Why Hockey is The Sport of Real Estate Development

People always ask why I love hockey. And why there's a Wayne Gretzky jersey on my chair.

I always answer: Because hockey is the sport of real estate development.

Let me explain.

𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗰𝗲 🏒 Players skate on thin blades. One misstep and they fall. 🏙 Real estate runs on leverage, uncertainty. One shift and everything changes.

𝟮. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀 🏒 Blades on ice makes the game super fast so speed controls the play. 🏙 Speed to market, to sell, to deliver separates the best from the rest.

𝟯. 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 🏒 Players rotate in and out continuously, supporting each other to stay ahead. 🏙 Success relies on collaboration across design, sales, marketing, execution.

𝟰. 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 🏒 Fights break out on the ice: brutal (even bloody), but part of the game. 🏙 Bidding wars, deal negotiations, and market battles are just as inevitable.

𝟱. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 🏒 No player steps onto the ice without safety gear. 🏙 No developer succeeds without the right financial and legal safeguards.

𝟲. 𝗡𝗼 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀 🏒 A small net, a big goalie, a puck the size of a saucer. Scoring isn't simple. 🏙 A tough market, scarce deals, cutthroat rivalry. Closing isn't a given.

𝟳. 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁 🏒 A penalty pulls a player off the ice, shifting momentum in seconds. 🏙 The cost of real estate mistakes hits fast. Like a player benched in an instant.

𝟴. 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 🏒 Finding and keeping players is costly, but it wins games. 🏙 Recruiting and retaining top talent is an investment, but it pays off.

𝟵. 𝗠𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 🏒 Every game needs a Zamboni to keep the ice in top shape. 🏙 Every project needs continuous upkeep to hold value.

𝟭𝟬. 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 🏒 Hockey teams find young talent before they peak. 🏙 Developers secure 'young' land before it booms.