In this episode of The Land Development Podcast, host Ryan Glick sits down with Stephen Wendell, co-founder and CEO of Mountain Shore Properties. Stephen shares his path from law school to becoming a full-time developer, working on hotel and mixed-use projects in markets across the country. His firm has found success by being nimble, building off-market relationships, and diving deep into local communities to create long-term value.
Stephen explains the difference between working with hard-branded hotels like Hampton Inn and soft-branded properties where his team creates a unique guest experience using the infrastructure of major chains like Marriott. He also touches on the challenges of working in different regions and why they often joint venture with local developers or brokers to build trust and navigate city processes more smoothly.
The conversation explores how Stephen’s team operates across multiple cities without being stretched too thin. A key part of their strategy is working through a real estate fund model, giving their investors access to a wide range of asset classes and geographic areas, while reducing risk by spreading capital across multiple deals. This structure, he says, became especially important during COVID, when having flexibility and alignment among investors made all the difference.
Stephen also opens up about his favorite project, Camp Town in the Catskills, which he calls a “labor of love” and the hardest project he’s ever done. From historic cabins to infrastructure upgrades and a James Beard-nominated restaurant, it became a standout destination despite launching just before the pandemic. His story is a great example of how relationships, creativity, and persistence can shape lasting places.
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.