Living Well with Rentwell

Rob Coldwell built Rentwell into a multi-state property management company, hit what he thought was "the top," and then watched it all catch fire in the span of twelve months. In this full-length presentation recorded at a DIG (Diversified Investors Group) subgroup meetup, Rob lays out both halves of what he learned: the hard numbers behind buying, renovating and financing value-add multifamily, and the inner work that let him rebuild without burning out again.Over the last five years, Rob and his business partner have acquired and fully renovated 120+ rental units using a repeatable formula: buy at roughly $100/sq ft, put another $100/sq ft into new roofs, electric, plumbing and windows, and stabilize at $250/sq ft or more. He walks through exactly how he funds those deals with 1–3 limited partners, bank debt and preferred returns, including a live $200K purchase / $150K rehab breakdown from the Q&A.In this episode:Why Rob tracks economic occupancy and rent per square foot, not just "doors"The metrics that matter most: cash-on-cash return, NOI, cap rate and ARVRob's preferred capital stack: bank at 75%, LPs under 20% equity, 6–8% preferred returnsAGFLAP → CAP: the energy scale (apathy, grief, fear, lust, anger, pride → courage, acceptance, peace) and how to move up itSamskaras, The Untethered Soul, and why "what was stored with pain comes up with pain"Choosing partners on core values (EOS), and why "partner" means equitySpace planning: turning a 2-bed into a 4-bed without adding square footageCan rentals still cash flow at 6–7% interest? Creative and seller financingCo-living, Section 8 and building a balanced portfolioWhy long-term rentals are a balance sheet game, not a cash flow gameFlipping vs. holding, and getting clear on your intentionConnect with Rob:Rentwell.com (click "complimentary consult" for property management, or to talk JV and deal structure)Monthly lunch-and-learn for active investors in King of Prussia https://www.digonline.org/Living Well with Rentwell – available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTubeNote: This episode includes candid discussion of mental health struggles. If you're going through something similar, please reach out to someone you trust or a mental health professional.#RealEstateInvesting #Multifamily #PropertyManagement #ValueAdd #CoLiving #Philadelphia #DIG #Rentwell #RealEstatePodcast

What if your next real estate deal could be 30% better just by filing some paperwork? In this episode, Rob Coldwell — general contractor, licensed real estate agent, and 20-year landlord — teaches a master class on Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs), one of the most underused tax incentives available to real estate investors.

Rob shares how he's structured his own QOZ fund, walks through real redevelopment projects in Coatesville, and explains the paperwork, compliance, and timing rules that make the difference between a fully tax-free exit and a costly disqualification. Topics include capital gains deferral, depreciation, the 10-year hold benefit, fund structuring, and the mistakes that trip up first-time investors.

This isn't theory — it's a breakdown from someone actively doing these deals. A must-listen for landlords, investors, and anyone curious about turning dilapidated properties into long-term, tax-advantaged wealth.

Find Rob and more about Rentwell at Rentwell.com

In this episode of Living Well with Rentwell, hosts TJ Houghton and Rob Coldwell welcome Margo McDonnell, President of 1031 Exchange Place and a 30-year veteran in the industry, for a deep dive into one of real estate investing's most powerful tax strategies. Margo breaks down exactly how a 1031 exchange works, what it actually costs you when you skip one, and how to use it to build long-term wealth with pre-tax dollars.

From understanding like-kind property rules and the 45/180-day timelines, to navigating depreciation recapture, partnership structures, and the differences between direct ownership and Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs), this episode is packed with practical knowledge for investors at every level. Real-world case studies — including a Manhattan brownstone, a retiring business owner, and a 92-year-old with $8 million in shore land — make the complex approachable.

Whether you're selling your first rental or managing a large portfolio, this episode will change how you think about your next sale. Plus, Craig joins at the end for a focused breakdown of DSTs as a passive replacement property option.

For more info on 1031 corp go to https://www.1031corp.comFor more info on Rentwell Property Management go to https://www.Rentwell.comProduced by www.IgniterCreative.com and www.ChesterCounty.Tv

In this month's DIG meeting, TJ Hock, integrator for Rentwell Property Management, pulls back the curtain on how he's using AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude to run a smarter, leaner operation.From a daily AI-powered "Chief of Staff" briefing that scans emails, flags red flags, and drafts responses, to prompting frameworks that turn shallow questions into deep deal analysis, TJ shows what's actually working (and what's not) in the real world of real estate investing.In this session, you'll learn:The "Big Four" AI platforms and exactly which tasks each one does bestHow to build a daily morning briefing that reads your calendar, emails, and Drive — automaticallyThe single most important concept in AI: why the prompt is everythingHow to create a custom AI agent with your own personality, management style, and business dataWhat NOT to do with AI (avoiding the echo chamber, tool overload, and blind trust in outputs)How a property management company is using AI for predictive maintenance and ROI trackingDIG meets monthly in the Philadelphia area. If you're an investor or developer interested in joining, reach out to Rob at RentWellFor more on Rentwell Property Management go to https://www.rentwell.comFor more on Marketing Agency Near You and to get their free assessment go to https://YourFreePlan.com#RealEstateInvesting #AIForRealEstate #PropertyManagement #RealEstateTech #ChatGPT #Gemini #DIG #RentWell #InvestorMeetup #Philadelphia

Living Well with RentWell — From State Trooper to Mobile Home Park Mogul with Karl KulpakWhat if the most overlooked asset class in real estate was hiding the best numbers? In this episode, host Rob Coldwell sits down with Karl Kulpak — former Pennsylvania State Trooper turned full-time mobile home park investor — to walk through a real deal in real detail.In just two years, Karl built a portfolio of 242 lots with a market value of $12.5 million, starting with nothing but a single-family rental and a four-day course that changed his trajectory. His goal for 2026: 500 lots.Karl breaks down his second acquisition — Olympic MHP in Van Wert, Ohio — with the kind of transparency most investors keep private: how he saw through the seller's inflated NOI, why he assumed an existing seller note and what happened when the private lender found out, the 60–70% bonus depreciation play that generated $1.6M in passive losses from a $2M purchase, and how he found his in-park manager by simply asking residents if they wanted to help.Rob and Karl also dig into the phantom income problem with accelerated depreciation, why Pennsylvania's proposed rent cap could make the state uninvestable for this asset class, and the ultrasonic water metering technology Carl is deploying across his portfolio to bill back utilities and catch leaks in real time.Whether you're considering your first investment property or looking to add a new asset class to a mature portfolio, this conversation is a masterclass in finding the deals most investors walk right past.For more info and to reach Karl, go to SnowHorseProperties.com.This episode is also brought to you by SimpleSubWater.com and Rentwell.com

Are you on track to meet your 2026 real estate goals? In this video, Rob Coldwell from Rentwell Property Management shares how our mission is to help you build wealth through real estate.We are currently in season two of our podcast, "Living Well with Rentwell," and we want to hear from you! Whether you are stuck on a specific problem or want to know more about a particular topic, your feedback helps us "build the plane as we fly it."

Connect with us:

Have a question or a topic you want us to cover? Send your feedback to [email protected].

You can also find us online at https://www.Rentwell.com

In this January 2026 session of the DIG Philly Subgroup, host Rob welcomes Jason Jannati — EOS Implementer, entrepreneur, and former energy audit company founder — for a raw, practical, and deeply personal conversation about what it really takes to build a business that runs without you. From hauling trash after a catastrophic company failure to coaching leadership teams across the country, Jason's story is as instructive as it is compelling. The group digs into the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), the power of accountability, and why vision without traction is just hallucination.For more on Rentwell Property Management, check out https://Rentwell.comContact Jason at 443-668-7210 or [email protected] Moments"Vision without traction is hallucination. Action without vision is a nightmare.""I love you. The standards don't.""When everything else goes away, your word and your reputation are what stand."Resources MentionedTraction by Gino Wickman — the foundational EOS bookGet a Grip by Gino Wickman — a story-based companion to TractionOutwitting the Devil by Napoleon HillThe E-Myth Revisited by Michael GerberGo Bundance — high-performance mastermind for entrepreneursEvery Man's Mastermind — local Philadelphia accountability group

Full DIG Philly Commercial Investment Subgroup Meeting | December 2025

In this special episode recorded live at the DIG Philly Commercial Investment Subgroup meeting, host Rob Coldwell sits down with financial advisor and Forbes contributor Fred Hubler to unpack one of real estate's best-kept secrets: Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs).

What You'll Learn:

Fred opens with a story that will make any landlord pay attention: a family with a $14 million mobile home park, fully depreciated with no debt, facing a massive tax bill. Through strategic DST planning, Fred's team saved them $9 million in taxes while generating MORE passive income than they were making as active operators. The real estate agent on the deal? Bought two Bentlies with his commission. Fred? Got a box of cigars.

But this episode goes far deeper than one success story.

The Conversation Covers:

• What DSTs Actually Are

• The Emotional Side of Selling

• Real Numbers, Real Portfolio

• The Three Doors Strategy

• Advanced Strategies Revealed

• Institutional Advantages

• Real Risk Discussion

• Who This Is (and Isn't) For

Key Insights:

"When they buy, they will cut expenses by 25%" — Fred explains how institutional operators immediately add value through scale

"All 18 families said a derivative of that: 'We don't think anything's going to get any better and we just want income we can trust'" — The surprising common thread among sellers

"The first question you should be asking me is how are you protecting me against additional risk" — Fred's three-layer protection strategy for investors

"I have 1,800 failure points" — How one owner with 1,800 doors described his portfolio before converting to DSTs

Practical Takeaways:

• How to identify if you or a seller is a good DST candidate (minimum $100K equity, must be accredited)
• The critical 45-day identification rule and why the best DSTs sell out in days, not weeks
• Fee structures: 5-7% of equity invested, paid once (about 93 cents of every dollar actually goes into the property)
• Why Fred uses interest rate hedges, construction contingencies, and rental model validation to protect investor capital
• The accreditation requirements: $1M net worth (excluding primary residence) OR $300K joint income for individuals; $5M for trusts

Who Should Listen:

• Active landlords considering an exit strategy or transition to passive investing
• Real estate agents working with older clients who own appreciated property
• Syndicators and developers who want to offer sellers a tax-advantaged exit
• Anyone managing 10+ doors who's tired of the operational burden
• Financial advisors working with real estate investors
• Investors approaching retirement who want to de-risk their portfolio

Resources Mentioned:

• DST-Exchange.com (Fred's 1031 calculator tool)
• Forbes.com (search "Hubler" for Fred's educational articles on DSTs and alternative investments
• The "worst case scenario" example: Kansas Gander Mountain property (2007-2016)

Whether you're sitting on appreciated real estate wondering about your next move, working with clients who need exit strategies, or simply curious about institutional-quality passive real estate investing, this episode delivers actionable intelligence you won't find anywhere else.

Host: Rob Coldwell, Principal at Rentwell Property ManagementGuest: Fred Hubler, Financial Advisor & Forbes ContributorRecorded: DIG Philly Commercial Investment Subgroup Meeting, December 2025

Note: This episode is educational in nature. DSTs are securities available only to accredited investors. Consult with qualified financial and tax advisors before making investment decisions.

Subscribe to Living Well with Rentwell for more real estate investing insights, property management strategies, and interviews with industry leaders who are actually doing the work.

What happens when you achieve your real estate goals... and realize you built the wrong thing?

In this episode of Living Well with Rentwell, host Rob Coldwell sits down with Gary Jonas, founder of The How Group, at the DIG Philly subchapter meeting for one of the most honest conversations about real estate investing you'll ever hear.

Gary's journey started like many of ours: reading Rich Dad Poor Dad, buying properties one at a time while working full-time, dreaming of passive income. Seven years and 10 properties later, he'd built a million dollars in equity—but zero cash flow.What happened next changed everything.

And it wasn't a smooth ride to the top.

In this raw, practical conversation, Gary reveals:

• The real timeline it takes to build wealth (spoiler: it's longer than you think, but more achievable than you fear)

• Why his operating companies made $0 profit for 3 straight years—and how reserves saved everything

• The return on equity calculation that determines when to sell your best properties

• How to actually protect investors against interest rate, construction, and rental risks (including the derivative strategy most investors don't know about)

• Why caring about effort over results has kept his partnership strong for 28 years

• The specific market opportunity Gary sees in 2026 (and why it reminds him of 2008)

• The brutal truth about partnership scorekeeping and why it destroys businesses

• How to structure deals that attract investors in a market where nobody wants to deploy capital

Gary talks openly about projects that went over budget, deals that didn't work, and the cycles that nearly broke him. But he also shares the exact strategies, calculations, and mindsets that took him from 10 single-family homes in Manayunk to a $350 million portfolio.

Whether you're buying your first rental property or managing a portfolio, this episode will change how you think about real estate investing.

GUEST BIO:Gary Jonas is the founder of The How Group, a real estate development and investment firm with a portfolio valued at over $350 million in the greater Philadelphia area. With 30+ years of experience across multiple real estate cycles, Gary has completed projects ranging from small multifamily buildings to large-scale developments. He's known for his investor-first approach and transparent communication about both successes and challenges in the real estate business.

RECORDED:DIG Philly Subchapter Meeting, November 2025

TOPICS COVERED:Real estate investing, multifamily development, partnership structures, risk management, market cycles, Philadelphia real estate, investor relations, return on equity, capital deployment, construction management, property management

Rob Coldwell from Rentwell Property Management introduces Season 2 of the "Living Well with Rentwell" podcast.