified about future deals. 

About the Sephira Group

The Sephira Group (TSG) is a full-service Real Estate Development & Investment firm headquartered in Austin, Texas. TSG specializes in developing properties in irreplaceable locations, as well as identifying & acquiring undervalued properties with strong re-purposing potential. Our in-house teams focused on acquisitions, financing, design, development, and asset management, allow us to execute lucrative strategies across the entire real estate spectrum.

Tomas Arellano
CategoriesAbout Geyser

Employee Spotlight: Meet the New Head of Finance, Tomas Arellano

By Jorge Lopez,

This month’s Employee Spotlight features our new Head of Finance, Tomas Arellano; happy first week! Tomas’ experience in various real estate finance and accounting roles gives him a well equipped kit to bring amazing value to Geyser. We are extremely excited to have Tomas join the team. Get to know Tomas, his experience, and what he likes to do outside of work. 

Experience

Tomas Arellano is an Austin native that has been a part of the real estate industry for the past ten years. With a background in finance, accounting, and management, Tomas brings an abundance of experience to the table. 

“I have a lot of transaction experience. I’ve seen it from inception, through development, to disposition; I believe my experience will lead me to success. Just starting, I really like how Geyser approaches opportunities. Most companies find a niche but I think Geyser positions themselves as an all around alternative.”

What Would You Say Is Your Biggest Takeaway From Your Past Experiences?

“Integrity is important when you are working on behalf of partners and investors because you are doing things for them. If you are doing right by them, the relationships will grow and, eventually, equate to more investors. At the end of the day, being open and honest with the relationships that you build from those parties yields the greatest success and creates a long term strategy.”

How Have You Seen The Real Estate Market Change Overtime? 

“I think, compared to a few years ago, people view it as a stable wealth preservation option. It’s becoming more popular as an investment strategy, and the tech market has created a lot of capital wanting to invest in real estate. Investors are looking for a long term hold strategy and the flux of the market is causing people to explore real estate as an investment 

What Are You Most Looking Forward to In Your New Role? “I am looking forward to having a leadership role in finance and being present in those strategic conversations. I felt like this opportunity was a natural progression in my career. Meeting the team, everyone seems very sharp and down to earth. It’s great to have strong coworkers who are also approachable. I’ve only been here a week but everything is making sense. Very excited to get into it”  

Personal Life

Outside of work, Tomas enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, going to church, traveling, and being outside on the weekends. Tomas has a passion for training and teaching and loves mentoring and connecting with young professionals. One of his most memorable trips was to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

We are very excited to have Tomas come onboard, and Geyser is looking forward to learning and growing in parallel.

Welcome to the team Tomas! 

If you want to check out our other Employee Spotlight on Managing Director, Todd Peoples, click here!

CategoriesReal Estate for All

AMASS is Closing the Racial Wealth Gap One Investment at a Time

By Jorge Lopez,

One of the many pleasures we have as a real estate sponsor is working with really great people, and organizations, on our deals. In 2021, we were fortunate to have one of our deals included in the investment platform for a national organization called AMASS.

AMASS is an education and investment platform that gives black investors access to alternative investments that, ultimately, begin to close the racial wealth gap in America. The world of investing can be an intimidating market for people that are not familiar with the space. Acronyms and specific processes can get confusing and overwhelming for some. To aid in this, AMASS gives new investors access to high quality investments paired with high quality education through personal stories, Q&A, and webinars. The platform is designed to accommodate new investors’ uncertainty and provide them with key insights from highly experienced market leaders. 

Daron Roberts, Co-Founder of AMASS

Since its inception in 2021, AMASS has added 500 investors to the program. Founders Abby Coleman and former NFL coach and University of Texas at Austin professor, Daron Roberts work closely with financial advisors and various commercial real estate firms to boost access to quality investment opportunities. Roberts and Coleman formed the idea for starting AMASS after the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. 

“After George Floyd’s Murder, I committed myself to expanding equity (in the form of capital) for people who look like me” says Roberts. 

Daron is a very successful investor but finds he is the only black investor in many of the deals he participates in. The problem of underrepresentation does not get solved until there are systems in place that allow black investors access to quality deals that are usually only accessible through referrals and word-of-mouth. 

“As an NFL coach and Harvard Law graduate, I am often invited to participate in the kinds of investment deals that the average person never even heard about,” says Roberts, “and, more often than not, I am the only black investor in the mix. This word-of-mouth culture is one of the reasons the rich stay rich. Access – not knowledge – is the differentiator.”

Currently, the median African American family holds about 1.5% of the median white American family wealth. In total, this accumulates to over $10.4 billion in total inequality. For more context, the 400 most wealthiest billionaires in the U.S. have more total wealth than all 10 million Black households combined. 

“We all know this disparity is neither an accident nor a coincidence. And, I believe we can push back against this gap by acquiring assets that have the potential to create outsized returns.” Daron says. 

In 2021, The Geyser Group sponsored AMASS’s first investment opportunity for their members. We were excited to teach new investors the ins-and-out of investing, what to look for in a deal, and how to wire money for the first time. 

“Geyser is a real estate company that’s chosen to weave innovation and education into our DNA from the beginning.  We were thrilled for the opportunity to provide access and education alongside such a mission aligned partner that we hope to scale our impact with.” – Matt McDonnell, The Geyser Group CEO and co-founder

More recently, The Geyser Group sponsored another deal where Managing Director, Dick Hall held a webinar answering questions and concerns AMASS members had about the deal. Connecting new investors to revolutionary deals is something that The Geyser Group and AMASS share. We are incredibly honored to be a part of this organization and look forward to being a source of new deals for years to come. 

If you want more information on AMASS, check out their website here!

CategoriesState of the Market

Sustainability Checklist: Nine Strategies to Reduce Carbon, Energy, and Water Use In Austin Commercial Real Estate

By Jorge Lopez,

The Geyser Group believes in doing well by doing good. For Earth Day this year, our team wants to highlight the importance of environmental sustainability within the built environment. With rising climate concerns, it is critical for all players in the commercial real estate industry to consider how buildings impact the environment. To inspire all of us, here are the top nine strategies to reduce the use of energy in Austin commercial real estate.  

Currently, construction and demolition produce up to 500 tons of waste annually. This accounts for more than twice the amount of generated municipal solid waste in the U.S. Additionally, building construction and operations generate nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions. 11% of total emissions are caused by manufacturing building materials and construction processes. 

Top Nine Strategies to Reduce the Use of Energy, Carbon, and Water.

Energy, Carbon, and Water Reduction Strategies for Development Projects

1. Building Envelope – increasing insulation, adding tinting/glazing to windows, installing a white or green roof, and designing buildings with orientation to the path of the sun in mind, can reduce heat gain and energy consumption spending.

2. Mechanical Systems – high-efficiency heat pumps, electric water heaters, smart thermostats, and a fully integrated building automation system to tie everything together leads to a more energy-efficient building with a low carbon footprint that costs less to operate in the long run.

3. Renewables and Storage – on-site solar and battery storage combined with green power purchases and participation in utility demand response programs will enable buildings to achieve their net-zero targets while saving money or generating additional revenue.

4. Appliances and Water Fixtures – EPA Energy Star Rated and WaterSense labeled appliances and fixtures for the kitchen, laundry room, and bathroom ensure high efficiency and low water consumption, while electric stovetops and water heaters reduce carbon emissions generated by your building.   

5. Landscape Irrigation – low or no water use landscaping that includes native and drought-resistant plantings results in water and dollar savings. Irrigated areas should consist of smart controls, and any areas on the property that can be utilized for water catchment and re-use can lead to additional savings. 

strategies for reducing energy use

6. Lighting – lighting design should result in the appropriate level of lumens per watt of energy required and incorporate automatic controls via sensors, timers, and integration with the building automation system. The use of daylighting also reduces energy consumption. 

7. Metering – you can’t manage what you don’t measure, so sub-metering of all major mechanical equipment, tenant, and indoor/outdoor common areas allows building engineers and managers to operate a more efficient building.

8. Embodied Carbon During Construction – carbon emissions from building materials and the construction process make up nearly one-third of all emissions associated with commercial and residential buildings. Therefore, selecting construction materials and interior finishes with low embodied carbon (how and where they are made, for example) plays a vital role in each project’s environmental impact.  

9. Transportation – electric vehicle charging stations, bicycle storage, and strategies to reduce car dependence such as ride-sharing and public transportation incentives reduce emissions and provide flexible alternatives to residents and workers.

strategies for reducing energy use

It will take a conscious effort to integrate this into our development process, but being mindful of the impact that construction has on the environment is the first step. 

If you would like to learn more about how companies are making an effort to be more environmentally conscious, check out these articles. 

The Office of Energy Effienceny & Renewable Energy 

ECAD For Commerical Buildings- Austin Energy 

Interested in seeing our properties? Check out our portfolio here 

We would love to connect with you and update you are our future deals and opportunities. Sign up at the bottom of the page here. 

CategoriesAbout Geyser

Employee Spotlight: Questions with Managing Director Todd Peoples

By Jorge Lopez,

This year, The Geyser Group wants to start highlighting the wonderful people that work at the firm. Starting today, Geyser will highlight a different employee each month. From young entrepreneurs to seasoned industry veterans, Geyser has a wide variety of talent and diversity. Check back every month to get to know one of our employees a little more! Our Employee Spotlight series aims to uplift the wonderful people here at Geyser. 

This month’s Employee Spotlight features Todd Peoples, a rock star member of the managing team. Todd came to The Geyser Group in early 2020 as a development manager and has been providing tremendous value ever since. We interviewed Todd to learn more about his role in the company, how he enjoys spending his free time, and his life motto. 

What Does Your Job Role Entail? 

As one of the three Managing Directors, I mainly focus on business development, acquisitions, and our conservation development thesis where we identify places that have unique landscapes and ecology and figure out what’s the minimal amount of development we need to do to preserve the landscape forever.  

What Brought You to Geyser? 

I love the idea of creating places for people to live, work, and play while doing it with a group of people that are passionate about doing meaningful work 

What Do You Like Most About Your Job? 

I love the relationship building aspect and bringing value to people’s lives through real estate. 

What is the Best Career Lesson you Have Learned so Far? 

Personally, I believe in long obedience in the same direction and professionally that translates to persisting to achieve the company’s goals based on shared values and ideas. 

How Do You Balance Your Career and Family? 

Keep my priorities straight. Faith and family come first and work comes second with the understanding that hard work is important to model for my family. I want to be there for the big things, understanding that I have to sacrifice the little things to provide, which requires a flexible work/life schedule which Geyser offers.

What Is Your Motto? 

I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.  I pulled this from one of my favorite authors, Bob Goff.

What Would You Be Doing as a Career if You Weren’t Doing This? 

I would love to be a doctor if it didn’t require me going back to school for 8 years. I think this stems from the fact that I like to help people personally and professionally.  Geyser allows me to do both!

What Do You Like to Do When You’re not Working? 

Spend time outdoors with my family 

What Three Words Best Describe You? 

Curious, Faithful, Persistent 

Where is Your Favorite Place in the World?

Yosemite National Park 

What is a Fun Fact About Yourself That People Might not Know?

I was a child actor. I played one of the orphans in The Problem Child. 

If you Could Meet Anyone in the World Dead or Alive, Who Would it be and Why?

Thomas Eddison because he was so persistent and determined to create the lightbulb among various other inventions and wasn’t afraid to fail.  

What is One Thing That You Can’t Live Without? 

I can’t live without my wife. She is my support system and anywhere with her is my happy place. 

Is There Anything That You Want to Experience/Try That You Haven’t Yet? 

I would like to try rock climbing at some point 

Check back each month to learn more about our employees in our Employee Spotlight series!  If you are interested in our ongoing projects check out our portfolio here.