Imagine buying my first shopping center for $3.5M… and letting $1M in potential value sit vacant. That’s exactly what happened—and it took a no-fluff wake-up call from Beth Azor to make me see the truth every investor needs to hear.

In this episode, I unpack my conversation with a doctor-turned-investor who bought a 10-tenant retail property but is frustrated by two vacancies. Despite keeping the seller’s leasing team, nothing’s getting filled—and here’s the kicker: I haven’t even visited the market. Beth walks me through how that hands-off approach is costing me big, both in annual rent and in property value.

This episode is a powerful case study in the cost of inaction—and what it really takes to build a successful portfolio of shopping centers.

👉 Plus: I give a special shoutout to the Women’s Real Estate Investment Summit and share how men can support the women in their lives to invest in commercial real estate too.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Vacancies cost more than you think. Two empty units could mean $1M in unrealized value—know your numbers.

• You can’t manage what you don’t understand. If you’ve never visited the property, how do you know what’s really going on?

• Leasing agents aren’t miracle workers. If they’re not performing, replace them—especially before giving them renewal business.

• Understand your market firsthand. Rents might be $40 PSF today—not $30 like 3 years ago. Are your leasing assumptions outdated?

• Absentee ownership isn’t passive—it’s risky. If you want to scale, you need to be proactive or bring in the right partners.

• Set systems, not silos. Build relationships with tenant reps, vendors, and your tenants—even if it’s just a 3-day visit.