ATLANTA—Judd Bobilin founded Chance Partners in 2009—right smack dab in the middle of the commercial real estate crash. His focus: developing mixed-use and student housing communities across the Southeast.

Before that, he served as executive vice president and Chief Development Officer of Novare Group, a leading developer of mixed-use hi-rise communities in urban locations having developed over $1.5 billion of real estate with 6,000 residences and 250,000 square feet of retail in aggregate. Prior to Novare, Bobilin was an executive with Lincoln Property Company, heading up the firm's multifamily development efforts in the Southeast.

Bobilin has served on professional panels including for National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and various real estate publications conferences. In 2006, he was selected to serve on Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin's Permitting Improvement Taskforce. He also worked with the City of Atlanta on the Sustainable Green Building initiative.

Currently he's member of the Urban Land Institute, the Multifamily Council of NAHB, Atlanta Home Builders Association, NAIOP and an advisory board member for the Georgia State University Real Estate Department. Bobilin received his MBA from Georgia State University and his B.S. from Syracuse University. GlobeSt.com caught up with Bobilin to get more of his story in this exclusive interview.

GlobeSt.com: How did you get your start in commercial real estate?

Bobilin: One of my first jobs in the commercial real estate sector was working as a consultant for Earthgrains and evaluating all their distribution facilities in Northern California.

GlobeSt.com: What have been some of the key turning points in your career?

Bobilin: Making the jump from finance into private equity firm focusing on commercial real estate investments and development in the US. Also, making the jump from private equity into development, and starting my own firm.

GlobeSt.com: What was the biggest challenge you've had to navigate in the commercial real estate industry?

Bobilin: Starting my own firm in 2009 during the depths of the commercial real estate depression and starting a development deal. I visited with 57 banks during a four-month time frame seeking a loan. 

In addition, I met with 15 private equity groups trying to find capital to start.  Ultimately, we found a local bank and friends and family capital to start our first deal.

GlobeSt.com: How did you get through that challenge?

Bobilin: Perseverance. For all intents and purposes, I was unemployed, with no income and a fourth child on the way.  I did not have a choice, I had to keep driving to see lenders and meeting with potential equity sources.

GlobeSt.com: What are your goals moving forward?

Bobilin: As a company, we only want to do two to three projects a year—apartments and hotels in infill locations. We don't have a desire to become the next big firm. 

We have all done that before and like our balance now. It is our reputation on the line, so when bankers or investors want an update on a project, they are getting direct information, not third-hand info.

GlobeSt.com: What was the biggest challenge you've had to navigate in the commercial real estate industry?

Bobilin: Starting my own firm in 2009 during the depths of the commercial real estate depression and starting a development deal. I visited with 57 banks during a four-month time frame seeking a loan. 

In addition, I met with 15 private equity groups trying to find capital to start.  Ultimately, we found a local bank and friends and family capital to start our first deal.

GlobeSt.com: How did you get through that challenge?

Bobilin: Perseverance. For all intents and purposes, I was unemployed, with no income and a fourth child on the way.  I did not have a choice, I had to keep driving to see lenders and meeting with potential equity sources.

GlobeSt.com: What are your goals moving forward?

Bobilin: As a company, we only want to do two to three projects a year—apartments and hotels in infill locations. We don't have a desire to become the next big firm. 

We have all done that before and like our balance now. It is our reputation on the line, so when bankers or investors want an update on a project, they are getting direct information, not third-hand info.