Provident taps Christen Vestal for first Houston office

A Dallas real estate firm is opening its first Houston office, and its leader will be the first female development partner in the company’s history.

Provident Realty Advisors named Christen Vestal to head its Houston location, which will be the company’s first satellite office, the Houston Business Journal reported. Vestal joined Provident after leaving Houston-based Vigavi Realty.

“This was a really exciting opportunity because Provident really does it all,” Vestal told the outlet. “Their projects run the gamut from industrial, hospitality, multifamily, mixed-use, etc. That’s pretty unique for a development company.”

Vestal will oversee the firm’s Houston portfolio, which includes a mixed-use development called the Grid and a luxury apartment complex called the Star.

“In a male-dominated industry, it can be intimidating for a woman to interview with 10 guys at once, especially in industrial, which is even more male dominated,” Vestal told the outlet. “But they couldn’t have been more kind and understanding. It just wasn’t a thing.”

Back in August, Provident closed on the 96-acre Arlington country club with plans for a mixed-use community.

Vestal is currently looking to lease office space so she can hire a staff. She plans on hiring at least three analysts and two more development partners.

Her husband, Reed Vestal, launched his own commercial real estate agency last year. He, along with Jamie Poirier left their firms to form Junction Commercial Real Estate. John Erck joined the Junction team as well.

Vestal said watching her husband helped her change her own career.

“He went out during Covid — when the future of our industry was unknown, and the market was shaky — to pursue his goals without fear,” she told the outlet. “Even when the markets are shaky, there are opportunities to be had.”

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— Victoria Pruitt