Househacking and building equity through sweat equity

Leveraging HELOCs to fund acquisitions and renovations

Pulling permits and managing projects with a contractor’s license

Representing yourself with a real estate license

Neighborhood-level investment insights in the Twin Cities

Tenant screening, inspections, and hands-on project management

In TCREI Show #35, we’re joined by Evan Kraljic, a self-taught investor, licensed contractor, and DIY renovation pro who has built an impressive rental portfolio through smart leverage and relentless hustle. Evan began his real estate journey by househacking a duplex in 2019, then used the equity he built to fund subsequent purchases.

With a background in engineering, Evan applied his analytical mindset to real estate—earning both his contractor’s and real estate sales licenses to maximize autonomy. He shares the full breakdown of how he uses HELOCs to finance acquisitions and renovations, how he screens tenants, pulls permits, and selects properties with care. Packed with neighborhood-specific tips and real numbers, this episode is a must-listen for any investor ready to scale with precision.

Evan Kraljic

Shuk Rentals

Listen on Spotify

Apply with Tim – Mortgage Application

Book a Strategy Call with Adam

Book a Strategy Call with Tim

Twin Cities Investing Facebook Group

Twin Cities Investing Meetup Group

Twin Cities Investing Website

Contact Adam: [email protected]

Contact Tim: [email protected]

If you found this episode valuable, leave a review, subscribe on Spotify, and share it with a fellow investor or friend in your network.

The Twin Cities Real Estate Investing Show is hosted by Tim Swierczek, a mortgage expert with over 22 years of experience and 2,000+ loans closed, and Adam Tafel, a top-producing Realtor and Twin Cities investor. Each week, they dive into real-world investing strategies, share local market insights, and interview active investors to help you grow your portfolio — one smart decision at a time.

Tim Swierczek

Adam Tafel

Growing a rental portfolio over two decades

Marriage, business, and raising a family through real estate

Managing tenant issues, maintenance, and burnout

What they wish they’d known earlier

The long-game mindset: persistence, patience, and payoff

In TCREI Show #34, Nicole Swierczek joins her husband Tim Swierczek for an honest and heartfelt look back at their 22-year journey as mom-and-pop real estate investors. What began with the sale of their first home and a used car lot paycheck grew into a portfolio built through patience, hustle, and many late-night phone calls.

Nicole shares what it’s really been like to grow a rental business while raising a family and managing the chaos that comes with tenants, turnovers, and surprises. From the struggles to the wins, this episode is about more than cash flow—it’s about partnership, resilience, and staying in the game.

Whether you’re just starting out or deep in the weeds, this conversation will remind you that slow, steady, and committed can still win in real estate.

Nicole Swierczek

Shuk Rentals

Listen on Spotify

Apply with Tim – Mortgage Application

Book a Strategy Call with Adam

Book a Strategy Call with Tim

Twin Cities Investing Facebook Group

Twin Cities Investing Meetup Group

Twin Cities Investing Website

Contact Adam: [email protected]

Contact Tim: [email protected]

If you found this episode valuable, leave a review, subscribe on Spotify, and share it with a fellow investor or friend in your network.

The Twin Cities Real Estate Investing Show is hosted by Tim Swierczek, a mortgage expert with over 22 years of experience and 2,000+ loans closed, and Adam Tafel, a top-producing Realtor and Twin Cities investor. Each week, they dive into real-world investing strategies, share local market insights, and interview active investors to help you grow your portfolio — one smart decision at a time.

Tim Swierczek

Adam Tafel

Househacking a townhome as a first step

Renovating and renting out duplexes and single-family homes

Section 8 tenants and rent-to-own lessons

Transitioning into Airbnb and “make me move” pricing

Leaving a W2 job for full-time investing

Sourcing and scaling mobile home park deals

In TCREI Show #33, we talk with Matt Bergstrom, a full-time real estate investor with a diverse portfolio and a story grounded in slow, purposeful growth. Matt’s journey started when he casually househacked a townhome with his cousin right out of college. A decade later, he jumped back into real estate with intention — renovating a historic duplex in St. Paul’s Cherokee Park, taking on Section 8 tenants, and experimenting with rent-to-own.

Matt eventually built enough passive income to leave his job. Today, he focuses on sourcing mobile home park deals, managing his Airbnb, and raising a growing family. This conversation is about real investing in the real world — not overnight success, but thoughtful pivots, values-based decisions, and steady progress.

Matt Bergstrom

Shuk Rentals

Listen on Spotify

Apply with Tim – Mortgage Application

Book a Strategy Call with Adam

Book a Strategy Call with Tim

Twin Cities Investing Facebook Group

Twin Cities Investing Meetup Group

Twin Cities Investing Website

Contact Adam: [email protected]

Contact Tim: [email protected]

If you found this episode valuable, leave a review, subscribe on Spotify, and share it with a fellow investor or friend in your network.

The Twin Cities Real Estate Investing Show is hosted by Tim Swierczek, a mortgage expert with over 22 years of experience and 2,000+ loans closed, and Adam Tafel, a top-producing Realtor and Twin Cities investor. Each week, they dive into real-world investing strategies, share local market insights, and interview active investors to help you grow your portfolio — one smart decision at a time.

Tim Swierczek

Adam Tafel

What financial advisors actually invest in — and why

Combining frugality, DIY, and real estate to build wealth

Selling off rental properties to focus on passive investments

Using tax code strategies to transition without penalties

Shifting perspectives on risk, control, and freedom

In TCREI Show #32, we talk with Scott Jensen, a financial advisor and real estate investor known for his disciplined, practical approach to building wealth. While many advisors talk the talk, Scott has been quietly walking the walk — DIYing home projects, Airbnbing his primary residence, and building a real estate portfolio one frugal decision at a time.

Recently, however, Scott made a big pivot: he sold off his physical real estate holdings and shifted toward more passive investments that better align with his family and lifestyle goals. In this episode, we unpack the thinking behind that decision, how he’s leveraging the tax code to maximize gains, and what he’s learned about risk, control, and the psychology of freedom.

This is a great episode for anyone balancing active real estate with long-term freedom — or who just wants permission to take a smarter, saner path.

Scott Jensen

Shuk Rentals

Listen on Spotify

Apply with Tim – Mortgage Application

Book a Strategy Call with Adam

Book a Strategy Call with Tim

Twin Cities Investing Facebook Group

Twin Cities Investing Meetup Group

Twin Cities Investing Website

Contact Adam: [email protected]

Contact Tim: [email protected]

If you found this episode valuable, leave a review, subscribe on Spotify, and share it with a fellow investor or friend in your network.

The Twin Cities Real Estate Investing Show is hosted by Tim Swierczek, a mortgage expert with over 22 years of experience and 2,000+ loans closed, and Adam Tafel, a top-producing Realtor and Twin Cities investor. Each week, they dive into real-world investing strategies, share local market insights, and interview active investors to help you grow your portfolio — one smart decision at a time.

Tim Swierczek

Adam Tafel

Lack of sales volume in many suburban municipalities

Suburbs that stand out for rent-to-price ratios

Surprising strengths and weaknesses of high-end suburbs

10-year average suburban sales price trends

Best- and worst-appreciating suburban multifamily markets

How suburban performance compares to Minneapolis & St. Paul

Our honest take on the 2025 suburban multifamily landscape

In TCREI Show #31, Tim and Adam return with the third installment in their multifamily data series — this time focused on suburban markets across the Twin Cities metro. The conversation covers what’s happening in the cities outside of Minneapolis and St. Paul proper, highlighting both surprising trends and notable gaps in the data.

They break down which suburbs have enough transaction volume to matter, where rent-to-price ratios are strongest, and which areas are underperforming despite their reputations. The episode also includes a 10-year retrospective on suburban sales price appreciation, helping investors better understand how these markets have changed — and how they stack up today.

If you’re investing in suburban multifamily or considering it, this is essential listening.

Shuk Rentals

Listen on Spotify

Apply with Tim – Mortgage Application

Book a Strategy Call with Adam

Book a Strategy Call with Tim

Twin Cities Investing Facebook Group

Twin Cities Investing Meetup Group

Twin Cities Investing Website – 🎁 Download the spreadsheets from this episode here!

Contact Adam: [email protected]

Contact Tim: [email protected]

If you found this episode valuable, leave a review, subscribe on Spotify, and share it with a fellow investor or friend in your network.

The Twin Cities Real Estate Investing Show is hosted by Tim Swierczek, a mortgage expert with over 22 years of experience and 2,000+ loans closed, and Adam Tafel, a top-producing Realtor and Twin Cities investor. Each week, they dive into real-world investing strategies, share local market insights, and interview active investors to help you grow your portfolio — one smart decision at a time.

Tim Swierczek

Adam Tafel

The Twin Cities Real Estate Investing Show #30

"How Steve "The Uptown Guy" Taylor Made a Fortune in S Mpls

Steve Taylor is a real estate broker, manager, and investor operating out of Lowry Hill Minneapolis. Steve came to the states from his home country of New Zealand back in the early 2000s, landing in Minnesota shortly after the real estate crash of 08. Steve immediately saw opportunity where others did not, buying up small multifamily properties in the Uptown and surrounding neighborhoods of South Minneapolis. Today Steve has his broker's license in multiple states, and (similar to other guests) is now focused on using his REI background to build a tech-focused business. 

We talk with Steve about his start 20 some years ago in the states, growing his portfolio in Uptown, watching multiple neighborhood cycles, local politics, and a lot more. We'd love to have him back when he can tell us more about his goals in the real estate brokering space nationwide , as we didn't have time this episode to dive into his current project. 

Reaching financial independence through real estate

Property management, development, and long-term holds

Investing in lifestyle freedom, not just cash flow

Navigating real-world deal pivots and challenges

Staying resilient through investing ups and downs

In TCREI Show #29, we talk with Alyssa Strom, a passionate and experienced real estate investor based in the Twin Cities. Her journey began in 2014 after reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad, and she’s since been involved in property management, real estate development, and building her own portfolio of investment properties.

Alyssa brings thoughtful insight and great storytelling to the show, walking us through deals that didn’t go according to plan — and how she kept moving forward anyway. She’s all about pursuing lifestyle and financial freedom without burning out, and her grounded perspective is something all investors can learn from. We’re already looking forward to having her back in a future episode to dive into her impressive networking game.

Alyssa Strom

Shuk Rentals

Listen on Spotify

Apply with Tim – Mortgage Application

Book a Strategy Call with Adam

Book a Strategy Call with Tim

Twin Cities Investing Facebook Group

Twin Cities Investing Meetup Group

Twin Cities Investing Website

Contact Adam: [email protected]

Contact Tim: [email protected]

If you found this episode valuable, leave a review, subscribe on Spotify, and share it with a fellow investor or friend in your network.

The Twin Cities Real Estate Investing Show is hosted by Tim Swierczek, a mortgage expert with over 22 years of experience and 2,000+ loans closed, and Adam Tafel, a top-producing Realtor and Twin Cities investor. Each week, they dive into real-world investing strategies, share local market insights, and interview active investors to help you grow your portfolio — one smart decision at a time.

Tim Swierczek

Adam Tafel

St Louis Park Landlord Organizing

House hacking single-family homes in St. Louis Park

Self-managing 10 single-family rentals

Building and scaling a mission-driven proptech company

Tenant-first management philosophy

From rental operations to software development

In TCREI Show #28, we sit down with Oliver Lerner, a real estate investor and tech founder based in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Oliver began his journey house hacking single-family homes in St. Louis Park after college, gradually expanding into a full portfolio of 10 properties — all self-managed.

Now the founder and CEO of Shuk Rentals, Oliver has shifted his focus toward building tools that help real estate investors treat tenants better and run leaner operations. His goal: “rid the world of slumlords.” This episode covers his investing origin story, what drove him to create Shuk, and the values that fuel his work. We also swap stories about city compliance issues, landscaping disasters, and the realities of self-managing rentals. If you're a landlord or thinking about building something bigger from your rental experience, this one is for you.

Oliver Lerner

Shuk Rentals

Listen on Spotify

Apply with Tim – Mortgage Application

Book a Strategy Call with Adam

Book a Strategy Call with Tim

Twin Cities Investing Facebook Group

Twin Cities Investing Meetup Group

Twin Cities Investing Website

Contact Adam: [email protected]

Contact Tim: [email protected]

If you found this episode valuable, leave a review, subscribe on Spotify, and share it with a fellow investor or friend in your network.

The Twin Cities Real Estate Investing Show is hosted by Tim Swierczek, a mortgage expert with over 22 years of experience and 2,000+ loans closed, and Adam Tafel, a top-producing Realtor and Twin Cities investor. Each week, they dive into real-world investing strategies, share local market insights, and interview active investors to help you grow your portfolio — one smart decision at a time.

Tim Swierczek

Adam Tafel

Wholesaling in the Twin Cities market

The investor mindset behind sourcing deals

How contracting experience shapes investment strategy

Navigating the challenges and frustrations of wholesaling

The real talk behind working in off-market acquisitions

In TCREI Show #27, we sit down with Brad Smith, owner and operator of iBuyMSP, a Twin Cities-based wholesaling company. Brad brings a deep, boots-on-the-ground perspective to the conversation — drawing on his background in general contracting, his deal sourcing strategies, and the mindset it takes to work consistently in this high-pressure space.

Brad opens up about what’s working, what’s frustrating, and how he approaches building relationships in a space that’s often misunderstood by outsiders. This is one of those episodes that only scratches the surface, and we’re already looking forward to having Brad back again later this year for a deeper dive.

Brad Smith

Shuk Rentals

Listen on Spotify

Apply with Tim – Mortgage Application

Book a Strategy Call with Adam

Book a Strategy Call with Tim

Twin Cities Investing Facebook Group

Twin Cities Investing Meetup Group

Twin Cities Investing Website

Contact Adam: [email protected]

Contact Tim: [email protected]

If you found this episode valuable, leave a review, subscribe on Spotify, and share it with a fellow investor or friend in your network.

The Twin Cities Real Estate Investing Show is hosted by Tim Swierczek, a mortgage expert with over 22 years of experience and 2,000+ loans closed, and Adam Tafel, a top-producing Realtor and Twin Cities investor. Each week, they dive into real-world investing strategies, share local market insights, and interview active investors to help you grow your portfolio — one smart decision at a time.

Tim Swierczek

Adam Tafel

From DIY renovator to social media influencer

First rental property purchase in 2020

Transitioning from corporate to self-employment

The value of thoughtful design and visual storytelling

Building a high-quality real estate portfolio with intention

In TCREI Show #26, we sit down with Claire Johnston, the creative mind behind the popular Instagram account @minncenturymod. Claire began sharing her home renovation projects back in 2018 and has since built a loyal following thanks to her refreshing style, accessible approach to DIY, and love for old homes.

We talk about her transition from DIY hobbyist to real estate professional, including the 2020 purchase of her first rental and the decision to leave the corporate world behind. While Claire’s portfolio may still be small, she’s focused on quality over quantity — and her eye for color, detail, and honest storytelling has clearly set her apart. If you’re into design-forward investing or want to see what it looks like to build a personal brand around real estate, this is the episode for you.

Claire Johnston

Shuk Rentals

Listen on Spotify

Apply with Tim – Mortgage Application

Book a Strategy Call with Adam

Book a Strategy Call with Tim

Twin Cities Investing Facebook Group

Twin Cities Investing Meetup Group

Twin Cities Investing Website

Contact Adam: [email protected]

Contact Tim: [email protected]

If you found this episode valuable, leave a review, subscribe on Spotify, and share it with a fellow investor or friend in your network.

The Twin Cities Real Estate Investing Show is hosted by Tim Swierczek, a mortgage expert with over 22 years of experience and 2,000+ loans closed, and Adam Tafel, a top-producing Realtor and Twin Cities investor. Each week, they dive into real-world investing strategies, share local market insights, and interview active investors to help you grow your portfolio — one smart decision at a time.

Tim Swierczek

Adam Tafel