Conversations with Eric Weins

Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Weins.

Hi Eric, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From Bellman to Builder: My Denver Story
I’m the son of two worlds—my dad from St. Paul, Minnesota and my mom from Argentina. I came to the U.S. “for a little while” to learn English with my dad and ended up staying. My first job was in Pueblo, Colorado, tearing shingles off roofs in the summer heat. It was tough work, but it shaped me.
I asked my girlfriend—now my wife—to come to the States. We moved to Denver, gave ourselves two years to learn the language, and started from the bottom. She became an auditor downtown; I worked as a bellman at the Courtyard by Marriott, spending long hours at the hotel door imagining what I could build. I tried a few small ventures that didn’t work—until my dad handed me Think and Grow Rich. That book flipped a switch. We bought our first rental in 2004/2005, and I never looked back.
I grew from single homes to duplexes and triplexes, then 8–10 unit townhome projects. The turning point was converting an old mortuary—apartments upstairs, retail at street level. That deal opened doors to bigger projects and mentors.
Today, at Weins Development Group, we integrate acquisitions, design, construction, and property management. That lets us scale and run multiple projects in parallel without sacrificing quality—supported by systems, aligned lenders and investors, and a team that sweats the details. I’m not yet who I know I can become, but I’m working at it every day. The story started with family, grit, and a borrowed book—and it’s still being written, building by building, in Denver.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
City bureaucracy & shifting rules.
Early on—especially in Lakewood—I underestimated how long zoning, plan review, and inspections could take and how interpretations can change mid-stream. What I changed: I learned the code, over-communicate with reviewers, and front-load due diligence: pre-app meetings, early fire/MEP consults, neighbor outreach, and a clear log of decisions. Today we run permit checklists, keep timelines visible to all stakeholders, and build schedule contingencies by default.
Financing through cycles.
2008–2009 was a masterclass in humility. Some banks vanished, terms moved overnight, and deals that penciled on Monday didn’t on Friday. What I changed: multiple lender relationships, disciplined leverage, and conservative DSCR/interest-rate underwriting. We keep real reserves, phase projects smartly, and never rely on a single source of capital.
Learning construction the hard way.
I started without a trade background—wrangling electricians, plumbers, and schedules wasn’t easy. What I changed: detailed scopes, pre-con meetings, third-party peer reviews when needed, weekly OACs, and strict pay apps with lien waivers and photo documentation. Quality control and safety are non-negotiable.
None of this was “fácil,” but that’s the point. The challenges forced us to become vertically integrated, build systems, and earn trust with lenders, cities, and our team—so we can run multiple projects in parallel without losing quality.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We’re a Denver-born, boots-on-the-ground developer. We design, build, and manage infill housing—homes that work in real life, not just on a spreadsheet. We also operate our own office/retail assets through Weins Holdings.
What we do
Multifamily and townhomes with smart floor plans, durable finishes, acoustic comfort, and efficient systems.
What sets us apart
We’re vertically integrated—acquisitions, design, construction, and property management—so there are no handoff excuses. That lets us run multiple projects in parallel and still sweat the details.
Values
We’re an inclusive, equal-opportunity company—bilingual, community-minded, and committed to fair housing and respectful workplaces.
Proud of
Consistency over flash: on-time, on-budget buildings that are well cared for after lease-up. Partners call us back because we do what we say.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I don’t treat risk like a bet. In development, it’s something you can size, stage, and reduce. My rule: define the downside, earn the upside.
How I decide: I look for asymmetric plays—clear permits, tight scopes, real reserves—so the floor is solid and the ceiling can grow. Each step (feasibility → design → financing → GMP) is a checkpoint to say “yes” or “no.”
Big swings I’ve taken: converting an old mortuary into apartments over street retail (scary on paper, great in reality); building through ’08/’09 and later rate spikes; and scaling to run multiple projects in parallel.
How I de-risk: vertical integration (acquisitions, design, construction, PM), weekly OACs, clean contracts, lien waivers, multiple lender relationships, and data dashboards.
Bottom line: I take calculated risks I can influence. If I can’t control the key variables, I pass. Saying “no” is a superpower.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.weinsdevelopment.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericweins/