Pixels & Properties

Ian Cruz is a Finance Manager from the Bay Area with a passion for real estate. He's built a multifamily portfolio of over 30 units across the Bay Area and Cincinnati, Ohio, showcasing his extensive experience in property investment. In addition to his corporate role, Ian hosts immersive real estate field trips, sharing his insights into the industry's nuances. He emphasizes the crucial link between finance and real estate metrics, offering valuable guidance to both seasoned investors and newcomers. Tune in as we explore the dynamic world of real estate with Ian.

Discussion Highlights:

• Real estate metrics and numbers can be overwhelming. Rather than always shooting for the "highest" returns, Ian encourages investors to understand the relationship between these different metrics to truly meet their goals. 
• Ian dives into how he leverages Virtual Assistants and tech to offload some of his work and buy back more of his time
• Due Diligence tips for multifamily buildings

Where to find Ian:

• Instagram: @cincycashflow
• Email: [email protected] 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IanCruzBoxing 

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For more insights and content to accelerate your real estate success, join our free newsletter at follow this link: pixelsandproperties.beehiiv.com

About Pixels & Properties:
Welcome to Pixels and Properties - the only platform for busy, high-caliber tech professionals seeking financial transformation through real estate ventures. Subscribe to our complementary newsletter through the show notes to receive weekly deep dives, expert insights, and resources to accelerate your investment journey without buying yourself another job. Ready to build wealth on your terms? Let's get started.

Summary:

Clint Harris is a professional real estate investor and entrepreneur, and handles capital raising and investor relations at Nomad Capital. With a background in medical sales, Clint built a lucrative multifamily real estate portfolio, converted to high-performing Airbnb properties.  At Nomad Capital, he his team buys big box retail and converts them to self storage facilities. He has raised capital for over $90M in stabilized assets. His mission is to inspire financial, location, and time independence for investors.

Discussion highlights:

• "Financial freedom itself is shallow. That’s not the goal. The goal should be financial independence combined with time independence and location independence. Those three things together mean that you can do what you want, where you want, when you want. It creates an independence of purpose."
• "No matter what your skillset is, there’s a way that it can apply specifically to real estate and real estate investing because it’s a very broad subject matter. There’s a million different things you can do."
• "It’s always daunting when that career has a really high ceiling. But it does have a ceiling. The question you have to ask yourself is, is that ceiling enough for my family? Not just with money, but with time and independence…Once [you decide] that it isn’t enough, then the only real risk is not doing something."

Where to find Clint:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://nomadcapital.us/
• Podcast: Truly Passive Income

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For more insights and content to accelerate your real estate success, join our free newsletter at follow this link: pixelsandproperties.beehiiv.com

About Pixels & Properties:
Welcome to Pixels and Properties - the only platform for busy, high-caliber tech professionals seeking financial transformation through real estate ventures. Subscribe to our complementary newsletter through the show notes to receive weekly deep dives, expert insights, and resources to accelerate your investment journey without buying yourself another job. Ready to build wealth on your terms? Let's get started.

Summary

Mike Kaeding, founder of Norhart, a Minneapolis-based multifamily builder, shares how they've lowered construction costs by 20-30%. Norhart applies techniques such as the assembly line to increase labor productivity and reduce construction timelines. By optimizing every step of the construction process, they can cut down on labor costs, accelerate project completion, and have a substantial impact by offering affordable housing to a larger number of individuals and families.

Highlights from the episode:

• Mike Kaeding applies principles from other industries, like manufacturing, to construction to reduce costs, emphasizing bringing work under one roof and implementing assembly-line techniques for enhanced productivity.
• Streamlining the supply chain and sourcing materials internationally is a key strategy to significantly reduce construction costs and enhance overall efficiency in the building process.
• Success in construction relies on hiring the best talent, creating a supportive environment for their growth, and recruiting individuals from diverse backgrounds to bring fresh perspectives and innovation.
• Mike's goal is to expand into new regions, recognizing that different geographies present unique challenges. Building the right infrastructure and leveraging expertise are essential for entering new markets successfully.

About The Guest:

Mike Kaeding is the CEO of Norhart, which stands at the crossroads of construction expertise and visionary leadership in the realm of affordable housing. With a mission to revolutionize the real estate industry, Mike is driven by the belief that reducing construction costs can profoundly impact housing affordability. Drawing inspiration from diverse industries, such as manufacturing, he pioneers innovative approaches that redefine how we build homes.

To get in touch with Mike:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/mikekaeding/

YT: https://www.youtube.com/@Norhart

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/norhart/

Website: https://www.norhart.com/

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For more insights and content to accelerate your real estate success, join our free newsletter at follow this link: pixelsandproperties.beehiiv.com

About Pixels & Properties:
Welcome to Pixels and Properties - the only platform for busy, high-caliber tech professionals seeking financial transformation through real estate ventures. Subscribe to our complementary newsletter through the show notes to receive weekly deep dives, expert insights, and resources to accelerate your investment journey without buying yourself another job. Ready to build wealth on your terms? Let's get started.

Mark Ainley shares key insights for investing in the Chicago real estate market. He stresses the importance of local professionals, warns against D-class areas, and advises on considering extra expenses like Section 8 inspections. Mark encourages finding solid deals in stable areas, leveraging tools like virtual assistants, and building relationships with wholesalers for investment opportunities. He welcomes anyone looking to invest in Chicago to reach out.

Highlights from the episode:

• A good deal is a good deal, regardless of market conditions. Investing in a solid asset in a stable area with positive cash flow is a reliable way to make money in real estate
• Mortgage rates should not deter you from investing. If the investment deal makes financial sense and aligns with your goals, the interest rate shouldn't be the sole deciding factor
• While exceptional deals may be scarce, opportunities still exist for those willing to put in the effort. Success in real estate investing requires proactive effort and networking
• Instead of waiting for a market crash, focus on acquiring solid assets and gradually building a real estate portfolio over time. Timing the market can be challenging and less effective compared to strategic, consistent investments

GC Realty Guide for Chicago Investors: https://www.gcrealtyinc.com/ebook

Recommended book: Virtual Freedom: How to Work with Virtual Staff to Buy More Time, Become More Productive, and Build Your Dream Business

About the guest:
Mark Ainley is an investor, real estate managing broker, and local property manager with nearly two decades of experience in all facets of real estate. He is the co-founder of DC Realty and Development, LLC, a full-service real estate brokerage, property management, and real estate investment firm in the Chicago real estate market. Mark has completed over 480 successful rehabs and has been featured on CNBC's TV show "The Deed" and various podcasts.

Get in touch w/Mark:

• instagram.com/sucipodcast
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
• straightupchicagoinvestor.com

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For more insights and content to accelerate your real estate success, join our free newsletter at follow this link: pixelsandproperties.beehiiv.com

About Pixels & Properties:
Welcome to Pixels and Properties - the only platform for busy, high-caliber tech professionals seeking financial transformation through real estate ventures. Subscribe to our complementary newsletter through the show notes to receive weekly deep dives, expert insights, and resources to accelerate your investment journey without buying yourself another job. Ready to build wealth on your terms? Let's get started.

Working and saving to buy rental properties works! Until you run out of cash. So how do you continue to grow your portfolio beyond that? In this episode, learn how Brian Grimes leveraged BRRR deals (over 300 of them!), creative financing, and virtual assistants to build a system that can scale infinitely.

Highlights from the episode:

• You have to become an expert on each facet of the business from acquisition to repositioning to management, and then train others to take over that task for you. Brian has virtual assistants doing everything from deal analysis to leasing to maintenance
• Your role is to be the architect of the whole system (eg, work on your business, not in your business) and to make sure all the pieces are working in sync
• Creative financing is a way to create a win-win situation for both the buyer and the seller, where the seller can get completely passive cash flow while the buyer gets to buy a deal with little cash out of pocket
• Brian talks about Section 8 and co-living, two different but highly profitable strategies for landlords that provide affordable housing solutions for tenants
• If you can systematize your operations with boots on the ground and VAs for aircover, you can operate in multiple markets all over the country

About the guest: Brian K. Grimes, Jr. CFP® is an Ivy League educated real estate entrepreneur and coach. Upon graduation from Columbia University in 2011 he embarked on a career in Financial Planning at AXA Advisors before transitioning to high net worth asset management at Bridgewater Advisors. In 2015, Brian launched his own real estate development company in his home town of Philadelphia, and has since gone on to gut renovate 300+ rental properties across the country using the BRRRR strategy.  He is raising his sons, Brian III and Tomas, in the Bronx with his wife, Zila Acosta-Grimes.

To get in touch with Brian:

• IG: briangrimes_247cfu
• YT: @BrianLovesCashFlow
• LinkedIn
• 24/7 Cash Flow University was founded by Brian to teach students how to create passive income and escape their 9-5 desk job. Brian teaches students how to full-gut renovate, acquire, and stabilize cash flowing rental property portfolios

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For more insights and content to accelerate your real estate success, join our free newsletter at follow this link: pixelsandproperties.beehiiv.com

About Pixels & Properties:
Welcome to Pixels and Properties - the only platform for busy, high-caliber tech professionals seeking financial transformation through real estate ventures. Subscribe to our complementary newsletter through the show notes to receive weekly deep dives, expert insights, and resources to accelerate your investment journey without buying yourself another job. Ready to build wealth on your terms? Let's get started.

About The Guest(s):

David Johanson is an entrepreneur and real estate investor based in Fargo, North Dakota. He has started, purchased, operated, and sold multiple businesses throughout his career. Currently, he and his wife own and operate three companies: Daybreak Properties, a real estate holding company; Daybreak Property Management; and Daybreak Property Maintenance. They also own a lease option company called First Door LLC.

Summary:

David Johanson shares his journey from selling his pottery studio business and to diveing headfirst into real estate investing. He chose Fargo, North Dakota as his market due to its robust economy and favorable investment conditions. David emphasizes the importance of building relationships and networking with local real estate investors to find the best deals. He also discusses his lease option strategy, which involves leasing properties to tenants with the option to purchase in the future. This strategy allows him to provide affordable housing options and create win-win situations for both tenants and investors.

Key Takeaways:

• Success in real estate investing is all about building relationships and networking with local investors.
• Choosing the right market is crucial for maximizing returns and cash flow.
• Lease options can be a profitable strategy for providing affordable housing and creating win-win situations for tenants and investors.
• Finding the right tenant-owner is essential for the success of a lease option deal.
• Honesty and transparency are key when evaluating potential tenants and their creditworthiness.

Quotes:

• "Success is all about people."
• "Expenses destroy profits."
• "You have to find a market that you like."
• "Success is all about relationships and people."
• "You have to find the right tenant-owner."
• "Lease options can be a win-win for both tenants and investors."

Get in touch with David

• www.daybreakproperties.com
• www.expenseskillprofits.com
• email: [email protected]

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For more insights and content to accelerate your real estate success, join our free newsletter at follow this link: pixelsandproperties.beehiiv.com

About Pixels & Properties:
Welcome to Pixels and Properties - the only platform for busy, high-caliber tech professionals seeking financial transformation through real estate ventures. Subscribe to our complementary newsletter through the show notes to receive weekly deep dives, expert insights, and resources to accelerate your investment journey without buying yourself another job. Ready to build wealth on your terms? Let's get started.

Highlights from the episode:

• Thesis-driven investing: start with a macro worldview on where housing, energy, food, etc are going over a 5-10 year timeframe
• The different types of syndicators: from specialized operating shops focused on a specific asset class, to capital raisers, to opportunistic managing partners 
• These aren't just assets, but companies that have to execute on the deal's business plan to generate the returns; investors should due diligence the track record of the management team as much as the asset 
• These aren't just tenants, but customers that businesses (eg, the landlords) have to market to and compete for 
• Is build to rent a needle mover in the country's housing challenges, or an opportunistic play?
• Why invest in oil & gas even though there's a transition away from fossil fuels

About the guest: Aram Sarkissian has over 25 years of experience in the Silicon Valley as a technology professional in various management and leadership roles. As General Manager for an engineering services company he led the team to highly profitable growth through strategic partnerships and organic growth initiatives. He was part of the core management team that took the company through a successful $780M sales process and integration.

Aram’s investment philosophy is to align with the right people and proven teams to uncover and invest in opportunities that align with macro trends. Aram’s current real estate investment portfolio includes over 1,800 units of single and multifamily residential real estate in 6 states. Additional investments include self-storage, life settlements, notes, early-stage financial tech, software and Intellectual property.

Le Creme Partners was founded by Aram Sarkissian and Jeff Block, two Silicon Valley veterans, each with decades of experience in the fast paced world of technology. They have successfully managed large, high margin P&Ls while leading teams and growing those businesses several times over. They are technologists, having developed and applied the technologies used to make our mobile and computing infrastructure work (it’s likely the work they have done has played a part in how you are consuming this content). They've raised $25m for 5 syndicated investments in Houston, Austin, and Louisiana in build-to-rent and oil-and-gas deals. To find out more, visit LeCremePartners.com

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For more insights and content to accelerate your real estate success, join our free newsletter at follow this link: pixelsandproperties.beehiiv.com

About Pixels & Properties:
Welcome to Pixels and Properties - the only platform for busy, high-caliber tech professionals seeking financial transformation through real estate ventures. Subscribe to our complementary newsletter through the show notes to receive weekly deep dives, expert insights, and resources to accelerate your investment journey without buying yourself another job. Ready to build wealth on your terms? Let's get started.

In today's episode, we discuss industrial single-tenant triple-net lease real estate acquired through a sale-leaseback: which sounds like a jumble of buzzwords but is actually a safe and steady investment strategy centered on the often invisible core of the American economy: small and mid-market companies.

Key takeaways:

• Day to day property management responsibilities are very light in industrial NNN assets, as the tenants handle all the maintenance and operations. Since these facilities manufacture the goods that drive their business, the tenants take great care of the properties
• Analyzing and mitigating credit risk of private companies is a key competitive differentiator for MAGCP
• Once the assets are acquired they generate consistent and predictable cash flow, since the tenants pay all the expenses in a net-lease, annual rent escalations are agreed to upfront, and the leases are often 20 years long 
• The tenants are private mid-cap companies with 8/9-figure EBITDA and strong gross margins, boring yet profitable companies most of us have never heard of but that produce goods we all consume

About the guest: Drew Wahlgren serves as the Vice President of Capital Markets at MAGCP, where he oversees both equity and lending relationships. He joined the company in 2019 following a successful 8-year tenure as a risk analyst and program manager at Liberty Mutual Insurance. Drew holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from California State University at Hayward. He resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro area with his wife and three children, and enjoys spending quality time outdoors with his family.

About MAGCP: Founded in 2015 by Dax T.S. Mitchell and Andrew Gi, MAGCP is a private investment firm specializing in industrial real estate and small-mid cap operating companies approaching $800m in assets under management. The sale-leaseback model generates immediate cash flow while securing management-friendly long-term net leases. They've launched two funds, each deploying $60m of equity into this core strategy.

MAGCP also acquires small cap operating companies, providing further opportunities to unlock value through business professionalization and recapitalizations. To date, MAGCP Equity has acquired four companies with a combined 250 employees. In addition, MAGCP utilizes strategic partnerships and programmatic joint ventures to execute on more targeted investment strategies. To find out more, go to magcp.com

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For more insights and content to accelerate your real estate success, join our free newsletter at follow this link: pixelsandproperties.beehiiv.com

About Pixels & Properties:
Welcome to Pixels and Properties - the only platform for busy, high-caliber tech professionals seeking financial transformation through real estate ventures. Subscribe to our complementary newsletter through the show notes to receive weekly deep dives, expert insights, and resources to accelerate your investment journey without buying yourself another job. Ready to build wealth on your terms? Let's get started.

About The Guest(s):

Angela Yan is a real estate investor and a former post anesthesia nurse. She began her real estate journey in 2001 when she applied for a loan to help her mother and uncle with a house flip. Since then, Angela has built an impressive portfolio of properties, including single-family homes, multi-unit buildings, and co-living facilities. She is known for her ability to pivot and adapt to market conditions, and she is passionate about building relationships and finding creative solutions in the real estate industry.

Summary:

Angela Yan, a real estate investor and former nurse, shares her inspiring journey in the real estate industry. From her early experiences with house flipping to her current portfolio of properties, Angela has learned valuable lessons along the way. She emphasizes the importance of buying low and holding onto properties to benefit from market cycles. Angela also highlights the advantages of real estate investing, such as the ability to leverage loans and the stability of the US housing market. She encourages aspiring investors to view their W2 jobs as allies and to build a strong team of professionals, including property managers, real estate agents, contractors, loan officers, and insurance agents. Angela's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, creativity, and building relationships in the real estate industry.

Key Takeaways:

• Real estate is a long-term investment that requires patience and the ability to ride out market cycles.
• The US housing market is stable and offers opportunities for investors to buy properties with low down payments.
• Building relationships with professionals such as property managers, real estate agents, contractors, loan officers, and insurance agents is crucial for success in real estate investing.
• Holding onto properties and leveraging loans can help investors build wealth and generate passive income.
• Being open to pivoting and adapting to market conditions is essential for surviving and thriving in the real estate industry.

Quotes:

• "Real estate is one of the best investments for a lot of people because the secret sauce is how do you succeed? How do you win? It's like you buy low. So how do you buy low? You buy now." - Angela Yan
• "Real estate allows me to be really creative. I love design. I like picking tiles, I like looking at pretty things. And it was a fun project for me." - Angela Yan

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For more insights and content to accelerate your real estate success, join our free newsletter at follow this link: pixelsandproperties.beehiiv.com

About Pixels & Properties:
Welcome to Pixels and Properties - the only platform for busy, high-caliber tech professionals seeking financial transformation through real estate ventures. Subscribe to our complementary newsletter through the show notes to receive weekly deep dives, expert insights, and resources to accelerate your investment journey without buying yourself another job. Ready to build wealth on your terms? Let's get started.

About the Guest:

Hersh Rai is a Principal at RaiVu Capital, primarily focusing on acquisitions and investor relations.He heavily invests in commercial multifamily assets, manufactured housing communities, and short term rentals across the Midwest and Southeast. Beyond real estate investing, Hersh is an active duty naval officer who specializes in meteorology and oceanography. Currently, he is serving at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center based out of Pearl Harbor, HI. Currently, RaiVu operates across 3 states with over 130 units valued at over $5MM.

Great Insight:

Hersh walks step by step around how he sources off-market deals. He essentially links multiple VAs / online tools together. He starts by using a database like PropStream, then hires someone to skiptrace the data, then reviews the work of the person he hired, then hires someone to cold call the identified leads. Any leads that emerge from this process are then evaluated by his team.

Other great nuggets:

• "That's what it comes down to, right? Being a good person and being able to put yourself in the perspective of others. If you can do that, you're going to have a lot more [success]...You never know what's going on in a person's life. So best to say like you're looking at the tip of the iceberg. Don't assume the 99% do your best to assist."
• "There are four main categories that you should look for within a partner and they need to have at least one of them...Knowledge, capital, deal flow, and experience...So in identifying these four components, what speaks volumes for all four of these things is actionability.....Actionability speaks larger than anything else you may be able to do for them. If you are actionable, people are going to be more aligned to work with you and take a chance on you, versus not. If you can be actionable and present the four things that I just said in a certain degree, you're going to do well."

How to get in touch with Hersh:

• Visit raivucapital.com
• Email: [email protected]
• LinkedIn: Hersh Rai

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For more insights and content to accelerate your real estate success, join our free newsletter at follow this link: pixelsandproperties.beehiiv.com

About Pixels & Properties:
Welcome to Pixels and Properties - the only platform for busy, high-caliber tech professionals seeking financial transformation through real estate ventures. Subscribe to our complementary newsletter through the show notes to receive weekly deep dives, expert insights, and resources to accelerate your investment journey without buying yourself another job. Ready to build wealth on your terms? Let's get started.