Eli Davis

CELEBRATING LEADERS

WRITTEN BY ZACH COHEN | PHOTOS BY PEAK RES

Eli Davis was born and raised in Okarche, OK, a small town about 30 minutes west of Oklahoma City. In 2000, he enlisted in the Oklahoma National Guard, becoming a fourth-generation combat veteran. Eli deployed to Iraq in 2003 and 2007 and Afghanistan in 2011.

During his time in the military, Eli was recognized for many awards, including the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star Medal, multiple Army Commendation Medals and multiple Army Achievement Medals. He also served in New Orleans in 2005 during the Hurricane Katrina search and rescue efforts.

While enlisted in the military, Eli started a family and began working in real estate. He was licensed in 2005 and sold real estate around his commitments to the military for the next nine years.

In July 2014, Eli was medically retired from combat injuries, and the following year, he founded The Property Center.

Creating the Life of His Dreams

Eli was drawn to real estate for the opportunities it offered.

“I wanted more,” he reflects. “I was working 10-plus hours a day, making decent money, but if I was going to work 10 hours a day, six and seven days a week, I wanted to invest that time in an industry that I enjoyed and that had no ceiling on what I could earn. I loved that I could accomplish anything and build the wealth I wanted through real estate.”

When his time in the military came to a close, Eli went all-in on real estate. He fully devoted himself to creating the life of his dreams.

Beyond a Traditional Brokerage

Eli’s vision with The Property Center was to create a brokerage that went far beyond the offerings of a traditional real estate brokerage. Seven years after founding the company, he’s achieved that goal.

“We have residential agents, agents that specialize in commercial and land, and agents that specialize in investment real estate portfolios. We have a property management team that focuses on commercial and single-family management. We have a multifamily department that just does multifamily sales and management on large complexes of 100 units or more,” Eli explains.

By the end of 2022, The Property Center will be operating in five states. Eli oversees internal maintenance, make-ready teams and a construction company that does complete renovations on apartment complexes, commercial properties and single-family properties. The Property Center also owns an HOA/POA management company that manages 30-plus communities throughout central Oklahoma and Dallas/Fort Worth.

In 2021, the brokerage closed 230 transactions for $55 million with 975 units under management. As of August 2022, they’ve already exceeded 2021’s sales volume and are tracking to close the year with nearly 2,400 units under management.

What Eli has accomplished with The Property Center is nothing short of sensational, but he is most fulfilled by the people he has the honor of serving.

“[It’s all about] the lives I see changing from the successes and wins. I truly get excited to come to work every day,” he smiles.

Thriving on Challenge

Eli considers himself someone who thrives on challenge. He doesn’t shy away from a difficult situation, preferring to dive in and figure out a creative solution. He applies this to everything from his real estate business to his hobbies.

“I spend time learning and continuing my professional education. I love to learn more about my profession to be the best at what I do, and I take that same approach to hobbies and other life interests,” Eli explains.

Eli sets his personal and professional goals high and holds himself accountable along the journey toward accomplishing them. It’s part of the secret sauce to his success.

“I strive daily to be better than the guy I was yesterday and learn from my mistakes. No matter how challenging the day might be, I remind myself that I have survived 100% of my worst days so far, so nothing leads me to believe I won’t overcome anything else along the path,” he says.

“I am just a normal guy who’s willing to put in the time and work to accomplish anything I want — someone who wants to be the best version of themselves daily and be the best leader possible for my family and my business.”

A Family Man

Eli is a combat veteran and a successful businessman, but his most cherished title is Dad. He considers the moment he became a dad as the most pivotal in his life. “My perspectives all changed the moment I became a dad,” he says.

Eli and his wife, Abbie, have two children, Eli “Garritt” Jr. (12) and Atley (10), as well as a dog named Bear and a tortoise named Shelly. As a family, the Davises enjoy movie nights, OU football games, traveling, outside activities, watching sporting events, concerts and a never-ending list of kids' events.