Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing

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/

In the spring of 2020, store shelves were empty. And supply chain issues have disrupted businesses of all kinds ever since—including real estate.But what, exactly, is causing these problems in the supply chain? And when will things get back to normal?Jeff Davis is both a supply chain expert and real estate investor, serving as a senior sales executive for a Fortune 100 global logistics firm and Managing Partner at Bridgestone Holdings, where he has built a portfolio of 952 units.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Jeff joins Garrett and me to explain what is causing our ongoing supply chain issues and why things haven’t normalized since the pandemic.Jeff discusses how rising interest rates impact the supply chain and shares his take on when construction costs might return to pre-COVID levels.Listen in for Jeff’s insight on underwriting deals in the current economic environment and learn how to navigate supply chain concerns as a multifamily investor.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session342/

When you’re a new real estate syndicator with a smaller network, you can keep track of investors with a spreadsheet and work through the process of raising money manually.But as you grow your investor database, it becomes more and more tedious to do things this way.The good news is, you can leverage investor management software to automate the process of drafting legal documents and wiring money, saving yourself and your investors a lot of time and trouble.So, how do you choose an investor portal that’s the right fit for you and your syndication business?Perry Zheng is Founder and CEO of Cash Flow Portal, a real estate syndication platform that helps syndicators streamline the process of raising equity, automate operations and attract more investors.Perry began his career as a software engineer, taking on roles at Twitter, Amazon and Lyft. He has also acted as lead sponsor on three apartment syndications, raising $20M to build a portfolio of 850 units.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Perry joins Garrett and me to explain how his frustrations with the process of raising capital inspired the creation of Cash Flow Portal.Perry discusses how GPs and LPs alike benefit from using an investor management platform and describes what differentiates Cash Flow Portal from other syndication software on the market.Listen in for Perry’s insight on vetting investor management software and find out if Cash Flow Portal is the right long-term partner for you!For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session340/

Michael Flight used to be a crypto-skeptic. But as he learned more about the blockchain and its potential to make real estate more accessible to a wider audience, he became a crypto-innovator.Today, Michael is CEO of Liberty Real Estate Fund LLC, the world’s first net lease security token fund. With 34 years of investing experience, he is leveraging the blockchain to tokenize ownership of high-quality commercial real estate.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Michael joins me to explain how his beliefs around freedom drew him to blockchain technology.Michael describes the connections between real estate and the blockchain, discussing how it makes syndications more accessible and solves the liquidity problem in multifamily investing.Listen in to understand how the SEC governs tokenized real estate deals and learn how to take the first steps in offering a multifamily syndication on the blockchain.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session341/

No matter what asset class you want to invest in, creativity is key—especially if you don’t have a rich uncle to help you get started!You just have to stop asking yourself, ‘Can I do this?’ And start asking yourself, ‘How can I do this?’Christian Osgood left his sales job with CoStar Group to become a full-time investor at age 29. And in the last 18 months, he leveraged creative financing to build a portfolio of 95 units.Today, he is Cofounder of Multifamily Strategy, a platform that helps others achieve financial freedom with real estate and take back control of their lives.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Christian joins Garrett and me to discuss his top creative strategies for buying property, challenging us to think beyond price when we negotiate a deal.Christian walks us through the fundamentals of seller financing, explaining how he introduces himself to property owners and why he focuses on understanding their goals to build a strong relationship.Listen in for Christian’s insight on using Google Maps to ‘drive for dollars’ and learn his formula for finding creative ways to close a real estate deal.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session338/

When I got started in multifamily, I was much too hands-off with property managers. Yes, I reviewed the numbers, but otherwise, I stayed away and simply let them manage everything.Then I realized that experienced syndicators are much more actively involved with their property management companies, and we started to build more collaborative relationships.So, where is the sweet spot between too hands-off and too involved? What does a healthy relationship between property managers and ownership groups look like?Nathan Ridgeway is Regional Vice President at First Communities, one of the nation’s most successful property management companies.Founded in 1978, FCM has managed over 200K units in 100K communities, growing their market reach to include Washington DC, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville.On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Nathan joins Garrett and me to discuss the relationship between property management companies and ownership groups.Nathan explains what differentiates FCM from other property management companies, describing his team’s approach to building a deep bench in a given market and managing expectations with ownership groups.Listen in for Nathan's advice on vetting a property manager and learn how to strike the right balance between trusting your management team and verifying their performance.For full episode show notes visit: https://themichaelblank.com/podcasts/session337/

Think you need an Ivy League education or 20 years of experience on Wall Street to set up a fund? Think again! Once you've done a handful of syndications, you can easily launch a fund of your own and simplify the process of raising money for multiple real estate deals. Bridger Pennington is Cofounder and CEO of Fund Launch, an education platform that helps aspiring fund managers launch, build and scale a fund. Fund Launch has served more than 20K students with its hundreds of videos and dozens of downloadable assets. Bridger also serves as Founder of Black Bridge Holdings, where he established multiple funds and facilitated more than 326 transactions across a variety of industries. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Bridger joins Garrett and me to discuss what differentiates a real estate syndication from a fund, describing when it's appropriate to start raising capital through a fund and how the process changes. Bridger walks us through the pros and cons of raising money with a fund, explaining how it allows you to scale your business faster and close on a good deal more quickly. Listen in for Bridger's insight on generating excitement around investing in a fund and find out how to launch a fund of your own and raise a huge pool of capital from investors for real estate deals! For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session336/

Investor relations is not about selling a deal. It’s about getting to know individual investors and solving their problems. But what does that look like in practice? How do you connect with potential LPs and educate them around the benefits of investing in multifamily syndications? Travis Watts is Director of Investor Education at Ashcroft Capital. He got his start in real estate in 2009, investing in single family and short-term rentals. Travis became a passive investor with Ashcroft several years ago and was so impressed with their performance that he offered to join the Investor Relations Team in 2019. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Travis joins Garrett and me to explain why he transitioned from active investing in single family to passive investing in syndications. Travis describes how he attracts new investors at Ashcroft and walks us through the pros and cons of raising capital through a fund. Listen in for Travis’ best practices for taking care of investors and learn how to serve your LPs and solve their problems to grow your syndication business. For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session335/

Proximity is power. But how do you get in front of successful people when you're struggling yourself? Sterling Griffin was homeless when he made the decision to surround himself with the people he wanted to become. Then he found creative ways to add value so they'd want to be friends. And in just two years, Sterling went from living in his Honda Accord to making $1.68M. Today, Sterling serves as Founder of Life Changer Academy and Sterling Capital, a real estate firm that provides high-net-worth individuals with access to tax-advantaged investments. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Sterling joins cohost Garrett Lynch to share his journey to becoming a millionaire, explaining how he borrowed money and sold his car to invest in a mentor and why he's committed to inspiring others to see more for themselves too. Sterling describes his transition from fitness trainer to business coach to real estate investor, discussing his decision to focus on triple net lease investing and the tax advantages of accelerated depreciation. Listen in for Sterling's insight on finding the right people to learn from and learn creative ways to add value to high-profile people who will help you grow to the next level of success! For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session334/

The lack of affordable housing is a big problem in the US. And most developers shy away from these projects because it’s hard to make money. But Alvin ‘Hope’ Johnson is not most developers. He’s found a way to innovate in the affordable housing space and ‘do good while doing good.’ Alvin is President of the Hope Housing Foundation, a nonprofit positioned to be one of the country’s most effective affordable workforce housing organizations. He also serves as CEO of Multifamily Monopoly, an education platform for real estate developers interested in the process of multifamily development and ownership. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Alvin joins Garrett and me to discuss his journey from painting houses to $225M multifamily entrepreneur and describe the tenacity it took to find a mentor in the space. Alvin shares his successes in affordable housing so far, explaining how he’s turning neighborhoods around, building sustainable workforce housing developments, and making a profit in the process. Listen in for Alvin’s insight on pursuing a mission-driven business and learn how to leverage innovation to make money building naturally occurring affordable housing. For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session333/

As real estate investors, we spend years building up generational wealth. But a single lawsuit can tear it all down. So, how do we put the right asset protection measures in place? Garrett Sutton is the corporate attorney and asset protection expert behind Corporate Direct, a firm that helps entrepreneurs and investors protect their assets, maintain their privacy and achieve their financial goals. Garrett is also one of Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Advisors and the bestselling author of several books, including his new release, Veil Not Fail: Protecting Your Personal Assets from Business Attacks. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Garrett joins cohost Garrett Lynch and me to explain why asset protection is crucial for real estate investors at all levels. Garrett discusses why an LLC is the best way for syndicators and apartment owners to structure a business and walks us through the most common mistakes people make when it comes to asset protection. Listen in for Garrett’s advice on what insurance you need as a real estate investor and learn what steps you can take to protect both your personal assets and property from lawsuits. For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session332/

For 20 years, Adam Mitchell has been dreaming of a multifamily portfolio. But without the confidence or the know-how to invest in apartments, he started with single family. A decade ago, Adam joined forces with his friend Lance Doty, and they became the Home Buying Guys, scaling a successful single family investing business that runs on autopilot. But in 2021, Adam took action on his vision of moving into the multifamily space and invited Lance to join him in the transition. They became the Apartment Buying Guys, and within 35 days, they had 225 units under contract. In just 10 months, Adam and Lance have raised over $2M and acquired 731 units. Both have achieved financial freedom, and they are well on their way to the goal of 1,000 doors in five years. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Adam and Lance join Garrett and me to explain why it took them so long to make the move to multifamily and how they overcame their lack of experience to break into the space. Adam and Lance discuss the value of hiring a mentor, describing how they might have accelerated their journey by getting support sooner and why they’re focusing on scale from Day One. Listen in for insight on what makes Lance and Adam’s partnership work and learn how to make the leap from single family to apartment building investing—and achieve financial freedom in three years or less! For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session331/

When we started investing in multifamily, we relied on property managers to handle construction. As the business grew, we hired GCs to run construction projects with little oversight on our part. And got very mixed results. That’s when we realized that if we wanted to scale our multifamily portfolio, we needed an in-house team. But how do you build a construction arm for your real estate business? Jorge Abreu is Cofounder and CEO of Elevate Commercial Investment Group, a multifamily firm based in Dallas, Texas, and Founder of JNT Construction, the in-house construction arm of Elevate CIG. With 15 years of experience in real estate, Jorge has acquired a portfolio of nearly 7,000 units worth more than $500M. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Jorge explains why he started his own construction company and how JNT gives Elevate a competitive advantage. Jorge walks us through the process he used to build an in-house construction business, describing what he looks for in a project manager and how he leverages software to hold the team accountable. Listen in for Jorge’s insight on the importance of construction contracts and learn how an in-house construction team can help YOU scale your syndication business! For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session330/

Not everyone who wants to be a real estate investor sticks with it long enough to be successful. But if you apply a sales mindset to multifamily investing, you will be able to take the initial rejection and keep pushing. Because as Eric Chadderdon says, ‘The only time you lose in this business is if you quit.’ Eric is Managing Partner at Gibby’s Capital Investments, a boutique firm that helps investors diversify their portfolios with commercial real estate. He got into multifamily in December of 2020 and has amassed a portfolio of 724 units in just 18 months! Prior to founding Gibby’s, Eric spent 12 years in the sales industry, and he leverages the skills he learned there to build relationships in the multifamily space. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Eric joins Garrett and me to explain why he quit his W-2 job after his first multifamily deal and explore how the skills he learned in sales translate to real estate. Eric discusses what he did to build relational capital in the real estate space, challenging us to put ourselves in the right rooms and add value any way we can—without asking for compensation. Listen in for Eric’s insight on underwriting in an uncertain market environment and learn how a sales mindset can help YOU scale a multifamily portfolio and quit your 9-to-5 with real estate! For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session329/

According to the mainstream media, the sky is falling in the real estate market. But is that entirely true? While no one can predict exactly what will happen in the global economy or how it might impact real estate, Robert Helms is a student of the markets. And he can tell us how to prepare for the change that’s coming our way. Robert is Founder and Host of the top-rated Real Estate Guys Radio Show. He has 18 years of experience working in a real estate brokerage with his dad, Bob ‘the Godfather of Real Estate’ Helms, and has been involved in development projects worth more than $300M. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, we're sharing the replay of Robert’s talk at Deal Maker Live, where he explains why the mainstream media doesn’t get the real estate markets right and why investors like us need to pay attention anyway. Robert walks us through a SWOT analysis of the real estate market, describing the current opportunities and threats to multifamily investors. Listen in for Robert’s insight around the purchasing power of the US dollar and learn how apartment building investors like YOU can prepare for a fundamental change to the economy and thrive regardless of the circumstances! For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session328/

There aren't a lot of women in the real estate investing business, in part because there are so few female role models. But if you can see it, you can be it. So, we brought together a panel of powerhouse women entrepreneurs this past June at Deal Maker Live to share their experiences and encourage other aspiring investors, men and women alike. Our panelists included Savannah Arroyo, Founder and CEO of Networth Nurse, Julie Holly, Founder of Three Keys Investments and Host of The Conscious Investor Podcast, Veena Jetti, Founding Partner at Vive Funds, and Liz Faircloth, Cofounder of the DeRosa Group and Cocreator of The Real Estate InvestHER Community. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, we're sharing the replay of the Women in Real Estate panel discussion from Deal Maker Live, exploring some of the biggest obstacles Savannah, Julie, Holly and Liz faced as entrepreneurs and what they did to overcome those challenges and become successful multifamily investors. Our panelists discuss how to create work-life balance as a woman in real estate, offering advice around creating a support system and getting on the same page with your partner. Listen in for insight into the surprising skills you need to be an effective entrepreneur and get Savannah, Julie, Holly and Liz’s advice on the mindset you need to build a thriving real estate investing business! For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session327/

Real estate investing is a critical part of a diversified portfolio. And while most Americans have easy access to stocks and bonds, most don't know where to go to find private real estate deals. That’s what inspired Founder and CEO Jilliene Helman to create Realty Mogul, a crowdfunding platform committed to democratizing real estate. Jilliene’s background in banking exposed her to brokers, real estate lenders and trust officers, giving her a 360-degree view of wealth management—and a comprehensive understanding of the real estate market. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Jilliene joins Garrett and me to discuss the challenges she faced early on in building Realty Mogul and describe what inspired her to persevere through 103 coffee meetings before she found a backer! Jilliene explains how the Realty Mogul marketplace differs from traditional syndication and explores the pros and cons of investing in individual deals versus real estate investment trusts (REITs) on the site. Listen in for Jilliene’s thoughtful outlook on the current real estate market and get her advice for investing in the right opportunities during an economic downturn. For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session326/

What does the future of real estate look like? If you ask Ryan Pineda, the future of real estate is digital. And he sees the potential to build multiple billion-dollar businesses that solve many of the problems we face—on the blockchain. Ryan began his real estate career in 2010, and since then, he’s flipped hundreds of single-family homes, purchased hundreds of rentals and founded six multimillion-dollar businesses in the space. In 2020, he went all-in on social media and amassed 1.5M followers teaching people how to build wealth and achieve financial freedom. Ryan is also working on a new NFT project called Tykes, a community for the pioneers of digital real estate. On this episode of Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing, Ryan joins Garrett Lynch to discuss his SOP for starting a new business and describe what makes his real estate companies so resilient. Ryan shares the worst-case scenario thinking that helps him identify single points of failure and explains how removing yourself from day-to-day operations and cross-training your people mitigates risk. Listen in for insight into the issues the blockchain can solve for real estate investors and learn how to be part of Ryan’s new NFT project and digital real estate mastermind! For full episode show notes visit: http://www.themichaelblank.com/session325/