People sometimes ask why I started Chase Merritt. The answer is pretty simple. After more than three decades in this business, I wanted to build the kind of company I’d want to partner with.
I’ve been fortunate to spend the last 36 years investing, developing, operating, and financing real estate alongside some exceptional partners, including Goldman Sachs, Carlyle, PCCP, and many others. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about markets, but even more about people.
Early in my career, we started investing in Austin before institutional capital believed in the market. I remember hearing, “There’s no institutional money in Austin. Why would we invest there?”
Our answer was simple: because eventually there would be.
We believed in the fundamentals, trusted our instincts, and were willing to get there before everyone else. Years later, institutional capital followed.
That experience reinforced something I’ve believed ever since: some of the best opportunities are found by seeing what’s next before it’s obvious.
But being early isn’t enough. This business is built on trust.
The opportunities that come to Chase Merritt today aren’t coming from cold calls or marketing campaigns. They’re coming from relationships that have been built over decades. People call because they know how we’ll approach a problem. They know we’ll tell them the truth, keep our word, and stay in the deal long after closing. Relationships might get you the first phone call. Performance and trust are what earn the second one.
Like anyone who’s spent a lifetime in business, I’ve had partnerships that exceeded every expectation and others that taught hard lessons. Looking back, I’m grateful for all of them. They helped shape the company we’re building today.
I wanted Chase Merritt to be a place where reputation matters. Where people enjoy doing business together. Where we’re willing to pass on opportunities that aren’t the right fit, because the long game is always more important than the next deal.
The Western Slope is home. It’s where many of my closest relationships were built and where I’ve spent much of my career. Working with local governments, nonprofits, hospitals, utilities, businesses, and community leaders has reinforced something I believe deeply: successful development isn’t something you do to a community—it’s something you do with a community.
That’s one reason housing has become such an important focus for us. Healthy communities need places where people can afford to live, work, and build their lives. We believe thoughtful development should leave a place better than we found it.
While our roots are here in Western Colorado, our vision isn’t limited by geography. We’ll continue looking for overlooked markets, strong local partners, and opportunities where we believe we can create lasting value.
At this stage of my career, success isn’t measured by the number of deals we close. It’s measured by the people who want to keep building with us.
That’s the company we’re working to build at Chase Merritt.
If that approach resonates with you, I’d welcome the conversation.