Whether you’re interested in active or passive investing, you’ll get key takeaways on how to expand your footprint from this episode featuring Charles Carillo, a real estate investor and entrepreneur. Charles has been involved in multifamily and commercial real estate investments since 2006. He is the managing partner of Harborside Partners, a real estate syndication firm, and has invested in more than $200 million worth of investment real estate to date. He’s also the host of the Global Investors Podcast, in which he interviews professionals about investing in U.S. real estate and educates listeners about industry-related topics.   Charles grew up in Connecticut and watched his father’s practices, which included being a multifamily investor and owning about 100 units in the area. The experience helped him learn the inner workings of property management, such as dealing with tenants and making decisions about repairs. He also saw the time flexibility his father was able to have as an investor.   During the conversation, Charles advises starting out small, such as with a two- to four-unit multifamily building. That’s exactly what he did in 2006, when he purchased a three-unit property and lived in one of the units. He put into play some of the knowledge he had gained from observing his father to manage the building. He then went on to purchase more properties nearby.   Spotting opportunities to expand, Charles forayed into other areas of the country, starting with Florida. He saw the synergies that could come from syndications, and established systems to vet deals and operators. Today, having invested in 13 states, he mentions the value of looking for job growth, population growth, and decreases in crime over the past two decades in a region. He also has implemented strategies to create efficiencies, including using AI as a tool to inform investors and cater to their communication preferences.   Along the way, Charles fielded questions from those living outside of the U.S. who were interested in real estate within the country’s borders. In response, he shared deal opportunities with them and developed resources related to foreign investing. He also uses a referral network to connect investors with required legal work that is involved. He strives to educate those interested in real estate on the importance of studying locations, learning about markets, and working with the right people to get ahead.   You can connect with Charles at his website HarborsidePartners.com and his show, the Global Investors Podcast.   And I’m always happy to connect with listeners—you can find me online at: My website: JamesNelson.com LinkedIn: JamesNelsonNYC Instagram: JamesNelsonNYC Twitter: JamesNelsonNYC My Real Estate Weekly articles: REW-online.com/author/jamesnelson My Forbes.com articles: Forbes.com/sites/jamesnelson