David Webb – a friend in education and real estate

By: J. David Chapman/August 17, 2023

Oklahoma lost a legend in real estate this week. I had a lot in common with Dr. David Webb. We shared a first name. We both have doctorates. We both have a passion for learning and teaching. We shared a love of real estate.

David was many things to many people. He was a dedicated academic teaching American history for years at the University of Central Oklahoma, where he changed the lives of thousands of students and prepared them for success. He was an accomplished real estate broker and owner of Century 21 Mark V, where he mentored and led hundreds of real estate sales associates. He sold homes to thousands of people in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area for over 50 years, helping them with one of the most important decisions they would make in their life. Some even had the opportunity to rent from David, as he owned many houses in the Edmond market. He was husband to Mary and father to Darren and William.

Dr. Webb earned an associate degree from Oklahoma Christian College, a bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma. His pursuit for education was not surprising to those who knew David because he had curiosity at his core – always asking why or how.

I had the opportunity to take David on the UCO London Study Tour in May 2017. We had the most captivating conversations, and the students and I enjoyed his personality, quick wit and humor. I spent every evening asking questions about real estate and learning at the foot of the master. He just filled the room with his knowledge and was always ready for the next adventure.

We are blessed in the Oklahoma market with many very experienced brokers, developers and builders. I would like to challenge you to reach out to one, take a minute and tell them thanks and ask questions and simply learn from them. I promise you, it will be time well spent. I am glad for the three weeks I had in London with Dr. Webb. I am glad I had the opportunity to do transactions with him, and he will certainly be missed!

J. David Chapman is a professor of finance and real estate at the University of Central Oklahoma (jchapman7@uco.edu).