In this episode of the Go Big! Live Real Estate Investors podcast, host Matt Drouin interviews Michael Blank, a leading authority on apartment investing and the CEO of Nighthawk Equity. Michael shares his journey from a corporate job at AOL and webMethods to becoming financially independent through real estate investing. He emphasizes the need for relationship building, especially with brokers, and the importance of becoming "deal ready". Michael discusses his experience with flipping houses, running restaurants, and the pivotal moment when he transitioned to multifamily apartment investing. He outlines strategies for raising capital, building a successful real estate team, and navigating the complexities of commercial real estate. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting, this episode provides valuable insights into achieving financial freedom through apartment investing.
00:00 Start Now: The Importance of Early Capital Raising
00:18 Introduction to the Go Big! Live Podcast
00:58 Meet Michael Blank: Real Estate Investor Extraordinaire
01:47 Michael's Journey: From Corporate Job to Financial Freedom
03:16 The Struggles and Lessons of Early Investments
04:07 The Turning Point: Discovering Passive Income
05:15 Scaling Up: The Shift to Bigger Deals
06:41 The Importance of Building the Right Team
07:03 Case Study: Lessons from the First Big Deal
07:20 The Who, Not How Mentality
10:44 Building Relationships for Deal Flow
14:45 Raising Capital: Strategies and Tips
16:29 Navigating Distressed Deals and Debt Sourcing
16:59 Building Relationships with Brokers
18:17 Finding the Right Mortgage Broker
20:54 Operational Framework and Business Planning
21:50 Advantages of Smaller Deals
23:44 Raising Your First Million Dollars
25:54 Effective Networking Strategies
28:23 The Role of Social Media in Scaling
32:04 Parting Words of Advice
Get in Contact with Michael:
Instagram: @themichaelblank
Facebook: @themichaelblank
Youtube: ApartmentInvesting
Website: https://TheMichaelBlank.com