In this episode of the Hustle Harder podcast, host James Gaskin sits down with Patrick Soares, a South Florida-based real estate investor and construction entrepreneur. Starting from a family-run countertop business, Patrick walks us through his journey of intentional growth in real estate — from his first rental in 2013 to a 94-unit portfolio today. He shares the pivotal moment when he shifted from side hustle to scaling up, the importance of setting clear goals (like retiring at 35), and how he built and refined his business model through partnerships, out-of-state investing, and strategic property management. Patrick also opens up about managing risk, market challenges like rising insurance costs, and why quality always trumps door count.

Key Points from This Episode

0:00 – Intro: Meet Patrick Soares

1:00 – From countertops to construction to real estate

3:30 – Buying the first rental and learning through family

6:45 – Intentional growth and setting the goal to retire by 35

9:15 – Scaling from 7 units to 94 — and how he did it

13:40 – Expanding into North Carolina with a new partner

17:15 – Focusing on quality over quantity in 2025

21:00 – Realities of risk, cash flow, and portfolio management

23:50 – Letting go of control: Lessons in hiring property managers

28:00 – Managing locally vs. out-of-state

32:15 – What to look for in a good property manager

36:30 – Vetting and interviewing PMs: Patrick’s checklist

41:00 – Communication, alignment, and ethical practices

44:45 – Building strong vendor relationships and long-term loyalty

50:55 – Florida’s insurance challenges and market implications

59:30 – Why Patrick is still buying and what smart investing looks like now

1:02:50 – Long-term thinking, surviving the cycles, and advice for new investors

Links

Renovo Financial - https://renovofinancial.com/

James Gaskin on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-gaskin-b675593/