Watermark Properties

The Watermark story began a decade ago. Coming out of the global financial crisis in 2009, the single-family home rental space was just starting to form into an institutionalized asset class. Eric Theisen and Freddy Ellis left corporate positions to help launch a real estate development company with an inner city faith based High School, Chicago Hope Academy, to help the school cover their operating deficit.

Supplying newly formed institutional buyers with rental homes, they redeveloped communities and forged the beginnings of this new, rapidly growing asset class. As single-family homes for rent became more prominent and consumer demand continued to surge, Eric & Freddy started Watermark to capitalize on the next level of opportunity – building single-family communities designated specifically for rent.