Matt Schwab and I have forged a truly unique partnership when Karlin acquired their first property here in Austin. It was a greenfield development that needed a vision. The evolution of the relationship really came about because as we were engaged, we learned how often we could really help our partners out, and do it in a way where we could create solutions that were more aligned with their needs going in, as opposed to kind of this battle between how landlords are structured internally versus what tenants are seeking.
With Karlin’s structure and their desire to create truly unique and interesting spaces, along with their discretionary capital, we were able to move forward quickly and create the foundation of the vision in a way that other investors would not have.
What I always communicate to tenants and their advisors is that the financial structure of Karlin is monolithic. They don’t have equity partners. Therefore, Karlin doesn’t base decisions on an internal rate of return model. They’re making the decisions on what is best for the tenant, the property and relationship.
The relationship with Karlin has really become a living organism that all started with a first deal and an opportunity to create something special and It continues to grow and thrive.