5 Talents Podcast - How To Build Wealth Through Real Estate

By the time he was 24, our guest helped lead the #1 real estate team in the Carolinas to produce more than $140mm in annual sales, and in today’s show, we’ll have the pleasure of hearing from him. Chris Salerno, the Founder and CEO of QC Capital LLC, believes investing in real estate is the best building block for financial freedom. Named to Charlotte’s 30 under 30, Elite 50 entrepreneurs, 30 under 30 entrepreneurs, and nominated for Forbes 30 under 30, Chris has quickly gained recognition, and notoriety for his hard work, and dedication. If that’s not enough, Chris is also the founder and host of the “Mindful Multi-family Podcast. 

With all this, let’s dive into Chris’ wealth of wisdom and learn how he’s gotten to where he is by partnering with long term investors and his best practices.

[00:01 - 07:01] Opening Segment

• Let’s get to know Chris Salerno
• Chris gives us some background 

[07:02 - 12:56] We’re Not Looking for a One-Off

• How Chris set his sights on Multifamily 
• Looking for long term investors
• Chris’ advice for Passive investors and GP’s

[12:57 - 17:09] Asking the Right Questions and Getting Educated

• Business insights for PI’s and GP’s 
• Chris talks about his upcoming book 
• Chris talks about his company’s operations 

[17:10 - 25:44] Knowledge is Power 

• Best practices for scaling and getting you next deal 
• The more you have, the more you can help 
• Chris talks about the qualifications and strategies for his deals 

[25:45 - 35:39] Closing Segment

• Chris talks us through the strategy for his current property 
• Breaking down how to know you’re going to make an ROI
• What makes the Carolinas a good market and finding a good market
• How to reach out to Chris as an LP accredited investor - links below
• Final words from Chris and Me

Tweetable Quotes:

“We’re not looking for a one-off investment, we want an investor… that is going to be with us 50  - 60 years. We’re going to build that strong relationship for the future.” - Chris Salerno 

“Education is number one… education is power, knowledge is power.” - Chris Salerno  

Resources Mentioned:

• Mindful Multifamily Show
• Kingdom Capitalists
• Mindful Multifamily Network FB Group

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook. Visit https://qccapitalgroup.com/ to learn more about partnering up. 

Guest Email: [email protected]

Connect with me:

https://www.5tcre.com/

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Watch 5T CRE on YouTube

Leave us a review and receive your free ebook

Email us --> [email protected]

Support the show

Today’s guests are a dynamic duo who believe you grow through what you go through: Tamara & Eric Leever, President and Vice President of Madre Construction, Consultation, and Capital and Managing Partners of SLS RE Holdings LLC. They met 20 years ago over a real estate transaction (After Tamara sold Eric a house) and have been married for 16 years. When they’re not running to and from properties, they’re running their daughter to and from practice or games. They’ve both had 20+ years in real estate, SFH fix & flips, MFH value add projects. 

Let’s get right into this episode as Eric and Tamara share about how partnering up with people and jumping in despite the doubts has led them to learn and build success. 

[00:01 - 09:49] Opening Segment

• Let’s get to know Eric and Tamara Leever 
• Tamara and Eric give us some background 

[09:50 - 19:19] Tapping into the Network and Jumping in Both Feet First 

• Eric talks about going into their first Multifamily deal from SFH
• Learning while taking action 
• Go out and find partnership 

[19:20 - 27:00] Lesson Learned 

• The lessons learned along the way that they apply now 
• The effects of doubt on the relationship 
• Tamara’s perspective on communication and vulnerability

[27:01 - 36:00] Learn Through Making Partnerships 

• Next steps and strategies for Eric and Tamara
• Insights on the current state of the Detroit market 
• Advice and cheat codes for passive and active investors

[36:01 - 44:41] Closing Segment

• Networking for the introverts 
• Come from a place of care 
• How to reach out to Tamara and Eric - Links Below 
• Final words from Eric, Tamara, and Me

Tweetable Quotes:

“You never know who would go, ‘hey I’d be interested in that, let’s do this,’ and they may have the money or they may know somebody that did it, and they can hook you up.” - Eric Leever 

“Tell people what your goals are, and then I think it’s a natural instinct for people to want to help people.” - Tamara Leever 

“You grow through what you go through and you get stronger from it.” - Tamara Leever 

“Either passively invest or actively invest, I mean it’s really what you want to do, but just do it, get past the fear… I can tell ya when you’re filled with fear you’re gonna be motivated.” - Eric Leever

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with Eric and Tamara or email them at the addresses below. Call Tamara at (586)322-9111. 

Guest Email: Tamara [email protected] & Eric [email protected]

Connect with me:

https://www.5tcre.com/

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Watch 5T CRE on YouTube

Leave us a review and receive your free ebook

Email us --> [email protected]

Support the show

Forget out about the deal for a second, how is your underwriting? How’s the quality of your sponsor? We’ll talk about this today with our guest Omar Khan, a CFA and Real Estate investor and syndicator with Boardwalk Wealth. Omar has 10 years of investing across real estate and commodities, with vast experience in advising high other net-worth advisors and entrepreneurs on real estate portfolio allocations. He’s helped many implementing global data-driven decision-making practices by focusing on relationship development, mentorship and talent management.

Let’s jump right into the episode and learn how the process and filters you use to do underwriting and partnership is vital to the overall deal. 

[00:01 - 07:08] Opening Segment

• Let’s get to know Omar Khan
• Omar gives us some background 

[07:09 - 15:17] Using Golden Standard Financial Advising Experience 

• Omar breaks down what a CFA charterholder is and how he got the title 
• How Omar uses his experience today 
• How Omar does deals today and advice on playing the game 

[15:18 - 23:39] Finding Deals that Fit Your Investment Criteria; Passing Filters 

• Omar walks us through his deal process and strategy on the GP and Passive side 
• Pass through underwriting filters then visualize 
• The importance of sharing filters with the brokers 

[23:40 - 33:23] Forget About the Deal for a Second 

• Looking at the quality of the sponsor
• The importance of partnering with a team 
• Vetting and education of the partners 

[33:24 - 42:20] Closing Segment

• Omar talks about sourcing the right mentorship and education 
• How to get more of Omar - links below 
• How Omar gives back 
• Final words from Omar and Me

Tweetable Quotes:

“Before you decide to look into numbers… you gotta decide what do I want to do? What kind of resident do I want to have? And where does that particular type of resident or a particular type of property exist?” - Omar Khan

“You have to be comfortable with, ‘letting go of deals that are not fitting your investment criteria.’” - Omar Khan

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with Omar on LinkedIn or email [email protected]. Visit https://www.boardwalkwealth.com to learn more. 

Guest Email: [email protected] 

Connect with me:

https://www.5tcre.com/

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Watch 5T CRE on YouTube

Leave us a review and receive your free ebook

Email us --> [email protected]

Support the show

If you take care of your residents, they’ll take care of the property. Words of wisdom from today’s guest Bruce Wuollet, the Founder, Visionary, and Owner of Bakerson. Bruce has a proven track record of success throughout Bakerson’s nearly 18 years in business with thousands of individual units bought, repositioned, and sold. He has overseen all aspects of the business and his focus is on finding good deals while his passion is serving the residents by providing them with one of their basic human needs – shelter. 

I’m looking forward to hearing from Bruce about how he both creates legacy and maintains high-performing assets. 

[00:01 - 08:25] Opening Segment

• Let’s get to know Bruce Wuollet 
• Bruce gives us some background 

[08:26 - 16:03] Take Care of Your Residents 

• Bruce talks about how he scaled both sfh and multifamily 
• Knowing and taking care of your residents so they take care of the property 
• Giving your residents something other owners won’t 

[16:04 - 20:46] Knowing You Strengths and Stretching Further

• Bruce talks about his execution plan to hold in the future 
• The value of working with a team and leveraging strengths 

[20:47 - 27:28]Boots On the Ground; Getting Investors Today 

• Bruce’s advice around being the boots on the ground for people 
• How Bruce gives tactics around getting investors in this time of Covid 
• Bruce’s insights for passive investors and high earners 

[27:29 - 45:00] Closing Segment

• How to reach out to Bruce - links below 
• The story behind Bakerson 
• Bruce’s advice for people who lost on their first deals and where they can reach out
• Don’t be afraid to venture out 
• Final words from Bruce and Me

Tweetable Quotes:

“A lot of owners won’t go to the property they don’t ever want to talk to the residents, they treat them like second class citizens… every body’s the same; a humans a human, and that’s how I need to be.” - Bruce Wuollet

“You never go to bed angry at your partner, just like you never go to bed angry at your spouse. Makes for a much more peaceful sleep and a better day tomorrow.” - Bruce Wuollet

Resources:

• BiggerPockets

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with Bruce on LinkedIn or call (520)-808-9111. Visit https://bakerson.com/ to learn more. 

Guest Email: [email protected]

Connect with me:

https://www.5tcre.com/

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Watch 5T CRE on YouTube

Leave us a review and receive your free ebook

Email us --> [email protected]

Support the show

We have the “Voice of Liberty” with us today; Adam J. Carswell, a real estate entrepreneur, new media marketer, and host of the Dream Chasers Podcast. Adam is a LinkedIn Power-Networker and New Media Marketing Maverick with an expertise in social marketing and network management that set him apart from the crowd. Adam is also a co-founder of the Next Level Mastermind, an exclusive commercial real estate group of the industry’s top capital raisers. 

Let’s dive in so you can learn about how Adam mastered Super-Networking and what you can do to up your network game. 

[00:01 - 08:51] Opening Segment

• Let’s get to know Adam J Carswell 
• Adam gives us some background 

[08:52 - 16:13] The Value of Investing in Your Education

• Adam talks about what his real estate education is like
• The benefits for passive investors going through the program 
• Adam talks about the questions he gets from investors and his answers 

[16:14 - 20:45] Give Credit to Timing

• Adam talks about the other side of his apprenticeship
• What Adam does at Concordia and Liberty Fund

[20:46 - 26:15] Crypto with Cash Flow 

• Adam talks about his investments in Cryptocurrency 
• Crypto backed by real estate 

[26:16 - 37:04] Super-Networking 

• How Adam mastered networking and put himself out there
• Getting to the point of saying No more than you say Yes
• Tactical steps to getting social from Adam

[37:05 - 45:12] Closing Segment

• I summarize Adam’s advice
• Where can people reach out - links below
• Final words from Adam and Me

Tweetable Quotes:

“You should always be looking for deals because if you’re not you can get obsolete pretty quickly…” - Adam J. Carswell 

“Once you get to a level where you start saying, ‘hey I’m actually saying no way more than I’m saying yes,’ to me that’s an early sign of success.” - Adam J. Carswell

Resources:

• Dream Chasers Podcast
• Raising Capital for Real Estate Free Book
• Anarchast Podcast
• CFC Mentorship Program
• Libertyfund.io
• Concordia Realty Corporation
• Zero to One
• Joe Apfelbaum
• Liberland Show

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with Adam on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. Visit https://www.carswell.io/ as the single best way to reach out to Adam. 

Guest Email: [email protected] or VA - [email protected]

Connect with me:

https://www.5tcre.com/

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Watch 5T CRE on YouTube

Leave us a review and receive your free ebook

Email us --> [email protected]

Support the show

You’ll never do what you don’t believe you can do. That’s what today’s guest Jennings Smith, believed and now he is the Principal of Live Oak Investments. Jennings has been a real estate investor since 2013 and brings over fifteen years of residential and commercial construction experience to his team. He built his first company at just nineteen years old while attending Clemson University. His years of project management experience has helped him build a substantial multifamily real estate portfolio through stabilizing value-add acquisitions.

I can’t wait to get started and learn how Jennings’ risk-taking and teamwork mindset helped him raise capital and propelled him into his current and growing success. 

[00:01 - 10:19] Opening Segment

• Let’s get to know Jennings Smith
• Jennings gives us a bit of background on his experience 

[10:20 - 15:06] Having the Mindset to Take Risks; Breaking Through the Ceiling

• How Jennings’s family taught him how to push forward and take risks
• Jennings talks about breaking through the savings ceiling 

[15:07 - 24:54] Transitioning to Multifamily from a W-2

• Jennings talks about his current work 
• The journey getting into multifamily 
• How Jennings put his first deals together relying on a team 

[24:55 - 29:45] Raising the Capital 

• Advice from how Jennings raises capital 
• Being upfront, clear, detailed, and providing options

[29:46 - 35:12] Getting Your First Deal

• Jennings advice on owner finance and how he uses it 
• An example from Jennings experience 

[35:13 - 43:40] Closing Segment

• Jennings thoughts on negotiating with investors 
• I talk about capital gains taxes 
• How to reach out to Jennings - links below 
• Final words from Jennings and Me

Tweetable Quotes:

“You have to paint a crystal clear picture. If your investor is confused or you don’t really know all the details, you’re just giving them the opportunity to say no; and people always say no to something they don’t understand.” - Jennings Smith 

“You’re never going to do something you don’t believe you can do.” - Jennings Smith

“I love to see people successful, and winning, and making it happen, but the fact is 90-95% of people don’t… they’re looking for a huge opportunity to come across their desk, and it will not come. So, the best way to get in this game is to just start!” - Jennings Smith 

Resources:

• Tim Bratz
• Magic of Multifamily Facebook Group

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with Jennings on Facebook &  LinkedIn. Visit https://www.investliveoak.com/ to learn more.

Guest Email: [email protected]

Connect with me: 

https://www.5tcre.com/

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Watch 5T CRE on YouTube

Leave us a review and receive your free ebook

Email us --> [email protected]

Support the show

You guys know that I try to bring you the best knowledge in real estate and financial freedom. So today I’m excited to be speaking with the CO-Founder and Manager of Four Oaks Capital, Brain Briscoe. Brian is passionate about providing high-return investment opportunities in apartment buildings for those within his network by fitting the right people with the right product according to their goals. He is also the host of the apartment investing podcast, Diary of an Apartment Investor. 

Make sure you listen in and take notes as we learn the importance of taking care of your investors and best practices to do so. 

[00:01 - 06:14] Opening Segment

• Let’s get to know Brian Briscoe
• Brian gives us some background 

[06:15 - 17:01] Learning to Find the Right Assets to Build Networth 

• Brian shares his story that has made who he is today
• Finding appreciating assets to build networth 
• Brian talks about getting into commercial real estate from single family 

[17:02 - 26:55] Leaders Eat Last; Learning How to Create Wealth

• What Brian has learned and applied from the Marines 
• The difference between what the rich know versus the poor
• Brian shares advice and what he did to learn about Multifamily 

[26:56 - 30:57] The Importance of Learning with a Community 

• Brian talks about his meet-up events and finding a learning community 
• Mission accomplishment in the civilian world 
• Brian’s current asset strategy 

[30:58 - 38:52] Our Proceeds Got Cut

• Brian talks about his first deals compared to his last  
• Brian’s story about getting his proceeds cut on a loan 

[38:53 - 47:44] Closing Segment

• I summarize what we’ve learned from Brian so far 
• How to connect with Brian - links below 
• Brian’s podcast format  - an experienced investor with an aspiring investor 
• Final words from Brian and Me

Tweetable Quotes:

“The redistribution of wealth; if you really understand wealth, and you understand the 5 laws of Gold, that’s the difference between the top 1% and the rest of the 99…” - Brian Briscoe

Resources:

• Diary of an Apartment Investor
• Michael Blank Mastermind
• Richest Man in Babylon
• Rich Dad, Poor Dad
• The Millionaire Real Estate Investor 
• No Money Down
• Slack App

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn and Facebook. Visit https://www.fouroakscapital.com/ for more information on your free e-book and to connect with the team.

Guest Email: [email protected] 

Connect with me:

https://www.5tcre.com/

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Watch 5T CRE on YouTube

Leave us a review and receive your free ebook

Email us --> [email protected]

Support the show

You have a voice and you have an audience, what value will you provide? Today’s guest, Kyle Mitchell is an expert at giving value and managing people. Kyle is a Multifamily Syndicator, a podcast host of the show Passive Income Through Multifamily Real Estate, public speaker, and mentor. He is also the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at APT Capital Group and passionate about helping others reach their goals. 

I’m excited to get right into the show and learn how Kyle was able to move forward by setting the right goals and getting out of his comfort zone. 

[00:01 - 05:43] Opening Segment

• Let’s get to know Kyle Mitchell 
• Kyle gives us a bit of background 

[05:44 - 16:12] Setting the Right Goals for Your Business

• Kyle talks about his transition from his job to multifamily 
• Creating the right goals - S.M.A.R.T.
• Kyle talks about how his company deals with targets, KPI’s and trends

[16:13 - 21:26] The Keys to Management 

• Kyle gives insights into asset management 
• How Kyle leads and manages teams on a large scale 
• How Kyle learned his necessary skills 

[21:27 - 25:58] Finding the Right Partners 

• Kyle talks about how he looks for the right team 
• Looking to grow and scale on the front end 

[25:59 - 30:51] Building Up and On Credibility 

• Kyle talks about constant improvement and growth 
• Kyle talks about his first meet up to who he is now 
• How to network as an introvert 

[30:52 - 42:16] Closing Segment

• Kyle shares about leveraging a platform to raise capital 
• Virtual Asset Management Summit 
• How to reach out to Kyle - links below 
• Final words from Kyle and Me

Tweetable Quotes:

“That’s how we identify bottle-necks, by breaking it down and peeling back the onion a little bit further than normal people would.” - Kyle Mitchell 

“It’s about constant improvement, constantly pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and then constantly building that credibility kit, and really giving back to others…” - Kyle Mitchell

“Don’t focus on yourself, focus on what you’re going to provide for your guest… Every single person can benefit from something you have to say.” - Kyle Mitchell

Resources:

• Passive Income Through Multifamily Real Estate
• Passive Income Facebook Group
• Asset Management Summit

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with Kyle on LinkedIn. Visit https://www.aptcapitalgroup.com/ to learn more.

Guest Email: [email protected]

Connect with me: 

https://www.5tcre.com/

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Watch 5T CRE on YouTube

Leave us a review and receive your free ebook

Email us --> [email protected]

Support the show

This episode will give you a glimpse into what happens when you pursue something without a backup plan. Today we’ll be talking with Kelvin Fu, a Partner for the firm GL Capital. Kelvin is a determined and strong global business leader with experience in private equity and venture capital who has traveled widely and worked on bridging East and West capital with global opportunities cutting across different industries. With all his experience, he started his own business, and today he helps build wealth for passive investors in commercial, multifamily, and single-family real estate.

 Let’s jump in and learn his strategy of controlling the narrative of a whole street rather than one building.

[00:01 - 07:50] Opening Segment

• Let’s get to know Kelvin Fu
• Kelvin gives us some background on his experience and how he started 

[07:51 - 14:17] The GL Value-Add Strategy 

• Kelvin talks about his deal with the Brown’s Loft apartments
• How Kelvin brings his past experience into real estate today 
• The GL model 

[14:18 - 21:42] Owning the Asset and Yourself

• Kelvin gives some insights into starting your own business 
• Ad break 
• Kelvin’s dream and goals for the future 

[21:43 - 25:03] Controlling the Narrative of the Whole Street

• Kelvin talks about the value of owning multiple properties on a block 
• Finding a mentor who can guide you and how to provide value back
• Kelvin talks about not having any other option but to succeed

[25:04 - 30:29] No Back-Up Plan

• Kelvin talks about not having any other option but to succeed
• The value of pursuing education 
• Kelvin’s advice about sourcing deals

[30:30 - 39:10] Closing Segment

• Kelvin talks about the next steps of analyzing a property 
• How to reach out to Kelvin - links below 
• Reminder to get my free e-book - link below
• Final words from Kelvin and Me

Tweetable Quotes:

“People underestimate our model… If you prefer the heavy value-add stuff you gotta take a little bit more risk. If you prefer a more stable one the returns are gonna be less but you don’t have to stress.” - Kelvin Fu 

“I started my entrepreneur journey because I wanted to do something for myself and my family. I wanted to be able to control my time, I wanted to be able to work with people that I enjoy… I think that you have to pick the industry that you enter.” - Kelvin Fu

“I think it’s about mindset, you know; Never say no. Keep learning. Go out and just learn.” - Kelvin Fu

Resources:

• GLCProperties

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with Kelvin on LinkedIn. Visit https://www.glcapital.io/ to learn more.

Guest Email: [email protected]

Connect with me:

https://www.5tcre.com/

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Watch 5T CRE on YouTube

Leave us a review and receive your free ebook

Email us --> [email protected]

Support the show

Today I’m so excited to have with us, The Managing Director of The Fortes Company, John Fortes. John started with one single-family investment then quickly decided he needed to scale, and began syndicating apartment buildings. John now shares his wisdom with busy working professionals who want to invest in real estate but really don’t have the time to commit to finding, acquiring & operating an asset through mentorship and consultation, as well as his Podcast The Passive Investor Show.

Tune in and find out how John secures wealth for his investors by leveraging fund operations.

[00:01 - 09:44] Opening Segment

• I introduce John Fortes
• John gives us some backgrounds 

[09:50 - 14:40] Deal Strategies 

• John’s advice for people looking to sell 
• John talks about what markets he invests in
• John’s strategy going into his early deals 

[14:41 - 21:53] The Passive Investor Experience; Securing Wealth 

• John breaks down what he means by passive investor experience 
• How John gives a good, transparent investor experience 
• Balancing diversification and leveraging the operator’s experience 

[21:54 - 29:53] The Value of Syndicated Partnerships 

• John talks about how to know what fund to go with 
• Multiple property investments 
• Why go with a fund operation

[29:54 - 33:06] Finding and Giving Value 

• John talks about how to become a GP and find partners
• Put yourself out there and figure it out 

[33:07 - 40:07] Closing Segment

• How to connect with John - links below  
• How John goes about networking 
• John’s wisdom for passive investors
• Final words 

Tweetable Quotes:

“I leverage the operator’s experience as much as I can. Because at the end of the day, I’m trying to beat inflation, and if another private equity firm can do it way better, faster, and more efficiently than I can, why wouldn’t I leverage that?” - John Fortes 

“It’s the two-hand theory: you have one hand to raise yourself up, and another hand to raise someone else up.” - John Fortes

“My goal is to have more funds as I keep going, to be able to help more investors.” - John Fortes

Resources:

• The Passive Investor Show 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Connect with John on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Visit https://johnfortes.com/ to learn more about how John can help you get into your next deal.

Guest Email: [email protected]

Connect with me:

https://www.5tcre.com/

Facebook

LinkedIn

Instagram

Watch 5T CRE on YouTube

Leave us a review and receive your free ebook

Email us --> [email protected]

Support the show