Jacob Garza, Sr.

An Industry Leader with a Heart for the People He Serves

Jacob is the founder of REEP, where he leads the development and execution of growth and operational strategies for its two primary divisions: REEP Equity, a multifamily investment firm, and REEP Residential, the company’s in-house management team. Under his direction, REEP has achieved remarkable success, transacting on $770 million in multifamily assets over the past 14 years. The portfolio totals more than 6,070 units and supports a team of over 136 employees.

Jacob is also the Co-Founder and CEO of Elenova AI, a custom AI solutions firm built specifically for multifamily operators. Born out of real operations inside REEP Equity and REEP Residential, Elenova AI designs and deploys AI workflows that eliminate administrative overload, unify disconnected systems, and drive measurable NOI improvements — without off-the-shelf software.

Under his leadership, REEP has earned multiple prestigious awards. REEP was named a 2026 Top Employer by the National Apartment Association and recognized on the 2025 Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies. The firm has also secured the San Antonio Business Journal Fast Track award as a Fastest Growing Company for six consecutive years. Since its inception, REEP has sold and managed over 6,079 units, delivering an average internal rate of return exceeding 24% and a 2.17x equity multiple.

Before founding REEP, Jacob established Property Automation Software, the top-selling property management software for small to mid-sized companies. The company served 21,000 customers in nine countries, managing over 3.9 million units. He successfully sold the business in 2007 as the sole shareholder.

Alongside these accomplishments, Jacob co-authored the Amazon #1 best-selling book, A Leap of Faith: A Multifamily Real Estate Investment Fable – Building Wealth Through Real Estate. This work serves as a testament to his innovative thinking and ability to inspire others. Outside of work, he is an avid walker, downhill skier, and open-water diver. He is also an instrument-rated pilot who enjoys flying his Cirrus SR22.

Largest Percent of Returns — San Antonio Apartment Association

Independent Rental Owner of the Year — San Antonio Apartment Association

Property of the Year — San Antonio Apartment Association

Over the years, REEP Equity has also received numerous industry awards, including:

The one thing I have learned is to never stop learning

Podcasts

01 | Who We Are & What We Do

Welcome, Passive Investors! We are REEP Equity, a Multifamily Syndicator based out of San Antonio, Texas! We have created this podcast to share our experiences and inform investors about the truth of multifamily investing. We own 8 properties in San Antonio – that’s 1,800 units!

02 | Why We Chose A Bridge Loan For Our 537 Door Acquisition – Arleen Sits Down With JLL & NXT Capital

Arleen Garza interviews top lending executives – Bill Ballent with NXT Capital and Mark Brandenburg with Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) – to dive into the bridge loan debt product.

03 | How Is San Antonio Doing In the Texas’ Multifamily Market? Two Power Brokers Share What They Know

Why has REEP Equity continued to be so successful in the San Antonio market? We find out when Arleen Garza has an in-depth discussion in the REEP Studios with Moses Siller and Zar Haro, Jones Lang LaSalle’s multifamily broker power team.

04 | Buyers & Brokers – Relationships Matter

We’re back for Episode 4 with Zar Haro and Moses Siller from Jones Lang LaSalle to discuss why having a broker (or in this case, brokers) is the preferred way REEP buys properties. We will discuss the do’s and don’ts of beginning your relationship with a broker and a few crazy stories that Zar and Moses have to tell.

05 | Appreciation and Cash Flow – What The Passive Investor Needs To Understand

Kris Martinez, CPA talks about some distinct differences of appreciation and cash flow. REEP gets questions about the differences of these terms often so we thought we would set the record straight for all of our passive investors out there.

06 | Passive Wealth By Investing With Your IRA!

Investing in multifamily acquisitions can be much easier than you may have thought. Jacob Garza, principal of REEP Equity, wanted detailed information for our REEP listeners to learn how easy it is to use your IRA to invest in apartments to build your passive wealth.

07 | Attorney Mauricio Rauld Explains SEC Rules & What Passive Investors Should Avoid in a Syndicator

Mauricio Rauld, Founder and CEO of Premier Law Group, sits down with Jacob Garza to discuss important SEC rules and regulations in regards to multifamily investing.

Schedule Jacob

For Your Podcast or Event

As a founder, father, husband, software tech startup entrepreneur, and successful real estate investor, Jacob Garza has a lot to say about success in business and in life—and how to help others achieve it.

That’s why he’s excited to be a part of your podcast where he can teach your guests about what it takes to become a successful real estate investor in the multifamily property industry.

Get to Know Jacob

Today, Jacob’s ultimate goal within REEP Equity is to take care of the tenants and employees under his care. He knows that in order for them to be their best selves, they need to feel safe and supported. For the tenants, it’s all about taking care of them—the ultimate end-user. And for the employees, giving them a safe space to succeed AND fail while also helping them with personal and professional growth. Jacob believes when people are given what they need to thrive, they will exceed expectations. Providing people with what they need to succeed is also a core component of how he coaches others to become successful in multifamily real estate.

When it comes to what excites Jacob most about the real estate industry is that it’s horizontal in nature—you can come from anywhere and learn it, which also means it’s fun for him to teach. Not to mention, unlike tech and many other industries, real estate can live forever—it’s a legacy business. Empowering the next generation of real estate investors is something that gets Jacob out of bed in the morning.

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