š What if the future of real estate isn't about ROIā¦ but about rebuilding trust?
In this episode of The Local Real Estate Developer Podcast, weāre handing the mic to someone whoās walking the talkāBen Sears, VP of Expansion at Star House in Columbus, Ohio. Benās team didnāt wait around for the system to fix itselfāthey became the community operator & developer.
From turning a condemned motel into housing to navigating the politics of adaptive reuse in a 70-year-old church building, Ben breaks down what it really takes to lead a community-first development project.
If youāve ever wondered how locals can take control of abandoned spaces and turn them into something meaningfulāthis oneās for you.
šÆ Hereās what we get into:
How Star House went from service provider to real estate developer (and why it had to)
What it actually takes to entitle and rezone a church building (hint: itās not for the faint of heart)
The exact partnerships and advisors Ben leaned on to move from idea to execution
What YIGBY ("Yes In God's Backyard") meansāand how churches can become housing partners
Lessons learned from bidding out GC contracts, negotiating parking variances, and winning over the neighborhood
š„ You donāt need to be a big-time developer to make a big-time impact. You just need the courage to go first, and the relationships to go far.
Learn more about our guest:
Instagram: @starhousecolumbus
LinkedIn: Ben Sears Ā
Website: https://www.starhouse.us
Email: bsears@starhouse.us
ā Sign up for the LRED Developer Vault & Monthly Newsletter: ā ā http://www.localrealestatedeveloper.com/developer-vault-optinā ā
š§ Access all platforms, the Developer Vault, and more:ā https://linktr.ee/localrealestatedeveloperā
Ready to go from podcast listener to Local Developer? Whether you're just getting started or ready to go all in, we've got the tools to help you build what matters in your own backyard.
ā Programs & Resources:ā https://www.localrealestatedeveloper.com/ā
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#LocalRealEstateDeveloper #BuildWhatMatters #ThinkBigStartLocal #GatekeepingEndsHere #FromVacantToVibrant #CommunityFirstDevelopment #RealEstateWithPurpose
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