Racking Up Rentals

You've heard the expression before: "everything is for sale at the right price!" But is it that actually true? No, it's not. It's close, but not quite accurate—and the distinction is an important one for Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs to understand, if they are to get the 'yes' they need from their Sellers. In this episode, Jeff explains why it's not true that "everything is for sale at the right price," and explains the more accurate statement: "everything is for sale when you can give the Seller something they'd prefer to have more."

How do you add more units to your existing portfolio, without buying more properties? You master the art of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)! ADUs are additional units that many cities and towns allow you to add to your existing single family homes. In this episode, Jeff interviews Derek Sherrell, known as "That ADU Guy." Derek is a passionate advocate for ADUs, and an extremely knowledgeable resource about all aspects of them. In this conversation, Jeff and Derek discuss a wide range of ADU topics, from how to find the right properties, to important construction considerations, to financing strategies and more!

In a word full of Extroverts who get their energy from meeting with and talking to as many people as possible, where do Introverts fit in? If you're a fan of the Thoughtful approach to real estate investing, there's a good chance you feel at least a little like an Introvert yourself. In this episode, Jeff interviews Ashley Harwood of Move Over Extroverts, who specializes in coaching real estate professionals who are Introverts. Jeff and Ashley discuss what it's like to wonder, "what's wrong with me?" and feel frustrated and lost when extrovert-oriented business strategies don't work for us, and also discuss the incredible super-powers that introverts are gifted with, and how they can be extremely valuable traits in the real estate business.

Real estate investing starts with actually being able to buy a property, right? But is that "Acquisition and Finance," or is it more accurately, "Finance and Acquisition"? Many real estate investors make one big mistake: they think of their "deal-finding" and "deal-financing" strategies as being two separate and unrelated efforts. In this episode, Jeff explains that in order to build a scalable portfolio, you need a repeatable process for Acquisition and Finance: FIRST, choose your financing strategy, THEN design your acquisition strategy accordingly.

When is the right time to consider transitioning your acquisition and finance strategy to buying properties off-market, directly from Sellers? A lot of people think that you should only make this transition after you've exhausted all the "low hanging fruit" ways of buying and financing properties. Others think you should only make this transition after you're more experienced. In this episode, Jeff explores the notion of what "low hanging fruit" really is in real estate acquisition, and explains why buying properties off-market directly from Sellers is actually lower-hanging fruit than conventional ways like shopping on the MLS or working with wholesalers.

Ever feel like you could make more progress in your real estate investing endeavors if you just had more CASH? Sure, many investors do as well. But it turns out that in most cases, you probably don't need quite as much cash as you may think you do. In this episode, Jeff explains why when you feel like you have a cash problem, you usually don't really have a cash problem. Instead, what you have is an acquisition and finance strategy problem. Jeff explains the problem and what to do about out it.

When you embark on a new path, learning new skills and attempting to do something you've never done before, that new path is by definition full of uncertainty and challenges. And while many people address their fears and discomfort by stepping off the path entirely, others continue to move forward bravely and boldly. In this episode, Jeff interviews Michael Monteith, a coaching client from The DEALS Workshop. Michael shares insights about his journey and experiences doing his first off-market deal with Seller Financing, lessons learned and aha moments that not only got the deal done, but make him more confident moving forward into his future deals as well.

When you think about appraisals, what comes to mind? Expensive, time-consuming steps that are a necessary evil in the process of getting a loan? Or do you think of them as helpful tools to make sure you're buying the property for a fair price? Either way, you probably think of appraisals as REQUIRED. But what if an appraisal could be an OPTIONAL step in your acquisition process? When you buy properties with Seller Financing, appraisals can indeed be optional. In this episode, Jeff discusses the situations in which optionally choosing to have an appraisal could be very helpful in your acquisition and finance process.

One of the most contentious topics in the real estate investing community is coaching—do you, or don't you, need a coach? Each side has strong opinions. Those who do not believe in coaching will often say, "everything you need is available in books and podcasts." But is that true? In this episode, Jeff explores this topic, and explains why he believes—without a doubt, based on his experience of both being a coaching client and coach himself—that you do indeed need a coach if you want to be the best possible real estate entrepreneur. Jeff explains why you need a coach, and how to pick the right one for you.

When does "the negotiation" begin, when you're talking directly to a Seller, off-market? While many regular real estate investors would say it begins after the pleasantries are done, we Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs think differently. To us, the negotiation begins the second we first have contact with the Seller, and is conducted through a million tiny little "touch points" that the Seller has with us. In this episode, Jeff explains what touch points are, and how the secret to winning the invisible negotiation is to thoughtfully and intentionally manage those touch points.