CRE Clarity

Our guest today is Dan Lewkowicz, a commercial real estate broker, educator, and podcaster. In this episode, we talk about the pros and cons of net lease commercial real estate investing, how to build great relationships with brokers, and how to become a CRE broker yourself. If you’re ready to invest in commercial real estate but are looking for something else other than multifamily, then this episode is for you!

Learn more about Dan and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“It's great to analyze deals and great to try to figure things out. But it's also great to not miss opportunities.”

03:59

Dan started his career as a CRE investor and broker 15 years ago in Detroit. His investing strategy is to follow the money and the resources. He sees a lot of opportunity in Detroit now.

Dan’s specialty as a broker is net lease investment sales. He sells buildings that are rented or leased out to major national chains like Walgreens, Taco Bell, or Burger King. The reason it’s called net leased assets is because the rental rate that is on the lease is net to the investor.

The pros of net lease investment compared to multifamily is that it’s more reliable because the lease is set for 15-20 years and more passive. The downside is that there are not many properties available under $1M, however it can be done in syndications.

“If you're looking to become an independent, successful real estate professional, it's great to be an investor. But the opportunity as a commercial real estate broker, especially today is absolutely incredible.”

21:06

Dan is one of the top CRE brokers in the country. He shares his insights on how to be on top of a broker’s list.

• Be transparent, honest, and straightforward with what you’re looking for.
• Treat the broker how you want to be treated.
• Trust your broker and be open to their advice.
• Give your broker feedback about the deals they bring to you.

According to Dan, finding net lease investment deals can be difficult as it is not as common as multifamily investing. He recommends interviewing brokers and looking for referrals.

Dan created a course called “CRE Pro” where he helps people who want to become CRE brokers and gives advice to CRE investors.

“You need to put time and energy into the inputs and the outputs will come.”

38:55

At the end of the episode, Dan picks an action step from the REI Clarity Framework that is the most valuable to him. This is the “Know Your Strategy.”

For Dan, strategy means having very clear and replicable procedures. Create processes with the knowledge that you have and keep improving them. It’s a process of refinement, so it doesn’t have to be perfect today.

Mentioned in the show:

1. www.crwprocourse.com
2. Dan On Top Podcast
3. Phone Number: (248) 943 2838
4. His LinkedIn
5. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
6. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Dan Lewkowicz for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

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Our guest today is Chad Keller, a digital marketer who has grown and sold many tech businesses over his young career. In this episode, we dive deep into the 6 key steps to succeed in digital marketing and how to use ads effectively to find more leads. If you’re growing your business and want to learn the best insider tips about digital marketing, this episode is for you!

Learn more about Chad and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“With digital marketing we had more leads coming in then we could deal with.”

05:07

Chad has always been very entrepreneurial, so after finishing college, he knew that he didn’t want to get a corporate job. He started an ecommerce company and got interested in digital marketing and it’s opportunities. 

Chad found real estate as a great way to invest his money and uses his tech skills to help other people succeed in real estate too. Now his company has 150 investors nationwide.

“I personally don't feel there is a time when you should stop ads unless you don't want to grow your business anymore.”

07:35

Chad shares his 6 key steps to succeed in digital marketing and drive more leads to your real estate business.

1. Create a website.

• Don’t spend a lot of money on the design, there are simple and cheap options for you.
• Don’t talk about your brand too much on the website, focus on your ideal clients’ desires and needs.
• Put the most important information on the first page of your website. Your visitors shouldn't have to scroll down on your website. 

2. Come up with the creatives.

• Take professional headshots.
• Get someone to design your ads instead of doing it by yourself.
• Make sure that you keep your Facebook videos between 8 to 14 seconds and put all the key information in them.

3. Build out conversion campaigns.

• Learn Facebook Ads Manager or hire someone who manage your ads for you.

4. Create new ads regularly.

• Every 3-4 weeks go back and make sure you have fresh creatives going out. Ads fatigue is when the same ad is being shown to the same person multiple times. You want to avoid that by creating new ads from time to time.

5. Build a connection with your subscribers.

• Create a drip campaign for the people who signed up for your email list. This automation sends them emails to grab their attention for 90 days.

5. Get testimonials from existing clients.

• Share these testimonials on your website and social media to establish more credibility.

“Take the risk and put yourself out there.”

38:02

At the end of the episode, Chad picks action steps from the REI Clarity Framework that are the most valuable to him. These are “Know Your Strategy” and “Take the Risk”.

According to Chad, taking risks is crucial for growth. Keep pushing, keep learning, and keep taking risks, so you can eventually reach your goals. And even if you fail, don’t give up, just push forward.

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://motivated-leads.com/
2. His LinkedIn
3. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
4. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Chad Keller for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

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More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is Stephanie Walter, a multifamily passive investor, and insurance agent. In this episode, we talk about succeeding as a capital raiser, building true wealth, and taking the leap from single-family to multifamily investing.

If you’re looking to jump into multifamily real estate and grow your business, this conversation is for you!

Learn more about Stephanie and her journey at reiclarity.com!

“That really was the magic of how I retired. I just repositioned money that wasn't performing for me.”

04:00

Stephanie became an insurance agent in 2005. She started investing in single-family properties. In 2016, she became interested in syndications and realized how much she loved the capital raising part of it.

Stephanie completed her first syndication in 2018 which was a fraternity house. She’s done 6 until now and was able to replace her income with passive income.

“Many people haven't heard of making money while they're sleeping. Not “landlord sleeping”, but real, true, deep sleeping.“

20:32

Stephanie’s expertise in the deal is to bring the money. She shares her advice for capital raisers:

• Find a good mentor.
• Be a part of a little group of people with who you communicate regularly. This could be through a podcast, newsletter, or social media.
• Networking is crucial for raising capital.

Stephanie talks about why syndication and multifamily investing are better than single-family investing. The vacancy is not that big of an issue in multifamily properties, and your money is working for you more efficiently.

Stephanie explains how wealthy people like to invest in businesses and people and not in their 401(k) and the stock market. They also know all the fees that they are paying for every transaction. 

“Build a group of people that listen to you and follow you.”

41:10

At the end of the episode, Stephanie picks action steps from the REI Clarity Framework that are the most valuable for her. These are the “Know Your Strategy” and “Find the Money”.

According to Stephanie, if you can raise money constantly, you will always have a place in the multifamily space. So if you’re interested in capital raising, start reaching out to people and build a community of people who trust you.

Also, try to find a networking group where people are just a bit better than you are so you can learn from them. 

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://erbewealth.com/
2. Her LinkedIn
3. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
4. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Stephanie Walter for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

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More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is Brett Swarts, Capital Gains Tax Deferral Experts, and speaker. In this episode, we dive deep into ways to avoid or defer taxes to maximize the benefit of real estate investing. We talk about the top 5 tax deferral strategies, focusing on the Deferred Sales Trust, and Brett shares how to live a successful and fulfilled life.

If you're ready to leverage the tax benefits of real estate and defer your taxes, then this episode is for you!

Learn more about Brett and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“It's my passion to help people defer tax. I'd never want someone to feel trapped by capital gains tax jail.”

04:49

Brett started his investment real estate career in 2006 as a multifamily real estate broker. After the 2008 financial crisis, he needed a side hustle. That’s when he heard about Deferred Sales Trust, and he knew he had to dive deeper into it and help people. Now, 10 years later, Brett is coaching others about tax strategies.

Brett shares his success and fulfillment formula:

• Find out what’s your gift, talent, or passion.
• Maximize the potential of this gift.
• Use your gift to serve others and impact other people’s lives.

“The Deferred Sales Trust is like Netflix. Why is it like Netflix? Well, first of all, it works for any kind of asset.“

18:07

Brett explains how the largest wealth transfer is happening now in history. It’s expected that $17-$20 trillion is going to pass from baby boomers to the next generation in the next 20 years. But they are burdened with a huge capital gains tax.

Brett’s top 5 tax deferral strategies for real estate investors:

1. 1031 Exchange.
   Unfortunately, it only works for investment properties and has many restrictions.
2. Delaware statutory trust.
   Essentially, it's another form of 1031 Exchange, except you exchange your investment property into interest into a larger portfolio of a couple of properties. The challenge is you have to give up all control. It's typically 7-10 years and you have no liquidity and diversification. 
3. Deferred Sales Trust.
   This is Brett’s favorite because you can put your gains into a variety of types of assets. A Deferred Sales Trust is one you create while engaging a third-party company to act as trustee. You could sell your investment real estate to this trust in exchange for a deferred installment contract, or promissory note which you design and document in advance. You have to renew it every 10 years.
4. Cost segregation.
   It’s accelerated depreciation for investment properties. You can reduce their taxable income by having a cost segregation study or segregation analysis completed on the property.
5. Seller carry-back.
   Seller carry-back financing is when the seller of the property acts as a lender for a buyer on the seller’s property. The buyer typically pays you back in 3-5 years, but it’s not liquid or diversified.

Brett’s advice for ultra high net-worth individuals is to be aware of the state tax exemptions that are expiring in 2025. It’s 40% of the debt tax.

“The Deferred Sales Trust is a great way to raise capital.”

52:08

At the end of the episode, Brett picks an action step from the REI Clarity Framework that is the most valuable for him. This is the “Find the Money”.

According to Brett, the Deferred Sales Trust is a great way to unlock capital from sources that otherwise weren’t possible. There are other places that people have money, like cryptocurrency, primary homes, or businesses. If you can solve the problem of that illiquid asset to sell and defer the tax, it is the best way to raise large sums of money.

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://capitalgainstaxsolutions.com/
2. Capital Gains Tax Solutions Podcast
3. https://www.experttaxsecrets.com/main
4. His LinkedIn
5. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
6. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Brett Swarts for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is Neal Bawa, a commercial real estate investor, data scientist, and educator. In this episode, we dive deep into how to analyze data. We talk about how to understand the markets and asset classes, the future of real estate investing, and how data drives our decision-making. If you want to understand the current real estate environment and learn about multifamily and its role in the industry, then this episode is for you!

Learn more about Neal and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“The amount of time that we'd spend looking at the data is clearly at least 10x of a typical company of our size.”

04:18

Neal is a large multifamily investor with thousands of units in 10 states. He considers his company one of the most diverse multifamily companies in the United States because they have multifamily, student housing, built-to-rent, townhouse, self-storage, industrial, new construction, B and C class assets in their portfolio.

.

Built-to-rent is a newer term in the industry but it’s already the fastest-growing asset class in all of real estate. These are townhomes or single-family units that are like apartments.

According to Neal, his company is more like a data company that works in real estate, that is why their portfolio is very diverse.

“This is the greatest time in history to sell.”

15:40

Neal is a data scientist. He talks about what data is impacting real estate investing the most currently.

One major factor to consider is that we recently injected 5 trillion dollars into a 2 trillion dollar economy. This affects the single-family market the most but also the multifamily market. It created low inventory, record amounts of liquidity in the system, and record-low interest rates.

According to Neal, this is the greatest time in history to sell in real estate. It can also be a good time to buy, but you might need to change your strategy or preferred markets.

“It's a classic and capital mistake to study cities. What you really should be doing is studying regions or corridors.”

25:02

Neal talks about his acquisition strategy. He recommends investing in tertiary markets and looking at corridors instead of cities. 

He also recommends investing in fourplexes as they have the best tax benefits and to stay away from new construction.

At the end of the episode, Neal shares how climate change is affecting real estate and changing the market whether you believe in it or not. According to him, it’s not just the actual climate change that will affect real estate but the perception of it will have a strong impact as well.

Mentioned in the show:

1. http://www.neilbawa.com/
2. https://multifamilyu.com/
3. His LinkedIn
4. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
5. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Neal Bawa for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is David Hays, a well-known financial advisor and real estate investor in Bloomington, Indiana. In this episode, we talk about diversifying your local portfolio, finding and grabbing opportunities, and the different types of investments to get into real estate. Tune in if you’re an investor wanting to become successful as David shares all the ups and downs in his journey and how he reached success.

Learn more about David and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“There are only a few things you can do with money - you can spend it, you can save it, or you can share it.”

04:53

David grew up in Bloomington, Indiana and his family didn’t have much money. David started learning about money and his mindset changed towards it. He got into finance and became a financial advisor. 

David was 24 years old when he started real estate investing. His first deal was a nine-acre farm which he refinanced and bought his first duplex.

In the beginning, David was looking for equity, but now he’s more focused on cash-flow generating properties. His portfolio is very diverse. He has student housing, self-storage, retail, and commercial investments.

“It's all about people, it's all about where the people are going.”

24:05

David talks about some ways to get into real estate investing. One of them is investing in a  REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust). REITs are good because there is no income tax on them and you can have a more consistent and safe income stream. Syndication is also a good way to get into bigger deals.

David explains that there are a lot of different opportunities that fit different people. According to him, his success is due to seeing opportunities and not being afraid to take the leap. He focuses on the people and where they would like to live.

“Having clarity and focus is really important. It doesn't mean you can't venture off here and there, but really maintain a focus is important.”

42:53

At the end of the episode, David picks action steps from the REI Clarity Framework that are the most valuable for him. These are the “Know Your Strategy” and “Forecast Your Future” in the “Clarity” pillar.

Maintaining focus and getting clarity are very important for David. As entrepreneurs, we tend to lose focus, so it’s crucial to establish our strategy and stick to it. The most important is knowing what you want and knowing who you want to be involved with.

Lastly, David explains that finding the money is never a problem for him. Find the deal first, and if you’re dedicated, you will find the money.

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://www.cfci.us/
2. His LinkedIn 
3. Your Money with David Hays
4. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
5. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to David Hays for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is Andrew Cushman, a multifamily real estate investor expert, owner of Vantage Point Acquisitions, and facilitator of the Multifamily Accelerator Mastermind. In this episode, we talk about how to succeed in the current real estate market, how to find the best deals, and the 4 steps to find overlooked deal opportunities. If you want to learn how to find deals before other people, then this episode is for you! 

Learn more about Andrew and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“I pursued my goal relentlessly. And after 4500 cold calls, we got our first deal.”

05:20

Andrew started his career as a chemical engineer and got into house-flipping on the side. He turned it into his full-time business, and eventually transitioned into multifamily investing. His first multifamily deal was a 92-unit apartment building. As of now, Andrew had his fingers on over 2000 units. 

According to Andrew, the 2 key things that led to his success were collaborating with the right people and relentless persistence.

Andrew talks about the importance of bringing additional team members in from the start. 

"Finding a deal is probably the easiest way to get yourself into the business"

22:01

Andrew explains that in the current market, finding a good deal is the hardest part. A few years ago, it was raising the money.

The 4 key steps to finding overlooked deal opportunities:

1. Know exactly what you're looking for. Be as specific as you can.
2. Know where you're looking for the deal. Rather than trying to cover a huge area, pick 1-3 markets that you can effectively handle and go deep.
3. Know what you're going to do with the deal once you found it. Are you looking to co-GP with someone? Are you looking to syndicate?
4. Start looking for deals just slightly out of your comfort zone

“I'm a big believer in third-party, especially if you're looking to scale your business and really grow in terms of acquiring a number of units.”

33:43

At the end of the episode, Andrew picks action steps from the REI Clarity Framework that are the most valuable for him. These are the “Build Your Team” and “Know Your Strategy”.

Andrew highlights a good strategy for scaling faster. The key is to hire a really good, competent third-party management company and manage them. This way you become an asset manager, not a day-to-day operator.

Mentioned in the show:

1. vpacq.com
2. https://www.vpacq.com/mastermind
3. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
4. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Andrew Cushman for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is Adam Carswell, a real estate entrepreneur, and social media expert. In this episode, we dive deep into the second pillar of the REI Clarity Framework, making connections. We talk about the 5 most effective ways of networking in commercial real estate, the importance of a team, and how to be consistent in your work.

If you want to elevate your networking game, then don’t miss out on this episode!

Learn more about Adam and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“Find a place to get your education first. It is a skill within itself because there are so many people offering things”

Adam grew up in Ohio. After his master’s degree, he moved to Washington DC, where he fell in love with real estate investing. He started as a realtor but then moved to the commercial real estate space.

Adam’s advice is to always focus on your education.

“Your name is your most valuable asset, so you have to market yourself on a daily basis. You're definitely leaving a lot of opportunities on the table by not properly promoting yourself.”

07:32

Adam shares his 5 most effective ways to build commercial real estate connections.

1. Network face to face. Go to your local meetups and RIAs. If you can’t go in person, then conferences and online meetups are a good place to start. This is a great way to build connections, but also to educate yourself. 
2. Get educated. You can start with books and podcasts. Many times the podcasters have a course or a coaching program too.
   1. Make sure your profile pops. A good profile picture and header are crucial.
   2. Be yourself
   3. Connect to groups who have a similar story as you. 
3. Be active on Linkedin. 
4. Leverage your personal connections. Everyone has at least one real estate person they know. Try to make a connection with them first. If you don’t have one, then use paid mentors.
5. Publish content regularly. Blogging, Youtube, writing articles, or being active on social media are necessary for building connections. Always talk about something you’re passionate about or an expert in, and make sure to be consistent for years.

“When delegating your tasks you have to be willing to experiment until you find the right person for you.”

40:54

At the end of the episode, Adam picks action steps from the REI Clarity Framework that are the most valuable for him. These are the “Build Your Team” and “Establish Your Mentors”.

Building a team is crucial for the success of a company. According to Adam, building a team is a skill that every entrepreneur has to master. Delegating tasks can be difficult at the beginning of your journey but it saves a lot of time and money eventually.

Mentioned in the show:

1. carswell.io
2. His LinkedIn
3. Dream Chasers Podcast
4. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
5. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Adam Carswell for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

Youtube – Blog – Podcast

Our guest today is Julie Anne Peterson, the Senior Director of Old Capital Lending, one of the biggest multifamily lenders in the country. In this episode, we discuss the 4 steps you need to do as an investor to get the best experience with your commercial lender. Julie walks us through the process of creating your business plan, knowing your market, building your team, and finding the deals. If you're trying to move into the commercial real estate space, or you’ve done a few deals but want to scale up, this episode is for you!

Learn more about Julie Anne and her journey at reiclarity.com!

“As a lender, we are your number one teammates, because we're bringing 75 to 80% of the money to get this transaction done.”

04:56

Julie is the Senior Director of Old Capital Lending and they do over a billion dollars in commercial real estate loans each year. As lenders, Julie’s team is bringing 75-80% of the money into the deal.

According to Julie, a common mistake that many new investors make is that they are not doing the front-end work, and only think about the deal from their own perspective.

“Net worth, liquidity, and experience are what you'd like to have in a sponsor.“

14:25

There are 4 key steps you should do to succeed in building a good relationship with a commercial lender. Julie explains them in detail.

1. Have a solid business plan.
   Figure out what your investors would be interested in. The best way to truly understand what your business plan should be is to ask the market, which is your investors, banks, and people in your industry.
2. Know your market very well.
   Instead of trying to be present in multiple markets, focus on a specific market, and become an expert in it. Always investigate what is the population growth, job growth, and crime statistics. According to Julie, there are 2 main things that will have the biggest impact on the underwriting - insurance, and taxes.
3. Build your team.
   Focus on building a good connection with not only your lender, but your underwriter, capital raiser, property manager, and operator. When you vet your GP, look for net worth, liquidity, and experience. Keep your team small and tight.
4. Find the deal.
   Figure out if the property fits in the business plan, the market, your investors’ expectations, and if you can execute the deal. Share your underwriting with your team, to see their perspective on it as well.

After you went through these 4 crucial steps you should be able to succeed with your commercial lender. Julie explains how to get the best lending possible. Find a stabilized deal, that is 90% occupied for 90 days. If you don’t have that occupancy, you can still get a bridge loan.

“It all really starts with education. Educate yourself, spend time doing the stuff upfront for the success on the back end.”

48:33

At the end of the episode, Julie picks an action step from the REI Clarity Framework that is the most valuable for her. This is the “Build Your Team”.

Building a great team is critical for every real estate investor’s success. Educating yourself is very important because the more you know about the industry, the better team you build.

Mentioned in the show:

1. ZOOM at 8
2. https://oldcapitallending.com/
3. Her LinkedIn
4. jpeterson@oldcapitallending.com
5. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
6. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Julie Anne Peterson for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is Chris Larsen, a syndicator, author, and coach. In this episode, we talk about the 3 main things you can do with your money: make it, keep it, and grow it. We also dig into how to set your goals, choose the right vehicle for financial independence, and build your investing team. If you’re an active or passive multifamily investor who is ready to make the right investment choices, then this episode is for you! 

Learn more about Chris Larsen and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“When it comes to high-income earners, those individuals typically find a skill that's very valuable and focus on it.”

03:37

Chris started his career as a trader in the stock market. He kept earning and losing a lot of money, so after a few years he decided to do something more reliable and less risky. That's when he turned to real estate investing. After a few years of single-family investing, he ended up in multifamily.

Chris is the founder of Next Level Income, a platform helping investors make, keep, and grow their money. 

1. Make Money 
2. 1. Figure out the tasks that you do well and generate the most money.
   2. Schedule these things first.
   3. Outsource the tasks that you don’t want to do or find someone who can do it cheaper than you.
   1. Have a tax strategist because your biggest expenses are probably your taxes.
   2. Create a correct entity structure.
   3. Structure your insurance properly.
3. Keep Money
   1. Pick the right financial vehicle for your personality and experience.
   2. Build your team.
4. Grow Money

“Make sure you're working with people that have that abundance mindset.”

27:38

Chris explains how to build the right team. If you're a passive investor, you need to have people on your team that can help you evaluate the deals. If you’re active, make sure that all of your team members stay in their lane of expertise.

It’s also very important to work with people with an abundance mindset and who want to grow the business with you. People who have a scarcity mindset operate from fear and will limit your company’s true potential. 

“If you understand how to do it on the active side, then you're just going to be a better passive investor. ”

32:07

At the end of the episode, Chris talks about how to find the right deals as a passive investor. Always ask yourself the following questions when you’re evaluating a deal.

1. Why is this a good market to invest in? What are the pros and cons of that specific market?
2. Who’s the operator? What markets have they operated in before? Do they have property managers?
3. What are the assumptions you're making with respect to expenses and vacancy rates?

Mentioned in the show:

1. www.nextlevelincome.com
2. The Next Level Income Show
3. His LinkedIn
4. chris@nextlevelincome.com
5. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
6. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Chris Larsen for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is Lee Yoder, a multifamily investor and podcaster. In this episode, we dive deep into buying your first multifamily property. Lee shares his 5 steps to success in your first deal, common mistakes and how to avoid them, and why multifamily is the best way to reach true freedom in your life. If you’re ready to take the leap into multifamily investing then don’t miss out on this episode!

Learn more about Lee Yoder and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“At the beginning of your journey, ask yourself these questions - Could I do my job part-time? Could I free up some time to do this as a side hustle?”

03:55

Lee started his career as a physical therapist and later worked in a startup company. Here, he realized that he was passionate about numbers, business, and building companies, so he turned to real estate.

Lee got into real estate by flipping a single-family property. He soon bought a duplex, then a 16-unit, and finally a 45-unit property.

“The cap rate, what the owners are doing now, that's all how the property is performing right now. I'm much more concerned about how's the property gonna fare in the future. “

08:22

Lee’s 5 steps to successfully purchasing your first multifamily property:

1. Getting educated: Books, podcasts, and courses are helpful but you can learn a lot from a flip too.
2. Networking: Be active in your community, join your local RIA, or start a podcast.
3. Understand underwriting: Practice running the numbers 3-5 times a week.  
4. Start building your team: Find a good property manager and get a good lender or mortgage broker. Networking can also help you with that.
5. Start making offers: Put your knowledge into action. There are ways to get out of an offer, so don’t be afraid to take this last step.

Focus on the step that is ahead of you and always move forward. By the time you reach step 5, it’s not going to look that scary. The hardest deal is always the first one, so whatever you can do to get over the hump is worth it.

Lee talks about mistakes he made along the way and how to resolve them. According to him, always focus on networking and getting good referrals on the people you’d like to work with. Also, make sure you raise more money than you think you'll need because you don’t want to go back to investors.

“I'm not saying that everybody needs to go full-time in real estate, but you can create passive income with it and really change your life. “

37:48

At the end of the episode, Lee picks an action step from the REI Clarity Framework that is the most valuable for him. This is the “Forecast Your Future”.

Lee loves real estate investing because he can work hard if he wants to but his work is very flexible. This gives him more time to spend with his family.

For Lee, forecasting the future means that he can create freedom for himself and his family and create a better future.

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://threefoldrei.com/
2. Contact Lee Yoder
3. His LinkedIn
4. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
5. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Lee Yoder for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is AdaPia d’Errico, a real estate investor, author, and speaker. In this episode, we talk about shifting our mindset and following our intuition. In the first part of our conversation, we dig deep into how to listen to ourselves and make better decisions. We follow that with AdaPia’s journey into investing with a limited partner entity, a niche space in syndications. If you’re ready to elevate your game in multifamily investing, then this episode is for you!

Learn more about AdaPia and her journey at reiclarity.com!

“What I realized in all of this is that intuition is subtle, but we are hardwired for it.”

04:03

AdaPia is the author of the book Productive Intuition, where she explains why and how we can listen to our intuition to make better decisions in life. She had a long journey with self-discovery and she wrote the book for people to get centered, aligned, and to trust themselves.

AdaPia always considered herself as a “control freak”. However, over time, she realized that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t create predictability in her life. She shifted her mindset from trying to control the outcome to controlling her reaction and from being reactive to being responsive.

AdaPia shares her method of connecting to the subtle and trusting yourself. If you’re faced with a challenge - stop, breathe, notice your thoughts and feelings, and don’t take immediate action. Listen to your body’s signals and choose your response.

“If you're coming with us, the pro is definitely the underwriting. You get really thorough due diligence.” 

24:57

AdaPia is the VP of strategy at Alpha Investing, a private equity real estate company. They present highly vetted institutional quality real estate deals for their investors. And they’re a source of capital for operators.

Alpha Investing has a very specific focus on needs-based multifamily. This means affordable housing projects and senior living spaces. Their primary function is to underwrite and they take a 20% performance fee after the investor has received 10% per year.

“I really don’t think you can get that far if you’re not contributing to somebody else’s getting far.”

40:21

At the end of the episode, AdaPia picks an action step from the REI Clarity Framework that is the most valuable for her. This is the “Rise By Lifting Others”.

AdaPia recommends always helping others because it’s uplifting. It takes us out of the scarcity mindset and puts us into extreme gratitude. You can take this same mindset and use it in business. 

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://www.productiveintuition.com/buy-here
2. https://www.alphai.com/
3. Her LinkedIn 
4. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
5. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to AdaPia d’Errico for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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This show is a big milestone for us because we’re celebrating our 50th episode! Today, we share what we’ve learned from our fantastic guests on the show so far, and walk you through the REI Clarity Framework. These 9 action steps will help you to succeed in real estate, no matter where you are in your journey. If you’re ready to reach true freedom through real estate, then don’t miss out on this episode!

Learn more about the framework at reiclarity.com!

The purpose of the REI Clarity Podcast is to create freedom through real estate to be able to do the things that you want to do with your time. During our 50 episodes, we talked to many successful and inspiring entrepreneurs and business owners in the real estate industry. They all had a few things in common, that helped them succeed.

We gathered these things into a 3-pillar, 9-action step framework, that will help you build your business and reach your real estate investing goals.

05:23

Clarity: The first pillar is about mindset and knowledge.

1. Know Your Strategy: Start with a plan to outline your overall strategy.
2. Find the Money: Figure out where your investment money will be coming from.
3. Forecast Your Future: Visualize the future. It will motivate you, and it’s the map that lays out your strategy.

09:46

Connections: This pillar gathers the ways to build healthy and valuable connections.

1. Build a Team: The team you are creating is your support crew. Find people you can rely on to give you good advice on certain areas that you may not have expertise in.
2. Establish Your Mentors: Find a mentor whose vision and guidance you trust to lead you through your journey.
3. Grow Your Community: Whatever situation you are in, you always need a supporting community.

17:34

Implementation: This is where all of that inner work is channeled outward.

1. Take the Risk: Find a nice medium between jumping into the deep end and never getting into the water at all.
2. Exit Gracefully: Have clarity on your exit from the start so nothing will be confusing or unexpected when the time comes to exit the deal.
3. Rise by Lifting Others: The people who are supporting you lifting you up. Offer the same level of support to others. 

You can download the REI Clarity Framework here to help you on your journey too.

We appreciate you listening to the REI Clarity Podcast and we’re excited about the next 50 episodes!

Mentioned in the show:

1. Jeremy’s LinkedIn
2. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
3. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is Brian Burke, a passive real estate investor, author, and public speaker. In this episode, we focus on limited partner investing by talking about how to find a good deal, what to look out for in sponsors, and how to take numbers and turn them into stories. If you want to know how to make better decisions as a passive investor, this episode is for you!

Learn more about Brian and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“Real estate syndication is basically a group of people getting together for a common purpose that's led by one individual, company, or organization.”

06:37

Brian has been a passive real estate investor for over 30 years. At the beginning of the show, he talks about the basics of real estate syndication and passive investing.

According to Brian, a good passive investor is someone who has investment goals that align with the business plan of the investment. Passive investing works best for high net worth individuals who plan long-term. Brian suggests diversifying your asset groups and asset classes as well.

The 2 ways to become an accredited investor:

1. Have a $1M net worth that doesn't include the equity in your home.
2. Make more than $200k of annual income in the most recent 2 year period or $300k for married couples.

“You don't want to find deals to invest in. What you want to find are sponsors to invest with.”

18:14

Brian explains that the first thing to look at in a syndication is the sponsor who brings the opportunity. Look into how they underwrite, how they approach deals, and what their thought process looks like.

For people who want to become sponsors, Brian suggests building trust. In the beginning, this can be established by working with people they personally know, like friends and family, or by connecting with experienced sponsors and becoming a part of a team.

The key indicators to determine if the deal is good or not:

1. Location: Select markets where people are moving in rather than moving away.
2. The condition of the unit: Look into opportunities to make improvements and create an immediate value.
3. Underwriting: Check if the sponsor’s underwriting is achievable or not.

“It's all about the story that the numbers are telling and which stories are a fit to your individual needs.” 

38:57

The 3 main performance indicators to think about when looking at a deal:

1. The internal rate of return: This is an estimate of the value the property generates during the time frame in which you own it.
2. The cash on cash return: It is the ratio of annual before-tax cash flow to the total amount of cash invested, expressed as a percentage.
3. The equity multiple: It calculates the expected or achieved total return on an initial investment.

No one indicator is more important than the other. It all depends on the individual investor’s goals.

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://praxcap.com/
2. Brian Burke - The Hands-Off Investor
3. His LinkedIn
4. https://www.diaryofanapartmentinvestor.com/
5. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
6. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Brian Burke for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is Matt Faircloth, a real estate investor and author. In this episode, we dig deep into the key members you need in your multifamily team, how to set reasonable expectations, scaling fast, and how to exit a deal gracefully. If you’re ready to take the leap from single-family to multifamily investing, then this episode is for you!

Learn more about Matt and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“The mantra for my company is to transform lives through real estate.”

04:41

Matt started his career in sales. He got interested in real estate investing after reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad and started investing in single-family homes.

Now Matt and his wife run a primarily residential real estate company together, but they have some commercial tenants as well. They acquired around 150 single-family units before they took the leap into multifamily. 

“There are 4 very distinct activities in multifamily, and different personality traits that fit very well inside those buckets.”

12:26

Matt breaks down the different roles in a multifamily team. He believes that everyone has their own talents that need to be appreciated.

The 4 personality types that should be represented in your GP team:

1. The Hunter: These types of people are good at acquisition. They are good connectors, closers, and negotiators.
2. The Brain: They are good at analyzing deals and running the numbers, so their role should be the underwriter.
3. The Money: They are good at financing and raising capital, so they should assemble the debt and the equity.
4. The Hammer: This type of personality should be the asset manager. They are very driven to implement and fulfill the business plan. 

These 4 personality types together can find the deal, create the business plan, finance the deal, and fulfill the plan successfully.

“Real estate investing, including apartment buildings, is a marathon. This is not a six-month or two-year type of deal.”

34:07

Matt talks about how to set expectations when you’re planning to leap from single-family to multifamily investing.

The 2 paths to choose from:

1. Start on a small scale and double your portfolio every time you do a deal. Document your process and build your team as you go. This way you’re financially responsible, but also fully in charge of the process.
2. Think about your talents and find out which of the 4 personality types matches you the best. Then find yourself a real estate team that is either forming or has had some successes, but wants to get to the next level. It’s important to have someone on the team that already has experience, so you can grow faster.

“The market will pay you a better price for a deal that has potential than a deal where you've knocked out everything that could get knocked out.”

45:03

At the end of the episode, Matt picks an action step from the REI Clarity Framework that is the most valuable for him. This is “Exit Gracefully”.

Matt’s advice for a successful exit is to put yourself in the buyer’s shoes from the start. Leave some “meat on the bone” for the new buyer, so they can have some opportunity to take it to the next level and add value. You get a better cap rate this way. 

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://www.derosagroup.com/
2. His LinkedIn
3. Matt Faircloth - Raising Private Capital
4. https://www.diaryofanapartmentinvestor.com/
5. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
6. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Matt Faircloth for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Our guest today is Sandhya Seshadri, a syndicator and asset manager. In this episode, we dig deep into how to successfully invest in multifamily. We discuss the 5 key steps to passively invest in multifamily, how to find the best deals, and what to look out for when investing. If you are someone who is either raising capital or has the capital to put into someone else's deal, then this episode is for you!

Learn more about Sandhya and her journey at reiclarity.com!

“The more you learn and know about something, the less of a risk and gamble it is.”

03:39

Sandhya had a successful corporate career in engineering. At first, she started investing in the stock market as she wanted to get savings on taxes on her capital gains. However, she soon realized that real estate was the best way for her to diversify.

Sandhya chose passive investing in multifamily because she didn’t want to deal with the 3Ts (tenants, toilets, and trash). She found this asset class to be the safest because apartments are a fundamental need. 

“You should roughly make $200k on a $100k investment today, within a five-year span.”

09:57

Sandhya shares her 5 key steps to take to succeed in passively investing in apartments.

1. Clarify your financial goals. Remember that any real estate investment in multifamily is not going to be liquid, so you won’t have access to those funds for 3 to 5 years. 
2. Define your overall personal goals and strategy. Your strategy should be different if your plan is to leave your day job or you just want to invest on the side. 
3. Vet your sponsorship team very carefully, especially if you plan to stay as a permanent passive investor. Find a sponsorship team with a strong track record in a market that is going to be cash flowing. Social media and podcasts are a great way to network, find sponsors, and dig deeper into their track records.
4. Choose a market that has a diversity of jobs and is landlord-friendly to minimize your risk. The market is one of the most important things when analyzing a deal. Sandhya’s advice is to factor into your market study the median household income within a 1-mile radius.
5. Plan your financials off of the deal. Sandhya suggests conservative underwriting. This means you want to have an exit cap rate that is higher than your entry cap rate by at least .75 to 1 point. Validate every number by having the sponsors justify them.

“You need mentors to help you accelerate your path.”

50:09

At the end of the episode, Sandhya picks action steps from the REI Clarity Framework that are the most valuable for her. These are “Establish Your Mentors” and “Take the Risk”.

Establishing your mentors can start with books or podcasts. You can figure everything out on your own, but it’s way faster with mentors to learn from. The more you get educated and the more knowledge you have, the lower the risk is. 

Mentioned in the show:

1. multifamily4you.com
2. Sandhya’s free checklist to vet a sponsorship team
3. Her LinkedIn
4. James Kandasamy - Passive Investing
5. https://www.diaryofanapartmentinvestor.com/
6. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
7. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Sandhya Seshadri for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Show produced by Eni Horvath

Our guest today is Brian Briscoe, an apartment syndicator and podcaster. In this episode, we dig into the 4 crucial elements of any investment strategy: assets, market, team, and deal. Brian shares his strategy, the right mindset for an investor, and what he learned as a Marine that you can use in your business as well. 

Learn more about Brian and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“You really need to have that same mindset with multifamily investing or creating a business as in the military. There's no other answer besides getting it done and succeeding.”

03:12

Brian served as an active duty US Marine which helped him to create a “never give up” attitude.

He has this mindset in his real estate business as well and for him, success is inevitable.

According to Brian, the traits that successful investors portray are confidence and honesty. If you have the right strategy, trust in yourself, and understand the value that you’re bringing to your investors then you will succeed. Be honest with people and don’t push deals on them that are not a good fit.

“At the end of the day, you have solid returns for a relatively low amount of risk and that's what drives me to multifamily.”

13:11

Brian digs into his strategy based on the REI Clarity Framework. The 4 main elements of every good strategy are assets, market, team, and deal.

1. Assets: Brian is committed to the multifamily asset group. There’s always going to be a demand for shelter and it is proven to be the most resilient for downturns.
2. Markets: Brian is looking for markets that have strong tailwinds. Based on nationwide trends, money is moving from high cost of living areas to low cost of living areas, from urban areas to the secondary and tertiary markets, and from North to South.
3. Team: Brian’s advice is to have like-minded people in your team of operators that are committed to providing value. Find one trusted service provider who can suggest other great service providers to you.
4. Deal: You make money on a deal by solving problems. Brian suggests finding out how to add value to the property and doing a lot of underwriting. You could underwrite 50-100 deals until you come across a good one.

“Whenever you're in a position where you're doubting yourself, the best way to get out of it is to be proactive.”

31:36

At the end of the episode, Brian talks about mindset. He suggests discovering your “big burning why” because that will always drive you forward and won’t let you quit. 

Brian choose multifamily investing and stopped being an active duty Marine because he wanted to be more present in his family’s life and have more time freedom. 

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://www.fouroakscapital.com/
2. His LinkedIn
3. https://www.diaryofanapartmentinvestor.com/
4. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
5. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Brian Briscoe for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

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Facebook – Twitter

Our guest today is Chris Ressa, a retail investor whose, company DLC Management, operates and manages thousands of units of retail properties. In this episode, we talk about the future of retail, the crucial parts of a commercial real estate team, and the best ways to invest in different asset classes. If you’re planning to take the leap from residential to commercial real estate investing, this episode is for you! Learn more about Chris and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“I like to solve challenges people think are unsolvable and do what is considered undoable.”

06:40

Chris’s company owns open-air shopping centers and strip malls with thousands of units of retail properties. In retail, leases are generally more complicated, long-term, and challenging.

In the commercial real estate industry, there are more legal decisions to make than in residential, but Chris encourages every business owner to make their own business decisions. The business decision-makers should be moving the strategy forward and the legal advisors should make sure that the business decisions are sound.

“I recommend business owners to hire W-2 employees when they've got the capital behind them to grow the business, or when it's too hard to manage the third-party service providers because they're too successful.”

25:28

Chris talks about some reasons to get into the commercial real estate space:

• It’s an alternative investment, so you can diversify your portfolio.
• Depending on the type of commercial real estate, the leases can be set up in a way that they are pure mailbox money for many years to come.
• The return profile can be very good.

Chris is operating a large business with around 130 employees. According to him, the key to success is to have a great team. In the beginning, he doesn’t recommend hiring everyone as a W-2 employee, because it is much more sustainable to have third-party teams. 

When your business doesn’t just invest in - but owns real estate, that is when you should have W-2 employees who only work for you.

Chris recommends always having someone in your team who helps you identify opportunities and someone who helps you finance deals.

“Everyone shops online and no one shops at the store anymore. So the first thing is... that this is not true.”

48:57

Even though recently it is said that retail is struggling, Chris explains that it is not true. 85% of sales are still done in physical stores even during the pandemic. The cost of entry is way lower to start an online store, however, the stores that have a physical presence can scale better.

Groceries, material, and value items are expected to stay mostly in brick-and-mortar stores and not move to the online space any time soon.

57:31

At the end of the episode, Chris picks an action step from the REI Clarity Framework that is the most valuable for him. This is the “Build a Team”.

The number one thing he is doing every day when it comes to his team is connecting with them and making sure that he helps them grow their careers. He is trying to remove obstacles in their day job.

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://www.dlcmgmt.com/
2. His LinkedIn
3. Retail Retold Podcast
4. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
5. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Chris Ressa for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

Youtube – Blog – Podcast

Facebook – Twitter

Our guest today is Billy Keels, an international real estate and real assets investor. In this episode, we talk about long distance investing strategies, the importance of your team, and how to get clear on the asset that works best for you. Whether you’re investing in your backyard, or out of the country, this episode will help you gain more clarity on your strategy! Learn more about Billy and his journey at reiclarity.com!

“You can invest wherever in the world in whatever type of assets make sense for you.”

04:44

Billy had a successful career as a high-level sales executive. After having his investments fluctuate on the stock market, he read Rich Dad, Poor Dad and decided to start real estate investing. 

Billy was living in Spain and first thought he would buy an apartment in Barcelona to start his investing journey. However, he soon realized that he could invest in the United States as well.

Now, he has real estate and real asset investments all over the world because geographic freedom is very important for him. His diverse portfolio contains large multifamily syndications, mobile home parks, pieces of equipment in the energy space, and ATM machines.

“Everything starts with - what is it that you want this asset to provide you?”

08:26

According to Billy, to become a successful long distance investor you need to:

• Invest the time to understand the location.
• Know the team and make sure they know the location as well.
• Make sure the operator is in town or physically close to the property.

In the episode, Billy talks about the similarities and differences between the syndicator, sponsor, general partner, and operator.  The syndicator, sponsor, or general partner are the ones who bring the capital together. The operator is the one who’s operating the deal on a daily basis.

“There's a lot of value in being able to understand who are the absolute best operators in a specific area, and then being able to connect them with investors who are interested in finding the best opportunity for their capital.”

34:24

Billy is a big advocate of diversifying your assets. As a syndicator, he connects operators and investors. Having diverse assets help him offer more diverse opportunities.

According to Billy, if you are offering different types of assets, you can find more investors and still be specific with your offer.

“Teamwork makes the dream work”

39:40

At the end of the episode, Billy picks action steps from the REI Clarity Framework that are the most valuable for him. These are “Know Your Strategy”, “Build a Team”, “Establish Your Mentors,” and “Rise by Lifting Others”.

For Billy, building your team means everything because being a long distance investor would not be possible without it. Building lasting trust with the team is crucial for successful investing.

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://www.growyourmoneythesmartway.com/
2. billykeels.com
3. energy@billykeels.com
4. Going Long Podcast with Billy Keel‪s‬
5. His LinkedIn
6. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
7. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Billy Keels for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

Youtube - Blog - Podcast

Facebook - Twitter

Our guest today is Edna Keep, a real estate investor, author, and coach with around 600 units of multifamily. In this episode, we talk about her 5 steps for attracting investors, setting yourself up to succeed in multifamily, and how to cashflow $5k fast. If you’re ready to take the leap from side-hustle to full-time investing, then this episode is for you!

Learn more about Edna and her journey at reiclarity.com!

“Within 18 months, we were inducted into Robert Kiyosaki’s Hall of Fame because we had purchased 50 doors and hit our $5000 a month goal.”

02:43

Edna was a financial advisor in Canada and started real estate investing in 2001 by pulling equity out of her house. She picked up 144 units early on in her journey and became a full-time investor.

Edna’s advice on how to be successful in REI from the start is to work with a professional mortgage broker.

“I've never wanted to be the managing partner because I don't claim to be the expert in that area. But you can't close the deal without the money. So that was what I was able to bring to the table.”

09:11

Pulling the equity out of Edna’s home allowed her to buy 2 condo units which were only cash flowing $800 a month. She used creative financing, like vendor and investor financing to reach $5k a month in just 18 months.

For the 144-unit apartment complex, she partnered up with someone in her training course who was able to find the deal but couldn’t finance it. As Edna was a financial advisor, she was able to find the money and the deal ended up a huge success for everyone involved.

“It's easier to manage one building under one roof, and it's reduced risk because you got 10 or 12 people paying the mortgage instead of 1 or 2.”

18:39

Edna has a 5-step investor attraction system.

1. Have the right mindset: You have to understand that you can bring a lot of value to the table even if you don’t have money. You can find or manage the deal.
2. Start thinking bigger: Instead of purchasing multiple single-family homes, look into multifamily options for better cash-flow and easier management.
3. Know how to find and analyze a deal.
4. Get a coach who’s done what they’re teaching you.
5. Get around like-minded people who can support you on your journey. This includes your team as well.

According to Edna, if you have all these 5 steps aligned, the money will come and investors will want to work with you. 

“You make money only if your investors make money.”

41:58

At the end of the episode, Edna picks action steps from the REI Clarity Framework that are the most valuable for her. These are “Establish Your Mentors” and “Rise by Lifting Others”.

For Edna, “Rise by Lifting Others” means educating the people that you're interested in investing with, so you can all make an educated decision. The first time you try to get investors to invest with you is the hardest, so as long as you’re helping them invest in the deal, you will have plenty of investors in the long run.

Mentioned in the show:

1. https://ednakeep.com/
2. Her LinkedIn
3. www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity
4. The REI Clarity Framework

Learn how to grow your portfolio and reach incredible success the right way! Visit us here for everything you need to know: www.shineinsurance.com/reiclarity. 

Special thanks to Edna Keep for taking the time to share so many great insights with us

If you enjoyed this podcast, there’s a couple of things we need you to do right now: 

•   SUBSCRIBE to REI Clarity on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts 
•   While your there, please RATE & REVIEW the show 
•   SHARE with friends
•   Finally, please, JOIN the REI Clarity Facebook Group

Then, please share the show with whoever you think it will inspire.

Until the next time, We truly appreciate you listening.

Need the REI Insurance Guy?

More great stories & information at:

Youtube - Blog - Podcast

Facebook - Twitter