Southern California-based fund manager Pintar Investment Co. is not only surviving the pandemic; but making headway on its niche investment strategy. The dynamics of the pandemic have underscored the firm’s focus on single-family rental, emerging markets and opportunity zones.

Last month, Pintar Investment entered the Austin market with the purchase of a 276-unit apartment building for $58 million. The new construction property has three four-story buildings, and resident move-ins will being early this year. The deal is a quintessential example of the firm’s activity during the pandemic. It was not only Pintar’s foray into the Austin market, but it was also the firm’s third acquisition under its opportunity zone fund.

I recently sat down with Pintar CEO and founding partner Jeff Pintar to talk about the firm’s investment activity in 2020 and the new real estate trends that have emerged this year. During our interview, Pintar gives us insight into opportunity zone investment trends—and why they are still bullish despite the market change—single-family investment and how being a boutique firm is working to their advantage.