Jimmy Atkinson and Todd Vitzthum Talk about The Future Of Opportunity Zone Deal Flow

🔟 Key Takeaways from the OZ Listings Podcast Episode

1. [00:00:00] Opportunity Zones Overview & Guest Introduction
   Jimmy Atkinson introduces the purpose of Opportunity Zones (OZs) and his guest, Todd Vitzthum, co-founder of OZ Listings and President of ACARA, a national real estate brokerage and capital markets firm.

2. [00:01:02] Todd’s Background & Formation of ACARA
   Todd shares his journey from corporate brokerage at CBRE and Cushman & Wakefield to launching ACARA, which integrates brokerage, debt, and equity services with a specialty in ground-up multifamily development.

3. [00:03:19] Why Opportunity Zones Align with Ground-Up Development
   Jimmy and Todd explain why OZ regulations inherently favor new construction and how this has shaped ACARA’s national development practice.

4. [00:04:30] Evolution of the Commercial Brokerage Industry
   Todd critiques traditional brokerage models and explains why ACARA’s holistic, client-centered approach offers more value through portfolio strategy and capital access.

5. [00:07:19] The Unique Risk-Reward Profile of Development Deals
   Development is perceived as riskier, but Todd argues the long-term benefits and cash flow potential from build-and-hold strategies outweigh that risk when done right.

6. [00:09:00] How to De-Risk Development: Relationships & Underwriting
   The #1 way to mitigate risk? Partner with experienced, long-term developers and align interests. ACARA emphasizes team quality and programmatic partnerships over deal-chasing.

7. [00:11:09] Why Institutional Capital Often Avoids OZs
   OZ structures favor individual investors more than institutions due to compliance complexity and longer hold timelines. Most big funds prefer to acquire stabilized assets, not fund development.

8. [00:16:34] OZ Strategy for Distressed Development Assets
   Todd discusses “pre-CO” (pre-Certificate of Occupancy) deals and how ACARA is building strategies—and a marketplace—for recapitalizing distressed OZ projects with new equity.

9. [00:20:00] Launching OZ Listings: The First Marketplace for OZ Projects
   OZ Listings was created to solve the lack of centralized deal flow and education for investors. It’s a hub for vetted projects, capital sourcing, and service provider connections.

10. [00:27:39] The Role of OZs in Solving the Housing Crisis
    OZs have already contributed hundreds of thousands of housing units. Todd and Jimmy discuss how the policy could scale further and even inspire broader capital incentives for national housing development.