Felipe Ernst
| Felipe Ernst | |
|---|---|
 Felipe Ernst |
|
| Born | |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Real estate developer, Entrepreneur |
Felipe Ernst is an American real estate developer, investor, and academic based in Washington, D.C.[1] He is the founder and Managing Partner of Ernst Equities and serves as a faculty member at Georgetown University.[2][3]
Early Life and Education
Ernst attended Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He later completed his Master's degree in Real Estate Development & Finance from Georgetown's School of Continuing Studies.[4]
Beyond his development portfolio, Ernst is dedicated to training the next generation of real estate leaders. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies.
His teaching philosophy favors practical execution and localized risk analysis over rigid, theoretical financial modeling—emphasizing how capital structure, entitlement nuance, and hands-on operational discipline govern real-world outcomes.
Career
In 2015, Ernst founded Ernst Equities after acquiring a 3-unit residential property in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C. He expanded the real estate portfolio to more than 2,300 rental apartment units across the Washington DC metropolitan region.[5]
Prior to his career in real estate, Ernst worked as an associate management consultant within the technology enablement group at KPMG, where his largest client asset was Fannie Mae.
He is a licensed real estate broker in Maryland and Washington, D.C., as well as a Class A General Contractor.[6]
In 2025, Ernst Equities rebranded to Capitol Rock Partners, sharpening its long-term strategy to expand acquisition and development of workforce housing serving the 80%–120% Area Median Income (AMI) band across the D.C. metropolitan region. Today, the firm’s portfolio spans over 2,300 rental units.[7]
Awards
- Tropaia Award (2024): Awarded as the most outstanding faculty member in Georgetown’s Real Estate graduate program.[8]
- Rising Star of Commercial Real Estate (2020): Recognized by DCA Live.
- "30 Under 30" Honoree: Two-time honoree by the Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Journal.[9]
Personal life
He is the son of Ricardo Ernst.[10]
References
- ↑ Real Estate Roundup (2023-03-29) , The Washington Informer , accessed 2026-07-08
- ↑ ‘Great Time To Buy’: Growing D.C. Firm Scoops Up 3 Properties , Bisnow , accessed 2026-07-08
- ↑ Marcus & Millichap Announces $5M Sale Of Columbia Heights Apartments (2022-08-01) , citybiz , accessed 2026-07-08
- ↑ 30 Under 30: Felipe Ernst (2019-02-27) , marejournal , accessed 2026-07-08
- ↑ Georgetown faculty member pays $15M for Mount Pleasant apartment building (2025-06-18) , Washington Business Journal , accessed 2026-07-09
- ↑ Felipe Ernst | ERNST Equities Founder , Apple Podcasts , accessed 2026-07-08
- ↑ https://scs.georgetown.edu/faculty/4122183/felipe-ernst/#:~:text=He's%20since%20grown%20to%20%2B2%2C300%20rental%20apartment,helped%20build%20the%20Loan%20Accounting%20System%20platform.
- ↑ Felipe Ernst | Faculty | Georgetown SCS , scs.georgetown.edu , accessed 2026-07-09
- ↑ D.C. Small Residential Owner & Operator Summit , Bisnow , accessed 2026-07-09
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricardo_Ernst