In this episode of The Land Development Podcast, Jose Lemus, the president and owner of LandDesign Consulting, walks us through his career in land development and engineering. Starting with his background in civil engineering, Jose shares how his early experiences, including an internship and working as a project engineer, shaped his understanding of development projects. He discusses the importance of gaining real-world experience early and how it helped him build a strong foundation for his future endeavors.
Jose also highlights his entrepreneurial journey in land development, explaining how he founded LandDesign Consulting in 2017. With a background in both public and private sectors, Jose grew his company rapidly, building a team of engineers and working with top national homebuilders. His story takes an interesting turn when he recounts his first major land deal and how he leveraged his engineering expertise to secure his success. His approach to land flipping, involving engineering the projects himself, set him apart in the industry.
Later in the episode, Jose opens up about his decision to pursue a PhD at Stanford University. He shares his experiences as a PhD candidate in civil engineering, including the professors and courses that have inspired him. Jose’s desire to impact the land development field through research and policy is evident as he discusses his future goals in both academia and the industry, particularly his focus on addressing the housing and land crisis.
The conversation also touches on the challenges of doing business in California, where stringent regulations, environmental concerns, and red tape can make land development more complex. Jose shares his insights on working through these challenges and finding a balance between meeting the needs of municipalities and developers. He also offers advice for aspiring engineers and developers, emphasizing the importance of relationships and adaptability in the industry.
Ryan sits down with Peter Murphy Lewis to talk about how storytelling can help developers and builders attract better talent and build stronger teams. They break down simple, practical ways to use video and real stories to stand out in today’s labor market.
Keith Miller joins the show to talk about his focus on building attainably priced homes at scale in Montana, why he’s using factory-built housing, and what it really takes to bring new supply to fast-growing markets.
Ryan and Charles break down falling homebuyer demand, a heated TikTok debate on millennial housing choices, a proposed property tax hike in New York City, and what a shrinking U.S. population could mean for developers.