Rental Property Owner & Real Estate Investor Podcast

In 2012 Lonnie Shields and his wife were driving down the Beltline when their lives changed forever in an auto accident. Today Lonnie & I talk about that accident, and the role real estate investing has played on their road to recovery. Lonnie shares his thought process in determining to sell off his small Multifamilies in Grand Rapids and invest in Single-Family Homes in a new, less expensive market. We discuss the 1031 exchange he's currently doing by selling a 5-unit and purchasing 8 to 10 Single Families in Muskegon, Michigan. We also talk about Self-Directed IRA's, and how Lonnie prefers using his SDIRA as a way to invest in two SFHs instead of the stock market, where he was losing money every year. Lonnie also talks about reconciling his Christian faith with the realities of being an investor and landlord, and the effect it has on his trust in sellers, contractors and tenants. Lonnie is also a big believer in the benefits of being an RPOA member. If you'd like to learn more about the RPOA, go to www.rpoaonline.org And please be sure to give this podcast a review & rating on itunes. Enjoy!

Benjamin Mcclellan grew up with eight brothers & sisters, few material possessions, and even less money. Many of his meals consisted of rice, beans, and popcorn. But his parents instilled in him a strong work ethic and a lifelong passion for learning. That passion has led Benjamin to invest in 14 Buy & Hold Rentals, as well as 3 Flips in the Grand Rapids area. He's also done what I'd call "Extreme House Hacking" by buying foreclosed properties with no running water, gas or heat, and living there while he does the rehab. This strategy has led to interesting encounters with homeless squatters, thieving neighbors, and frozen pipes, but its also set Benjamin on the path to financial independence. Benjamin also has a knack for creating relationships with sellers and note holders that has helped him acquire his properties for very little money down with unique deal structures. He shares the nuts and bolts of those deals in today's conversation. If you want to know what it takes to start with very little and build it into a strong portfolio of real estate assets, then I know you're going to enjoy today's conversation.

Should you be forced to allow residents to smoke medical marijuana in your properties? Are you concerned about Rent Control Laws affecting your bottom line? Who should pay the cost of getting rid of Bed Bugs? Is it your responsibility to make sure your residents are registered to vote? Who is helping to shape the legislation that answers these questions? The Rental Property Owners Association ("RPOA") is, that's who. And today, we talk with Clay Powell, the Director of the RPOA, about a little understood, yet vital function of the RPOA, which is to work with local and state legislators to prevent laws that could make owning rental property more expensive and cumbersome for Landlords and Investors. Clay and I discuss recent successes in preventing mandated inspections for Lead Paint, requiring landlords to register their residents to vote, expensive requirements for new smoke detector technology, and many other issues that affect our bottom line. The RPOA is protecting your rights as a Landlord and Investor, whether you're a member or not. You can help out by becoming a member: www.rpoaonline.org You can also contribute to the Political Action Committee ("PAC") by calling 616-454-3385 with your donation. Enjoy the show!

A year ago Cameron & Emily Walker, in their own words, 'knew nothing' about buying rental property and real estate investing. Cut to today's conversation where they share how they came across the concept of House Hacking, located & purchased a duplex, and are now living in one unit and using the rent from the other unit to pay their bills. It wasn't an easy learning experience, and Cameron & Emily are going to tell us how they raised money for their down payment from their wedding registry, evicted their tenant while on their honeymoon, and how they're using their extra house hacking income to pay off their student loans. We also debate whether or not they should pay off their Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) immediately, or apply those payments to their next house hack. I know you'll enjoy today's episode. Cameron & Emily never thought they'd be home owners so soon, let alone rental property owners. If you're already an investor this conversation will remind you what it was like when you began. If you're not yet an investor, this episode will inspire you to get started! And if you like what you hear, do me a favor and go to to itunes to give us a review & rating. Enjoy!

As a syndicator in large apartment investments, I've certainly spent a lot of time and effort raising money from private investors. "Magnetic Capital: How to Raise All the Money You Need for ANY Worthy Venture" is a book that I wish I'd had when I was just starting out. Victor J. Menasce, the author, joins me today to share the secrets he's learned about raising Other People's Money. We'll discuss the five fundamental elements to raising money: Relationship, Trust, Results, Compelling Opportunity, and Allignment, and how they apply to Real Estate Opportunities. Victor will also provide insight into the Psychology of raising money, how to avoid being 'creepy', The Art of the Pitch, Rookie Mistakes to Avoid, and whether or not you need a business plan. Victor has also appeared on "Dragon's Den", which is the Canadian equivalent of "Shark Tank", and he'll share that interesting experience with us. You can purchase "Magnetic Capital" by going to Victor's website: http://www.victorjm.com/ There's a lot of great actionable content in today's episode that I know you'll enjoy. One action you can take right now is to give us a review & rating on itunes!

Brad Tacia and Mark Yuschak both come from a successful background in the corporate world, and they've each had their share of real estate success. So it made a lot of sense for them to partner up, and doing so has had enormous benefits. Today Brad and Mark discuss the two deals they've done together - a 23 unit community in Fowlerville, and a 63 unit Senior Housing Property in Lansing, Michigan. We'll discuss how they found these deals, the negotiations they had with the sellers, and the efficiencies they were able to bring that provided a huge upside in their Net Operating Income. We also discuss a busted condo community that Brad purchased during the recession, and how Brad and Mark analyze their deals. Brad and Mark are also laying the groundwork for their first syndication, and we discuss the type of deal they're looking for, the types of returns they hope to project, and how they share their information with potential investors. I know you'll enjoy this show. Please go to itunes to subscribe, rate & review! You can get in touch with Brad and Mark through email & facebook: bradtacia@gmail.com myuschak@gmail.com facebook: Apartment Investors of Michigan

I first met today's guest, Jordan Anderson, at a Multi-Family Bootcamp several years ago when he had just purchased two-four units in Philadelphia. Today we discuss what Jordan learned at that bootcamp about multi-family, his successful flipping business, and a triplex he purchased recently with vacant commercial space. Jordan also shares what happens when you don't listen to your mentor, the contractor who took advantage of him, and the out-of-town investors who might be overpaying in the Philadelphia market. We also talk about the mindset difference between flipping and multi-family, nurturing relationships with prospective sellers, and using private money. There's a lot of great information in this episode that I know you'll enjoy. Please take a moment to give us a review & rating on itunes.

For the first time ever on the podcast we answer questions posed by our listeners. I've invited Rob Minch and Justin Workman back into the studio to help me answer many important questions... "Should I pay $25,000 for Coaching and Training?" "I hired a new property management company and my occupancy dropped to 83%. Did I make a mistake?" "Should I do a cash-out refinance and pull out over $200,000, or is setting up a line-of-credit a better option?" We answer these questions and more, including the podcasts, books, and people that inspire and educate us. This is an episode you don't want to miss! If you have questions you'd like to have considered for a future episode, please give us a rating and review on itunes, then email me at brian@higinvestor.com

In the span of three years, Mike Cowper has grown his wholesaling business to become one of the largest in the Eastern Michigan Tri-State area. Mike and his partner do 20 deals a month by marketing to homeowner/sellers and assigning the contracts to investors of all specialties. Mike did not achieve this success by accident, and he's happy to share how he systematically and deliberately went about building his multi-million dollar business. From defining his team and their duties, to instituting systems and processes, and creating a killer website that is addictive and fun. Mike and I also discuss the mastermind group he joined that was instrumental in his growth, how solving other people's problems is a key component of his success, and why you can't always believe what the wholesaling gurus tell you. Mike's contact info: http://webuyroi.com/ mike.cowper@webuyroi.com You can also hear Mike on the "Just Start Real Estate" Podcast. I know you'll enjoy this episode. Please remember to go to itunes to give us a star rating & review.

Whether you love or hate those HGTV shows on Rehabbing and Flipping, you're going to really enjoy today's conversation. Ramon Huerta and Jeremy Cole host a 'Property Krawl' every month in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where they invite all levels of investors to accompany them on a tour of properties that are ripe for rehabbing, flipping, and buy & hold investing. Ramon is a realtor/investor, and he chooses the homes to view, while Jeremy uses his contractor skills to help others understand the costs involved in rehabbing the properties. Together, they strive to help beginning investors understand the complexities of acquiring, rehabbing, and owning rental property, while sharing creative strategies with the more experienced investors who also join in. We also discuss the economic dynamics of Kalamazoo, a city where you can still buy houses for under $10,000. I highly recommend visiting the facebook page for 'Property Krawl', where you can see videos and photos of the events. You should also take a moment to go to itunes where you can rate and review this podcast! Enjoy!