How can your investments create both financial return and meaningful community impact?

Entrepreneur and investor Alpesh Parmar joins the Real Returns podcast to share how a layoff in 2009 sparked his journey into real estate—and why impact now drives every decision he makes. Alpesh discusses his evolution from buying turnkey rentals to investing in mobile home parks and RV parks, emphasizing how he balances ROI with what he calls ROT: Return on Time. He also shares the story behind co-authoring Growing the Money Tree for Kids, a book that turns financial concepts into digestible lessons for children. Whether you're wondering how to invest out of state, why impact matters in real estate, or what it looks like to teach your kids about money, this episode delivers.

[00:01 - 05:24] Laid Off and Leveling Up

• The significance of not having passive income when crisis hits.
• Why Alpesh gravitated toward real estate despite no background in investing.
• What led him to begin exploring other income streams before narrowing his focus.

[05:25 - 10:16] Real Estate Without Borders

• The importance of turnkey providers in starting out.
• Why he shifted from buying single-family homes to larger multifamily deals.
• The need for strong partnerships and local teams in remote investing.

[10:17 - 15:27] Measuring More Than ROI

• What ROT (Return on Time) means in practice.
• The importance of aligning investments with personal values.
• Why his mobile home park turnaround is his proudest achievement.

[15:08 - 20:48] Building Real Community

• What a strong property manager can do to maintain community connection.
• Why social events like potlucks build more than just rapport.
• The significance of creating ownership pride among residents.

[20:49 - 24:30] Teaching Kids to Grow Money Trees

• The need for simplified, relatable financial education for children.
• Why involving kids in writing made them grasp financial concepts.
• What the book covers—from stocks to silver coins—and how it became a resource.

Connect with Alpesh!

https://moneytreebooks.com/

Key Quotes:

"Before, it was all about ROI. Now, it's also about the kind of impact I can make through that investment."- Alpesh Parmar

"Now I won't invest in stocks like cannabis or alcohol. If I don't believe in it, I won't fund it." - Alpesh Parmar

Visit our website https://www.birgo.com/to learn more about High-Quality Recession Resistant Assets for the Everyday Investor

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