Commercial Real Estate Secrets

This week on Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sit down with Brittany Megrath, owner and principal broker at M Square Commercial, to dig into the evolving world of retail real estate and ground-up development. From fast-food drive-thrus to the explosion of Las Vegas, Brittany shares what’s working in retail, why land pricing is more critical than ever, and how developers are adapting to a high-cost, high-uncertainty market.Key Topics Covered:Why retail—especially service-based pad sites—is thrivingThe impact of inflation, tariffs, and interest rates on developmentWhy land pricing is the most negotiable (and risky) part of a dealThe rise of Las Vegas from mom-and-pop town to institutional hotspotLease escalation trends post-COVID and how CPI clauses are changing the gameThe real hustle behind being a successful CRE brokerConnect with Brittany: Website | Linkedin Liked this episode? Share it with a friend.Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review! Even a short sentence helps us keep bringing you the content you love.Ready to sell or lease a warehouse? Visit warehousehotline.com to get started. Connect with Aviva: Website TikTok Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

This week, I sat down with Matt Buchalski—head of sales at OwnWell and founder of Deep Blue Capital—to talk about something that’s crushing a lot of investors right now: property taxes.Let’s be real—pricing peaked in 2022, but the tax assessments haven’t caught up. If you’re not actively appealing, you’re probably getting fleeced. Matt and I go deep on how he and the OwnWell team are using AI, machine learning, and real-time financials to fight back—and win.💥 In this episode, we cover:Why property taxes don’t go down just because values doHow AI and data science are changing the tax appeal gameWhy triple net landlords should still care (yes, even if the tenant pays)How fraud, renewals, and oversupply are shaking up multifamilyIf you’re a commercial real estate owner, broker, investor—or just trying to make your numbers work in this market—you’ll want to hear this one.Connect with Matt: Linkedin | Website Liked this episode? Share it with a friend.Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review! Even a short sentence helps us keep bringing you the content you love.Ready to sell or lease a warehouse? Visit warehousehotline.com to get started. Connect with Aviva: Website TikTok Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

This one’s for the brokers, investors, and dealmakers who think they know 1031 exchanges—but are still stuck in the “sell-then-buy” mindset. In this real-world deep dive with Chassidy Goolsby, aka The 1031 Gal, we’re breaking past the basics and into the gray areas the IRS doesn’t put in the brochure.We get into:Forward vs. reverse exchanges (and when to use each)The 45-day trap most brokers don’t warn you aboutWhy improvement exchanges are the ultimate value-add hackPortfolio identification rules (and how to not blow your deferral)How to actually plan a 1031 exchange—not just reactWhat’s changed post-2022—and what’s coming nextMarketing in a male-dominated, tax-code-driven worldWhether you’re an agent advising a seller, an investor planning your next move, or just trying to sound smart at your next closing—this episode is your blueprint.Connect with Chassidy: Linkedin | Instagram Liked this episode? Share it with a friend.Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review! Even a short sentence helps us keep bringing you the content you love.Ready to sell or lease a warehouse? Visit warehousehotline.com to get started. Connect with Aviva: Website TikTok Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

On this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I had the absolute pleasure of catching up with my friend, fellow mom, and one of the sharpest brokers I know—Amy Calandrino. She’s the founder of Beyond Commercial and just released her first book, From Perfect to Real.Amy and I talk about the pressure to always have it together in commercial real estate—and how admitting you're not okay can actually be your greatest turning point.In this episode, we get into:How a podcast, a keynote, and a breakdown led Amy to write her book The SPORTS Success System she created to reset her mindset and stay consistentWhat actually works on social media (and what brokers get totally wrong) Why boutique brokerages give clients what big firms can’tHer secret to landing off-market deals using snail mailAnd what authenticity actually looks like in a commercial real estate careerThis conversation reminded me why we do what we do—and how showing up as yourself is still the best strategy in business.📖 Grab From Perfect to Real on Amazon👋 Connect with Amy: amycalandrino.com | beyondcommercial.com Liked this episode? Share it with a friend.Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review! Even a short sentence helps us keep bringing you the content you love.Ready to sell or lease a warehouse? Visit warehousehotline.com to get started. Connect with Aviva: Website TikTok Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

This week, I sat down with Rod Santomassimo, founder of the Massimo Group and one of the most influential voices in commercial real estate coaching. Rod has helped some of the biggest names in the business—including Bob Knakal—scale their income and sharpen their focus. I’m proud to say I’ve been working with Rod for over a year now, and his impact on my mindset and business has been game-changing.In this episode, we talk about:How Rod went from serial entrepreneur to launching the most respected CRE coaching firm in the countryThe real story behind Bob Knakal’s jump from $6M to $18MWhy Rod and Bob teamed up to write Selling Buildings—and who it’s forThe biggest money-making mistakes brokers are making in 2025Whether cold calling is dead (spoiler: probably)How to escape the transaction treadmill and build a real brandThe mindset shift that separates seven-figure brokers from everyone elseRod’s CRE secret: why total conviction is the true unlock for income growth📚 Want the book?Selling Buildings hits Amazon May 20th. Whether you're a broker or investor, it’s packed with deal stories, tactical insights, and a front-row seat into the mind of one of CRE’s greatest.🔗 Learn more about Rod’s work:Check out www.massimo-group.com. If you’re serious about growth, this is where it starts. Liked this episode? Share it with a friend.Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review! Even a short sentence helps us keep bringing you the content you love.Ready to sell or lease a warehouse? Visit warehousehotline.com to get started. Connect with Aviva: Website TikTok Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

This week, I sit down with Topher Stephenson, Head of Operations at Aspire Commercial and author of Chat CRE News—the leading newsletter on AI and tech in commercial real estate. In this episode, Topher breaks down how ChatGPT is becoming a secret weapon for brokers, operators, and owners looking to save time and scale smarter.What we cover:How Topher uses ChatGPT to create bios, draft property descriptions, and even write drone video scriptsThe difference between experimenting with AI and operationalizing it with custom GPTsWhy ChatGPT is ideal for CRE tasks like summarizing leases, analyzing zoning codes, and generating SEO-optimized contentWhat brokers need to know about integrating AI into their daily workflowA behind-the-scenes look at how Aspire Commercial uses automation and ChatGPT to increase efficiencyReal talk: Can ChatGPT replace cold calls—or should it stay behind the scenes?💡 If you're still wondering where to start with ChatGPT or how to move beyond basic prompts, this episode is your playbook.Listen now to learn how ChatGPT is becoming a CRE pro’s most valuable tool.Follow Topher: LinkedIn | Newsletter | Instagram Liked this episode? Share it with a friend.Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review! Even a short sentence helps us keep bringing you the content you love.Ready to sell or lease a warehouse? Visit warehousehotline.com to get started. Connect with Aviva: Website TikTok Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sit down with Justin Ryder, a commercial real estate advisor, investor, and media creator based in Kentucky. Justin is the co-host of Sales Life, a new podcast redefining what it means to thrive in brokerage—with a focus on authenticity, consistency, and human connection.We talk about: 🚀 How content creation brought him repeat deals and long-term clients 🎯 Why consistency beats intensity in commercial real estate 📈 The ROI of media: From social proof to building a pipeline 🏢 Investing as a broker: LP deals, trust in operators, and lessons learned 🎥 His obsession with video, storytelling, and pushing CRE marketing forwardIf you're in the trenches of CRE brokerage and wondering how to stand out, stay sane, and scale your business—this episode is for you.📲 Follow Justin Ryder: LinkedIn | Podcast | X | Youtube Liked this episode? Share it with a friend.Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review! Even a short sentence helps us keep bringing you the content you love.Ready to sell or lease a warehouse? Visit warehousehotline.com to get started. Connect with Aviva: Website TikTok Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sit down with Brent Bowers, land investor and founder of The Landsharks. After deployments and landlord headaches, Brent found a high-margin niche no one was talking about—flipping raw land for massive profits, building passive income, and ultimately, buying commercial properties with cash flow from dirt. 🏞️We talk about:🚀 How Brent turned $285 land deals into multi-million dollar flips📦 Why seller-financed land is better than rental property headaches📈 The step-by-step playbook for buying and reselling vacant land🏗️ Turning 38 acres into 80 buildable lots (and a $2M payday)🤝 How teaching others actually grew his land businessIf you’re looking for cash flow without tenants—or just want to hear how raw land can fund industrial buildings—this episode is for you!Connect with Brent: Website | Linkedin Liked this episode? Share it with a friend.Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review! Even a short sentence helps us keep bringing you the content you love.Ready to sell or lease a warehouse? Visit warehousehotline.com to get started. Connect with Aviva: Website TikTok Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, I sit down with Cory Zelnik, CEO and founder of Zelnik & Company. After building his career from walking Manhattan streets for $250 a week to negotiating multimillion-dollar leases, Cory is now one of NYC's leading retail leasing experts.We talk about: 🛍️ Why retail isn’t dead (and how luxury brands are thriving in NYC) 🤝 How to build lifelong client relationships (featuring CVS, Duane Reade, and Panda Express) ⏳ The secret to patience in dealmaking (including an 8-year pursuit of Panda Express) 📈 Navigating NYC’s ups and downs in commercial real estate 🎾 New emerging retail trends like pickleball in midtown ManhattanIf you're in commercial real estate, brokerage, or looking to understand the heartbeat of retail, this episode has the real insights you need.Connect with Cory: Website | Linkedin | Instagram Liked this episode? Share it with a friend.Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review! Even a short sentence helps us keep bringing you the content you love.Ready to sell or lease a warehouse? Visit warehousehotline.com to get started. Connect with Aviva: Website TikTok Instagram Facebook LinkedIn

Most women don't lack the ability—they lack the confidence and support to fully engage in real estate investing. In this episode of Commercial Real Estate Secrets, Aviva sits down with Liz Faircloth, co-founder of the Real Estate InvestHER community and host of the InvestHER Show podcast, to explore how women are reshaping the real estate investment landscape.💡 We talk about: ✔️ Liz’s journey from a duplex to managing over 2,000 multifamily units ($150M+ in assets) ✔️ Powerful insights into why women hesitate in investing despite controlling $10 trillion in assets ✔️ How combining knowledge and community creates confident, empowered investors ✔️ Creative financing strategies, including leveraging home equity lines of credit (HELOC) ✔️ Essential tips on conservative underwriting to mitigate risk in uncertain markets ✔️ Behind-the-scenes of Liz’s innovative ground-up residential project ✔️ The real-world impact when women achieve financial independenceIf you're ready to build your real estate portfolio, boost your investing confidence, or simply learn from women who are leading the charge in a traditionally male-dominated industry, this episode is filled with actionable insights you can apply today. 🔥Connect with Liz Faircloth: Website | Podcast | Linkedin Liked this episode? Share it with a friend.Love the show? Leave us a 5-star review! Even a short sentence helps us keep bringing you the content you love.Ready to sell or lease a warehouse? Visit warehousehotline.com to get started. Connect with Aviva: Website TikTok Instagram Facebook LinkedIn