The Property Geek Podcast

An investor with over 300 properties shares the difference between an amateur and a professional

03.14.2017 - By Rob DixPlay

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The theme of this series has been "turning pro" – so what better way to wrap it up than to speak to someone who's been a professional trader and investor for over 30 years?

Jonathan Schuman holds around 300 commercial and residential properties, and has his own private "agency" to manage them. When the credit crunch hit, Jonathan was perfectly positioned with his contacts and knowledge to profit while everyone else was panicking – and he took bold action to seize the opportunity and rapidly scale his portfolio.

Our conversation touches on the property cycle, what constitutes a "deal", and where the opportunities are in today's market. Prepare to feel in equal parts inspired and inadequate...

Listen to this week’s show and learn:

*Why Jonathan aggressively expanded his portfolio after the last crash, while everyone else was selling

*How he managed to find funding for his purchases, at a time when nobody else could

*The properties he targeted to make sure he got really spectacular discounts

*How Jonathan has shifted what he's buying in response to a changing market

*What he considers a "good deal"

*How he sources the type of deal he's looking for

*What he considers the dividing line between an amateur and a professional

*The best and worst deals he's done over the last 30 years

*Where he sees the opportunities as being in the current market

*What he'd do if he was starting again today

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