The Best Ever CRE Show JF 4094: From Truck Sleeping to Nine-Figure Net Worth ft. Jeremy Barker
Nov 19, 2025
Jeremy Barker, founder and CEO of Murphy Door Inc., transformed from a firefighter to a nine-figure commercial real estate investor. He shares his journey through bankruptcies and living in a truck, which reshaped his understanding of money and risk. Jeremy discusses value-adding strategies for nearly vacant industrial properties and ventures into short-term rentals. He emphasizes the hidden costs of wealth on family dynamics and offers insights on parenting amidst affluence, along with his plans to establish Barker Capital Group.
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From Bankruptcy To Rebuilding
- Jeremy lived in his car after his first business bankruptcy and rebuilt by starting new companies and later Murphy Door.
- That experience reshaped his risk tolerance and made him comfortable with extreme lows while pursuing big opportunities.
Pre-Lease To Create Instant Equity
- Pre-lease vacant commercial buildings during due diligence to raise valuation before closing.
- Use signed leases to change cap-rate valuation so you can close with minimal cash down.
Switch Listings To Attract Tenants
- When a property has been listed for sale a long time, relist it 'for lease' to attract a different tenant pool.
- Market aggressively to targeted users (e.g., military contractors near bases) and you'll get leads fast.