Mike Yantis has led over $2B in civil infrastructure and now develops land across Central Texas.
He breaks down what actually kills land deals, how to deliver lots on time, and how AI is changing land acquisition by turning weeks of engineering work into minutes.

Episode Description
Texas is still one of the most active growth markets in the country, but turning raw land into finished lots is getting harder, slower, and more expensive. In this episode of The AI Edge Podcast, Louis sits down with Mike Yantis, President and CEO of Yantis Land LLC, a third generation operator who has managed over $2 billion in civil infrastructure and scaled a major construction business from 180 employees to nearly 600.

Mike shares the real mechanics behind land development in the I-35 corridor, what makes a deal viable, and the fastest ways projects lose time or money, from utilities and entitlements to municipal rules and carry costs. He also explains how he structures deals today, owner, JV, or fee developer, and why patience and buying right matter more than chasing deals.

Then we go into AI, including the new tools Mike is using to evaluate land, pull zoning and utility data, and even generate early site plans in minutes. If you’re a developer, builder, landowner, or investor who wants a grounded look at how Texas land development works in the real world, this episode is for you.

Guest Intro
Today’s guest has helped shape the growth of Central Texas from the ground up. I’m joined by Mike Yantis, President and CEO of Yantis Land LLC.

Mike has managed over $2 billion in civil infrastructure projects across the region, including airports, military bases, DOT road work, industrial sites, commercial developments, and large scale subdivisions. As a leader at Yantis Company, he helped grow the business more than 200%, scaled the team from about 180 people to nearly 600, and drove major gains in profitability.

Today, Mike focuses on land development and fee development, delivering single family, build to rent, and manufactured housing opportunities for top builders across Texas. We break down what it really takes to move projects from raw dirt to finished lots, how to avoid the mistakes that destroy deals, and where AI is starting to change the land game.