Navigating Real Estate Investment: From Young Enthusiast to Mobile Home Parks with Mitchell England

 

Navigating Real Estate Investment: From Young Enthusiast to Mobile Home Parks with Mitchell England

 

Guest: Mitchell England is a dynamic real estate investor and entrepreneur known for his strategic prowess in property investments. With over a decade of experience, Mitchell’s journey in real estate began during his teenage years when he was inspired by “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” He has since built a diverse portfolio spanning multiple states and property types, with a particular focus on mobile home parks. Mitchell’s investment philosophy revolves around long-term holds and leveraging smart debt, all in pursuit of his vision for generational wealth and financial freedom through real estate.

 

Big Idea: Mitchell England shares his journey into real estate investing, starting as a young enthusiast inspired by “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” He discusses how he began with single-family properties, the importance of cash flow in his investment strategy, and his transition to owning and managing mobile home parks across the United States. Mitchell emphasizes the advantages of mobile home parks, such as stable cash flow and lower maintenance costs, and highlights the challenges of managing tenant-owned units. He also delves into the concept of good debt and how it has evolved over time, the ideal characteristics of a perfect mobile home park, and strategies for handling tenant turnover in older communities.

 

 

    

 

Dan: Okay, cool. So as our origination story, maybe you can kind of touch on how you got in real estate and sort of how you evolved into the space that you’re in now, and then kind of a summary of where you’re at now, just to get us started.

Mitchell: Yeah. So I started really young. I stumbled upon Rich Dad, Poor Dad, which I know a lot of people listening to this probably have a similar story. But I read that book and it changed my whole perspective on life and how to provide value, and it made me start to question everything. I probably read the book at 16 years old. I was in high school at the time, and I was watching the run-up happen. That was like 2004, 2005, right in there. I was watching a lot of people make a lot of money in real estate. And so, that book paired with this huge run-up in the market, I was like, “Man, I got to get in this game.” I know you’re laughing, right? Because what happens next? But that was my first like, “Hey, what is this thing? How do I get into the game?” And I started asking that question. So early on, I jumped in, I bought a couple of pieces of property, thinking, “Hey, I’m going to go make some money on these things.” A couple of bare pieces of property, actually like vacant land. And you know what happens next, right? Oh, [inaudible] and I’m holding the bag, right? I’m holding these two properties going like, “Huh, maybe I don’t really understand this game as close as I thought.” And so, throughout my 20s, I was really interested in real estate. And I dove into a couple of other land deals, a couple of smaller duplex, single-family type stuff. And for me, the big aha was like when I got my first cash flow property, I thought, “Oh my gosh, someone else can pay for this. This is pretty amazing.” I probably should have been a faster learner than that, but it took like six or seven years to figure out like, “Oh, I could put a renter in. This is pretty incredible.” But I got addicted to the cash flow real estate. I just got addicted to it because I thought, “Well, gosh, this could give me not only like pay for my real estate, but also give me freedom.” And so, that first cash flow property was sort of a house hack. And from there, I started to buy some other single-family duplexes, kind of some smaller stuff. And then during that time, I was also working my corporate job. I was working at a med-tech company. And so, life was really busy, but I started to see real estate as like this escape, this thing that I could do. I could build up cash flow properties and slowly leave my job. And so, that was really like the catalyst.

 

This Episode of The REI Diamonds Show is Sponsored by the Deal Machine. This Software Enables Real Estate Investors to Develop a Reliable & Low Cost Source of Off Market Deals. For a Limited Time, You Get Free Access at http://REIDealMachine.com/

 

This Episode is Also Sponsored by the Lending Home. Lending Home Offers Reliable & Low Cost Fix & Flip Loans with Interest Rates as Low as 9.25%.  Buy & Hold Loans Offered Even Lower.  Get a FREE IPad when you Close Your First Deal by Registering Now at  http://REILineOfCredit.com

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.CadiaCapitalGroup.com/

https://www.zeroto100tribe.com/

 

For Access to Real Estate Deals You Can Buy & Sell for Profit:

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Mitchell England & I Discuss Navigating Real Estate Investment:

  • Ideal Mobile Home Park Characteristics: Mitchell discusses the key attributes of an ideal mobile home park, including city utilities, paved roads, and tenant-owned units.
  • Tenant Turnover and Value-Add Strategies: The challenges and strategies associated with tenant turnover and value-add opportunities in mobile home parks.
  • Good Debt and Financing: Exploring the concept of “good debt” in real estate investing, emphasizing the benefits of non-recourse loans and favorable terms.
  • Investment Philosophy and Long-Term Hold Strategy: Mitchell’s investment philosophy centered around long-term holds, cash flow, and building a portfolio that’s inflation-resistant.
  • Challenges in Mobile Home Park Investments: Addressing the complexities of managing older and newer homes in the same community and finding solutions to attract new tenants to older park communities.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 230 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

The transcript of this episode can be found here.
Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Taylor Loht: Navigating Multifamily and Self-Storage Real Estate Investments

 

Taylor Loht: Navigating Multifamily and Self-Storage Real Estate Investments

 

Guest: Taylor Loht is a seasoned real estate investor specializing in multifamily and self-storage properties. He hosts the “Passive Wealth Strategy” podcast and has a diverse investment portfolio spanning various markets, including Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, and mid-Michigan. Taylor employs syndication models to raise investor capital for strategic property acquisitions. His approach emphasizes value-add strategies to boost net operating income and property value. Taylor’s insights highlight market selection, the importance of a well-executed business plan, and considerations of interest rate trends. Through his podcast and expertise, he offers valuable guidance to real estate investors of all levels.

 

Big Idea:  In this podcast episode, Taylor Loht, a real estate investor and host of the Passive Wealth Strategy podcast, shares insights into his investment strategies in multifamily and self-storage properties. He discusses the importance of choosing the right markets and property types, emphasizing a preference for B-plus multifamily assets and larger self-storage facilities. Taylor also highlights the impact of rising interest rates on investment decisions and the need to make sound financial plans, cautioning against relying too heavily on Internal Rate of Return (IRR) metrics.

 

 

    

 

Dan: So do you want to give us a reader’s digest of your business model right now, Taylor?

Taylor: Sure, absolutely. So I invest in multifamily and soft storage deals. Again, pretty well spread out around the country. We do the syndication model where we raise investor capital to buy these properties. Our investors invest their equity and ride along with the investment for whatever the hold period is. Historically, there were a lot of folks holding in the say, three to five-year range, especially when the market was very hot and interest rates were falling, everything like that. Now that we find ourselves in a higher interest rate environment, shall we say, I think hold times are generally going to get more extended maybe five to seven years. But that’s probably a topic for another part of our conversation here. So investing in commercial multifamily and self-storage deals with a value add strategy. So your listeners are probably familiar with flipping residential real estate.

I understand that’s what you do. Well, this model is similar but different in many ways. Our hold periods are much longer, which changes the capital gains tax and everything around that situation. But that’s not the only reason. The value add strategy in commercial real estate is really based around raising a net operating income of the property. So in the case of multifamily, getting into a property with say, 100% classic interiors, old outdated interiors where tenants in the area would be willing to pay more for updated interiors, maybe improve the management, improve the exteriors, things that would make somebody be willing to pay more in rent for the units. Get in there, fix ’em up, raise the net operating income, and that in turn raises the value of the property. And depending on the strategy of the deal, you can either refinance and return capital to investors or just choose to sell lock in your gain, and move on to the next one.

So some folks look at it as flipping commercial real estate. Generally, there are some key differences. The timelines are longer, we generally look to cash flow from the property as well while we hold it, rather than having it all vacant and fixing it up. We need to be producing income in order to demonstrate that the value of the properties are going up. But they are pretty straightforward and I think well-proven business models as long as it’s implemented properly with the correct financing and reserves and everything around that.

 

This Episode of The REI Diamonds Show is Sponsored by the Deal Machine. This Software Enables Real Estate Investors to Develop a Reliable & Low Cost Source of Off Market Deals. For a Limited Time, You Get Free Access at http://REIDealMachine.com/

 

This Episode is Also Sponsored by the Lending Home. Lending Home Offers Reliable & Low Cost Fix & Flip Loans with Interest Rates as Low as 9.25%.  Buy & Hold Loans Offered Even Lower.  Get a FREE IPad when you Close Your First Deal by Registering Now at  http://REILineOfCredit.com

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.PassiveWealthStrategy.com/

 

For Access to Real Estate Deals You Can Buy & Sell for Profit:

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Taylor Loht & I Discuss Navigating Multifamily and Self-Storage Real Estate Investments:

  • Market Strategy: Navigating Secondary and Tertiary Markets for Success
  • Property Preferences: Maximizing Returns with B-Plus Class Multifamily Investments
  • Interest Rate Impact: Capitalizing on Current Interest Rate Trends in Real Estate
  • Investment Strategy: Crafting Effective Business Plans and Deal Rationality in Real Estate

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 229 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

The transcript of this episode can be found here.
Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Scaling with Strategy in Real Estate with Jim Fredo

 

Scaling with Strategy in Real Estate with Jim Fredo

 

Guest: Jim Fredo is a seasoned real estate investor and dynamic entrepreneur based in Pittsburgh. With a diverse background that spans the music industry and the tech sector, Jim embarked on a journey into the realm of real estate, leveraging his wide-ranging skills and experiences. He quickly established himself as an astute investor known for his strategic approach and keen eye for value-add opportunities. Having navigated the challenges of the music industry’s networking-driven landscape, Jim applied his tenacity and resourcefulness to the real estate market. Today, he stands as a testament to the power of adapting and thriving in diverse industries. Jim’s reputation extends beyond his impressive portfolio; he is also dedicated to sharing his insights and knowledge within the real estate community.

 

Big Idea: Jim Fredo’s remarkable journey in real estate is centered around the concept of scaling through strategic partnerships and embracing value-add opportunities. He has recognized the value of collaboration and the significance of enhancing property value to achieve remarkable growth. Jim’s approach underscores the importance of combining expertise, leveraging resources, and optimizing properties for sustained success in the competitive real estate landscape.

 

 

    

 

Jim: Sure. So I came here, I started off with single family. I didn’t know the area. I didn’t know the markets. I already had a disastrous first purchase. I lived in California and bought a building in Eastern PA and it was just a mess. So coming to Pittsburgh, don’t want to make the same mistakes. I’ve learned from all that. The first two properties that I bought were actually from the same seller. He carried the note. I still have properties today. You start off with zero percent interest and made sense. When I refinance that and paid him off, it’s worth a lot more than I paid for it. It’s like, “Okay, this worked out well.” And from there, I just-, I did some flips for a little while to build a little pot of money. Way too stressful for me, so I’ve stuck with rental since then. Single families, duplexes had been growing since then, a couple of six units, and I think I mentioned to you we closed on a 28-unit townhome package and a 25-unit, building.

Dan: Nice, congratulations on the scale there. So is that what your whistle now, to no longer want to add single-family rentals to the portfolio? Have you made a transition or is this is a, “Hey, welcome with my arms open. I’m happy to take another duplex, single family. If that feels good, I’m in.” What where you at with that, Jim?

Jim: I try not to do too many, but I have a great relationship with the wholesaler in town, and he brings deals to me, you know, and he knows I close-, if he’s going to buy, I’m going to buy, and no competition. He brings me killer deals. Like okay, fine, I’ll take it, so. I have a crew, so I go to renovation company, management company to support all this. So sometimes I buy stuff just to keep the crew busy for any slow period. So if it makes sense, I’ll buy it but I am focusing on the bigger projects. I’ve got a partner out of Michigan. Were working together on big syndication deals now. He’s got tons of experience. I think he’s purchased 1500, 2000 units syndication deals, so we’ve got one of those working on. But we’re talking about the before the show so.

 

This Episode of The REI Diamonds Show is Sponsored by the Deal Machine. This Software Enables Real Estate Investors to Develop a Reliable & Low Cost Source of Off Market Deals. For a Limited Time, You Get Free Access at http://REIDealMachine.com/

 

This Episode is Also Sponsored by the Lending Home. Lending Home Offers Reliable & Low Cost Fix & Flip Loans with Interest Rates as Low as 9.25%.  Buy & Hold Loans Offered Even Lower.  Get a FREE IPad when you Close Your First Deal by Registering Now at  http://REILineOfCredit.com

 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.SpringCapital.Partners/

 

For Access to Real Estate Deals You Can Buy & Sell for Profit:

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Jim Fredo & I Discuss Scaling with Strategy in Real Estate:

  • Value-Add Approach: The importance of renovating properties to enhance their value and improve tenant experiences.
  • Challenges in Scaling: The complexities of transitioning from smaller rental properties to more substantial syndication deals, including managing partner relationships and operations.
  • Managing Maintenance: The significance of preventive maintenance in reducing emergencies and long-term expenses.
  • Commercial vs. Residential: A thorough analysis of the pros and cons of commercial and residential real estate investments, exploring property management and tenant expectations.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 228 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

The transcript of this episode can be found here.
Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.