In this episode, I sit down with experienced developers Justin Ruthenbeck and Tanner Verhoeks from Haven Idaho, to pull back the curtain on what real estate development actually looks like behind the scenes. This is not just about building properties. It’s about managing risk, solving real-world problems, and creating something that lasts. We talk about how they got started, what separates good developers from the rest, and why development is far more nuanced than most people think. If you’ve ever been curious about getting into development, this conversation will help you understand what it really takes and how to think about opportunities in a smarter, more strategic way. We also dig into the importance of aligning your investments with purpose, not just profit, and how the best developers think beyond spreadsheets to create long-term value for communities, investors, and themselves.
In this episode, I sit down with experienced developers Justin Ruthenbeck and Tanner Verhoeks from Haven Idaho, to pull back the curtain on what real estate development actually looks like behind the scenes. This is not just about building properties. It’s about managing risk, solving real-world problems, and creating something that lasts.
We talk about how they got started, what separates good developers from the rest, and why development is far more nuanced than most people think. If you’ve ever been curious about getting into development, this conversation will help you understand what it really takes and how to think about opportunities in a smarter, more strategic way.
We also dig into the importance of aligning your investments with purpose, not just profit, and how the best developers think beyond spreadsheets to create long-term value for communities, investors, and themselves.
00:00 Welcome and Guests
01:12 How Justin Met Tanner
02:02 Tanner’s Engineering Path
02:53 Justin’s Journey From Tech to Development
04:54 Building for Legacy
08:47 Choosing Projects and Risk
11:50 Due Diligence Timelines
14:49 Common Land Mistakes
18:33 Avoiding Commodity Builds
21:51 Partnering With Landowners
23:47 Keeping Your Day Job
26:42 What Development Really Is
30:01 Hard Lessons And Partners
34:23 Think Like A Developer
35:37 Developer Vs Builder Nuances
Out Guests today: Justin Ruthenbeck and Tanner Verhoeks-
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