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.

Unlocking Multifamily Millions: How Vlad Arakcheyev Transformed from Graphic Designer to Syndication Powerhouse

 

Unlocking Multifamily Millions: How Vlad Arakcheyev Transformed from Graphic Designer to Syndication Powerhouse

 

Guest: With over a decade of experience, Vlad has transformed into a formidable figure in real estate, marked by his role as an active investor, co-sponsor, and JV partner in an impressive portfolio encompassing hundreds of multifamily units and lucrative land developments, resulting in multimillion-dollar achievements. His expertise shines in sales, marketing, and the acquisition of distressed and off-market properties. Vlad’s journey encompasses a transition from a graphic designer to a thriving real estate agent in New Jersey, revealing valuable insights on quick decision-making, the power of strategic partnerships, and the cultivation of a growth-oriented mindset.

 

Big Idea: In this episode we speak with Vlad Arakcheyev who is a dynamic real estate agent and investor who shares his transformation from single-family to multifamily investments. Vlad’s journey takes us from the suburbs of New Jersey to the vibrant markets of Texas and Kansas City. He reveals his strategies for scaling his real estate business through joint ventures and syndications, highlighting the importance of education, networking, and the balance between being a limited partner and a general partner. With his keen eye for undervalued properties and market trends, Vlad uncovers the hidden jewels that have propelled his real estate success.

 

 

    

 

Dan: You’ve made a switch a little bit here to multifamily. Do you own units and projects in both Texas and Kansas right now?

Vlad: Yes, absolutely. Primarily, we do JVs and syndications when it comes to our acquisitions. It varies depending on the purchase price. Obviously, we can’t buy ten million or $15 million properties ourselves. We pool our money together with passive investors, with investors that want to diversify their portfolios that when they invest in real hard assets, they invest with us into apartment buildings. Of course, we take that for the rest. We improve the properties over 5 years, sell it, and move on to the next ones.

Dan: You’re the limited or the general partner in these deals?

Vlad: I’m always a GP. I’m the operator in them. Like I said, how I started this, I joined a multifamily mastermind. There’s bunch of them out there. I interviewed with a lot. I’ve joined Jake & Gino. They are multifamily mastermind in the community. They’re all over the United States. It costs some money. But let me tell you. If you need education and networking, these are the places where you have to be.

In my opinion, it’s like this. If you want to learn how to ski, you can go up the mountain twenty times, fall down twenty times, and learn by bruising yourself and breaking maybe a few bones. But if you really want to know the proper way of ski, take a lesson. They’ll teach you exactly what you need to do.

Same thing in real estate or multifamily. Instead of doing it all by yourself – because it’s a team sport when it comes to multifamily – I joined the mentorship, connected with groups of people that are buying and doing business in Texas. That’s exactly how I got started by joining a mentor. Yes. I’m a GP in all my deals.

 

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://ZontikVentures.com/

 

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

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Vlad Arakcheyev & I Discuss Unlocking Multifamily Millions:

  • Transformation to Multifamily Investment: Journey from single-family homes in New Jersey to multifamily ventures in Texas, Kansas City, and the Carolinas, driving growth and diversification.
  • Leveraging Joint Ventures and Syndications:Harnessing the strength of collaborative ventures and syndications for multifamily acquisitions, scaling projects with passive investors.
  • Insights into Lucrative Markets: Exploring thriving markets like Kansas City, uncovering growth drivers in infrastructure, sports, and business, attracting yield-focused investors.
  • Mastery of Value-Add Strategies: Navigating property management, rent optimization, and cost-efficient measures to elevate property value, while balancing the hold-vs-sell decision for optimal returns.
  • Real Estate Diversification: Strategic shift towards multifamily investments, joint ventures, and tactical sales, illuminating a path to long-term prosperity and wealth accumulation.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 227 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

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

Larry Taylor on Los Angeles Real Estate Investment & Development

 

Larry Taylor on Los Angeles Real Estate Investment & Development

 

Guest: Larry Taylor, a seasoned real estate entrepreneur specializing in Los Angeles real estate. Born and raised in a coal mining town, Larry’s journey took him from Pennsylvania to California, where he forged a successful career in real estate investing. As the founder of Christina Development Corporation, he has navigated the ever-changing real estate landscape, thriving in markets where others see challenges. With decades of experience, Larry shares his insights, spanning from the 1970s to the present day, revealing a wealth of knowledge about syndication, value-driven acquisitions, and the power of innovative thinking.

 

Big Idea: In this episode, Larry Taylor delves into key themes of real estate investment. He highlights seizing opportunities during economic shifts, crafting innovative investment models, and the importance of value-based property purchases. Taylor’s success stories, like acquiring historic West Hollywood properties, emphasize the significance of market timing and visionary insight. His focus on long-term partnerships and wealth preservation over quick returns adds a valuable perspective for investors at all stages.

 

 

    

 

Larry: The significance is that’s when Christina was founded. It was the outgrowth of a company that was founded years earlier by myself and a classmate at the University of Southern California. We started our own company as students to take advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves during President Nixon’s wage and price level freeze and the Arab-Israeli war, which caused the oil to go from two to $10 a barrel. It was the great recession, and it was an opportunity to be able to buy income-producing property, where rents had been frozen for years. So, we were learning about this in school as students, and we said, “Well, why don’t we just go out and try to do that?” And we did, and we were successful.

And then my classmate decided that he wanted to become a homebuilder when we graduated college. He went off to be a homebuilder, and I went off to become a syndicator, specializing in buying income-producing properties on the west side of Los Angeles.

Dan: Nice. Tell me about your relationship and the inspiration that you derived from the former deceased LA Lakers’ owner, Jerry Buss.

Larry: Well, it was a very fortunate and opportune moment when I got to visit a friend of mine that was operating in his property management department. Jerry Buss, for people who don’t know, was an aerospace engineer. And with a couple of partners, Frank and Bob Mariani, they founded a real estate syndication business. It was focused on buying apartment buildings only on the west side, and it was based on the aerospace engineers that needed write-offs. Because aerospace engineers in the 60s and 70s in Los Angeles County were some of the highest-paid professionals, federal income tax rates might have reached as high as 70%. So, Jerry and his partners formed the syndication business where they were buying apartment buildings and putting their fellow engineers into them and creating tremendous tax losses which they could use to offset their ordinary income.

When I met Jerry on that one particular day, he said, “So, how do you do your deals?” I didn’t know what he was talking about, and I said, “Well, I see an opportunity to buy a great building that’s undervalued, and I buy it, and then I use a combination of long-term and short-term financing. And then I go about figuring out how to add value to it. When I complete that, I sell the building, and then I look for another one.” He said, “Well, how many can you do in a year?” I said, “In a year, it takes me like a year and a half to do one. But I’ve been doing really well. I’m averaging more income on each building than the President of the United States is getting paid, which was 200,000 a year at the time.”

 

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://ChristinaLA.com/

 

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

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Larry Taylor & I Discuss Los Angeles Real Estate Investment & Development:

  • Adaptation to Market Cycles: Taylor underscores the importance of adjusting strategies to different market phases, capitalizing on downturns and optimizing strong market periods for exits.
  • Strategic Syndication: Syndication, as Taylor exemplifies, empowers smaller investors to join larger real estate ventures, pooling capital and expertise for mutual success.
  • Value Buying Strategy: Taylor’s approach emphasizes the significance of acquiring properties at favorable prices, reducing reliance on labor-intensive value-add methods and enhancing overall returns.
  • Understanding Tax Benefits: Exploring tax incentives, such as the Mills Act for historic properties, can notably impact a property’s performance and elevate investor returns.
  • Focus on Long-Term Wealth: Taylor’s preference for partnerships with high-net-worth investors and institutions aligns with a long-term wealth preservation strategy, prioritizing property performance over immediate distributions.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 226 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

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

Family Values & Real Estate Investing with Jim Sheils, A #1 Wall Street Journal Best Seller

 

Family Values & Real Estate Investing with Jim Sheils, A #1 Wall Street Journal Best Seller

 

Guest: Jim Sheils is a seasoned real estate investor, #1 Wall Street Journal Best Seller and founder of 18 Summers, a family education company. Jim shares his journey from clueless investor to building a thriving real estate business while putting family first.

 

Big Idea: From his early days as a clueless investor in California to his thriving new construction projects in Florida, Jim’s career is a testament to resilience and adaptation. Beyond his real estate prowess, Jim is known for his family education company, “18 Summers,” which advocates spending one-on-one time with loved ones every quarter, fostering deep connections and lasting memories. Discover the power of intermittent tech fasting, detaching from distractions during these moments, and prioritizing family to achieve a harmonious balance between personal and professional life.

 

 

    

 

Jim: Yeah, sure. Like most of us, I started out pretty clueless 24 years ago. I remember the first offer I had accepted in Lompoc, California for 152,000 on a three-family house. And I hyperventilated in my kitchen when it got accepted because that just seemed way above my anything. And that was the first deal. And I went into a pretty active model in the central California area, a place called Bakersfield, buying, fixing, and reselling, and renting HUD foreclosures. I did that for a number of years. It was crazy in California. I didn’t like the landlord laws or the taxes. I’d always liked Florida. I had grandparents there and went off to Florida and started doing the same thing. The meltdown happened, which was not fun but we survived it and there were tons of deals. So we went into bulk foreclosures, buying, fixing, and reselling HUD foreclosures, not HUD foreclosures, bank foreclosures. Fixing them up, keeping our own portfolio, working with investors. And then by about 2015, we just got two screwy around here. It was getting bid up, you had to cut corners as a rehabber. So my now building partner and I said, well, what if we could build our own houses in properties instead of finding old ones? And that started as about a $3 million experiment and bring it up to last year we did 185 million in sales. So we build new construction only. No more rehabs. Rehab shoes got hung up. We’re just new construction, single-family, duplexes, and quads are our main focus. And we’re in high-growth markets in Florida. And all that means is markets that are experiencing economic growth, population growth, have a good affordability index, healthy supply and demand, and something desirable drawing them to the area.

Dan: Fantastic. Before I go down the tangents of real estate-specific questions, and we’re going to dive deep into that in a few minutes, but you have 18 Summers on the wall behind you. And for the listeners who are in the audio version only, we’re on the video, you could check that out on YouTube. Would you mind kind of touching on that and the family values-driven nature of how you’ve built your career over the past decade-plus?

Jim: Yeah, about, whew, 12 years ago, my wife and I started 18 Summers. It was just a simple family education company that was doing some retreats and workshops, and it was about bringing families together with this simple premise. We wanted to be successful in business and at home. And getting invited to some real estate events at a young age, Dan, I got to get too close to some heroes with huge balance sheets and absolute nightmare personal lives. And I didn’t want to be like that. I was like, I don’t think it has to be that way. And now a father of five, myself ranging from two to 20 and both biological and adoptive, it was just a big value that I held for myself. So it was really built out of a need for my own that I didn’t want to fail at home. So how could we find easier ways to get it done? How could we be more present at home? How could we bring more families together to kind of mastermind, if you would, family life and how to be more engaged and enjoyable? And that’s where 18 Summers started and our book came out of just some simple stories and strategies we were using at home and just got a following that we were not expecting. So it was an unexpected thing, but I’d say I’m definitely known more for family than I am for real estate, and I’m okay with 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:

www.jjplaybook.com

 

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

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Jim Sheils & I Discuss Family Values & Real Estate Investing:

  • The art of balancing family values and business success.

  • The “18 Summers” paradigm which emphasizes creating meaningful family connections.

  • How Intermittent tech fasting fosters mindful living.

  • How Build-to-rent opportunities can lead to an evolution in real estate investing.

  • Methods to mitigate risks in high-growth markets through new construction.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 225 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

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

Multifamily Strategies for Success with Ava, CEO of CPI Capital

 

Multifamily Strategies for Success with Ava, CEO of CPI Capital

 

Guest: Ava Benesocky is the CEO and co-founder of CPI Capital, a successful real estate investment firm specializing in multifamily assets in the Sunbelt States. Known for her strategic approach and data-driven decisions, Ava focuses on acquiring stabilized properties and implementing targeted renovations to generate significant returns for investors. With a hold time of 3 to 5 years, she leverages growth indicators and business-friendly markets like Orlando, Jacksonville, and Tampa to capitalize on market opportunities. CPI Capital offers attractive preferred returns and provides monthly distributions, while Ava remains committed to delivering consistent results, education and value creation for investors.

 

Big Idea: Join us in this insightful episode as Ava, the CEO of CPI Capital, shares her expertise and experience in multifamily real estate investing. Discover how CPI Capital’s strategic investment approach and data-driven decision-making have led to remarkable returns for investors. Explore the key lessons learned, including the importance of educating investors, building trust, and addressing potential risks. Gain valuable insights into identifying value-add opportunities, navigating market conditions, and maximizing returns. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or new to real estate, this podcast provides actionable strategies and valuable information to unlock success in the dynamic world of multifamily investing.

 

 

    

 

Ava: Yes, I would love to, Daniel. I’m the CEO and co-founder of CPI Capital. It’s a real estate investment firm where our mandate is to really partner with limited partners, passive investors, to acquire institutional Multifamily Assets in the Sunbelt States. When I say institutional, I mean 100-plus stores. Our business model is very black and white. We always look for already built stabilized, cash-flowing assets that are 90% or more occupied. What we really love to do is we love to go in there and be fixing flippers on a large scale. We always look for a value-add component. Nothing crazy. We go for properties that we like to call Class B properties.

We do a lipstick renovation. Take out the flooring, add new floors, paint light fixtures, kitchen appliances. My favorite thing is to add washers and dryers to units that don’t have washers and dryers. Then we turn over the tenants. The 10% that’s not occupied, we renovate those. As we’ve done a unit, we go to the current tenants living there, and we kind of say, “Hey, for a brand-new unit, would you like to move in for a $150 premium?” In most cases, they say, “Yes.” This is where the numbers start to get really exciting for investors because this is what we call our CPI Capital wealth creation system. It’s this forced appreciation aspect of how you can literally take one of these multifamily assets. Do these lipstick renovations, turn over the tenants, and increase the value by millions and millions of dollars in the first one to two years of owning the asset.

Daniel: Good stuff. The washers and dryers, 100 units with washers and dryers does what to the water bill?

Ava: Oh, that’s a good question. I’ll tell you one thing it does. Well, we have a community washer and dryer as it is, right? Everybody has all their laundry in the community washer and dryer. When we put it in the unit, it can actually increase the rent up to $50 to $60 per unit. To put it into perspective, say on a 200-unit, if you’re doing all these renovations and you’re increasing a unit by $150 a unit, you can increase the value by about 10 million dollars in the first two years of owning the asset. That’s just forced appreciation. Now, we also purchase in regions that are significantly growing: job growth, population growth, income growth, and rent growth. You’ve got that natural market appreciation as well. We kind of get the best of both worlds. I like to tell investors when I’m kind of explaining the business model.

 

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://CPIcapital.ca/

 

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

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Ava  Benesocky & I Discuss Clean Tech Meets Real Estate:

  • The “fixing flippers” strategy: Learn how CPI Capital implements targeted cosmetic renovations to enhance property values and rental rates, generating substantial returns for investors.

  • Market selection and growth indicators: Discover Ava’s investment philosophy centered around identifying markets with robust growth indicators, such as population growth, job growth, income growth, and rent growth. Gain insights into the business-friendly states and regions where CPI Capital focuses their investments.

  • Investment returns and metrics: Understand the distinction between preferred return and annualized return, and the importance of grasping the true metrics of investment performance. Explore CPI Capital’s goal of doubling investors’ money within five years and their pursuit of above-average returns..

  • Portfolio overview and market readiness: Learn about CPI Capital’s portfolio of nearly 1,000 rental units and their cautious approach in pursuing buying opportunities, particularly in the Florida market. Discover the strategies they employ to mitigate risks and avoid capital calls.

  • Capitalizing on distressed assets: Explore the potential for acquiring properties at a significant discount due to distress and motivated sellers. Gain insights into CPI Capital’s investment strategy and their focus on value-add opportunities in the real estate market.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 224 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

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

Clean Tech Meets Real Estate with Owen Barrett

 

Clean Tech Meets Real Estate with Owen Barrett

 

Guest: Owen Barrett is a dynamic entrepreneur with a decade of experience in clean technology and real estate. As the founder of Raven, he is revolutionizing the real estate industry by combining clean technology and net-zero principles with profitable investments. Owen’s expertise lies in implementing energy-saving solutions in commercial properties, and his company offers a unique opportunity for investors to participate in net-zero real estate with minimal capital. With a focus on integrating rooftop solar installations, Owen and his team bring a wealth of knowledge in clean tech, enabling them to optimize energy efficiency, reduce operating costs, and increase property value. His innovative approach extends to the development of proprietary software that automates solar billing, streamlining the process for multifamily properties. Owen Barrett is a trailblazer, democratizing net-zero real estate and paving the way for a sustainable and profitable future in the industry.

 

Big Idea: In this eye-opening podcast episode, Owen Barrett, founder of Raven, shares his investment philosophy centered around identifying overlooked secondary markets with strong economic tailwinds and integrating clean technology into real estate acquisitions. He discusses the Inflation Reduction Act, which offers tax credits and rebates for decarbonization and electrification projects, presenting lucrative opportunities for investors in single-family homes.

 

 

    

 

Owen: I’ve spent about a decade of my life being in clean technology, so anything that saves energy and saves money. And what I’ve noticed over time is that commercial real estate as a whole across an industry is the furthest behind when it comes to implementing clean technology into their properties, which is saying a lot because a lot of industry is pretty far behind. Three, four years ago you didn’t really need to get that creative to make money in commercial real estate. The market was going up, everything was going up, but now that’s different. Now rents are more stagnant, rents are even falling in some markets. And so now energy conservation’s an easy way, an easier way for property owners to make properties more valuable. So it’s interesting timing for us because there’s a lot of macroeconomic tailwinds or headwinds, I guess, that are happening that make our value add model a little bit more popular.

So we’re in this interesting space of combining clean technology with real estate acquisitions, we couple the two. Raven is the newest business, the newest brand. And the idea behind Raven is to democratize the ability to invest in net zero real estate. So we pay investors 10% annual interest, the minimum investment is $250 and we were really deliberate behind that because we wanted it to be an opportunity for everyone. I come from a past of regulation or 506D offerings, which is a lot of accredited investors, $50,000 minimum investments. And with Raven we just wanted to make it more attainable for everyone. So we really decreased the minimum investment, tried to make it an opportunity for everybody.

Dan: Yeah, that’s pretty interesting. This is the first time out of 223 guests I think that we’ve ever had that low of a minimum investment. So every single other syndicator is probably $50,000 or $100,000 and it’s going to be an accredited investor type of offering only. The 10% annual interest, how is that paid, sorted out? Is that going to be like a flat interest rate paid at the end of the deal no matter how good or bad Raven does on the deal? Or is that calculated in some other methodology?

Owen: No, yeah, we’ve structured it as preferred debt. So it’s a promissory note to Raven. We pool the capital, we buy and decarbonize buildings. It’s paid quarterly right now. The goal is to move that to monthly. That’ll probably happen in 2024. In investing there’s no such thing as a guaranteed return, so we don’t guarantee 10%, but we do pay our regulation A investors before we pay ourselves. So they earn 10% before we make any money. So we tried to structure it in a way that it’s not risk free, but it’s as low risk as you can get within the real estate realm.

 

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://JoinRayven.com/

 

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

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Owen Barrett & I Discuss Clean Tech Meets Real Estate:

  • Secondary markets with economic tailwinds: Exploring investment opportunities in smaller, overlooked markets that have significant economic growth potential.

  • Cash flow markets: Emphasizing the importance of investing in markets that generate consistent cash flow rather than relying solely on property appreciation.

  • Tax credits and rebates for decarbonization and electrification: Highlighting the benefits of leveraging incentives provided by initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce renovation costs and promote sustainability.

  • Newer vintage properties: Discussing the advantages of acquiring properties directly from developers to minimize repair and maintenance issues.

  • Clean technology integration: Exploring the integration of clean technology, such as solar panels and electric heating solutions, into real estate investments to enhance property value and reduce operating costs.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 223 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

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

Real Estate Insights and Opportunities From Chicago to Austin with Drew Breneman

 

Real Estate Insights and Opportunities From Chicago to Austin with Drew Breneman

 

Guest: Drew Breneman is a real estate investor based in Austin, Texas. He began his journey at a young age, starting an online business and saving his earnings. As he delved into investing, Drew explored various avenues, including stocks and mutual funds, but found his passion in real estate. Inspired by books on investing, he realized the potential of leveraging properties and their appreciation. Drew purchased his first duplex as a college freshman in Madison, Wisconsin, and continued to expand his real estate portfolio while completing his education. With a focus on multifamily properties, Drew combines his business mindset with investment strategies to create successful ventures in the real estate market.

 

Big Idea: Join hosts Drew and Dan in this inspiring real estate podcast episode as they discuss Drew’s journey from Chicago to Austin, his early entrepreneurial ventures, and his success in real estate investing. They delve into various topics, including the reasons for Drew’s relocation, real estate opportunities in Chicago, Drew’s entry into real estate investing, his early ventures, transitioning to multifamily and value-add deals, expanding into new markets, the importance of real estate education, holding properties for the long term, and the significance of preparedness. Gain valuable insights and strategies from two experienced real estate professionals.

 

 

    

 

Dan: Yes, I love Chicago personally for the rental apartments that I own. I think Chicago is understated in the national investment context when we talk about apartment buildings, although I don’t necessarily know if that would hold true when we get into the main topic here of the size of deal that you are focusing on now. I think it probably is a good market, and I’m not super familiar with, let’s say, 20 to 34 units and up in the city of Chicago. But one unique thing, we do deals in Atlanta, Chicago, Philly, around the country, Florida, a lot of other markets as well. And the one thing I found and love about the Chicago market specifically, Drew, is the abundance of two, three, and four-flat buildings. So like, I’ve found no other market, maybe Los Angeles or New York offers that kind of opportunity to call the entry-level investor to get the two or the three or the four-unit buildings and kind of do the house hacking.

So I’ve loved this city for that reason. And when I got here, moved here from Philadelphia in 2015 to Chicago, I was blown away by the high prices in areas where I came from. In Philly, we have very, very low prices comparatively. People making the same kind of money in Philadelphia can buy a much lower-cost house in the city. And then the prices were probably almost double in Chicago. So we have expensive real estate and high rents. And my investment philosophy, buying those apartment units over the past couple of years, has been to get into the expensive property and take out, I don’t want to overpay, but I want to take out a higher and higher mortgage with higher and higher rents on a per-unit basis because I’m paying down that at a higher velocity over time. And then the two and a half percent increases are larger dollars. So it allowed me to play a little bit bigger than I might have been able to play in the city of Philadelphia. And there’s just such an abundance of that type of inventory. Whereas in Philadelphia or a lot of other cities, Atlanta having a duplex or a triplex is like a unicorn. It’s a really rare event. But I digress on that. Why don’t we, for listeners, Drew, why don’t you kind of do our evolution of the business model and your origination story so we can get a picture of who you are and what your business looks like?

Drew: Sounds great! And I’ve noticed the same thing about Chicago. If you wanted to get started in a two to four-unit, there might be more there than anywhere. I often give that advice to someone starting out, and one of the people I was talking to was in Phoenix, and he was like, “There’s no three units here. What are you talking about?” So I was like, “Well, you got to figure out where they are. I’m sure there’s some.” But anyway, yes. So I got started really young. So started from the Milwaukee area, and both my parents were teachers. I was living in the suburbs my whole childhood, and I started a business online just buying and selling items and video games. I didn’t make any huge money on any one sale, but I made five or $10 per sale, and I saved all the money.

 

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.Breneman.com/

 

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

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Drew Breneman & I Discuss Real Estate Insights and Opportunities From Chicago to Austin:

  • Reasons for Relocating: Seeking Safety and Lower Property Taxes
  • Real Estate Investing in Chicago: Abundance of Entry-Level Opportunities
  • Drew’s Early Entrepreneurial Journey: From Online Sales to Real Estate
  • Transitioning to Multifamily and Value-Add Deals: Maximizing Returns in Chicago
  • Expanding to New Markets: Venturing into Sunbelt Markets

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 222 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

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

Unveiling Your Real Estate Edge: Insights from Jeremiah Boucher

 

Unveiling Your Real Estate Edge: Insights from Jeremiah Boucher

 

Guest: Jeremiah Boucher, a seasoned real estate investor, shares his transformative journey in the industry, from a challenging experience during the 2008 financial crisis to finding his competitive edge. With a focus on manufactured housing, self-storage, and small bay industrial properties, Jeremiah emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, building relationships, and honing communication and negotiation skills.

 

Big Idea: Jeremiah Boucher discusses his  journey of self-discovery and growth in the real estate industry. From overcoming adversity during the 2008 financial crisis to finding his niche in specialized asset classes, Jeremiah shares his insights on finding your competitive advantage, building trust, and the importance of continuous improvement. Get ready to gain valuable knowledge on deal sourcing, negotiation strategies, and the power of effective communication and presentation skills in real estate.

 

 

    

 

Boucher: Yeah. Similar to a lot of the listeners, I quit college and got into real estate. I bought a lot of houses. I lost everything in 08 with just like the big short, you know, and had some real challenges with tax liens and foreclosure and credit card debt and all of that whole deal. I didn’t have an edge, so I was doing what everyone else was doing in Vegas. You know, everybody was a realtor, everybody was a house flipper, learned the lesson. I knew something in my gut was wrong in that whole process, and I knew that wasn’t going to survive. I took the hit and had to rebuild, and then the next 10 years really were about building up a manufactured housing portfolio

I did that by just being young and naive and aggressive and reaching out to some guys that started a big mobile home park fund and helped them build that fund by sourcing deals and kind of putting together creative deals and managing and operating some of these deals and then had a nice swap with them in 2016 where I was able to take on my own assets and manufactured housing. That gave me some autonomy to take that cash flow and put it into my own management company. I ran that out of Vegas, a lot of the assets were in Vegas and up near Reno, and I was able to at that point, you know, kind of build up my resources and learn the ins and outs of the operational part of the business, which is rough when you’re dealing with some types of, you know, lower-income housing and, what revolves around that.

I saw at least the writing on the wall for me that I thought asset values were extremely high, and I really wasn’t prepared to grow or scale that type of business at that time, so I had a good exit in 2019 and wrote the book and then, you know, connected with I think you a couple of years later, but it was really through, you know, a bunch of different networks where I started to actually scale and start with some funds rather than doing individual syndications, and at this stage, I only operate out of raising money through funds. I’m a typical, you know, private equity syndicator, like a lot of guys on your show, and then at that stage, you know, my niche, my focus, you know, first was manufactured housing. We still look at it, but it’s not as heavy in the portfolio. Second is storage, you know, traditionally storage and tertiary secondary markets. A lot of them are up in the northeast. We remotely manage a lot of them, and we look for the rough ones and improve them.

Then lastly, my most recent kind of fun asset class is Small Bay industrial up in the Northeast, and I’m building a lot of it. I do construction as well. We can get into all that, but that’s trying to condense it as best I could for you, Dan.

 

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:

www.PatriotHoldings.com

www.StorageBootcamp.com

 

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

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Jeremiah Boucher & I Discuss the Unveiling Your Real Estate Edge:

  • Finding Your Competitive Edge: Identify and leverage your unique value proposition to gain a competitive advantage in real estate by specializing in a specific asset class and continuously improving your skills.

  • Building Relationships and Trust: Learn how to build strong relationships and foster trust with sellers, partners, and investors, crucial for achieving success in real estate. Effective communication, active listening, and demonstrating credibility as a buyer are key elements discussed.

  • Understanding Different Asset Classes: Gain a comprehensive understanding of various real estate asset classes, including manufactured housing, self-storage, and small bay industrial properties. Explore the potential benefits and challenges of each asset class to make informed investment decisions.

  • Strategies for Deal Sourcing and Negotiation: Discover practical strategies for finding and evaluating real estate deals, along with effective negotiation techniques. Jeremiah shares insights on deal sourcing, market analysis, and structuring creative solutions that align with both buyer and seller goals.

  • Importance of Communication and Negotiation Skills: Recognize the significance of developing strong communication and negotiation skills in the real estate industry. Effective presentation, problem-solving, and active listening are essential for navigating complex transactions and building long-term relationships.

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 221 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

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

Inside the Self-Storage Industry with Jacob Vanderslice of Van West Partners

 

Inside the Self-Storage Industry with Jacob Vanderslice of Van West Partners

 

Guest: Jacob Vanderslice is a real estate investor and entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the founder of Van West Partners, a real estate investment firm that specializes in self-storage facilities. Jacob has an extensive background in residential fix and flips, multifamily, adaptive reuse retail, and town-owned development, but his passion lies in the self-storage business. Jacob explains the reasoning behind his shift towards storage, the company’s investment philosophy, and how they create value in their facilities.

 

Big Idea:  Real estate investor and entrepreneur Jacob Vanderslice shares his expertise in self-storage investment. Jacob discusses his journey in real estate investing and how his company, Van West Partners, moved from single-family rentals to self-storage investments. He emphasizes the importance of creating value through income streams and optimizing unit mix for maximum revenue. Jacob also talks about his investment philosophy, which centers around value-add investments in growing markets.

 

 

    

 

Daniel: Okay, nice. Yeah, I’m in Chicago. As listeners probably know. Figure maybe we’ll start with the evolution or the reader’s digest version. Maybe a little bit about who Jacob is, but then also VanWest and kind of how your personal career and your business model evolved to the point where they’re at today in 2022.

Jacob: Certainly. Well, it’s all been accidental and I guess unintentional to a degree like most things are. We started investing real estate full-time in about 2006, and we cut our teeth doing lots and lots of residential fix and flips. We did a bunch of rentals. We did buy, fix and sell deals. We did almost probably 1200 of them over a fairly long period. We really started in 06 and kind of kept going in that business until about we had some overlap, but kind of started to quiet it down in about 19 as deal flow constricted and returns kind of went down. So that’s how we cut our teeth. Just buying residential homes at the auctions and fixing them up, making them better, and either running them out or selling them. We’ve also done a fair amount of multi-family adaptive reuse, retail, some for-sale townhome development, and we got in the storage business in 2015. And we looked at storage for a while, and we like the fact that it’s historically downside protected.

It’s got durable recurring revenue streams. It’s scalable, repeatable, defensible. So we researched it for a while and we kind of jumped in head first on our first deal. We did a ground-up development project here in Denver, and then we did a few other development projects locally, and then we opened up the Milwaukee market starting in about 2016 just north of you. We did a handful of deals out there. And over time, I mentioned accidental earlier. Over time, I just kind of evolved to becoming our main line of business. The residential business is great. Fixed and Flips is a great business. But one of the things we didn’t like about it is it was I guess overly transactional, meaning you’re buying, selling over and over and over again. And to make money, you constantly have to be buying a deal, making it better than selling it. And we wanted to shift to a business that was more cash flow focused versus a quick reversion focused. And that’s why we landed on storage. And through today, we’ve got 38 storage facilities, about 275 million in asset center management all over the country, Midwest, southeast, south, got some stuff in Denver, and we’re buying more and we’re building more.

 

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:

www.VanWestPartners.com

 

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

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Jacob Vanderslice & I Discuss the Self-Storage Industry:

  • The evolution of Van West Partners’ investment strategy

  • The state of the US real estate market and the impact of COVID-19

  • The role of technology in the real estate industry

  • The potential impact of government policies on the market

  • The outlook for the real estate market in the near future

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 219 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

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

Maximizing Asset Protection and Tax Savings with Scott Royal Smith

 

Maximizing Asset Protection and Tax Savings with Scott Royal Smith

 

Guest: Scott Royal Smith is a real estate investor, attorney, and founder of Royal Legal Solutions. He shares his background in real estate and law, and how he scaled his wealth through strategic planning and asset protection. He believes in educating people and forming relationships to help them leverage their assets to build wealth.

 

Big Idea: Scott Royal Smith shares his expertise on cost-effective legal structures for real estate investing and tax strategies for asset protection. He presents a practical system involving creating a series of LLCs and a Land Trust to hold assets, which provides effective asset protection and can help minimize maintenance costs. Scott’s insights offer valuable perspectives on how to reduce risk, minimize costs, and ultimately build wealth in real estate investing.

 

 

    

 

Dan: Nice. Scott, so for listeners, would you mind giving us maybe the reader’s digest version of the evolution of your business real estate and law career and then sort of what the business model is today?

Scott: Yeah and so my company is Royal legal Solutions but I got started in real estate when I was in law school. I bought a commercial property and auto repair and transmission repair shop for the back taxes. And I end up flipping the business in the building upon graduating to graduate from law school without any debt. And I thought that was going to be a hotshot litigation attorney. So I took a job suing insurance companies in a law firm. Turns out insurance company’s business model is collecting premiums and denying coverage, especially when things get expensive. And then that’s what attorneys does, they sue them whenever they do that. So, get first-hand experience about how does the whole game of insurance really work and how it’s important for us to have insurance, but also have additional protection in place.

But the whole time while I was working as an attorney there, I continued by real estate and I scaled my own real estate portfolio until I was making more money doing real estate and I was being an attorney. It took me about like a year and a half. I wasn’t sleeping a whole lot at those times in my life, and I didn’t need a lot of money, right? I wasn’t married, didn’t have kids and I was like, hey man, I’ve hit it. I’ve hit my financial freedom. I was like I’m golden, but then I ran into the problem and I think a lot of people run into which is like wait shouldn’t I be structuring this inside of like LLCs and should I be using any of trust to hold my assets and my company’s anonymously? And what should I be doing with all of my taxes and my estate planning, and my insurance? And why do I want to be doing all that? How’s that all suppose to work?

So, I did what everybody does and I was like, well, I’ll try to read the books and I’ll try to contact professionals. And so I did all of that, and I realized that nobody really have a complete system we’d put together. So I had to put one together for my own. So I built my own team of people because I was like, well, I want, I had the financial freedom but I wanted the time freedom. And the only way I can get there is if I built a team. If I studied for myself to understand how to do it for myself and then built a team of people that do it for me on basically managing my wealth for me.

It was great, I finally had everything that I wanted and I was traveling a ton and living a great life. And as I came back in living inside the states, a lot of my friends real estate Investors and asked me like hey man, how are you doing? What is he doing? How are you living this lifestyle? What is going on right now? And it’s like, well, here’s what I built. And this is how it all works. And they’re like, well, can I get in on that? Can you take on more people and help me build this thing? So I was just kind of helping people out, getting them into the things that I’d figured out for myself. And eventually when I was like, hey, you should go in this BiggerPockets podcast and go just share with people about asset protection. It’s one part of whether it’s some of the stuff you know. And I didn’t think anything was going to come of it. So I gave up my personal email and phone number into it.

And what happened was I was getting 30 to 40 phone calls a week from investors all over the country. They were like, hey man, I really need help on asset protection and how all these other pieces are supposed to put together. So then that’s where I realized that whatever you want to call, that higher power in life was really tapping me on the shoulder and says, hey, this isn’t all about just hanging out on the beaches and have a good time. You need to be of service to other people, help them be able to walk the path that you’ve walked and get them to that place of being secure and having the true freedom and protection in place for keeping what they’ve work so hard to be able to build. And that’s Royal legal Solutions is now turning and I, we serve all 50 states, we have over 2,000 clients that we’ve helped that are Real Estate Investors and we have about 30 people of attorneys, CPAs, paralegals and support staff.

 

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://RoyalLegalSolutions.com/

 

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

https://AccessOffMarketDeals.com/podcast/

 

Scott & I Discuss:

  • Leveraging LLCs for asset protection

  • Land Trusts to hold assets

  • Private Foundations for tax savings

  • Strategic planning for building net worth

    

Relevant Episodes: (There are 220 Content Packed Interviews in Total)

 

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