Curtis Way joins us at the Western Canada Apartment Investment Conference in Edmonton. He is the president of RMS Group, which is a fully integrated real estate development company based in Edmonton that specializes in large multi-family properties. Curtis Way began his career in 1979 in the construction industry for a well-known Edmonton high-rise contractor. Being involved in renovations, industrial buildings and high-rise projects at an early age has been a contributing factor to his success. Curtis founded the RMS Group in 1996 to assist owners in the complex real estate business. Curtis has personally been involved in the development and construction of over 4 million sq. ft. of real estate in Western Canada and these projects have a value in excess of $500M.

The RMS Group is a fully integrated real estate development company which takes projects from initial inception to completion. After RMS purchases land it has a design and construction team that transforms the land into a new building and in most cases these are residential apartments. Most recently RMS has partnered with Capital Regional Housing to construct Alberta’s first private public affordable to market housing project.

Curtis talks about projects that RMS are currently involved in and provides insight on how they are able to keep construction costs lower than competitors. He discusses a truly innovative affordable and profitable housing project in Edmonton and his predictions for the future of real estate in the city.

Topics covered include:

• RMS breaking ground in how they structured an affordable apartment development project.
• The learning curve when Curtis invested in his first apartment building.
• What triggers the decision between buying and selling at RMS.
• How Curtis realized he wanted to get involved with real estate when he was in his teens.
• Real estate in Alberta being oil driven.The cost at which RMS can develop land.
• Curtis’ view on good competition versus bad competition.
• The many groups competing for affordable housing in Edmonton.
• Cost management measures that RMS has implemented.

This episode of Commercial Real Estate Podcast powered by First National was recorded live at the Western Canada Apartment Investment Conference in Edmonton as part of our Forum Series.