Rental Property Owner & Real Estate Investor Podcast

Have you ever tried talking to your financial advisor about investing in Real Estate?  What did they have to say?  Did they bring up the risks and performance compared to investing in stocks, mutual funds, and bonds, or did they encourage you to invest in real estate and build passive income? If you’re talking with a traditional mainstream financial advisor, it's more likely that they steered you away from real estate into a mutual fund or stock portfolio. My guest today believes that traditional mainstream financial advice is BROKEN!  And he should know, because he used to be a financial advisor and stock coach. Chris Miles is now a Cash Flow Expert for Real Estate Investors and Anti-Financial Advisor.  He uses his company Money Ripples to expose the popular myths around money that have kept so many real estate investors from enjoying financial freedom and peace of mind. Today Chris and I discuss why your financial advisor is likely forbidden from endorsing investing in real estate, how you can free up cash

The mastery of Influence and Persuasion can be a powerful tool in negotiating with buyers and sellers.  Today we’re going to discuss techniques that will help you achieve that mastery. My guest today has 19 years of experience acquiring real estate below market value.  He’s flipped over 1,000 Single and Multifamily Residences and has extensive experience in lease negotiation. Todd Toback is also the creator of the “No Limits Sales System” which focuses on acquiring property directly from sellers while learning the mindset, skills, and habits to make it happen.  His expertise is in teaching others the art of talking to motivated sellers in order to double and quadruple their profits by making a few small tweaks. And through his coaching program “Next Level Wholesaling” he teaches solopreneurs how to build highly effective teams to create long-term wealth with less expenditure of their time. Today we discuss Todd’s favorite and most effective techniques he applies in determining whether a seller is motivated, m

I’ve been looking forward to our conversation with today’s guest because he’s one of the smartest people I know in the Multifamily and Property Management space.  JC Castillo has taken what he learned during his time in Silicon Valley and the semiconductor industry, and he’s applied that tech and data experience to his current business Multifamily Property Group which has grown to $80 Million in assets under management.  He just rolled out his new property management company called Velo Residential.  JC also hosts the excellent show called the “Operate For Profit Podcast” Today we’re going to discuss the future of investment real estate and the emphasis property management is going to have on generating profits.   JC is going to describe how he’s using Artificial Intelligence to keep his units full, and Virtual Team Members to handle much of the back-end office work.  We’ll also dig into the importance of Key Performance Indexes and how they can show you the health of your investment or point out problems at

Today we’re going to talk about the future of retirement and how real estate is an often overlooked vehicle for securing your financial future.  Increasingly, pensions are being converted to 401(k)s which is shifting the retirement risk to employees.  This has caused today’s guest to reconsider traditional beliefs about retirement savings. Eric Martel lost a fortune during the dot-com crash of 2001 and started looking for alternative ways to earn passive income.  He started various businesses including a gourmet sauce company, but eventually came back to his first love, real estate, which led him to form Martel Turnkey.  After four years of rapid success, he was able to retire from his W2 job.  Eric is also the author of the recent book called “Stop Trading Your Time For Money”. Today we discuss Eric’s beginnings as a real estate investor when he purchased an apartment building at the age of 18.  He quickly burned out on investing though because he was handling all of the property management and repairs.  We’

Today we’re going to get hyper-local and discuss the eviction protection program here in Kent County.  No matter where you live and own rental property, there are programs like this all over the country that are helping residents who are struggling to pay their rents during the pandemic, as well as landlords who need to collect that rent in order to make sure their bills are being paid. Gustavo Perez is the CERA Program Manager at United Way.  CERA stands for Covid Emergency Rental Assistance Program and its receiving millions from the Government that need to be deployed right away to help renters and landlords. Gustavo is going to help us understand this program and how our residents can gain access, the criteria for receiving the money, and how many months it will cover.  We’ll also discuss some of the hesitancy that landlords have in accepting this agreement as well as the benefits from working with this program. If you’re in Kent County, Michigan you can access this program by going to www.kentrenthelp.or

Mobile Home Park Investing has been a hot asset class over the past five years, and we’ve certainly talked about it on this show.  But what kind of opportunities are really available to investors right now, and how has the increased competition from institutional buyers and effects of the pandemic affected the opportunities in this space? My guest today is here to give us an update on the state of Mobile Home Park Investing.  Brian Spear is a founder of Sunrise Capital Investors which specializes in acquiring deals in off-market, direct-to-owner transactions.  He’s also the co-host of the Mobile Home Park Investing podcast. Today Brian is going to share with us the trajectory that led him to investing in real estate, and the systems and tools he’s using to not only build a world-class mobile home park portfolio, but to manage it as well.  You’ll learn the meaning of “Prep-ortunity”, and how Brian moved across the country to work with his mentor Kevin Bupp for free.  We’ll also discuss some new investments he’

One of the reasons people never pull the trigger to invest in real estate is that they believe they won’t qualify for a loan.  But what if there were a way to acquire property without ever stepping into a bank or passing a credit check? Today’s guest bought his first 400 units using techniques that allowed him to sidestep the banks and work directly with the seller.  He now has over $100 Million in assets under management and he’s sharing his secrets with us today. Bill Ham is the author of “Creative Cash: The Complete Guide to Master Lease Options and Seller Financing for Investing in Real Estate”.  Today, Bill is going to explain the Master Lease Option process and how he’s employed it in his investing to yield enormous profits.  Bill will share his “SPY” process, which puts the Seller first, Property second, and then takes into account how You will Profit.  Bill also shares his outlook on the market and the looming distress he expects in certain sectors that will make Master Lease Options and Seller Financ

My guest today believes that Holding Forever is the best way to become Financially Free. Jonathan Barr grew up in a real estate family and started investing after the Great Recession.  He’s completed Higher-End Single Family Flips, Ground Up Developments, and Multi-Family Repositions with his brother through their company JB2 Investments. Today we’re also going to talk about Fix & Flipping V.S. Multi-Family and Jonathan’s investment strategy that has generated over 22 Million in profits with an average yearly return of 38%.  We’re also going to discuss the tax ramifications of both strategies, including cost segregation reports, depreciation, and the “Real Estate Professional” status. Jonathan will also share details on the townhome development project he initiated in Los Angeles, and how it’s taken over five years to break ground.  We’ll discuss the 1031 exchange he completed by selling a Los Angeles duplex in order to buy a 14-Unit in Kansas City, and another recent 1031 exchange where he acquired a 72-

My guest today has developed a program that is designed to increase rents by 3 to 5% without costing you a huge capital investment.  He accomplishes this by optimizing your rental space. Jim Monk is the President of CLOZZITS and believes space optimization is a game-changer for existing properties as well as new construction.  Creating more space for residents is a bigger issue that most owners think, and Jim is here to tell us why. Today we’re going to discuss the value proposition of maximizing your closet space, what potential residents look for when assessing unit storage, the types of systems that work best, the preferred lighting for your space, and the ways our “do-it-yourself” listeners can maximize space on their own.  We’ll also discuss the costs and ROI generated by installing these systems, as well as the tax benefits and strategies to pay for them. Talking about closet space may not seem like the sexiest topic, but I guarantee you’ll find what Jim has to say eye opening and thought provoking.  Yo

What I admire about today’s guest is that she is extremely strategic in her approach to real estate investing, fearless in the type of projects she takes on, and creative in the way she structures her deals and works with her clients. Allison Koetsier is also a Top-Selling and Award-Winning Multi-Family broker with Compass Realty Services and a previous guest on this show.  Today we discuss why it's important to have a clear investment strategy & goal, the biggest mistake she sees first-time investors make, and why you need to build a great team.  We also discuss Exit Strategy and taking a holistic view of your portfolio to position it for your heirs and Legacy Wealth. Allison also goes into detail on a 48-unit in Southern Michigan that everyone told her not to buy, and why she did it anyway and made an Infinite Return.  We’ll discuss why she was able to make such great returns in a tertiary market by spending $10,000 a door in improvements, and the factors that convinced her this was a project worth purs

When you look at all of the disruption, vacancies, and permanent closures in the office, hospitality, and retail space, it’s clear that we need to start thinking differently about Adaptive Reuse of these buildings.  And since one of the greatest needs we have in this country is for middle-income housing, I believe we’re going to see a lot more conversion projects designed to expand our middle-income housing inventory. Recently I saw an article in Costar News about a permanently closed Ramada Inn located in Sheffield, Alabama that was being converted into apartments for middle income workers.  I thought this would be a great topic to discuss on the show, so I contacted the developer, Richard Rubin with Los Angeles-based firm Repvblik (pronounced “Republic”), and he agreed to a conversation. Originally from South Africa, Richard brings a unique and creative perspective to obsolete and vacant buildings, as well as solutions for increasing inventory of workforce housing.  Today he’s going to explain the need for

My guest today is a second-generation builder who jumped into Fix and Flips after serving in the U.S. Navy “Seabees” battalion.  Since then, he has amassed a real estate empire consisting of single family homes, Multi-family apartment buildings and Self-Storage. Joe Evangelisti is also a High-Performance Coach for real estate investors and entrepreneurs and serves as the Visionary and CEO to three separate 7 and 8 figure companies.  Today we’re going to talk about what it means to become a high performance real estate investor and learn the Five Roads to Victory that Joe teaches his clients and team members. Joe is going to break down for us, step-by-step, how he left the time consuming and anxiety producing lifestyle that had him Fix & Flipping hundreds of properties a year while also selling real estate.  He was able to transition to a much more manageable and profitable lifestyle that allows him to control multiple teams at a higher level. I know you’re going to enjoy this conversation with Joe, and li

We’ve talked about 1031 exchanges on this show before, and today we’re going to go into more detail on how real estate investors can use this and other tools to legally defer taxes on profits. Brandon Bruckman is an Advisor with Insight Real Estate Partners which helps real estate investors, farmers and business owners sell and reinvest their profits, while legally avoiding taxes through 1031 exchanges, Delaware Statutory Trust, Tenant-In-Common, Opportunity Zone Funds, Triple Net Lease and private real estate deals for passive investors. Brandon is also an RPOA member and teaches our course on 1031 Exchanges. If you’re considering selling an investment property or business you definitely want to listen to Brandon’s breakdown of your options.  We’ll discuss the reasons why you might consider a DST, TIC, OZ, NNN, and why they might not work for your situation.  Brandon also explains how Insight Real Estate Partners can hold your hand through the process and give you options you might not be aware of. You can c

My guest today is known to the world as “the Canadian Note Guy”.  After running several businesses including Fix & Flip Real Estate, he discovered notes in 2009 and has since become an industry leader in the private investment sector. His company is Earnest Inc, where he actively manages assets with a focus on non-performing 1st lien mortgages and contract for deeds in the U.S. Nathan’s specialties include raising private capital, analyzing assets, and developing systems and strategies to accommodate an ever-changing market.  He’s successfully bought and sold hundreds of loans and properties. Today Nathan is going to introduce us to the note investing world, explain the differences between a qualifying mortgage, contract for deed, and land contract, and walk us through the math on how to analyze the returns on a note and the data points an investor must know to be successful. Nathan also shares some great stories of his successes and challenges, including a buckling basement that caused a buyer to back ou

When you are beginning down the real estate investing path, one of the first things you have to decide is whether you’re going to go it alone or bring in a partner.  Today we’re going to talk with two talented investors who decided to combine their strengths in order to encounter the ups and downs of rental rehab together. Mark Roys is a retired Navy Civil Engineer Corps officer who served 20 years in over a dozen locations around the world, he’s also been involved in commercial construction and software development. Katie Lovley is a Real Estate Professional with Bradley Company specializing in Commercial Real Estate and Residential Rentals. Together Mark and Katie have created WSB Properties right here in Grand Rapids Michigan where they purchased their first dilapidated 2-unit in 2018 and have since developed a portfolio of rental units using creative financing and a lot of sweat equity. Today Mark and Katie are going to share the story on how they decided to team up, the late nights and weekends spent on

One of the greatest pleasures I’ve had over the past 10 months while staying home to avoid Coronavirus, is watching the Broadway Hit Hamilton over & over on Disney Plus with my 11-year old daughter.  But until I met today’s guest, I didn’t realize that Hamilton and other Broadway plays are often syndicated just like apartments and other real estate investments. That’s why I’ve really been looking forward to talking with Matt Picheny today.  Matt is the Managing Partner at MJP Property Group, has invested in over 6,000 apartment units, and is primarily focused on acquiring and repositioning multifamily communities. Matt is also a marketing veteran whose 20-year New York City career spanned several of the world’s largest advertising agencies.  Matt and his wife are also Tony-nominated producers whose theatrical investments have included Hamilton and an international tour of Wicked.  They are currently co-Producers of the Broadway shows Moulin Rouge! And American Utopia. Today Matt is going to share how both

When my guest today sets out to accomplish something, he doesn’t just do it halfway.  He goes the full 110%.  In 2005 while in the Army National Guard he was deployed to Iraq…and was awarded soldier of the year. When he started his own podcast called the Real Estate Syndication Show, he didn’t just settle on one episode a week, he decided to make it a daily podcast. When he started his multifamily syndication company, Life Bridge Capital, he didn’t just build a portfolio of over 899 doors worth $100 Million, he also decided to give 50% of his own profits to better the lives of orphans around the world and the families who adopt them. Today Whitney Sewell is going to share his secrets on goal setting and shifting his mindset to expand those goals.  We’ll discuss how hiring a mentor helped propel his investing forward, as well as his ‘why’ of helping to children and adoptive parents.  Whitney will also discuss investing in Colorado and Idaho and the explosive growth he’s seen in those areas. I know you’re going

My guest today is one of Manhattan’s most successful skyscraper experts and has managed the syndication and development of high-profile real estate investments totaling more than $1.3 billion, including 1,500 luxury high-rise residential units, and three million sq. ft. of commercial office and residential.  He’s also completed over 3,000 transactions. Ken Van Liew is an author, educator, engineer and real estate coach, whose book “Modern Wealth Building Formula: How to Master Real Estate Investing” has empowered thousands of real estate investors over the past 20 years. Today, Ken is going to talk about what it takes to build skyscrapers in Manhattan, including construction methods, engineering issues, and people challenges.  Ken has a lot of great stories, including one about a high-rise that was leaning and the method he used to fix it. Ken also discusses his Modern Wealth Building Formula and the three ‘F’s’: Find it, Fund it, Facilitate it.   This is a must-listen episode that will give you great insight

Imagine being able to control your rental property and real estate business from anywhere in the world.  My guest today has figured out how to do just that. Jon Huber is a self-proclaimed “techie” who uses his formal training in data and analytics as his competitive edge in real estate analysis.  Jon’s rental portfolio spans from Los Angeles to South Florida, to Kansas City.  He’s recently completely systematized his operations to be 100% remote, allowing him to control his 120-unit portfolio and conduct his direct mail campaigns from anywhere in the world. Today we’re going to discuss how Jon has accomplished systematizing his processes.  From the ‘boots-on-the-ground’ resources he has in Kansas City, to the Virtual Assistants he’s trained to handle his direct mail campaign and social media, to the apps that he’s using to streamline those processes even further, Jon has set up a system that will allow him to 10X in size. Jon also shares the analysis he used to determine what market he wanted to invest in, as

My guest today spent 20 years working as a teacher, 9 years working for various government agencies, and 17 years in Information Technology.  But he left all that behind when he began investing in real estate. Jeff Greenberg is now an experienced Syndicator and Asset Manager with over 12 years of experience in commercial real estate.  He currently controls over 1,000 units with a value over $40 Million, including 300 student housing beds. Today Jeff is going to discuss how a seasoned syndicator raises money from investors.  Jeff will share case studies from his first 20 unit in Texas and the mistakes he made in his projections.  We’ll also discuss Student Housing, the importance of Broker and Lender Relationships, Flood Zones and Flood Insurance, How to raise your NOI by creating a RUBS system, Structuring a Fund, and Jeff’s outlook on the multifamily sector. Jeff shares a lot of great insight and experience in this episode.  If you’ve ever considered syndication, or passive investing, this is a ‘must listen’