A Discussion with Geoffrey Allen Wall About His Successful Career in the Real Estate Development Industry
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Geoffrey Allen Wall is a semi-retired real estate developer currently consulting on the development of several self-sustaining tropical resorts and islands, specifically overwater bungalows located in the Caribbean. Widely viewed as an expert in the field by his peers, Geoffrey possesses an innate and lifelong passion for developing raw land into new and exciting enterprises.
Early in his career, he became keenly interested in cutting-edge sustainable technologies and green initiatives as they pertain to real estate development. An early adopter, Geoffrey Allen Wall has studied such promising trends as solar, tidal, wind and geothermal energy generation, ultimately incorporating them into most of his development planning. In fact, one of the overarching themes of the projects Geoffrey designs is leaving as small a carbon footprint as possible while still providing a great and memorable experience to clients, buyers, and visitors alike.
Geoffrey was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada and began his formal training by attending Langara College for Business Management. While he was still a student, he purchased his first property, redesigned it, and flipped it for a profit. The success of the project and resulting sale made a powerful impact on the young Geoffrey Allen Wall, and his resolve to pursue a career in real estate development was strengthened. After finishing school, he opened a business dedicated to designing and renovating houses, developing land, and purchasing land assets then parceling them for sale. The business thrived for many years before he made the choice to partially retire.
These days, Geoffrey spends his time participating in outdoor activities. He enjoys hiking and coaching youth sports, specifically soccer, baseball, and rugby. Despite his partial retirement, Geoffrey Allen Wall remains actively involved in the real estate industry and continues to consult on development projects. He is dedicated to making a positive impact on the community through sustainable development and committed to creating a better future for generations to come.
Why did you decide to create your own business?
Put simply, I knew I could succeed as a real estate developer, and I knew I could perform best as the master of my own actions. It just made sense to create my own business.
What do you love most about the industry you are in?
There’s a great sense of satisfaction I get when I see a property or a block of properties that I’ve had a large hand in developing. There’s a community of condos on the west side of Vancouver that I’m particularly proud of, and every time I drive by it with my kids in the car, I turn to them and say, “I was a part of building that neighborhood.” That feeling never gets old.
What would you tell others looking to get into your industry?
In real estate development, it’s important to make sure things don’t fall behind schedule. Needless to say, suitable time management is crucial. That’s why I usually start work around 5 am, so that I can finish by 3:30 pm and go home to spend time with my family. I would advise anyone thinking of entering this industry to do a variation of the same.
What keeps you motivated?
Making sure my business is healthy and my family is provided for gives me all the motivation I need.
If you could change one thing you did in the beginning of your career, what would it be?
Early in my career, there was a time when I didn’t do enough research and due diligence on a project, and it came back to haunt me. That project is still my biggest professional regret. I overcame this issue by learning from my mistake and making sure that I always properly prepare and perform due diligence before accepting any opportunity.
How do you maintain a work life balance?
Exercise. I exercise every day. It helps me to clear my head and disconnect from life’s stresses for a bit. I also try to get everyone I work with to do some sort of physical activity outside on a regular basis. I’m not talking about climbing a mountain—after all, everyone has their own limitations. But whether it’s walking, running, or riding a bike, I think everyone can benefit from consistent exercise. It gets the endorphins pumping, and it’s sure better than working nonstop.
What trends in your industry excite you?
Over the last few decades, there’s been a growing movement of states, companies, organizations, and individuals trying to lower their energy consumption. That trend, as well as people endeavoring to become more eco-friendly generally is very exciting to me. Whether it takes the form of more efficiently manufactured products, recycled products, reusable products, or just being cognizant of minimizing the amount of materials you use, it’s all helpful in the effort to minimize the damage caused to the planet by human activities. I’m also a big fan of projects that feature a large amount of green space. I think it’s a much better approach to preserve existing greenery and work around it rather than mow down every single tree to put up a big box, and once that’s finished, plant a couple of token trees.
What is one piece of advice that you have never forgotten?
Some advice my dad gave me, which did not sink in early enough, was to cultivate an excellent work ethic. My parents tried to instill in me that having a great work ethic is the best way to a successful career. Unfortunately, it was not until my dad had passed that the truth of that advice really hit home. However, I’m happy to say that I’m now very conscientious in this regard and hold myself to an extremely high standard. My dad was right, of course; it has paid great dividends in my career.
