Welcome back to Radical Wealth Plan, hosted by Paul Mark Morris and brought to you by Entrepreneur Media. In this episode, I sit down with developer and contractor Adam O’Neill to uncover the untapped opportunities hiding in plain sight for real estate investors—opportunities most people overlook because they fear the complexity of entitlements, zoning, and development approvals. Adam reveals how recent policy shifts in California have transformed the playing field, creating new “by-right” development paths that strip away many of the political and bureaucratic roadblocks that used to stall projects. We explore how to identify progressive cities with high housing demand, spot parcels with hidden potential, and use strategic relationships to turn local knowledge into extraordinary value. You’ll also hear how creativity, curiosity, and calculated risk can open doors to projects with outsized returns, even for those who aren’t seasoned developers. If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate high-barrier markets or turn regulatory changes into profitable advantages, this conversation will change how you think about growth in real estate.
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00:01:54 Building trust in partnerships
00:03:26 Adam’s background in real estate development
00:05:37 Paul’s multifamily investment approach
00:08:08 Why investors fear entitlements
00:11:12 California’s zoning shift
00:15:05 “Brain damage” and barriers to entry
00:18:37 CEQA changes and NIMBY vs. YIMBY
00:20:34 ADUs and state housing policy
00:22:47 Applying California lessons nationally
00:24:15 Entitlements as a business model
00:25:27 Creative deal-making examples
00:33:36 Starting as an LAPD officer
00:36:27 Curiosity, tenacity, and focus
00:44:49 Largest projects and scaling up
00:52:28 Small lot subdivisions and density
01:15:14 Buy-right development strategies
01:23:28 Ordinance SB 1123 and other opportunities
01:28:07 Lightning Round
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