Denver Investment Real Estate

#590: New Build Communities Selling 40% Below Cost: Distress Or Opportunity?


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Property Llama crossed $1 million in annual recurring revenue in Q3 2025.

Reaching $1M ARR is a significant milestone for any business. It signals that a company has found product-market fit, built repeatable systems, and created sustainable value. For software and platform companies, it’s often seen as the threshold where you transition from bootstrapping to building—where you have the resources to compete for top talent, invest in marketing that scales, and pursue strategic partnerships from a position of strength.

We achieved this milestone three years from launch with meaningful profitability, built during one of the most challenging real estate markets in recent history. We’re no longer fighting for survival—we’re building from strength.

In 2025, we set fewer quarterly goals than ever before. This wasn’t lack of ambition—it was strategic discipline. We doubled down on what’s working. We focused on what mattered most and met or exceeded every Q3 goal.

Executive Summary
  • $1M ARR Milestone: Three years from launch to sustainable, recurring revenue that validates our business model
  • Record Capital Raises: Beat our $1.5M monthly goal, averaging $2M per month with $3.1M in our best month
  • Team & Systems Excellence: Small but mighty team executing with discipline
  • Strategic Partnerships: National media presence through Best Ever CRE and Passive Pockets—networking at scale
  • Fund Manager Model Validated: Proved this approach works and positions us to scale in 2026
  • Strong Deal Performance: Our existing deals continue performing well
  • Breakthrough Capital Formation Results

    Our capital raising momentum accelerated throughout Q3:

    • Goal: Raise $1.5M+ per month. Result: Averaged $2M per month
    • Hit $3.1M in October—our best month ever
    • Over 66% of monthly raises come from repeat investors—investors who’ve experienced our process, seen the returns, and chosen to invest more
    • This is the compound effect of laser focus on our strategy, mature marketing systems built around our core product, and the right people executing flawlessly with mature systems.

      Our pipeline heading into Q4 remains strong, positioning us to maintain this momentum through year-end.

      National Media Partnerships

      We executed on our national expansion strategy through strategic media partnerships for brand building, thought leadership, and networking at scale.

      Best Ever CRE Network

      Richard now hosts “Unlimited Capital” every Monday on the Best Ever CRE network—the biggest media brand in the syndicator world:

      • Richard’s regular podcasts are creating engagement and performing well
      • Building relationships with fund managers nationwide who want to work with us
      • Scheduled to lead a workshop at the March 2026 Best Ever Conference
      • Bigger Pockets & Passive Pockets

        Chris secured his official co-host position with Passive Pockets, with a clear path to becoming the primary host:

        • Positioned as the go-to expert on active to passive transitions across the entire Bigger Pockets ecosystem
        • Active to Passive program exceeded expectations—Bigger Pockets committed to two more cohorts in 2026
        • Multiple future collaboration opportunities in development
        • These partnerships allow us to leverage established platforms and audiences rather than spending years and significant capital building our own national reach. It’s an efficient path to scale that aligns with our disciplined approach to growth.

          Team & Systems Excellence

          We maintained our “small but mighty” team philosophy while investing in systems that multiply our effectiveness. Our Q3 performance came from a lean team executing with discipline, not from throwing people at problems.

          When you have the right people in each seat:

          • Execution becomes smooth and consistent
          • Everyone knows their role and delivers
          • Team develops deep expertise in their domains
          • Systems and processes scale efficiently
          • This operational excellence frees up management bandwidth to focus on strategic growth rather than day-to-day firefighting. Our scale gives us advantages: we get access to better deals, we carry weight in negotiations, and we secure the terms we want. Some of these are pushing institutional-level deals.

            Building Scalable Distribution: The Fund Manager Model

            While we focused on direct capital raising, we simultaneously built a second distribution channel: fund managers.

            We helped our first fund manager launch their deal in Q2, and our second in Q3. This validates our approach and positions us to scale this model in 2026.

            The benefits for everyone:

            We unlock deals and marketing systems that fund managers wouldn’t normally access. They get quality investment opportunities and proven capital raising infrastructure.

            We generate additional revenue and expand our capital raising capacity. Our existing scale—proven systems, amazing deal flow, and capital raising capacity—gives us advantages most fund managers don’t have.

            As we aggregate larger pools of capital, we strengthen our negotiating position with sponsors—securing better economics for our investors while maintaining strong relationships with quality operators.

            This scalable infrastructure creates better outcomes for fund managers, sponsors, investors, and Property Llama.

            Looking Ahead: Q4 2025 and 2026 Strategy

            We anticipate our debt fund to close in Q4. Our strategic focus is turning to income-focused funds, primarily through credit opportunities.

            We’re currently underwriting four potential funds (including one in Canada with unique benefits) that will achieve high teens to mid-20s cash-on-cash returns.

            This aligns with what we’ve learned throughout 2025: our investors want consistent, strong income returns, and credit strategies deliver exactly that in the current market environment.

            Closing Thoughts

            Q3 demonstrated that strategic focus creates compounding results.

            Our $1M ARR milestone validates that our model works at scale. The foundation is solid. The team is capable. The systems are mature. We’ve transitioned from figuring things out to scaling what works. That’s the foundation for building something enduring.

            We appreciate your continued trust and support as we build Property Llama into the valuable company we all believed it could be.

            For questions or to discuss investment opportunities, feel free to email us directly.

            Watch the YouTube Video
            https://youtu.be/WKo3mpGdzSs
            Timestamps

            00:00 – Intro 
            01:21MAJOR MILESTONE: Property Llama Crosses $1M in Annual Recurring Revenue
            04:34 – Q3 Results: Capital Formation Breakthrough ($3M Single Month Record)
            06:28 – Building National Media Partnerships (Best Ever CRE & Passive Pockets)
            09:05– How Media Partnerships Create Networking at Scale
            11:06 – Team & Systems Excellence: Building a Small But Mighty Operation
            13:13Validating the Fund-of-Funds Model (New Channel for Capital Raisers)
            17:48 – Looking Ahead: Q4 Planning & 2026 Strategy
            19:45 – Closing Thoughts & Holiday Shareholder Party Invitation

            Connect with our Hosts:

            Chris Lopez: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christaylorlopez/
            Richard McGirr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardmcgirr/

            Links in Podcast:

            Best Ever CRE Network
            Passive Pockets
            Bigger Pockets
            Unlimited Capital podcast with Chris Lopez and Richard McGirr
            Property Llama
            Chris Lopez LinkedIn
            Richard McGirr LinkedIn

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            Denver Investment Real EstateBy Chris Lopez - Denver Investment Broker