Investing In The U.s. - An Aussie's Guide To U.s. Real Estate

EPISODE 360: Would you rather make a positive impact on your community or lots of money? Most people think the two simply don't go together, especially not within the real estate industry. But today’s guest is living proof that that’s just not true. Meet JP Newman, the founder, CEO, and managing principal of Thrive FP. He is also a licensed real estate broker and a Certified Commercial Investment Member.JP has worked to create a company that reflects the principles and values of conscious capitalism. His mission is to create connected communities and lighten the load of these cost-burdened residents while maintaining solid profits for his investors. In 2019, he even co-founded the nonprofit Veritas Impact Partners to provide health education and financial services for workforce housing residents living in his apartments.Today, JP and I talked about how he manages to balance purpose and profit, how he supports his tenants and creates value in his communities, his excellent resident retention, and how he ma

EPISODE 359: What if I told you there is a way to create affordable housing in Silicon Valley and other places where home ownership is out of reach for most people?You'd probably think I was nuts and for good reason! In San Jose, the average price for a single-family home is $1.6 million. Most middle-class working people can't even afford the down payment for that!But there is hope on the horizon. In this week’s episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Franco Perez. Franco grew up in a family with an unstable housing situation, and now, he is on a mission to create affordable housing.How? By upgrading underutilized mobile homes with great potential for growth. Franco has established a dedicated team of like-minded individuals who believe they can positively impact the community while making good money along the way. Today, he is here to share his knowledge, insights, and successes with us. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into it! Key Takeaways: Intro (00:00)How Franco made his first doll

EPISODE 358: Low barrier to entry, low operating costs, low risk, and strong returns… Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?But it's true, and here to tell us all about it is real estate investment specialist Andrew Keel!Andrew has over 15 years of experience in real estate. He is a passionate investor and the founder and CEO of Keel Team, a leader in the manufactured housing industry. Andrew and his team have built a mobile home park portfolio with nearly 40 communities and over 2500 tenants, all via Guerilla Marketing. In today’s episode, Andrew explains his business model and shares the secrets behind his raging success, so make sure to check it out. Tune in! Key Takeaways: Intro (00:00)How Andrew made his first dollar as a kid (04:21)Andrew’s journey into real estate (05:21)How he runs his business today (09:17)Their social impact (11:30)Guerilla marketing, lead generation, and getting off-market deals (13:15)Managing mobile home parks (20:20)Andrew’s plans for the next five years (29:26)Top five inv

EPISODE 357: Imagine being able to win any negotiation. Well, today's guest doesn't have to imagine that because he can! Chris Voss spent 24 years with the FBI, training in the art of negotiation and gaining experience as the lead negotiator in high-stakes international kidnapping cases. He also trained at Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, and Harvard Law School.Today, Chris teaches people how to get more of what they want through a unique program he developed, applying globally proven techniques to the business world. In 2016, he also published the award-winning book Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It. To say that I'm really pumped and excited to have him on the show today would be a massive understatement!In our interview, Chris shares some of his favorite cases from his time at the FBI, 3 brilliant negotiation tactics that will help you win any negotiation, and why it’s never a good idea to compromise. Tune in! Key Takeaways: Intro (

This week, we feature one of the most successful real estate investors we’ve had on the show to date. With over 40 years of experience, Joel Friedland of Brit Properties tells us about his humble beginnings and how he built the empire he has today. Joel Friedland is the Founder of Brit Properties, an investment firm that connects investors to Chicago industrial real estate syndications. But before that, Joel co-founded Epic Savage Realty Partners, where he completed hundreds of transactions and led the leadership development team for over 20 years. Today, Joel has numerous multi-million dollar deals behind him and more to come as he maximizes the industrial real estate scene in Windy City. We’re thrilled to have him on the show to share what it’s like to lease and manage industrial real estate properties, something that our multifamily investors may not all be familiar with. Joel also describes the pitfalls he encountered through the years, including the 2008 recession and how the speedbumps helped him bec

Are you looking to invest in a new asset class? This week, we talk about something we’ve never covered before—investing in farmland and agriculture in the US. Artem Milinchuk is the Founder of FarmTogether, an investment platform that helps people invest in farmland and turn agricultural lots into tradeable assets. US farmland is an uncommon yet lucrative asset. It’s low-volatile, high-yield, a hedge against inflation. However, many investors tend to shy away from this asset class due to high initial costs and the specialized knowledge and skills required to manage farmland. Tune in to this week’s episode to learn how Artem and FarmTogether make farmland investing more manageable and accessible to investors. Who knows? Maybe investing in agricultural real estate is the next best decision for your portfolio. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. US farmland has lower volatility and higher yields compared to traditional real estate. 2. Water source is one of the most important factors to consider when underwriting and investing

How do you recover from losing everything you’ve built? And what can you do to prevent that from happening in the first place? Don Costa is a seasoned entrepreneur and real estate investor. He is the CEO of Strategic REI, Inc., the founder of The Inner Circle Elite Mastermind, a real estate rehab expert, and the host of the Flip Talk podcast. Today, he runs multiple successful businesses and helps other investors do the same by systematizing structures and building consistency. However, the journey to success was not easy for Don, much like many other investors. He lost everything in 2008 and admittedly made a lot of mistakes along the way. Thankfully, those mistakes taught him some of the most vital lessons in the world of investing and business. Join us in this week’s interview to learn how Don built his first business, lost it all in the recession, and persevered to rebuild everything from scratch. If you want to join a community for like-minded investors, Don also introduces us to his network—Inner Cir

What is the value of investing in medical offices? And why are they considered recession and pandemic resistant? Learn more about Ben Reinberg and his fool-proof values as a seasoned and successful entrepreneur. Ben Reinberg is a serial entrepreneur and the CEO of Alliance Consolidated Group of Companies, a real estate investment firm specializing in medical, retail, and industrial office properties with over $350 million in portfolio value. How did Ben Reinberg and his team at Alliance find a gold mine in medical offices and other ‘necessity’ asset classes? The process wasn’t as simple as you may think. In this week’s episode, Ben shares how Alliance operates and serves investors in the best way possible and sprinkles a few of his insights as an entrepreneur. We learn about Ben as a person and entrepreneur in this lesson-rich interview. Press that ‘Play’ button to learn more about how you can improve as an investor, business owner, and individual as a whole. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. In this business, you will f

What goes into investing in a commodity like oil & gas? Should you consider investing in this asset class to diversify your portfolio? Dave Wolcott is an established entrepreneur, a former captain in the Marine Corps, author of “The Holistic Wealth Strategy, a Framework for Building Legacy Wealth and Unlimited Freedom to Live an Extraordinary Life,” the host of the Wealth Strategy Secrets of The Ultra-Wealthy podcast, and the CEO of Pantheon Investments. In this episode, Dave gives a unique point of view on real estate as a long-term investor, walks us through the asset class of oil & gas, explains how mining from the investment standpoint works, and so much more. We also go into hedging against the devaluation of the dollar, investing in alternative energies, and building a wealth strategy that will resist economic fluctuations. We don’t have a lot of guests going into the nitty gritty of stock market assets, so we’re pumped to have Dave share his valuable insights with us today. Click on that Pl

What goes into designing, building, and selling accessory dwelling units (ADUs)? And how did SnapADU become the biggest ADU company in San Diego? Whitney Hill is the Co-Founder and Head of Business Development & Innovation at SnapADU, a licensed general contractor and San Diego’s biggest accessory dwelling unit construction company. Although Whitney graduated from Yale with a Psychology degree, she found her way to the real estate space, particularly the general contracting niche. With her prominent supply chain background and expertise in the ADU niche, Whitney and her team have built a highly efficient way to provide cost-effective housing for families, young adults, and other Californians looking for affordable housing. Whitney shares how SnapADU differentiates itself from competitors, builds credibility among the community, maintains transparency throughout the sales process, and so much more. Today, we get to learn a bit more about the world of ADUs with Whitney walking us through everything we ne

Did you miss our latest investor webinar? We’ve got you covered—here’s a replay of our hour-long live discussion with Reed, the great people at RSN Property Group, and some of our attendees. Everyone’s on the edge of their seat as the world continues to reel from the pandemic. As real estate investors, we must take preemptive actions against a looming recession and the significant economic changes that will come with it. What are the must-know changes in today’s market? And what can we expect to happen in the near future? Join us on this 2023 Investing in the US Live Webinar to learn about the most relevant market changes, previous recessions, upcoming opportunities, and so much more. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Despite the economic challenges present during post-COVID times, there are still market opportunities out there. 2. Thanks to massive changes in working setups and shopping trends during COVID, there’s a lot of pressure on office and commercial spaces. 3. Interest rates have peaked and may drop in the next f

What is it really like to invest in stocks? Many of us focus on the rewards that we often forget about the time and effort it takes to get there. Luckily, Patrick Geddes is on the show to educate us on the realities of the stock market. Patrick Geddes is the former Research Director and CFO at Morningstar, the co-founder and former CEO of multi-billion dollar firm Aperio Group, the author of Transparent Investing, and of the industry’s leading experts in after-tax investing. Throughout his long and successful career, Patrick dedicated himself to fighting “self-serving bull dung” in the investment industry. He helps consumers understand what they’re getting into beyond the “feel good” moments that pull them in and protect themselves from false promises. Patrick shares valuable insights that every investor needs to hear, centering on becoming a rational, self-aware, and open-minded investor. We talk about understanding your options and potential in stocks, the potential advantages of having wealth advisors,

Revitalizing a property takes a lot of time, money, and energy—but it can add value to both renters and property owners. Matt Ryan joins this week’s episode to explain how they help keep both parties happy. Matt Ryan is the CEO of Re-viv, a private equity investment company that revitalizes communities through growth-inducing and impactful strategies that benefit both renters and investors. He has created an effective system that keeps tenants happy, makes buildings last longer, and brings significant returns to investors. But how exactly does this system work? And what are the benefits for investors and developers? This model can be quite confusing to many, which is why we’re lucky to have Matt to tell us how it works and what it entails. Plus, Matt walks us through the co-living system Re-viv works on. Listen to how co-living works, how it helps renters afford housing, and how they enrich this type of living despite its inherent disadvantages. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Generally, owners don’t want to overpay to

We often talk about building a successful business, but what exactly goes into it? Jerry Green, a seasoned real estate investor, joins us on this episode to shed some light on what we need to know. Jerry Green is the CEO of Real Estate Solutions Unlimited, Inc., and has been in the real estate business for almost three decades. Jerry started building his business in 1994. Despite going through bankruptcy and the tragic loss of his wife, Jerry persevered and bounced back. Today, Jerry leads one of the most successful firms in Southwest Ohio and helps others find financial freedom through investing. We are honored to have Jerry on the show to share his story of overcoming major difficulties and coming out on top. Besides discussing his experiences, Jerry provides valuable insights into running a business, including finding the right people, building an effective production line, and so much more. What does it take to keep a business running like a well-oiled machine? Why is hiring the right people so importa

How do you make money without using your own cash or credit? Is such a thing even possible? Our guest for this week’s episode found a method that does exactly that. Marco Kozlowski is a world-renowned expert in real estate investing, systems process engineering, and platform speaking. Despite starting adulthood struggling to provide for his young family, Marco pulled through by making a massive career and mindset change. Today, Marco has bought over 6,000 units across various asset classes, is a respected speaker, and leads other investors to financial stability. Marco has built a system where he buys properties that owners need to sell quickly. But the process is not as easy as it seems. In this week’s interview, Marco walks us through how he finds property owners in trouble, fixes their problems, and makes significant profits off the deals. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. An exchange for a quick sale is always going to be a discount. 2. If you know where to look, you can find the right deals much easier. 3. When sell

We are honored to have one of the biggest names in the stock market investing world on the show with us this week to share his thoughts on today’s economic issues—Jim Rogers! Jim Rogers is well-known for his historic, around-the-world travels. In 1990, he embarked on a motorcycle journey across six continents over twenty-two months. He did it again in 1999 along with Paige Parker on the iconic Millennium Mercedes, traveling around the world in three years and investing in different markets along the way. Jim is also a bestselling author, a world-renowned financial commentator, and a highly seasoned American investor. Through his lifetime of experience as an investor and world traveler, Jim is now one of the most respected investors and financial commentators in the US. In this episode, we derive Jim’s insights on today’s debt market, the US economy post-COVID, and what could happen in the next few years. While everyone is still reeling from the economic mess the pandemic has created, Jim provides us with s

What is non-food franchising and what are the potential opportunities within that space? We have Jon Ostenson, the CEO of FranBridge Consulting, to introduce us to the world of franchising. Jon is a Certified Franchise Consultant, the author of Non-Food Franchising, and the CEO of FranBridge Consulting, where he helps investors understand the ins and outs of non-food franchising and connects them to the best opportunities possible. In black and white, the franchise business model is quite easy to understand; you buy a franchise and manage the business under the guidance of its parent company. However, executing a successful franchise is where it gets tricky. Luckily, Jon has jumped on the show to explain how franchises work, the most successful ventures beyond food, and what the systems (marketing, management, training, etc.) look like in this model. In addition, Jon gives us some examples of real-life franchisees and how they made whopping profits from various businesses. If you think franchising might ju

What is build-to-rent? How does it differ from traditional multifamily properties? And how exactly does it work? Ruben Greth, a seasoned BTR developer, is here with us this week to tell us everything we need to know about this unique space. Ruben Greth is a multifamily build-to-rent syndicator, the Managing Partner of Legacy Acquisitions, and the Capital Raiser Show host. With Legacy Acquisitions, Ruben and his team provide investors with off-market BTR cash flow opportunities in the best submarkets and neighborhoods. Ruben and I punch through a multitude of topics in this week’s interview—syndications, working with passive investors, development, build-to-rent, and more. Build-to-rent is a relatively new space, and Ruben explains how it differs from other niches, how he works with other partners (engineers, developers, etc.), and how these “horizontal multifamily” subdivisions came about. The build-to-rent space has a lot of potential, and we’re glad to have an expert on the show to discuss how it works.

We’re thrilled to have a fellow Aussie on the show with us this week—Stephen Keighery of Home Buyer Louisiana! Stephen Keighery is the Founder of Home Buyer Louisiana and Bald Eagle Investments, bringing in serious profits for both himself and his investors. But before building his business in the United States, Stephen was a prominent business partner at an Australian company hipages. We get into a deep dive into Stephen’s IPO, including the challenges they underwent and how it paid off in the end. Plus, Stephen walks us through what they do at Home Buyer Louisiana, a home flipping company that buys distressed homes in New Orleans, providing a win-win situation for buyers who want to get fast cash for their properties. Stephen’s US companies are still quite young, but as an experienced entrepreneur, his endeavors are growing pretty fast. However, the journey hasn’t been easy. Find out how Stephen made a massive exit and got to where he is today. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Going the aggressive route in your busines

If you’re a rugby fan like me, you’re going to love this week’s episode. Let’s listen to how John Van Der Giessen, a former professional rugby player for the USA Eagles, went from a pro athlete to a real estate entrepreneur. John Van Der Giessen is a former rugby union player with a successful 15-year career under his belt. He represented the United States as captain of the USA Eagles in the 2007 and 2011 World Cup, etching his name into US rugby history. John traveled the world to learn the sport and spent more than a decade building his career as a remarkable athlete. But just like all other athletes, his time to chase another goal came. Today, John is a successful real estate executive and Partner at REM Capital. John and his multi-talented team now have over $300 million in total assets under management, more than 3,400 units, and $1.5 billion managed by group leadership. While his success as a real estate investor rings clear today, the transition from an international professional athlete to an entre