The Best Ever CRE Show

In this episode, Slocomb shares his secrets about how to find and keep great contractors. He breaks down the three aspects of a good contractor — speed, affordability, and quality — and how to decide which of these aspects is most important to you. He also shares what to do once you have found a good contractor in order to foster a relationship and build loyalty. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | DLP Capital Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bobby Larsen has spent virtually his entire career in real estate. He earned his broker’s license while studying as an undergraduate, working in the sales part of the residential industry through his graduation. He then moved on to the investment world, working for a large asset manager based out of Newport Beach. 12 years, later, he launched Vanamour Investments, which strategically invests in multifamily communities throughout the United States through syndications and joint ventures with high-net-worth, family office, and institutional investors. Today, Bobby is the founder and principal of Vanamor Investments. He is a GP of 400 units across seven properties totaling $115M in AUM, as well as an LP of 10,000 units across 34 properties. In this episode, Bobby tells us how he qualifies operators as an LP and how he establishes trust with LPs from a GP perspective, plus his thoughts on why investors lose money in multifamily and why he believes now is a better time to invest than it was six months ago. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | DLP Capital Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ash takes on the topic of partnerships, covering partners in business, deals, and joint ventures. He also shares the six most important lessons he’s learned from mistakes he has made over the years. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | DLP Capital Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Gilman started his career as an attorney in investment banks. This gave him a chance to explore asset classes and business lines, which influenced him to leave the volatility of the stock market for real estate. He began investing his own capital, creating cash flow to replace his salary so he could eventually begin a full-time career in real estate. Today, Michael is the founder of Cross Mountain Capital, a vertically integrated sponsor focused on value-add and opportunistic real estate in New England and the Mountain West. In this episode, Michael shares how his first deal became the best-performing property in his portfolio, how his Wall Street and law background help him with the due diligence process, and his secrets to successfully scaling. Michael Gilman | Real Estate Background Founder of Cross Mountain Capital, a vertically integrated sponsor focused on value-add and opportunistic real estate in New England and the Mountain West. Portfolio: GP of 600+ units Based in: New York, NY Say hi to him at: crossmountaincapital.com LinkedIn Greatest lesson: The importance of finding the right partner to scale. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | DLP Capital Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hemal Badiani spent two decades traveling between three continents as he provided management consulting services to several fortune 100 companies. Several years ago, he decided to hang up his traveling boots and join the financial world, which led him to real estate. Today, Hemal is the CEO and founder of Exponential Equity, which builds and buys large commercial assets in the Carolinas. He is a GP of 744 units and $60M of ongoing construction projects that include self-storage and build-to-rent communities. In this episode, Hemal discusses the strategies that helped him rapidly scale his business over the last 16 months since leaving his W-2 job. 1. Be clear about what you do well — and what you don’t. When Hemal was new to the business and looking to educate himself, he insisted on being authentic about what he did and didn’t know. His specialty is in helping others improve their businesses, backed by two decades of corporate experience. However, he makes it clear that construction isn’t his forte. “People are attracted to that authenticity and the competency that I bring to the table,” he says. 2. Focus on what works in your market. One of the reasons Hemal says he has been able to scale successfully so quickly is that he stays disciplined when it comes to what works in his chosen market. He avoids attaching numbers to his goals — whether he does $100M or $10M, he is happy if he, his partners, and his employees can make a good living. “We just continue the momentum and expansion of business, and the way we’re building each project is more important to us than having a fancy target,” he says. “That philosophy has allowed us for the most part … to stay in a very disciplined lane in terms of what we’re trying to do.” 3. Manage your emotions. Last year, Hemal and his team walked away from a $45M deal and lost $385K in due diligence money. The sellers said they did due diligence, and because Hemal trusted them, his team didn’t follow their typical process. They later found out that there was a misleading set of financial information once they got into the contract and the deposit had already been made. “The biggest lesson was … if you let your excitement let you diverge from that process, you can get knocked down pretty quickly,” he says. 4. Hire people who genuinely subscribe to your vision. A major fundamental that has helped Hemal to scale is finding the right people who have the right values, integrity, hunger, and drive that he carries. He determines who these people are through a genuine conversation about how they view success and what they truly want out of their careers. “Once I find the right person, I trust them so much they get uncomfortable sleeping at night,” he says. “I look at them and I’m like, ‘I know you got this.’ And they just do magic and they go above and beyond.” 5. Stay nimble. Because the market has been so dynamic over the last two years, Hemal and his team assess and alter their strategies each quarter. By refusing to stay married to any one idea for a long period of time, they are able to adapt to market changes as they continue to build out their business both horizontally and vertically. 6. Ask the experts. When Hemal was just starting out, the most valuable education he received came from established operators. “We asked these owner-operators to basically open up the books on how they manage properties, how they do reporting, and how they do communication,” he says. After reviewing five other operators’ playbooks, he was able to distill down his own version and buy his first property in September 2020. 7. Take action. “When you’re trying to climb a mountain, if you’re thinking about what shoes you want to wear and what pack you want to bring and what kind of filtered water you want to bring, I’m telling you — folks like myself are going to go barefoot and be halfway there before you decide to take action,” Hemal says. Even if you make mistakes, he believes those experiences only help to build credibility and good judgment. Hemal Badiani | Real Estate Background CEO and founder of Exponential Equity, which builds and buys large commercial assets (mainly multifamily) in the Carolinas. Previous episode: JF2418: Using Diverse Background and Personal Superpowers in Real Estate Portfolio: GP of: 744 units $60M of ongoing construction projects that include self-storage and build-to-rent communities LP of: 2,000 units Based in: Charlotte, NC Say hi to him at: exponential-equity.com Facebook Greatest lesson: Do your best every day, but remember that your best is different on different days. S​​tay in touch with us! Sign-Up for the Best Ever CRE Newsletter: www.bestevercre.com/access www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | Cash Flow Portal | DLP Capital | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each week for the Best Ever Round Table, the three Best Ever Show hosts — Ash Patel, Slocomb Reed, and Travis Watts — come together for a deep dive into a commercial real estate investing topic. Have you recently dipped your toe into commercial real estate? Maybe you’ve done a deal or two, or maybe you’re considering putting some more CRE in your portfolio. If you’re just getting started, this episode is for you. Ash, Slocomb, and Travis discuss what originally attracted them to commercial real estate and how you can decide if it’s the right path for you. 1. Why Commercial Real Estate? Ash, Slocomb, and Travis each had different circumstances that led them to consider investing in real estate. Ash was seeking a way to offset taxes. “I found real estate by accident,” he says. Every year, he would ask his CPA how to offset his taxes as a W-2 earner, but never received a useful answer. “I always heard that real estate was a great way to offset taxes,” he continues. “I didn’t understand what that meant, but I thought I should buy some real estate.” Slocomb was looking for a side hustle. Before becoming an apartment owner/operator, he worked as a youth minister. “I was just looking to bridge the gap with a part-time job, be contributing equally to our family as my wife was, and I finally picked up Rich Dad Poor Dad,” he says. Soon after, he embarked on his first house hack and fell in love with real estate. Travis was following his dream of entrepreneurship. “I just didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do for a business,” he says. “So it took many years to go full-time with real estate, and that was about a seven-year journey.” 2. Top Lessons Learned in Their CRE Careers If you want to go far, go together. “If you’re full-time in real estate and your goal is to scale, you have to start looking at partners, joint ventures, and other people to work with,” Ash says. He also advises carefully selecting your partners and clearly communicating your expectations beforehand. You always have the ability to adapt. When Slocomb realized he was pulling most of the weight in a partnership, he decided to do something about it. “I formed a property management company through that experience so that my partnership could pay me management fees for doing all of the work,” he explains. That management company has allowed him to take down additional deals, scale through hiring, and scale through new partnerships. “It was my ability to adapt to changing circumstances that those things happened.” You don’t have to start small. “I would say to anybody listening, whether you are or want to be a GP, an LP, do a JV, individual purchasing — you really can start with multifamily or commercial, or something above that,” Travis says. He didn’t realize this for a long time, and like many CRE investors, now believes he could have gone bigger faster when he started out. S​​tay in touch with us! Sign-Up for the Best Ever CRE Newsletter: www.bestevercre.com/access www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | Cash Flow Portal | DLP Capital | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marshall Sykes served in the U.S. Navy as a Civil Engineer Corps officer, where he built and maintained military bases. He retired after 25 years as a captain, moving on to a career in the oil and gas business with ExxonMobil. In 2021, after eight years in that role, he decided to launch a full-time career in multifamily real estate. Today, Marshall is the president and owner of Capitano Investing Group, which focuses on multifamily real estate syndications with 100 or more units. He is a GP of over 2,600 units across 13 properties. In this episode, he shares how he acquired so many units in his first 14 months as a syndicator, why he feels that rising interest rates can be used to his advantage, and his projections for how increasing expenses will impact the multifamily space. Marshall Sykes | Real Estate Background President and owner of Capitano Investing Group, which focuses on multifamily real estate syndications with 100+ units. Portfolio: GP of 2,600+ units across 13 properties valued at $330M LP in nearly every property that he has raised on Based in: Houston, TX Say hi to him at: capitanoinvestinggroup.com Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Best Ever Book: Halftime by Bob Buford Greatest lesson: Develop your strategy before you start implementing it. S​​tay in touch with us! Sign-Up for the Best Ever CRE Newsletter: www.bestevercre.com/access www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | DLP Capital Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Kogut got his start in the commercial real estate space as a broker in 2004. He pivoted to syndications in 2017, joining HJH Investments. Today, Ben is a partner and the Director of Investor Relations at HJH, which specializes in triple-net, cash-flowing investment properties including shopping centers, office buildings, industrial, medical, and QSR. In this episode, Ben compares and contrasts triple-net commercial real estate syndications with multifamily syndications. He also discusses the two major components of management and the strategy he and his team use to take down one deal every month. Ben Kogut | Real Estate Background Partner and director of investor relations at HJH Investments, which specializes in NNN cash-flowing investment properties like shopping centers, office buildings, industrial, medical, and QSR. Portfolio: GP of 80 acquisitions, totaling $500M in AUM LP of 10 deals Based in: Austin, TX Say hi to him at: hjhinvestments.com @benkogut on all socials Best Ever Book: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl Greatest Lesson: Relationships are the most important part of business! Relationships with our investors, lenders, brokers, vendors, etc. S​​tay in touch with us! Sign-Up for the Best Ever CRE Newsletter: www.bestevercre.com/access www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | dip capital Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Landry started her interior design firm specializing in residential and commercial properties more than 20 years ago. Today, she is the CEO of Above & Beyond Multifamily and Landry Designs. She is a multifamily syndicator and asset manager as well as an interior designer specializing in adding value to multifamily properties across the country, particularly in class B and C assets. When it comes to syndications, Lisa stresses that design is incredibly important. “Our job as designers for multifamily is to do whatever we can to boost the NOI,” she says. “It’s just amazing how quickly the value of the property can increase.” In this episode, Lisa shares her top interior design tips property owners can use to increase their NOI. Lisa Landry | Real Estate Background CEO of Above & Beyond Multifamily and Landry Designs. She is a multifamily syndicator and asset manager, as well as an interior designer specializing in adding value to multifamily properties across the country, particularly class B and C assets. Portfolio: GP of 108 units Recently had an LP property go full cycle She has won 35 International Design Awards, been published nationally 18 times, and is a 10-time winner of Living Magazine's Best Interior Designer award. Based in: Ft. Worth, TX Say hi to her at: growaboveandbeyond.com landrydesigns.com Facebook Instagram Best Ever Book: Best Ever Apartment Syndication Book by Joe Fairless & Theo Hicks Greatest lesson: Real Estate: I have learned how rewarding it is to transform B & C properties into safe, beautiful places to live and work. Also, to provide multifamily investment opportunities to regular, everyday people who weren't aware of the multifamily space prior to introducing it to them. Interior Design: I have learned that people's moods, happiness, and productivity can be extremely affected by their surroundings and that people like to live in unique spaces. That's what Landry Designs is known for. S​​tay in touch with us! Sign-Up for the Best Ever CRE Newsletter: www.bestevercre.com/access www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: dlp capital | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Travis explores a hypothetical situation many investors have thought about: What if you lost everything and had to start over again? This is a typical, fear-based thought many investors experience in the early stages. Travis shares why he knows he’ll be okay regardless of what the future holds for him, how avoiding the “success cycle” is crucial, and the two things you should always keep in mind as a passive investor. S​​tay in touch with us! Sign-Up for the Best Ever CRE Newsletter: www.bestevercre.com/access www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | dip capital Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John McGeown is a self-described old soul in real estate. He grew up in Chicago and joined the U.S. Navy after graduation, where he served from 1999 to 2003. At age 24, he decided to enter the world of real estate. Today, John is the president of High Fidelity Property Management, a third-party property management company that has 1,000 apartment units under management throughout Chicago’s North Side neighborhoods. In this episode, he shares his top five Best Ever tips for property managers, as well as his experience as a GP in the Chicago MSA. 1. Don’t Underestimate the Time It Will Take John says that many people who self-manage underestimate the time it takes to properly manage a building, which is why they often come to him for help. “I think the mistake is people try to do too much too fast too soon,” he says. 2. Make Sure You Have the Right Resources Others who self-manage their properties tend to struggle because they haven’t yet established reliable connections. “Having a good cast of vendors is one of the hardest things for property owners who are managing themselves,” John says. 3. Your Existing Portfolio Is the Gold John admits that he is often in “go” mode and forgets this one thing: “Your existing portfolio is the gold, and new people are silver,” he says. He sees many third-party property managers flip those priorities around, making the mistake of devaluing their existing client base and overvaluing new business. 4. Know What You Know — And What You Don’t When asked why he hasn’t ventured into short-term rentals, John answers candidly: “I’m a Navy guy, and I’m very cautious,” he says. “I know what I know, and I know what I don’t know.” It took him a considerable amount of time to discover who he is, what he wants to offer, why he is different, and why people should work with him. Now that he has that figured out, he prefers not to deviate from his plan. “There’s always going to be a shiny object that somebody is shaking in front of you,” he says. “For me, it never really felt like something that I wanted to do. So I didn’t do it.” 5. Three Things to Look for When Evaluating Vendors “Communication, trust, and competency are the things that we look for when we’re evaluating new vendors,” John says. Additionally, he prioritizes getting the best possible price for the best service he can. John McGeown | Real Estate Background President of High Fidelity Property Management, a third-party property management company that has 1,000 apartment units under management throughout Chicago's North Side neighborhoods. Portfolio: GP of 100 units LP of 36 units Based in: Chicago, IL Say hi to him at: hifipm.com LinkedIn Greatest lesson: Never give up! This business doesn't slow down for me, so I have to work hard to keep up. Sometimes tomorrow is about learning from yesterday. S​​tay in touch with us! Sign-Up for the Best Ever CRE Newsletter: www.bestevercre.com/access www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | dip capital Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brenda Mas got her start in multifamily in 2002 working in asset management for a developer/operator/builder. After transitioning to the development side of the business, she oversaw acquisitions, entitlements, subdivision, stabilization, and financing for properties in the LA market. She left the company in 2019 to work independently, venturing into syndications with her husband, a construction expert. Today, Brenda is the founding and managing partner of VestWell Ventures, a group of multifamily operators and developers focused on value-add strategy. In this episode, she shares why she and her husband are shifting their focus back to development, their strategy for selecting land deals, and the biggest lesson she learned during the market collapse in 2008. 1. Focusing on Development When it comes to development, Brenda and her husband have a competitive edge. They have access to consultants, structural engineers, and architects, and they know construction inside and out. Plus, the high demand for housing right now combined with current economic uncertainty made the decision to go back to development a no-brainer. “Demand is there, and we have the know-how,” Brenda says. “Why not bring that to our investors and allow them to make money alongside us?” 2. Strategy for Selecting Land Deals Brenda and her husband have partnered with an architecture firm to help them determine which deals will work best for them. The size of the land isn’t as important to Brenda as how developers are treated in the town and what regulations are in place. “Those are things that we really take into consideration,” she says. “Right now our focus is on the Houston market because they have fewer zoning restrictions there, and that expedites our development timeline.” 3. Learning from the 2008 Market Collapse During the collapse, Brenda and her team had property in downtown Los Angeles under construction. Their construction lender folded, and they were on the brink of losing the buildings. Many developers handed over their keys, but she refused. This led to litigation and a settlement. While they didn’t lose any money in the process, they lost valuable time. “There are times that you have to walk away,” Brenda says, “and understand what’s going on in the economy. The indicators were there that this was going to happen with the construction lender, and we should have paid attention a little sooner.” Brenda Mas | Real Estate Background Founding and managing partner of VestWell Ventures, multifamily operators and developers focused on a value-add strategy. Portfolio: GP of 167 units LP of 1,070 units Based in: Los Angeles, CA Say hi to her at: vestwellventures.com Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Best Ever Book: Measure What Matters by John Doerr Greatest lesson: You have to be engaged in your business, take a proactive approach, and exhibit a great amount of grit, especially when faced with economic uncertainty. I don’t look at multifamily investing as a pastime; it’s my business and I expect to see it succeed. S​​tay in touch with us! Sign-Up for the Best Ever CRE Newsletter: www.bestevercre.com/access www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | dip capital Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jennings Smith and his cousin Yeadon Smith are business partners who collectively own approximately 48% of their portfolio, which they were able to achieve through BRRRR-style apartment buying. Jennings got his start as a contractor after earning his builder’s license at 19 and began slowly building wealth through real estate. He took Michael Blank’s Ultimate Apartment Buyer Guide online course, which helped him syndicate his first 12-unit deal in 2019. Today, Jennings is the co-founder of Live Oak Capital and My First Million in Multifamily. Live Oak Capital is an investment firm focused on multifamily, and MFMIM aims to build networks and communication that help people close multifamily deals. In this episode, Jennings explains why he prefers syndications to JV deals, why he chooses to structure his deals with a 70/30 split with 70% going to the GP, and how identifying his strengths and weaknesses helped him to scale. Jennings Smith | Real Estate Background Co-founder of Live Oak Capital and My First Million in Multifamily (MFMIM). Live Oak Capital is an investment firm focused on multifamily. MFMIM aims to build networks and communication that help people close multifamily deals. Portfolio: GP of: 1,000 units 500 self-storage units Based in: Summerville, SC Say hi to him at: my-first-million-in-multifamily.mykajabi.com Facebook Instagram Podcast YouTube Best Ever Book: Flip the Script by Oren Klaff Greatest lesson: Borrowed belief. Understand that achieving goals is not difficult, it can just be different than what you initially thought. Surround yourself with people that inspire that same belief and are able to unlock your potential. S​​tay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | dlp capital | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danté Belmonte is a 24-year-old real estate broker based in Syracuse, New York. Four years into his career, Danté decided to venture into multifamily syndications in the Charlotte, North Carolina MSA. Today, Danté is the managing partner at Victory Capital Group, which acquires and operates multifamily properties. He is a GP of three syndications totaling 100 units and an LP of approximately 1,200 units. In this episode, Danté shares how he and his business partner find deals in the competitive Charlotte MSA, how they pulled off a 30-day close, how he approaches broker relationships as a broker himself, and the importance of professional property management. Danté Belmonte | Real Estate Background Managing partner at Victory Capital Group, which acquires and operates multifamily properties in North Carolina. Portfolio: GP of three syndications totaling 100 units LP of about 1,200 units Based in: Syracuse, NY Say hi to him at: victorycapgroup.com Facebook Instagram Greatest lesson: It’s incredibly important to have a partner that fills your voids and that you can trust. S​​tay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | dlp capital | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Badri Malynur has invested in various startups and across asset classes, including auctions, stock, commodities, and bonds. After entering semi-retirement, a friend asked him to help co-found Avestor Inc., a technology platform focused on an end-to-end solution for sponsors to build customizable private funds. Today, Badri serves as VP at Avestor in addition to his role as co-founder. In this episode, he shares why he and his friends decided to create Avestor, why both the syndication and fund industries are ripe for disruption, and how customizable private funds are changing investing as we know it. Badri Malynur | Real Estate Background Co-founder and VP at Avestor Inc., a technology platform focused on an end-to-end solution for sponsors to build customizable private funds. Portfolio: LP of over 50 deals across multiple asset classes including multifamily, self-storage, industrial, mobile home parks, and student housing Based in: Beaverton, OR Say hi to him at: avestorinc.com LinkedIn Greatest lesson: Build a diversified portfolio that spans multiple asset classes using a dumbbell approach for managing risk. S​​tay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: dlp capital | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Passive Investor Tips is a weekly series hosted by full-time passive investor and Best Ever Show host, Travis Watts. In each bite-sized episode, Travis breaks down passive investor topics, simplifying the philosophy and mindset while providing tactical, valuable information on how to be a passive investor. In this episode, Travis expands on his famous saying: “It’s simple, but it’s not easy.” He explains how most passive investors begin their journey with a modest investment that might not seem impressive at first, but it’s important to keep in mind that it’s only the beginning. The journey takes time, patience, and self-discipline. While it is simple to invest, Travis stresses that real estate, in most cases, is not a way to get rich quickly. It’s a wealth-building strategy. However, once you study the fundamentals, get the right education, and lay out your roadmap, it will simply be a matter of time before you reach your financial goals. S​​tay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | dlp capital | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leslie Awasom is a nurse anesthetist who co-founded XSITE Capital Investment with his partners, Julius Oni and Tenny Tolofari. When he came across the multifamily asset class, Leslie realized many of his colleagues in the healthcare industry and members of his community were unaware that this type of investment opportunity existed. He and his partners were inspired to create XSITE in 2019 to educate more people about multifamily investing. Today, XSITE has $125M in assets under management with a growing community of investors. In this episode, Leslie discusses his role as director of operations, his love for analyzing data, and the correlations he’s seen between his career in anesthesiology and business operations for XSITE. Co-founder and Director of Operations of XSITE Capital Investment LLC, which focuses on multifamily syndications. Previous Best Ever Episode: JF2163: Anesthesiologist to Real Estate with Leslie Awasom Currently works as a nurse anesthetist transitioning to real estate full-time. Portfolio: GP of 694 units, totaling $125M in AUM LP of $53M across two deals Based in: Hanover, MD Say hi to him at: xsitecapital.com Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube Greatest lesson: Have great partners and significantly accelerate your growth. S​​tay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: | dlp capital | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Episcope worked as a commodities trader for 15 years while investing passively before deciding to take things a step further and earn a master’s degree in real estate. Looking back on previous passive investing experiences, Michael and his business partner came together with a simple idea: “We can do this better.” Today Michael is co-CEO of Origin Investments, a private equity real estate firm serving nearly 3,000 high-net-worth individuals. Origin builds, buys, and lends to class A multifamily real estate in tax and climate-friendly states. In this episode, Michael shares how he found his business partner, his strategy for finding developers and managing them remotely, how the JOBS act catalyzed Origin’s growth, and why saying no is the most important lesson he’s learned thus far. Michael Episcope | Real Estate Background Co-CEO of Origin Investments, a private equity real estate firm serving nearly 3,000 high-net-worth individuals. Origin builds, buys, and lends to class A multifamily real estate in tax and climate-friendly states. Portfolio: $2B in AUM Based in: Chicago, IL Say hi to him at: origininvestments.com Greatest lesson: Don’t engage in businesses that create a conflict of interest between you and your investors. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each week for the Best Ever Round Table, the three Best Ever Show hosts — Ash Patel, Slocomb Reed, and Travis Watts — come together for a deep dive into a commercial real estate investing topic. Is now a good time to get into real estate? In response to listeners that have been requesting to hear more about current events, Ash and Travis give a detailed update on what’s happening in the real estate market right now. They share their predictions, thoughts, and opinions on the state of inflation and interest rates, as well as their reactions to fear-inducing headlines. They also discuss their thoughts on the single-family market, how both multifamily and non-residential commercial real estate are performing, and whether now is an ideal time to get into real estate. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Newberry has been busy since his last appearance on the Best Ever Show. The CEO of Vail Commercial Group, a privately held boutique commercial real estate group, has been focusing on value-add shopping centers and small bay industrial facilities around the country. With close to $100M in assets under management, the group is also focusing on single-tenant, ground-up construction deals. In this episode, Danny shares what the heavy value-add repositioning process looks like for shopping centers and small bay industrial facilities, plus his unique, win-win approach to tenant relationships. Danny Newberry | Real Estate Background CEO of Vail Commercial Group, a privately held boutique commercial real estate group that specializes in the acquisition, improvement, repositioning, and management of acquired commercial investment properties. Previous episode: JF1005: Why He Prefers to Buy Shopping Centers Now with Danny Newberry GP of $80M in AUM Based in: Vail, CO Say hi to him at: vailcommercialgroup.com Greatest lesson: Have fun and enjoy the process. Build a great team. Stay focused on your innate abilities. Best Ever Book: Who Not How by Dan Sullivan Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Simtob has been an entrepreneur since he was young, getting involved with his first franchise during college. Throughout his career, he has scaled franchises for chains like Wireless Toyz, Zoup! Eatery, Goldfish Swim School, Creative World School, and Official Driving School. It wasn’t until recently that Richard got into real estate, and it was all thanks to his now 21-year-old son, Brad. Today, Richard is a syndicator and investor, serving as a GP of 401 units and an LP of 12 multifamily investments. In this episode, Richard tells us about the dynamic he and his son have established as co-GPs, how he’s been able to transfer his knowledge of scaling businesses from franchising to real estate, and his advice to young people on how to structure a company partnership. Richard Simtob | Real Estate Background Syndicator and investor. Business owner of eight Goldfish Swim Schools, Statewide Driving Education, three early childhood education schools, and Simtob Management Investment. Portfolio: GP of 401 units LP of 12 multifamily investments Based in: West Bloomfield, MI (summer), Aventura, FL (winter) Say hi to him at: simtob.com LinkedIn Greatest lesson: You don't get what you wish for, you get what you work for. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harry Nima Zegarra, MD, and his wife are physicians from Peru. They met in medical school and then moved to the U.S. to continue their education and training. After settling in Dallas, they decided to get involved in real estate five years ago. They first employed the buy-and-hold strategy with residential properties but discovered commercial real estate syndications and decided to switch gears. Today, Harry is the managing partner at Nima Equity, which raises capital for commercial multifamily investments. In this episode, he shares his top methods for networking and connecting with others interested in CRE, the skills he’s developed as a physician that has translated well into apartment syndication, and how he makes time for real estate while working full-time as a physician. Harry Nima Zegarra, MD | Real Estate Background Managing partner at Nima Equity, which raises capital for commercial multifamily investments. Portfolio: GP of 784 units across four states Works full-time as a pulmonary and critical care medicine physician. Based in: Plano, TX Say hi to him at: nimaequity.com Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Best Ever Book: The Gap & The Gain by Dan Sullivan & Benjamin Hardy Greatest lesson: The value of networking and leveraging money and other people's time and expertise. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Passive Investor Tips is a weekly series hosted by full-time passive investor and Best Ever Show host, Travis Watts. In each bite-sized episode, Travis breaks down passive investor topics, simplifying the philosophy and mindset while providing tactical, valuable information on how to be a passive investor. In this episode, Travis explains why it is so difficult for new commercial real estate investors to make their first million dollars. He identifies four obstacles that hinder the process and what you can do to overcome them. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bikran Sandhu is a CPA who began his career as an auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers. He caught the real estate bug in 2018; by April 2021, it became his full-time career. Today, Bikran is CFO, COO, and co-founder of Rise48 Equity, a real estate investment services firm that focuses on multifamily syndication. In this episode, he discusses how he and his partners began working together, the growing pains they faced early on, why they choose to invest in the Phoenix MSA despite the competition, and how they establish an edge against big institutions when competing for properties. Bikran Sandhu | Real Estate Background CFO, COO, and co-founder of Rise48 Equity, a real estate investment services firm that focuses on multifamily syndication. Portfolio: GP and LP of 4,826 units across 26 properties Based in: Scottsdale, AZ Say hi to him at: rise48equity.com LinkedIn Greatest lesson: Perseverance is key. Buying large multifamily apartments, raising capital, and building a company is a very complex and challenging career. It's not for the faint of heart. But with the right partners, a positive attitude, and a persevering mentality, you can learn from the best and apply the skillsets to your own success. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Sujata Shyam was asked to transfer across the country for her corporate career, she decided to take 100 days off to consider her next move. 100 days turned into 18 months of traveling and experiencing the world, and Sujata soon realized she wanted a career that would help her maintain this new sense of freedom. She discovered that running her own Airbnb business could provide her with the passive income she needed, and before she knew it, she’d launched a full-fledged real estate career. Today, Sujata is the managing principal at Luxe Capital Investment Group, Ltd., an education-based investment firm focusing on multifamily, ATMs, and self-storage. In this episode, Sujata shares why she feels she isn’t well-suited for the corporate world, how she started her Airbnb business, how she qualifies investments for her investors today, and why she believes that investing in real estate should be boring. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ash, Slocomb, and Travis share advice for scaling your commercial real estate business, as well as the lessons they’ve learned from their own experiences. They discuss the pivotal moment when they each realized it was time to expand and what they’ve each personally done to scale, plus the bottlenecks they’re facing in their businesses today and the key ways others have helped them along the way. Each week for the Best Ever Round Table, the three Best Ever Show hosts — Ash Patel, Slocomb Reed, and Travis Watts — come together for a deep dive into a commercial real estate investing topic. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Liggitt entered the investment industry more than 20 years ago as a financial advisor. In 2011, he took on a major project that ended up steering his career toward a more creative role, which allowed him to focus on marketing and investor relations and how the two can work together. Today, he is the Director of Investor Relations for DJE Texas Management Group, a vertically integrated multifamily investment firm that focuses on large value-add syndication strategies. In this episode, Justin tells us about the target investor for DJE’s syndications, branching out into Texas ranch land, and why he values stillness when it comes to his investor relations role. Justin Liggitt | Real Estate Background Director of Investor Relations of DJE Texas Management Group, a vertically integrated multifamily investment firm based in San Antonio, TX. Portfolio: GP of 2,000+ units Based in: San Antonio, TX Say hi to him at: djetexas.com LinkedIn Best Ever Book: How to Write One Song by Jeff Tweedy Greatest lesson: Be patient with yourself. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ash gives his Best Ever advice on how to fill vacancies in commercial real estate. He provides knowledge to help investors make educated decisions on what to buy, what to do if you have a vacancy, and how to fill it. The Beyond Multifamily series is hosted by non-residential commercial real estate investor and Best Ever Show host, Ash Patel. Ash’s goal for this series is to introduce you to the world of non-residential commercial real estate investing and teach you how to look at and underwrite different commercial asset classes. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patrick Reven is an active-duty Air Force Pilot currently stationed at the Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, SC. He met his business partner, Ricardo Torres, in pilot training, and together they purchased their first multifamily deal in Tucson, AZ, only a couple of years ago. Today, Patrick is the co-founder and COO of Vectored Equity, which primarily focuses on syndications and funds. In this episode, he shares how his career as an Air Force Pilot prepared him to excel at asset management, how he manages his time between his military career and GP responsibilities, and why he’s choosing to focus on properties with 50 units or less. Patrick Reven | Real Estate Background Co-founder and COO of Vectored Equity, which primarily focuses on syndications and funds. Portfolio: GP of 163 units totaling $28M in AUM Works full-time as an F16 Pilot for the Air Force. Based in: Sumter, SC Say hi to him at: vectoredequity.com Instagram Vectored Equity Instagram Best Ever Book: Single Seat Wisdom by Dominic Teich Greatest lesson: Take action. Listening, learning, etc., is extremely important, but it doesn't matter how much you know if you never take action. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Travis explains the rule of 72, which helps investors to predict approximately how long it will take them to double their money in an investment. He provides the formula and shares why the rule of 72 is important for both active and passive investors, providing examples to illustrate how it’s used. He also invites listeners to reach out to him on social media for access to his free financial independence calculator. Passive Investor Tips is a weekly series hosted by full-time passive investor and Best Ever Show host, Travis Watts. In each bite-sized episode, Travis breaks down passive investor topics, simplifying the philosophy and mindset while providing tactical, valuable information on how to be a passive investor. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vessi Kapoulian grew up in Bulgaria behind the Iron Curtain, where the only concept of investing she knew involved hard assets like silver and gold. When she arrived in the U.S., she earned her graduate degree and began her corporate career. Then in 2017, she stumbled upon a real estate seminar that changed everything. Today, Vessi is the founder of DBA Capital Group, LLC, which focuses on operating multifamily investments under both a JV and syndication model. In this episode, she discusses what motivated her to get involved in syndication, her underwriting strategy, and the lessons she learned about persistence, strength, and sticking to her core investment criteria. Vessi Kapoulian | Real Estate Background Founder of DBA Capital Group, LLC, which focuses on operating multifamily investments under both a JV and syndication model. Portfolio: GP of 161 units across seven properties, totaling $13M in AUM A small portfolio of residential properties including a duplex and two short-term rentals Based in: Los Angeles, CA Say hi to her at: dbacapitalgroup.com LinkedIn Email: [email protected] Best Ever Book: The ONE Thing by Gary Keller Greatest lesson: Loyalty does not always pay. Shop the deal with multiple lenders, especially in the current environment. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan McKenna grew up with an entrepreneurial mindset, but his dream wasn’t initially to get into real estate — it was to become a professional baseball player. He attended Arizona State University on a baseball scholarship but was forced to walk away from the sport after being diagnosed with ITP, a blood platelet disorder, during his sophomore year. After recovering with a clean bill of health, Ryan decided his next move would be syndication. Today, Ryan is the CEO and founder of McKenna Capital, a real estate private equity firm that provides passive investment opportunities through real estate syndications including multifamily apartments, senior living, bitcoin mining, self-storage, express car washes, and other niche alternatives. In this episode, Ryan shares how he came to grips with such a major life change, what drove him to start his business, and how he was able to scale to 70 syndications and 15,000 multifamily units in only four years. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Best Ever Show hosts share the second episode in the mini-series, “Convince Me,” where they debate various aspects of commercial real estate strategy from different perspectives. In this episode, they discuss the advantages and disadvantages of choosing syndication as a partnership structure versus a joint venture with active partners. Each week for the Best Ever Round Table, the three Best Ever Show hosts — Ash Patel, Slocomb Reed, and Travis Watts — come together for a deep dive into a commercial real estate investing topic. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christine Bellish is the co-founder of the Bellish Team, a real estate investment firm that focuses on large commercial and multifamily property acquisitions. Together, she and her husband Danny are currently GPs of 588 units and have been involved in 922 units as LPs. In this episode, Christine discusses how she shifted from a career in advertising to becoming a GP, plus the importance of leading with value and partnering with experts in order to scale your business. Christine Bellish | Real Estate Background Co-founder of the Bellish Team, a real estate investment firm that focuses on large commercial and multifamily property acquisitions. Portfolio: GP of 588 units LP of 922 units Based in: Garwood, NJ Say hi to her at: thebellishteam.com Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Greatest lesson: Lead with value and partner with experts to scale. You don't have to learn everything the hard way. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Slocomb shares his top four tips for launching your value-add business plan. Bonus Operations is a weekly series hosted by apartment owner/operator and Best Ever Show host, Slocomb Reed. In each five- to ten-minute episode, Slocomb provides his top takes for executing your business plan and maintaining cash flow. Join the newsletter for the expert tips & investing content. Sign up to be a guest on the show. FREE eBook: The Ultimate Guide to Multifamily Deals & Investing Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Rosenkranz is the chief investment officer for Christina, a Malibu-based real estate developer, manager, and sponsor founded in 1977. He got his start managing real estate assets for high-net-worth individuals at Wells Fargo in San Francisco. Today, Adam is responsible for Christina’s acquisition due diligence, financial management of their in-house property management team, and implementation of the business plan. In this episode, he discusses how his company’s 45-year track record influences their acquisitions, how they structure their deals, and his thoughts on short-term debt. Adam Rosenkranz | Real Estate Background Chief investment officer of Christina Development Corporation, a Malibu-based real estate developer, manager, and sponsor founded in 1977. Portfolio: GP of approximately 20 properties that are a mix of retail, office, and multifamily Based in: Malibu, CA Say hi to him at: christinala.com LinkedIn Twitter Best Ever Book: Fear by Bob Woodward Greatest lesson: Great real estate is meant to be held. Throughout the company’s 45-year history, there is not a single property we’ve sold in the Westside region of Los Angeles that we could purchase back today for the price we sold it for. Be the first to get the newest podcast episodes sent to your inbox. Plus, investing tips and advice. Join the newsletter https://bit.ly/3OKRktV Want to be a guest on the Best Ever Show?Sign up here: https://www.bestevercre.com/podcast-sign-up Get the latest FREE eBook: An Investors Guide to Growing & Scaling a Business Through Podcasting: https://www.bestevercre.com/a-real-estate-investors-guide Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City here! Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Travis explains how to compound your returns, drawing on his own personal experiences to illustrate this fundamental and impactful passive investing concept. Passive Investor Tips is a weekly series hosted by full-time passive investor and Best Ever Show host, Travis Watts. In each bite-sized episode, Travis breaks down passive investor topics, simplifying the philosophy and mindset while providing tactical, valuable information on how to be a passive investor. Be the first to get the newest podcast episodes sent to your inbox. Plus, investing tips and advice. Join the newsletter https://bit.ly/3OKRktV Want to be a guest on the Best Ever Show?Sign up here: https://www.bestevercre.com/podcast-sign-up Get the latest FREE eBook: An Investors Guide to Growing & Scaling a Business Through Podcasting: https://www.bestevercre.com/a-real-estate-investors-guide Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City here! Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Airline pilot Chad Freeman got his start in real estate by purchasing a “pilot crash pad” in New York in 2005. Although he describes it as a “terrible” property, it launched him into the real estate business. In 2015, he decided to take a boot camp course to help him break into the mobile home park industry. Today, Chad is the founder of MHPinvestors, which purchases undervalued mobile home parks in the Midwest. He is a GP of 150 mobile home lots and 47 RV spaces. In this episode, Chad shares what attracted him to the mobile home parks space, what goes into completing a heavy turnaround for an 82-space park, and the toughest lesson he’s learned when it comes to adding new homes to his parks. Chad Freeman | Real Estate Background Founder of MHPinvestors, which purchases undervalued mobile home parks in the Midwest. Portfolio: GP of: 150 mobile home lots 47 RV spaces LP of his own syndication Based in: Jacksonville, FL Say hi to him at: mhpinvestors.com Best Ever Book: Am I Being Too Subtle? by Sam Zell Greatest lesson: Other people always have good ideas you haven’t thought of. Teamwork and communication are very important and you can't do it alone. Be the first to get the newest podcast episodes sent to your inbox. Plus, investing tips and advice. Join the newsletter https://bit.ly/3OKRktV Want to be a guest on the Best Ever Show?Sign up here: https://www.bestevercre.com/podcast-sign-up Get the latest FREE eBook: An Investors Guide to Growing & Scaling a Business Through Podcasting: https://www.bestevercre.com/a-real-estate-investors-guide Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City here! Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ismael “Rey” Reyes began investing in single-family homes during his 28-year career in the U.S. Army. Just before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel, he learned about syndications and how they could allow him to continue to scale his real estate business and build wealth despite his hectic schedule. Today, Rey is president of MI Real Estate LLC, which primarily focuses on the acquisition and asset management of class B and C multifamily properties. In this episode, Rey discusses the system he uses to continuously improve, what to look for when it comes to the ideal contract timeline, and how he’s grown his team to compensate for his increasingly limited time. Ismael “Rey” Reyes | Real Estate Background President of MI Real Estate LLC, which primarily focuses on the acquisition and asset management of class B and C multifamily properties. Portfolio: GP of ~900 units across 14 properties and five states (AL, FL, GA, TN, TX) LP of ~100 units Author of BLUF: The Bottom Line Up Front about Passively Investing in Multi-family Properties Based in: Orlando, FL Say hi to him at: ismaelreyreyes.com Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube MI Real Estate LLC Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Greatest lesson: The importance of establishing and maintaining passive investor trust. Be the first to get the newest podcast episodes sent to your inbox. Plus, investing tips and advice. Join the newsletter https://bit.ly/3OKRktV Want to be a guest on the Best Ever Show?Sign up here: https://www.bestevercre.com/podcast-sign-up Get the latest FREE eBook: An Investors Guide to Growing & Scaling a Business Through Podcasting: https://www.bestevercre.com/a-real-estate-investors-guide Register for this year's Best Ever Conference in Salt Lake City here! Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, the Best Ever Hosts share the first episode in the mini series Convince Me where they will debate various aspects of commercial real estate strategy from different perspectives. In this episode, they discuss the advantages and disadvantages of long-term investors creating an exit strategy. Each week for the Best Ever Round Table, the three Best Ever Show hosts — Ash Patel, Slocomb Reed, and Travis Watts — come together for a deep dive into a commercial real estate investing topic. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timothy Cague is the President of The Cyan Group LLC, which specializes in cyber execution protection and monitoring services for numerous Fortune 500 clients. In this episode, Timothy shares his advice for high-net-worth individuals on how they can protect themselves from cyber threats and keep their personal information safe. Timothy Cague | Background Timothy Cague, President of The Cyan Group LLC specializes in cyber executive protection. He has a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Maryland University College and a Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology. After graduating from RIT Tim served as a Communications Officer in the U.S. Air Force and later as a government contractor. He then went on to found The Cyan Group where he and his team provide a wide range of Cyber Executive Protection and Monitoring services for numerous Fortune 500 clients. Say hi to him at https://www.thecyangrp.com/ Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ash provides his top nine tips for networking and creating a thought leadership platform. He reflects back on the advice he received from Joe Fairless at a local meetup in 2015 that helped him to become the commercial real estate thought leader he is today. The Beyond Multifamily series is hosted by non-residential commercial real estate investor and Best Ever Show host, Ash Patel. Ash’s goal for this series is to introduce you to the world of non-residential commercial real estate investing and teach you how to look at and underwrite different commercial asset classes. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AJ Klenk entered real estate in the middle of the Great Recession in 2009 with a dream to eventually build schools internationally in developing countries. Today, he is the founder and owner of Capstone Companies, the country’s largest privately owned multifamily apartment brokerage. He is also a GP of more than 2,000 units, owns a multifamily development company along with multiple restaurants, and just returned from building a school in Nicaragua. In this episode, AJ shares his tips for cultivating a winning team and discusses how his success is helping him achieve his ultimate dream of giving back. AJ Klenk | Real Estate Background Owner of Capstone Companies and Catalyst Capital Partners, a multifamily development company. Portfolio: GP of 2,000+ units, and currently has 18 multifamily projects in motion at various stages. Also the owner of multiple restaurants in the Carolinas. Based in: Charlotte, NC Say hi to him at: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Greatest lesson: Grow your business where you feel real value can be created and where a positive impact can be had on others. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Travis explains that there are two sides to the coin when it comes to money: saving and investing. He illustrates the importance of both sides and the downside of focusing only on saving while neglecting to invest. Passive Investor Tips is a weekly series hosted by full-time passive investor and Best Ever Show host, Travis Watts. In each bite-sized episode, Travis breaks down passive investor topics, simplifying the philosophy and mindset while providing tactical, valuable information on how to be a passive investor. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Micah Mattox is the director of both commercial insurance and multifamily at RealProtect, a real estate brokerage operating nationwide. RealProtect helps real estate investors manage their risk and protect their assets using specialized programs designed to fit their needs. In this episode, Micah shares the top three factors that are having the biggest impact on multifamily insurance rates right now and what investors can do to adapt. Micah Mattox | Real Estate Background Director of Commercial Insurance and Director of Multifamily at RealProtect. They help real estate investors and all those involved with the real estate industry manage their risk and protect their assets using specialized programs designed to fit their needs. Based in: Atlanta, GA (operates nationwide) Say hi to him at: realprotect.com Facebook LinkedIn Greatest lesson: The importance of networking and community. The real estate industry is so tight-knit that if you are excellent at your job and treat people right, they will tell their friends. The opposite is also true, which is why I always go the extra mile to help wherever I can. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin Bupp began investing in real estate with the help of a mentor more than two decades ago at the age of 19. After saving up $7K to buy his first property, Kevin soon realized he needed to scale if he wanted to create significant cash flow. He acquired 150 single-family rental properties before venturing into commercial real estate. Today, Kevin is the owner and president of Sunrise Capital Investors, a boutique real estate private equity firm that specializes in acquiring and managing niche assets such as mobile home parks and parking lots. In this episode, Kevin discusses his experience as an investor during the economic downturn of 2008, how the experience changed his outlook on assets going forward, and how to avoid risky deals in today’s market. Kevin Bupp | Real Estate Background Owner/president of Sunrise Capital Investors, a boutique real estate private equity firm that specializes in acquiring and managing niche assets such as mobile home parks and parking lots. Previous episode: JF 16: How to Amass a Large Portfolio, Lose Most of It, and Come Back Stronger Portfolio: GP of $100M+ in AUM with properties in 13 states LP of: 3,000+ multifamily units 2 million sq. ft. of self-storage 500,000 sq. ft. of medical offices A dozen car washes Based in: Clearwater, FL Say hi to him at: kevinbupp.com Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Greatest lesson: Passion is the key. Without it, ideas die before they have a chance to thrive, people don’t start their own businesses, and success remains a speck on the horizon. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ash, Slocomb, and Travis share their insights when it comes to commercial real estate markets. They discuss which markets they invest in, their takes on local vs. out-of-state investing, the importance of selecting the right markets, metrics they use in their own market selection process, and the best-performing markets they’ve each invested in. Each week for the Best Ever Round Table, the three Best Ever Show hosts — Ash Patel, Slocomb Reed, and Travis Watts — come together for a deep dive into a commercial real estate investing topic. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Craig Berger is the founder and CEO of Avid Realty Partners, which buys, owns, renovates, and eventually sells multifamily apartments along with other commercial realty assets. He is a GP of 1,149 units and is based in Manhattan, NY. In this episode, Craig shares about the struggles and wins of investing in what he refers to as class D- properties, his criteria for what makes a great deal, and the importance of diversifying your portfolio across asset classes and markets. Craig Berger | Real Estate Background Founder and CEO of Avid Realty Partners, which buys, owns, renovates, and eventually sells multifamily apartments along with other commercial realty assets. Portfolio: GP of 1,149 units Based in: Manhattan, NY Say hi to him at: avidrealtypartners.com LinkedIn Best Ever Book: Building an Elite Organization by Don Wenner Greatest lesson: There are no shortcuts to building a real estate platform. It requires persistence, an incredible amount of hard work along the way, strong risk management skills, robust decision analysis (including avoiding landmines), and the ability to scale processes and systems to reach new milestones. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ash dives into the topic of flex space buildings. He explains what flex space buildings are, what kind of businesses you’ll typically find in them, the importance of location, and the pros and cons of owning flex space properties. The Beyond Multifamily series is hosted by non-residential commercial real estate investor and Best Ever Show host, Ash Patel. Ash’s goal for this series is to introduce you to the world of non-residential commercial real estate investing and teach you how to look at and underwrite different commercial asset classes. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeffrey Brogger is the founder and CEO of JJB Multifamily, a brokerage focused on sourcing off-market commercial real estate deals. He is also the founder and senior digital marketing strategist for STEEZY.Digital, a marketing agency that helps real estate brokers and mortgage loan officers with lead generation and follow-up through branding, advertising, and copywriting. In this episode, Jeffrey shares what most people do wrong on social media when it comes to marketing themselves and their businesses, how to improve your lead generation technique, and the importance of developing and executing the right marketing strategy. Jeffrey Brogger | Real Estate Background Founder and CEO of JJB Multifamily, a brokerage focused on sourcing off-market commercial real estate deals. Also the founder and senior digital marketing strategist for STEEZY.Digital, a marketing agency that helps real estate brokers and mortgage loan officers with lead generation and follow-up through branding, advertising, and copywriting. Based in: Huntington Beach, CA Say hi to him at: steezy.digital jjbmultifamily.com Facebook LinkedIn Greatest lesson: Gratitude is the prerequisite to happiness. Stay in touch with us! www.bestevercre.com YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Click here to know more about our sponsors: Trevor McGregor Coaching | Cash Flow Portal | Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices