50 Years of Enhancing Lives
- 1969
Jim Clayton and Bill Williams combine their own capital along with friends and family to start Clayton and Williams. They purchased their first investment property.
- 1971
The first mobile home park is purchased.
- 1977
Steve Sherwood joins Clayton and Williams to form Clayton, Williams, and Sherwood, Inc. CWS implements a strong acquisition campaign for highly undervalued manufactured housing, which offers a good risk-reward relationship.
- 1980's
CWS establishes itself as the largest owner and operator of manufactured housing in the U.S.
- 1986
First CWS-built manufactured housing community is named Creekside, located in Lewisville, Texas.
- 1987
CWS makes its first international investment into five mobile home parks in Canada. Gary Carmell joins CWS.
- Late 1980’s
Manufactured housing demand begins to peak while apartment sector values plummet.
- 1989
CWS shifts its focus to undervalued apartment assets and purchases its first apartment community named Papillon Parc, located in Fort Worth, Texas.
- Early 1990’s
A large number of loan restructurings take place within the CWS portfolio resulting in a significant reduction in debt.
- 1996
First CWS apartment development projects: The Marquis at Deerfield, located in San Antonio, Texas and The Marquis at Ladera Vista, located in Austin, Texas.
- 1997
CWS completes its transition from manufactured housing to apartment communities after the merger of its manufactured housing management company into a private real estate investment trust (REIT) called CWS Communities Trust.
- 1998
CWS Capital Partners LLC and CWS Apartment Homes LLC are created after the sale of the manufactured housing management company. Mike Engels joins CWS.
- 1998-2000
"The Great Exchange": CWS begins the exchange of over $93 million in equity and over the next three years provides reinvestment opportunities into the apartment sector enabling investors to defer paying taxes on $136 million of gain.
- 2003
Relationship is forged with GE Capital to acquire multifamily properties across the nation.
- 2006
CWS portfolio grows to over $1 billion in assets and over 13,000 multifamily units under management.
- 2009
CWS celebrates its 40th anniversary closing the year with a portfolio of 56 properties with 15,223 units.
- 2010
CWS establishes its first apartment investment fund named CWS Strategic Apartment Fund (SAF).
- 2015
Within a 30-day period, CWS refinances 18 properties with over $350 million in debt, while returning $58 million to investors. CWS structures all of these loans with variable-rate financing.
- 2018
Within a 30-day period, CWS refinances 12 properties with over $267 million in debt, while returning over $30 million to investors. CWS structures all of these loans with variable-rate financing. BRIDGE corporate volunteer program surpasses $1 million in total donated funds to charitable organizations since inception of the program.
- 2019
CWS celebrates its 50th anniversary as an owner and operator of 101 properties, with 29,078 units valued at over $4.5 billion.
- 2020
Covid-19 pandemic shuts down the economy at large but soon begins a massive growth in rents for apartments as a result of remote work and a lack of housing supply.
50 Years of Enhancing Lives
- 1969
Jim Clayton and Bill Williams combine their own capital along with friends and family to start Clayton and Williams. They purchased their first investment property.
- 1971
The first mobile home park is purchased.
- 1977
Steve Sherwood joins Clayton and Williams to form Clayton, Williams, and Sherwood, Inc. CWS implements a strong acquisition campaign for highly undervalued manufactured housing, which offers a good risk-reward relationship.
- 1980's
CWS establishes itself as the largest owner and operator of manufactured housing in the U.S.
- 1986
First CWS-built manufactured housing community is named Creekside, located in Lewisville, Texas.
- 1987
CWS makes its first international investment into five mobile home parks in Canada. Gary Carmell joins CWS.
- Late 1980’s
Manufactured housing demand begins to peak while apartment sector values plummet.
- 1989
CWS shifts its focus to undervalued apartment assets and purchases its first apartment community named Papillon Parc, located in Fort Worth, Texas.
- Early 1990’s
A large number of loan restructurings take place within the CWS portfolio resulting in a significant reduction in debt.
- 1996
First CWS apartment development projects: The Marquis at Deerfield, located in San Antonio, Texas and The Marquis at Ladera Vista, located in Austin, Texas.
- 1997
CWS completes its transition from manufactured housing to apartment communities after the merger of its manufactured housing management company into a private real estate investment trust (REIT) called CWS Communities Trust.
- 1998
CWS Capital Partners LLC and CWS Apartment Homes LLC are created after the sale of the manufactured housing management company. Mike Engels joins CWS.
- 1998-2000
"The Great Exchange": CWS begins the exchange of over $93 million in equity and over the next three years provides reinvestment opportunities into the apartment sector enabling investors to defer paying taxes on $136 million of gain.
- 2003
Relationship is forged with GE Capital to acquire multifamily properties across the nation.
- 2006
CWS portfolio grows to over $1 billion in assets and over 13,000 multifamily units under management.
- 2009
CWS celebrates its 40th anniversary closing the year with a portfolio of 56 properties with 15,223 units.
- 2010
CWS establishes its first apartment investment fund named CWS Strategic Apartment Fund (SAF).
- 2015
Within a 30-day period, CWS refinances 18 properties with over $350 million in debt, while returning $58 million to investors. CWS structures all of these loans with variable-rate financing.
- 2018
Within a 30-day period, CWS refinances 12 properties with over $267 million in debt, while returning over $30 million to investors. CWS structures all of these loans with variable-rate financing. BRIDGE corporate volunteer program surpasses $1 million in total donated funds to charitable organizations since inception of the program.
- 2019
CWS celebrates its 50th anniversary as an owner and operator of 101 properties, with 29,078 units valued at over $4.5 billion.
- 2020
Covid-19 pandemic shuts down the economy at large but soon begins a massive growth in rents for apartments as a result of remote work and a lack of housing supply.