Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing

Ed Hermsen’s first multifamily deal fell in his lap, and he got it done fast.But because that initial success came somewhat easy, Ed hadn’t taken the time to work on his mindset.He didn’t have a morning routine. He hadn’t practiced writing down his goals. And no one was holding him accountable to take the next steps.That’s why it took Ed a full two years to buy his second apartment building!Ed is a former mortgage banker turned full-time real estate investor with a portfolio of four multifamily properties and two RV parks.He is also the creator of Campground Ventures, a YouTube channel designed to educate investors on the ins and outs of RV parks.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate, Ed explains why he’s the exception to the Law of the First Deal and describes what he did to get back into multifamily investing.Ed opens up about why he’s self-funded all his deals so far, and we challenge him to overcome his fears around real estate syndications.Listen in for Ed’s insight on the benefits of investing in RV parks and learn why you need MINDSET plus ACTION to grow your portfolio and achieve financial freedom with real estate!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session391/

Andrew Elio is a 22-year-old recent college graduate, but he already knows that he doesn’t want to work for someone else the rest of his life.That’s what motivated him to join our Deal Maker Certification program a month ago. At the same time, he started working a full-time job.How is Andrew juggling both responsibilities? What’s he struggling with? What progress has he made so far?And what’s the most important thing Andrew can do to accelerate his success?On this edition of Business Boost with Michael Blank, Andrew shares his anxiety around talking to brokers, and we discuss the role of practice in building confidence.Andrew describes how he got into the habit of taking consistent action every day, and I discuss the benefits of networking with the Deal Maker Mastermind community.Listen in as I address Andrew’s questions about what a loan covers (and what it doesn’t) and offer advice on finding an experienced mentor to fast-track his journey to financial freedom!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session390/

Sudhir Jarajapu took the first steps on his multifamily investing journey and invested in our mentoring program.But then he got off track.In fact, it took Sudhir nine months to work through the first 90 days of the program!So, what got in the way? And what did Sudhir do to get back in the game?Welcome to the first of our Business Boost with Michael Blank series on Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, where I do a live coaching session with a new syndicator!On this episode of the podcast, Sudhir explains what inspired his interest in multifamily investing and why he chose to pursue mentoring with the Michael Blank organization.Sudhir describes how he struggled to make time for the mentoring program at first and shares how both his mentor and his family eventually held him accountable to take action.Listen in as I ask Sudhir what he needs support with right now, and we design an action plan to help him achieve financial freedom with real estate!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session389/

It took Chris Pomerleau four years to realize he didn’t have to replace toilets himself and another four years to realize he didn’t have to do his own books.That’s when Chris went from simply doing deals to building a real estate business.So, why does it take most investors so long to scale? And what can YOU do to achieve financial freedom much faster?Chris is Cofounder of LeavenWealth Capital, a real estate investment firm out of Omaha, Nebraska, with 2,700 multifamily units totaling $211M in assets under management.Chris also serves as Cofounder and VP of Investment Strategy at Rayven, a Reg A investment business committed to fighting climate change by way of net-zero apartment buildings.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Chris joins me to discuss how he got his start using the BRRRR method with SFHs—until he realized it wasn’t scalable.Chris explains how he grew his real estate business, describing how he made the shift from borrowing money to raising equity and why having conversations with investors outside his circle was scary at first.Listen in to understand Chris’ 50/50 approach to real estate partnerships and learn how to think about hiring not as an expense, but as an investment in your multifamily business!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session388/

Are you surrounding yourself with people who will get you to the next level?Five years ago, a group of seasoned multifamily investors got together and established a Mastermind to support each other as we scale our real estate businesses.And I’m proud to be part of that group with Matt Faircloth, who’s been in real estate full-time since 2005Matt serves as Owner of DeRosa Group, a multifamily investing firm with a portfolio of 1,800-plus units and $150 million in assets under management.Matt is also the author of the Amazon bestseller Raising Private Capital: Build Your Real Estate Investing Empire with Other People’s Money.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Matt and I discuss the opportunities we see coming in the multifamily market.Matt describes the properties in his portfolio that are doing well versus the properties that are struggling, and we brainstorm strategies for dealing with rising insurance rates for multifamily.Listen in as Matt shares his vision for scaling DeRosa Group and learn about the personal disciplines that contribute to his success!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session387/

Chad Schieler saw himself as the numbers guy, so he let partners handle the task of raising money for his first big real estate syndication.But his team was short. At closing, they had $1M of a $1.4M raise, and Chad had to take out a bridge loan to cover the rest.That experience inspired Chad to overcome his limiting beliefs around raising money and take his syndication business to the next level.Today, he is Founder and Principal at Focused Capital, a multifamily firm that helps busy professionals generate passive income and create wealth through real estate investing.After 17 years running a successful credit card processing service business, Chad became a full-time real estate investor. He is a GP on 139 units and LP on 900-plus!On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Chad explains what he struggled with early in his real estate career, describing his fears of asking for money and the flaw in his underwriting formula.Chad discusses how investing in a mentor gave him the confidence to take on bigger multifamily deals and shares his approach to building a team as he scales.Listen in for Chad’s advice on fast-tracking your path to financial freedom and learn how to overcome your limiting beliefs around raising capital and start sharing the opportunity to invest in real estate!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session386/

Does your business feel like a black hole?Are you feeding it all your time, energy and money? But it just keeps sucking away?Too many business owners get to the end of their career and don’t have much to show for it, selling for next to nothing or simply letting the business fade away.But what if you could leverage your business profits to build personal wealth?Todd Polke is an international educator and trainer in the realm of wealth creation and building strategic investment portfolios.Todd is dedicated to the mission of helping as many people as possible break free from the default and ‘live a life unlimited by income.’On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Todd explains the idea behind his Profits to Portfolio system and how it helps business owners grow their personal wealth.Todd shares how Australia’s real estate market compares to the US, offering advice on how to navigate the current downturn and prepare to capitalize on opportunities coming down the pike.Listen in for Todd’s insight on avoiding emotional investment decisions and learn how to leverage a diversified portfolio to build personal wealth—and a lasting legacy.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session385/

We all go through challenging life experiences, be it the loss of a loved one, a serious illness, or painful divorce.And the last thing we need in those circumstances is to worry about money.But what is the best way to build the kind of passive income you need to make it through tough times without stressing about finances?Rachel Richards is the creator of Money Honey, a financial education platform that helps young women manage their money effectively and achieve financial freedom.Rachel achieved her own financial independence at the age of 27 with a portfolio of 38 rental units, and she is the bestselling author of Money Honey and Passive Income, Aggressive Retirement.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Rachel explains how she and her then-husband leveraged real estate to reach a passive income goal of $10,000 a month in just three years.Rachel shares her definition of financial independence and describes how it gave her the opportunity to escape to Italy and heal from a painful divorce.Listen in for Rachel’s insight on rebuilding after a challenging life experience and learn how real estate can give you the financial independence to pursue what you love!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session384/

Asset management can be a real challenge for multifamily operators, especially if you’re managing properties from a distance.If a site is not working, how do you figure out what’s wrong? Is it the staff? Are rents too high? Do you have too many work orders?The good news is, new AI tools can give GPs transparency around what’s going on—helping us set pricing, manage expenses and optimize the performance of our real estate assets.Marc Rutzen is Cofounder and CEO of HelloData.ai, a game-changing platform that is using data science to transform the world of proptech.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Marc joins us to explain why the HelloData team decided to take on asset management.Marc discusses the weaknesses of traditional revenue management software, describing how HelloData leverages AI to address those problems.Listen in for Marc’s insight on the potential dangers of AI and learn how HelloData can help you analyze numbers effectively, evaluate your operations and optimize your real estate portfolio!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session383/

A multifamily operator in Houston recently lost 3,200 units to foreclosure.Is that a sign of calamity to come? Or can we learn from their mistakes and ask better questions before we invest in our next syndication?On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, I walk you through nine important questions to ask before you invest in your next multifamily syndication.I explain why not-so-good operators (what I like to call NSGOs) are struggling in the current multifamily market and how to differentiate an NSGO from a capable one.Listen in to understand why it’s a mistake to sit on the sidelines until the real estate market changes and learn how to find great deals right now for pennies on the dollar!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session382/

Caleb Johnson’s mother had just had surgery and was living off savings while she recovered.But after three months, she wasn’t healed and had to make an impossible decision: Return to work in excruciating pain or prolong retirement by several years.Inspired to help his mother financially and achieve financial freedom himself, Caleb started investing in real estate at the age of 18.Today, he is the 25-year-old Founder of Red Sea Capital Group, and Caleb has a $9 million real estate portfolio of 117 units.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Caleb joins us to explain how he started his real estate journey with a house hack and then partnered to invest in bigger multifamily deals.Caleb discusses why it was harder to raise money than he thought and challenges newbie investors to have an experienced partner verify our underwriting early on.Listen in for Caleb’s insight on persevering through roadblocks and learn where to find partners with the capital and knowhow to help you get a deal done—regardless of your age!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session381/

So, you’ve got some money set aside to jumpstart your real estate career. What should you invest in?An apartment building? Mobile home park? Something else?The answer is no. Don't do any of those things. If you have money to invest, the first thing you should invest in YOURSELF.John Manfredy has over 30 years of real estate experience as an architect where he was responsible for design, project management and construction supervision for projects budgeted over $500 million.But when John was laid off during COVID, he transitioned to multifamily investing and development, and today, he serves as Principal at Manifest Multifamily Group.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, John joins us to explain how our mentoring program helped him transition from a W-2 to real estate quickly and avoid mistakes ‘with a lot of zeros behind them.’John describes how he raised $1.7 million in three days, challenging us to share opportunities with potential investors months in advance and build a team with skills complementary to our own.Listen in to understand the benefit of sticking with old deals and learn how John reached his real estate goals faster by investing in himself!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session380/

Scaling up a multifamily investing business starts with scaling up your capital raise.And one key strategy for expanding your investor network is to get referrals from friends and family who already invest with you.But how do you encourage your investors to talk about their experiences? How do you leverage referrals to build momentum in raising money for real estate deals?Dan Reilly and Greg Danielson are Managing Partners at Measured Capital, a private equity firm that sponsors value-add multifamily investment projects.Dan and Greg both walked away from lucrative careers for real estate, and since becoming partners in 2022, they have built a portfolio of 500-plus units.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Dan and Greg join us to explain how they overcame limiting beliefs around talking to brokers and scaling up quickly to build a successful multifamily business.Dan and Greg discuss their decision to invest in Des Moines and Jacksonville, describing how they’re gaining traction in those markets and dealing with deal flow challenges.Listen in for Dan and Greg’s approach to raising money from their network and get strategic advice on how to land referrals for investors from friends and family.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session379/

You say you want financial freedom. You want to build wealth and have money for extraordinary experiences.But if you’re doing what everyone else does, if you’re trying to save your way to wealthy, you’re never going to get results.So, what do you do if the path you’re on doesn’t lead to the outcomes you want?PJ Ghadimi is a self-made millionaire who’s taken the world of entrepreneurship by storm. He transitioned out of a lucrative but limited career in banking to build several successful businesses, including Exotic Car Hacks and Watch Trading Academy.Today, PJ is at the forefront of entrepreneurial education, helping aspiring business owners start their own venture and then grow to the next level of success.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, PJ joins us to share his journey from corporate finance to entrepreneurship and explain how he continues to scale his income exponentially.PJ offers advice on reinventing yourself in order to level up, challenging you to get better at your craft every day and focus on the person you need to become to achieve your financial goals.Listen in to understand the connection between financial freedom and fulfilling life experiences and get PJ’s practical tips for aligning your financial plan with what you say you want.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session378/

The recent foreclosure on 3,200 units in Houston has investors nervous about putting their money in multifamily.But does that default mean we should all be sitting on the sidelines?John Casmon argues that investing in apartments is a business, just like any other. And if we avoid the red flags in the Houston deal, we can (and should) continue business as usual.John is Head of Acquisitions and Investor Relations at Casmon Capital Group, a multifamily investing firm committed to helping busy professionals achieve financial freedom.John has invested in over $100 million worth of apartments, and he is passionate about consulting with active multifamily investors to help them start or grow their business.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, John joins us to discuss what mistakes the Houston operators made and how to protect yourself from a similar fate.John explains how he got started with 2- to 4-unit multifamily properties and shares the breakthrough that gave him the confidence to raise money for bigger deals.Listen in for John’s insight on overcoming low market sentiment and learn why you should still be analyzing deals and looking for opportunities in apartments right now!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session377/

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.But what if you don’t want the same life as your current sphere of influence? How do you connect with successful people who will help you level up?Matt King is CEO of GoBundance, a high-level mastermind group for high-achieving men and women who choose to lead epic lives.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, we revisit Matt’s talk at Deal Maker Live 2023 on the importance of building a powerful sphere of influence.Matt explains how to leverage the power of our subconscious mind, challenging us to create a five-year vision for our life and choose a peer group that holds us accountable to our goals.Listen in for Matt’s insight on auditing your current sphere of influence and learn how to deliver value to the people you want in your tribe!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session376/

Who is better at raising capital, extroverts or introverts?You might think extroverts have the advantage when it comes to raising money for real estate deals. But the truth is, introverts can be just as good at sourcing funds.The secret is to embrace your unique personality and approach networking with investors in a way that leverages your strengths.Mandy McAllister serves as Managing Member at Good Fortune Capital and CEO of GoBundance Women. Camilla Jeffs is Founder and CEO of Steady Stream Investments and Host of the Quiet Wealth podcast.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, we revisit Mandy and Camilla’s talk at Deal Maker Live 2023 around raising capital based on the strengths of your personality.Mandy describes what makes her good at raising capital as an extrovert, and Camilla explains how being an introvert helps her build strong one-on-one relationships with LPs.Listen in for Mandy and Camilla’s top ten tips for networking with investors and learn how to tailor these capital raising techniques to fit your distinct personality!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session375/

Those of us with analytical minds tend to be fairly risk averse.But entrepreneurship requires that we move forward with incomplete information.So, what can we do to overcome that fear of the unknown and get into our first real estate deal? How do we develop the confidence to figure things out as we go along?Nicole Gauthier is Founder of Wicked Holdings, a real estate investment community focused on social change and community empowerment.Nicole was an accountant in the oil and gas industry before transitioning to real estate, and she has a heart for helping busy professionals build generational wealth through multifamily syndications.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Nicole joins us to discuss how the mantra ‘progress over perfection’ helps her overcome the uncertainty of investing in real estate.Nicole describes how her education and experience as an LP gave her the confidence to become a multifamily operator and explains how to develop transformational relationships with investors.Listen in for Nicole’s advice on approaching a potential mentor and learn how to overcome analysis paralysis and take the calculated risks necessary to get into your first real estate deal!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session374/

What is the best real estate investing strategy for 2023?Should you try wholesaling? Or invest in Airbnbs? How about fix-and-flips? Turnkey rentals? Or maybe a multifamily syndication?On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Garrett takes on the role of moderator, and we sit down with some big hitters in the industry to debate the pros and cons of each approach.Kyle Stanley of The Fearless Investor explains why he likes short-term rentals and Hayato Hori of RocketOffr shares the benefits of wholesaling.I describe the advantages of apartment building investing, Chris Clothier of REI Nation discusses why he prefers turnkeys, and Henry Washington of BiggerPockets explores the opportunities in fix-and-flips in 2023.Listen in for insight on the risks and challenges associated with each kind of real estate investing and learn which strategy is the quickest path to financial freedom!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session373/

Are you interested in multifamily investing but overwhelmed by the prospect of buying an entire apartment building?What if you could dip your toe in the water with accessory dwelling units or ADUs?The ADU strategy involves either converting a SFH into multiple units or building standalone, detached units on a single family lot.After several years of building ADUs for clients and friends, Derek Sherrell decided to leverage those skills into developing projects that would help him gain financial independence.Two decades later, Derek is the real estate investor behind That ADU Guy. His platform teaches the strategy to help others earn passive income and address the affordable housing crisis at the same time.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Derek joins me to discuss the different categories of accessory dwelling units you might consider, convertible ADUs versus standalone, detached units.Derek walks us through the process for getting permission to build accessory dwelling units, explaining why everyone should consider building an ADU at their primary residence and how to get financing for such a project.Listen in for Derek’s insight on the profitability of building accessory dwelling units and find out if ADUs are the right steppingstone into YOUR multifamily investing career!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session372/

Most aspiring real estate investors struggle with fear.But the ones who become successful GPs work through their fears with practice.Mai Duong is Harvard-educated CPA with 25 years of experience in corporate finance and accounting.She is also on the Executive Team at Sunbelt Equity Group, where she has amassed a portfolio of more than 192 multifamily units (and more closings to come).On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Mai joins me to explain what she learned as an LP that helped her become a successful active investor.Mai describes how she dealt with fears around talking to brokers and raising capital with preparation, challenging us to practice underwriting lots of deals and asking questions in a ‘throwaway market.’Listen in to understand how Mai’s team is finding deals right now and learn how to adjust your underwriting to overcome your fears and invest with confidence!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session371/

There are so many ways to invest in real estate. And when you’re first learning about the options, it can get overwhelming.But the most successful investors niche down to a single strategy, perfect their processes and rinse, repeat to scale.Kyle Stanley, for example, focuses on short-term rentals, and he has created systems in his business that allow him to work just one or two hours a week!Kyle is the creator of The Fearless Investor, a platform that helps people learn about the real estate investing game.He tried several investing strategies before niching down to Airbnb, and nine months in, he was grossing over $25,000 a month!On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Kyle joins Garrett to explain how the short-term rental arbitrage and cohosting models work for aspiring investors who don’t own property themselves.Kyle shares the mission behind his brand, The Fearless Investor, and challenges aspiring investors to conquer our fears through action.Listen in for Kyle’s advice on uncovering your real estate investing niche and find out if the short-term rental model is right for you!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session370/

How do you make money flipping land?What are the pros and cons of investing in land deals as opposed to other kinds of real estate?Jon Jasniak started flipping land in 2016 when he was 23 years’ old and working as an engineer. After 18 months of doing both, he quit his job to go into the land game full time.In the last seven years, Jon has done 700 deals across 7,000 acres and built an eight-figure land business. And in early 2023, he bought an entire town in West Texas!On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Jon joins Garrett to explain how he buys land under value, leveraging seller financing or private money to get into deals.Jon discusses how he reduces friction in his business by subdividing land and selling it to average people without a title company, marketing on sites like Facebook Marketplace and Lands of America.Listen in for Jon’s experience buying Cornudas, Texas, and learn how he is adding value to the town and making money in the process! For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session369/

In multifamily real estate, we look for opportunities in a given market and then build relationships with the bankers, brokers, and boots on the ground we need to make a deal work.But what if the business opportunity you identify is in Asia or Latin America? How do you overcome the language barrier and put together the team you need to build a successful company in a foreign country?Cole Shepherd is Founder and Partner at Legacy Group, an alternative investment firm based in Colombia that focuses on high-quality LATAM businesses that produce outsized returns for investors.He's an expert in emerging markets and understanding the capital movements of high-net-worth investors.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Cole joins Garrett to discuss his background in international business and what he learned from working in the ‘professional leagues of capitalism’ overseas.Cole explains what inspired him to build Legacy Group in Medellin, describing how he started with real estate flips and expanded into commodities, growing Green Coffee Company into Colombia's largest coffee producer.Listen in for insight on learning the language and culture the place you want to do business and find out how to invest in Green Coffee Company or one of Cole’s other innovative projects at Legacy Group!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session368/

Maxwell Nee was drinking an Old Fashioned at a swanky bar in Chicago when he came to appreciate the significant price difference between Macallan 18 and Macallan 12 whisky.Because it had aged an additional six years, Macallan 18 cost 500% more!That’s when the lightbulb went off. And Maxwell started looking into wine and whisky as an alternative investment.Today, Maxwell is Managing Partner at OENO Wine and Whisky Fund, a recession-proof investment fund that leverages the intrinsic value creation in the maturity of fine wine and whisky to earn double-digit returns for investors.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Maxwell joins Garrett to explain what he looks for in a wine or whisky investment deal and how the assets are aged in a warehouse under the best conditions.Maxwell shares his strategy for maximizing returns for OENO investors and describes the parallels between investing in wine and whisky and value-add real estate.Listen in to understand the risks associated with wine and whisky as an alternative investment and find out if investing in Maxwell’s fund is right for you!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session367/

Historically, oil and gas operators only give investors the cashflow from wells and keep the land value for themselves.But King Operating Corporation does things differently, structuring their deals very much like a multifamily syndication.So, what are the benefits of investing in oil and gas with King Operating? Why is Nighthawk Equity partnering with King to raise money for an energy fund?Eric Rice is Chief Growth Officer for King Operating, where he oversees investor communications and studies the macro-economic environment and its impact on energy.[SIGN UP FOR THE APRIL 19TH WEBINAR HERE]https://nighthawkequity.com/energyOn this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Eric joins Garrett Lynch and Drew Kniffin to explain how his team finds the right locations to drill and why they pick up deals that are overlooked by other operators.Eric walks us through the tax benefits of investing in energy and describes why investing with King Operating is safer than other oil and gas investments.Listen in for insight on the returns you might expect from investing in Eric’s fund and learn why NOW is the right time to put your money in an oil and gas portfolio like King Operating.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session366/

Are entrepreneurs born or made?If you ask Chris Naugle, they are created. But to become a successful entrepreneur, you must be willing to take risks. And you can’t conform to someone else’s failed reality.As a former pro snowboarder, Chris is good at leaping into the unknown. He applied that risk tolerance to business, building 19 companies in 29 years.Today, Chris is known as America’s #1 Money Mentor. He runs The Money School, hosts Risky Builders on HGTV, and manages tens of millions of dollars in assets in financial services and real estate transactions.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Chris joins Garrett to explain how he became an entrepreneur at the age of 16 in spite of other people’s opinions.Chris describes how he navigated challenging times, surviving the dotcom bust, the Great Recession and losing it all in 2014 when the banks said no to a loan and froze his lines of credit.Listen in for insight into the infinite banking process that turned Chris’ life around and helped him build enough wealth to ‘be the bank’ and invest tens of millions in real estate deals! For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session365/

Smart investors diversify their portfolios.And while multifamily real estate is our favorite asset class, we love learning about other alternatives to the stock market.Artem Milinchuk suggests investing in farmland, an asset class that does well in times of inflation and appreciates over time.Artem is Founder and Head of Strategy at FarmTogether, a platform that makes it easy for anyone to invest in farmland.He has 14 years of finance experience in food, agriculture and farmland, serving as CFO at Full Harvest Technologies before building FarmTogether five years ago.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Artem joins Garrett to explain how FarmTogether syndicates capital online for farmland deals.Artem discusses why farmland is a relatively safe long-term investment, who manages FarmTogether’s farms and what kind of return his investors can expect on row versus permanent crops.Listen in for Artem’s insight on the tax benefits of investing in farmland and learn how to leverage the FarmTogether platform to diversify your portfolio with sustainable farmland.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session364/

Is your financial advisor really looking out for you?Many investors question whether their FA has their best interests at heart. But seeking out alternative investments on your own can be scary, especially if the stock market is all you’ve ever known.So, what can you do to learn more about alternative investments like self-storage, cryptocurrency, ATMs or real estate? And can you achieve financial freedom in just a few years as a passive investor?Spencer Hilligoss is a former technology executive with a 13-year track record building high performing teams across five companies. He and his wife, Jennifer, achieved financial freedom through passive investing in multifamily and other alternative asset classes.Today, Spencer serves as Cofounder and CEO of Madison Investing, a platform that helps busy professionals generate passive income through vetted real estate investments.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Spencer joins Garrett and me to explain how he educated himself around alternative investments like mobile home parks, data centers and multifamily syndications.Spencer discusses the framework he and Jennifer created to make good investment decisions, describing what they look for in a deal and how they vet an operator.Listen in for Spencer’s insight on breaking into a new asset class and find out where he sees opportunities for investors in 2023 and beyond! For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session363/

When I first started raising money for real estate syndications, I had lunch with a prospective investor who was interested but didn’t have the $50,000 minimum it took to get in on the deal.But then I asked, ‘Do you have an IRA or anything?’ And it turned out he had $500,000 sitting in his retirement account. $500,000 he could use to buy real estate.So, how do we educate potential investors about the opportunity to invest through a retirement account? What steps can passive investors take to shift money from a 401(k) or IRA into real estate?Henry Yoshida, CFP, is the Founder and CEO of Rocket Dollar, a web platform that lets people invest tax advantaged retirement monies into private alternative investments.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Henry joins Garrett and me to explain what alternative investments you can and cannot invest in using 401(k) or IRA money.Henry walks us through the process of moving retirement money into a self-directed account and describes the differences between traditional custodians and self-directed capable custodians like Rocket Dollar.Listen in to understand the pros and cons of investing with an IRA versus cash and learn how Rocket Dollar accelerates the process of investing in stock market alternatives like multifamily syndications!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session362/

You have all the skills you need to become a successful multifamily investor. But without the right mindset, you’re unlikely to achieve financial freedom.So, what can aspiring investors do to overcome the limiting beliefs and bad habits that are holding them back?Faisal Ensaun has coached more than 2,000 entrepreneurs, CEOs, executives and athletes, guiding them to connect with their vision and potential.Dr. Sheri Fluellen is a psychologist and coach who works exclusively with real estate investors, helping them maximize their life contribution through real estate investing.Together, Faisal and Sheri are the creators of the Coaching Mastery Community, where they teach other coaches to develop their coaching ability and business practice.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Faisal and Sheri join Garrett and me to discuss the mindset issues that keep newbie investors stuck, describing how a lack of vision prevents us from achieving our goals.Sheri offers advice on vetting a coach to find the right one for you, and Faisal explains why you need a someone who’s battled on their own path to success.Listen in to understand how a coach’s support extends beyond real estate and learn how a high-performance coach can help YOU become a successful investor with an awesome life!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session361/

Most of us get into real estate investing because we want to quit our jobs. But Burnie Lund is different.Though he’s already achieved financial freedom, Burnie has no intention of leaving his ministry work. In fact, he got into multifamily so he could give more to the missions he believes in.Burnie is a pastor and multifamily real estate investor with a portfolio of 105 units. He focuses on the ‘common man’ as his target market, allowing people to invest as little as $5,000 in his deals.Burnie is also a former mentoring student of ours and served as the subject of our deal analysis at Deal Maker Bootcamp 2023.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Burnie joins Garrett and me to explain how a desire to give back fueled his interest in real estate and why he invested in the support of a mentor early on.Burnie discusses the role his faith plays in running his business and describes how he pitches passive investors by appealing to their sense of stewardship and desire to do good in the world.Listen in to understand how relationships win real estate deals and get Burnie’s advice on committing and then taking consistent action every day to amplify your impact with real estate!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session360/

The name Grant Cardone is synonymous with scale. Each new venture he launches quickly grows 10X bigger than anyone else in the business.So, what drives that desire to push the boundaries of what’s possible? How might you apply the same principles to scale your real estate syndication business?Jarrod Glandt is President of Grant Cardone Enterprises, where he has served as Grant’s right-hand man for the last 12 years and helped grow company revenues from $2M in annual sales to well over nine figures.Jarrod is also Cohost of Young Hustlers, a podcast that offers its millennial audience tips on sales, marketing, money and entrepreneurship.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Jarrod joins Garrett Lynch and me to give us a look under the hood at Grant Cardone Enterprises.Jarrod discusses the benefit of building a brand before you raise capital for real estate deals and describes how to apply Cardone Capital’s marketing tactics to your syndication business.Listen in for insight on creating a culture of accountability on your multifamily team and learn how to leverage what Jarrod calls ‘divine discontentment’ to do the next big thing in your business!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session359/

Words hide red flags in a real estate deal. But numbers are the source of truth.So, what numbers should you be looking at when you evaluate a multifamily deal?Jason Baik is Managing Principal at Compounding Capital Group and Founder of The Underwriting Lab, a platform that helps aspiring multifamily investors learn a data-driven approach to apartment investing.An ex-VP of Data Science, Jason left his six-figure corporate career to become a full-time investor before he owned a single property! Two years later, he has built a portfolio of 350 apartment units and seven single family homes.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Jason joins me to explain how the data pointed him to real estate as the best vehicle for generational wealth and why he transitioned to multifamily investing early on.Jason discusses how he connected with his business partner at Compounding Capital, describing what makes their partnership work and how they’re adjusting their underwriting right now.Listen in for insight on how Jason used the Syndicated Deal Analyzer to launch his multifamily career and learn how understanding the numbers helps you analyze risk and make the right decisions for your investing journey!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session358/

When Dan Handford got into multifamily syndications in 2018, he raised $4M. By 2022, he had scaled his capital raise to $294M.What’s his secret? How did Dan grow his investor database to nearly 1,700 and his portfolio to 4,000+ doors in just five years?Dan is Managing Partner of PassiveInvesting.com, a real estate investing firm with $1.2B in assets under management based in the Carolinas.Dan’s syndication company began with a focus on multifamily but has expanded include self-storage, carwashes and hotels.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Dan sits down with Garrett and me to explain how he worked his way up from passive investor to co-GP to lead syndicator.Dan discusses how he finds new investors with an online authority platform and grows his team along with his real estate portfolio.Listen in to understand why Dan is diversifying across asset classes and learn how to scale your capital raise, your team and your portfolio value in just a few short years!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session357/

When you’re raising capital for a real estate deal, it’s tempting to pitch potential investors right away.But if you try to sell a high-net-worth individual before you’ve established trust, your chances of conversion are slim to none.So, how do you make meaningful connections with HNWIs and build trust in a way that makes them want to invest with you?Brad Blazar is the creator of Capital School, one of the fastest growing communities for entrepreneurs, business owners and CEOs learning to attract, raise and close high-net-worth investors.Having raised well over $2 billion for his own businesses, Brad is a sought-after speaker on the subject of raising capital and author of Winning at the Capital Game: Using Other People’s Money to Build Wealth.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Brad joins me to explain what works in building relationships with high-net-worth individuals, walking us through the steps he takes to establish trust prior to a pitch.Brad discusses how to stay in contact with potential investors while you’re waiting for a live deal and describes what he’s doing to raise capital in an uncertain economic environment.Listen in for insight around raising private equity money for real estate deals and learn Brad’s genius strategies for connecting with potential investors—at traditional networking events or a nearby Starbucks!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session356/

As with most things, the economy goes through different seasons. And prior to the pandemic, it was red-hot summer in the real estate market.COVID caused a quick Arctic freeze, but things warmed up again and multifamily prices peaked in March 2022.Then we skipped fall and landed right in winter.And while it’s hard to predict how long this season might last, there are things we can do to endure the cold and put ourselves in a position to thrive in the coming spring.Drew Kniffin serves as Partner at Nighthawk Equity where he manages all aspects of our $300M portfolio, including acquisitions, asset management and raising capital.Prior to joining Nighthawk, Drew enjoyed a successful career in corporate finance and grew a portfolio of 400 of his own residential units.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Drew sits down with Garrett and me to discuss the economic trends we’re monitoring closely at Nighthawk and how the team has adjusted to the changing multifamily market.We explain how rising interest rates are squeezing your average operator and why we expect a flood of opportunities to buy in the next 12 to 18 months.Listen in to understand why apartments are an excellent investment in an economic winter and get our multifamily market outlook for 2023!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session355/

Matthew Amabile had been out of college for a year. He was making decent money at his sales job, but not enough to afford his own place. And he was tired of sleeping on his cousin’s couch.That’s when Matt started looking into real estate and analyzing deals. Three years later, he’s a 25-year-old millionaire. And he quit his 9-to-5 to travel the world.So, what gave Matt the confidence to buy his first property? Or build trust with potential investors?On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Matt joins me to explain how he leveraged an FHA loan and a little resourcefulness to house hack his first four-unit building.Matt describes how his view of networking has changed over time, discussing how he connected with a partner to buy his second and third deals.Listen in for insight around the tool that gave Matt the confidence to talk to owners and investors and find out why you don’t need money or experience to be successful—as long as you know how to analyze deals!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session354/

Are you treating insurance like a commodity?We made that same mistake early in our syndication journey. But now we look for the best combination of value and quality we can get.Matthew Sutika is Chief Insurance Officer at Obie, a company working to provide a simple, affordable and transparent insurance experience for landlords and investors.Matt is an award-winning entrepreneur and business owner in the multifamily and habitational insurance sector. He also invests in real estate and early-stage insurance and tech startups.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Matt joins me to explore the false beliefs investors have about insurance and explain what coverage decisions to look at with your insurance broker after close.Matt offers advice on getting insurance costs right in your underwriting, sharing his list of GOTCHAS that drive up premiums for multifamily.Listen in for Matt’s insight on managing rising insurance costs and find out if Obie Insurance is the right fit for you and your syndication business!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session353/

Did you know that there are many parallels between investing in oil and gas and real estate syndications?Grant Norwood is CEO of Norwood Energy Corp, an oil and gas exploration company out of Southlake, Texas.Grant’s specialty is recognizing opportunity hotspots in undiscovered areas of the country where his team can operate significantly below the costs of oil giants like Exxon or Chevron.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Grant joins Garrett to discuss the two kinds of deals Norwood Energy does, investing in new wells or distressed assets.Grant shares what he does to find off-market deals on wells and walks us through the tax advantages of investing in oil and gas assets.Listen in for Grant’s insight on financing oil and gas deals and learn the similarities between investing in energy and multifamily syndications.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session352/

Mindfulness matters. The more self-aware you become, the better your relationships and the more fulfillment you get out of life.That’s why I take an entire week off at the end of every year, not to eat bonbons, but to reflect on the past 12 months, celebrate my wins and plan for the future.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, I’m sharing my process for evaluating 2022 and looking ahead to 2023.I discuss what we achieved at the Michael Blank Brands and Nighthawk Equity in 2022 and explain our goals for the coming year, challenging you to set aims in each of the same 7 areas of your personal and professional life.Listen in for insight into the multifamily market outlook and get my advice for investors on where to look for opportunities in 2023!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session351/

Every week, we bring you conversations with elite investors and entrepreneurs, in hopes that you’ll learn from their experiences to accelerate your success.On this Best of 2022 edition of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, we reflect on some of our favorite episodes and share the top insights from this year’s interviews with inspiring real estate entrepreneurs.We revisit Dan Brisse’s story of transitioning from professional snowboarder to full-time real estate investor and Jilliene Helman’s mission to democratize real estate investing.Lee Prosenjak inspires us to live our purpose, Veena Jetti explains how to raise capital at scale, and Sterling Griffin shares creative ways to add value to high-profile people as you build a network.Listen in to understand how Alvin ‘Hope’ Johnson is innovating in affordable housing and learn to fast-track your success with advice from ten of our top guests of 2022!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session350/

There's a lot of pundits who say that entrepreneurship is about the hustle and grind. We’re supposed to work harder and harder and sacrifice our lives for the sake of the business.But Mike Michalowicz argues that entrepreneurship is not about doing the job. It’s about creating jobs.So, how do you remove yourself from the day-to-day operation of your business? Can you get to a point where your syndication firm runs itself?Mike Michalowicz is a well-known keynote speaker and bestselling author on a mission to eradicate entrepreneurial poverty.Mike has built four multimillion-dollar companies and exited two. But he has also launched ten failed businesses and lost his fortune twice.And it is those struggles that inspired Mike to serve other entrepreneurs through books like Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine and Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Mike joins Garrett and me to discuss the premise of Profit First, describing how to prioritize profit by treating it like a business expense.Mike challenges us to overcome superhero syndrome and take on the role of supervisionary in our business, building a team to handle the day-to-day while we think strategically about growing the company.Listen in for Mike’s surprising advice on planning a four-week vacation that forces you to put systems in place and empower your people to run the business without you!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session349/

How does a schoolteacher overcome her limiting beliefs to become a full-time syndicator?For Julie Holly, community was key in helping her shift from anxious single-family landlord to self-assured multifamily GP.Julie is Founder of Three Keys Investments, a multifamily firm committed to helping investors build passive income and legacy wealth. She also serves as Host of The Conscious Investor Podcast.Julie began her career as a schoolteacher with a portfolio of single-family homes before transitioning to syndications. Today, she’s a passive investor in 300 doors, she's partnered in 68 units and GP for another 120.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Julie joins me to explain how Arnold Schwarzenegger launched her investing career and what she did to overcome the WHAT IF mindset that held her back early on.Julie discusses why now is the right time to get into multifamily investing and describes how she is adjusting her underwriting to protect her LPs.Listen in for Julie’s insight on building confidence through community and get inspired to invest in yourself as you take the next step in YOUR real estate investing journey! For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session348/

Building a platform is an important part of raising money at scale. But you need more than a website to demonstrate your credibility with potential investors.Becoming an author gives you authority. It allows you to share your investing thesis with many, many prospects and generate leads as well as referrals.But what does the process of writing a book look like? And why would you publish yet another real estate book when there are already so many others on the market?Chandler Bolt is Founder and CEO of Self-Publishing School, a platform that has helped 7,000 entrepreneurs publish books in the last 7 years.Chandler also serves as host of the Self-Publishing School Podcast and author of six bestselling books. His latest release is called Published: The Proven Path from Blank Page to 100,000 Copies Sold.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Chandler joins Garrett and me to explain what writing a good book does for your business and how to use a book to build your email list.Chandler walks us through the eight milestones in the process of writing a quality book and shares his best practices for finishing a rough draft in just 30 days!Listen in for Chandler’s insight on having a successful book launch and learn how to write a bestseller that attracts potential investors to your real estate syndication business.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session347/

How do you become a full-time investor who owns more than 1,000 doors by the age of 27?According to Adrian Salazar, the secret is having the guts to go out and be different.Adrian started wholesaling SFHs as a freshman in college and closed on his first apartment building as a sophomore. Today, he is Managing Member at Two Ten Management, and he controls $8.8M in multifamily assets.On this episode of the podcast, Adrian joins Garrett and me to explain how the sales skills he developed early on help him succeed as a young real estate entrepreneur.Adrian shares the wholesaling strategies he uses to find off-market deals and describes his approach to building rapport with owners.Listen in for Adrian’s advice on putting yourself in the right rooms and learn to take action on YOUR real estate investing goals—no matter how young or old you are!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session345/

Running a business is never just about the business. Being a successful entrepreneur means finding balance between your personal and professional life. But if you want your relationship to work, you need a partner who energizes you. Someone who helps you become the best version of yourself. So, how does a real estate investor build a fulfilling family life? How do you successfully navigate marriage, parenthood and business?On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Garrett sits down with me and my wife Vivian to find out what makes our 25-year marriage work.Vivian and I explain why we struggled with working on the business together and how we set boundaries around work and family time.Listen in to understand why we decided to homeschool our kids and learn how we set goals as a family to live intentionally, in alignment with our values!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session345/

One of the beautiful things about investing in real estate is its tax benefits. And the 1031 exchange is a common strategy we use to avoid paying capital gains.But most of us haven’t studied IRC Section 1031 enough to know ALL the ways we can use the tax code to reinvest our real estate profits—rather than handing them over to Uncle Sam.Dave Foster is the 1031 exchange expert, qualified intermediary and tax strategist behind The 1031 Investor, a platform that helps investors build and preserve real estate wealth.Dave has supported thousands of investors in achieving financial freedom by maximizing their reinvestment opportunities.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Dave joins Garrett to discuss the rules for doing a 1031 exchange in a syndication and describe what to look for in a qualified intermediary or QI.Dave shares his top strategies for buying time in a like-kind exchange and walks us through the tax benefits of converting an investment property into your primary residence.Listen in to understand the common mistakes investors make in a 1031 exchange and learn how to make the most of the tax code and accelerate your path to financial freedom with real estate!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session344/

Owning class D properties in neighborhoods plagued by gang violence, prostitution and drug abuse is not easy. But it does give an owner-operator the street smarts to keep themselves, their employees and properties safe. And it makes for some pretty crazy stories!On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Garrett follows up on his previous solo episode with more stories from his experience as an investor in Chicago’s most dangerous neighborhoods.Garrett discusses what he did to prevent theft at vacant multifamily properties and describes how firing a maintenance worker nearly caused a gang war at one of his buildings.Listen in for the story of how Garrett’s maintenance team caught a killer and find out what it’s like to collect rent at night not too far from Chicago’s infamous O Block.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session343/

All CPAs are not created equal. And if you’re working with an accountant who doesn’t understand real estate tax strategy, you may be leaving tens of thousands of dollars on the table.Thomas Castelli, CPA, CFP, is Partner at Hall CPA, an entrepreneurial accounting firm that helps real estate investors minimize tax and maximize profit.Out of college, Thomas landed a ‘dream job’ at a traditional accounting firm but soon realized he wasn’t on the path to the lifestyle he wanted. To achieve financial freedom, he built a portfolio of passive investments in apartment buildings before participating in his first deal as an active partner.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Thomas joins Garrett and me to discuss why he chose to put his money in multifamily over other investments.Thomas offers a high-level overview of how the taxation of real estate works, explaining who benefits from bonus depreciation and why we can report a loss despite earning substantial cashflow.Listen in for Thomas’ top strategies for deferring capital gains and find out why tax planning is so important for real estate investors!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session343/