EP 112 Land, Discipline, and Gut Instinct: Inside Knapp Properties with Chris Costa
Wed Feb 04 2026
What does it take to lead a legacy real estate company through decades of market cycles?
Chris Costa joins the show to share his journey to becoming President and CEO of Knapp Properties. Based in West Des Moines, Knapp Properties operates as a full-service real estate firm with brokerage, development, ownership, and property management all under one roof, with nearly all activity focused in Central Iowa.
Chris walks through his personal path, growing up in Dubuque and Des Moines, attending Hoover High School and the University of Iowa, and starting his career in public accounting at Deloitte & Touche. Those early years gave him exposure to dozens of businesses and leadership styles, shaping how he thinks about trust, delegation, and what makes organizations succeed or fail.
The conversation dives deep into Knapp Properties' evolution as a family office, including lessons learned from multifamily ownership, office cycles, and long-term land strategies. Chris shares stories from working alongside Bill Knapp, whose instincts around farmland, development paths, and capital preservation proved critical heading into the Great Recession.
Chris also discusses the challenges facing developers today, especially rising infrastructure costs, sewer fees, and property tax policy. He explains why infrastructure is often the limiting factor in residential and commercial development, and why community involvement and long-term thinking remain central to his leadership philosophy.
Chris Costa's Top 5 Takeaways:
• Public accounting provides unmatched perspective on leadership and business quality.
• Experience and instinct still matter when markets feel disconnected from reality.
• Land ownership in the path of development rewards patience over speed.
• Infrastructure costs often matter more than demand in development decisions.
• Strong teams and trust-based leadership are the foundation of long-term success.
About Chris Costa:
Chris Costa is President and CEO of Knapp Properties, a West Des Moines–based, full-service real estate company with deep roots across Central Iowa. The firm operates as a long-term family office with holdings across commercial, residential, industrial, retail, and development projects.
Chris joined Knapp Properties in 1997 after starting his career in public accounting. Over nearly three decades, he has played a central role in strategic planning, capital allocation, development decisions, and community leadership throughout the Des Moines metro.
Contact Info:
Website | https://knappproperties.com
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/costa-wdm/
Learn More: https://www.littleguyloans.com/learnmorepod
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What does it take to lead a legacy real estate company through decades of market cycles? Chris Costa joins the show to share his journey to becoming President and CEO of Knapp Properties. Based in West Des Moines, Knapp Properties operates as a full-service real estate firm with brokerage, development, ownership, and property management all under one roof, with nearly all activity focused in Central Iowa. Chris walks through his personal path, growing up in Dubuque and Des Moines, attending Hoover High School and the University of Iowa, and starting his career in public accounting at Deloitte & Touche. Those early years gave him exposure to dozens of businesses and leadership styles, shaping how he thinks about trust, delegation, and what makes organizations succeed or fail. The conversation dives deep into Knapp Properties' evolution as a family office, including lessons learned from multifamily ownership, office cycles, and long-term land strategies. Chris shares stories from working alongside Bill Knapp, whose instincts around farmland, development paths, and capital preservation proved critical heading into the Great Recession. Chris also discusses the challenges facing developers today, especially rising infrastructure costs, sewer fees, and property tax policy. He explains why infrastructure is often the limiting factor in residential and commercial development, and why community involvement and long-term thinking remain central to his leadership philosophy. Chris Costa's Top 5 Takeaways: • Public accounting provides unmatched perspective on leadership and business quality. • Experience and instinct still matter when markets feel disconnected from reality. • Land ownership in the path of development rewards patience over speed. • Infrastructure costs often matter more than demand in development decisions. • Strong teams and trust-based leadership are the foundation of long-term success. About Chris Costa: Chris Costa is President and CEO of Knapp Properties, a West Des Moines–based, full-service real estate company with deep roots across Central Iowa. The firm operates as a long-term family office with holdings across commercial, residential, industrial, retail, and development projects. Chris joined Knapp Properties in 1997 after starting his career in public accounting. Over nearly three decades, he has played a central role in strategic planning, capital allocation, development decisions, and community leadership throughout the Des Moines metro. Contact Info: Website | https://knappproperties.com LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/costa-wdm/ Learn More: https://www.littleguyloans.com/learnmorepod