Best Real Estate Investing Advice Ever

At 20 years old, Jeffrey Donis is on the fast track to success in the commercial real estate space alongside his two brothers. Through self-education, networking, and exceptional ambition, they broke into the multifamily space in early 2021. Today, the brothers have three deals under their belt and are working on their fourth. In this episode, Jeffrey discusses what drew him and his brothers to commercial real estate, how they were able to scale so quickly, and what they hope to accomplish.

Jeffrey Donis | Real Estate Background

  • Head of Investor Relations at Donis Investment Group, which syndicates apartment complexes typically over 100 units. They target value-add, B- and C-class assets in GA, NC, and FL mainly.
  • Portfolio: GP of 636 units across three properties
  • Based in: Durham, NC
  • Say hi to him at:
  • Best Ever Book: Think Like A Monk by Jay Shetty

Greatest lesson: The only thing holding you back is you.

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Direct download: JF_2797_Jeffrey_Donis.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00am EDT

Although Paul Larson got his start in multifamily, he happened to stumble upon a mobile home park in 2019 and fell in love with the asset class. He and his partner purchased a small RV park the following year and soon pivoted, accumulating 600 units and making RV parks the star of their portfolio. In this episode, Paul walks us through the challenges that come with maintaining an RV park, how he adds value to his properties, and how he finds value-add mom-and-pop deals.

Paul Larson | Real Estate Background

  • Owner of Larson Real Estate & Investments LLC, a real estate investment company that focuses on buying value-add cash flowing multifamily assets 75 units and up.
  • Portfolio: GP of $35M multifamily that totals over 600 units with almost all being RV parks now.
  • Based in: Fort, AL
  • Say hi to him at:

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Direct download: JF_2796_Paul_Larson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

In this episode, Travis explains how to vet a syndication deal as a passive investor from beginning to end in five minutes or less.

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Direct download: JF_2795_Actively_Passive_Investing_Show_91.mp3
Category:Passive Investing -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Tech entrepreneur Kranti Ponnam says commercial real estate is in his blood. Both his father and father-in-law were heavy real estate investors in India, and Kranti is passionate about commercial real estate investing — luckily, it comes naturally to him. In this episode, Kranti covers the natural correlations between tech entrepreneurship and commercial real estate investing, the benefits of in-house property management, and the business skills that have been most important to his real estate career.

Kranti Ponnam | Real Estate Background

Best Ever Book:  Traction by Gino Wickman

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Direct download: JF_2794_Kranti_Ponnam_.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Kim Radaker has been in real estate for 15 years, and during that time, she and her team have purchased 25 properties, taking 15 of them full cycle. Every time her organization can’t find a vendor to serve their needs, they build a solution internally. As a result, Exponential Property Group handles materials import, interior construction, renovation, and graphic design in-house. In this episode, Kim discusses her motivation for vertical integration, how she finds multifamily deals today, and how prioritizing everyone her business impacts has been the key to scaling.

Kim Radaker Bays | Real Estate Background

Greatest lesson: It is so important to remember all the people that the real estate business touches including residents, employees, and investors.

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Direct download: JF_2793_Kim_Radaker.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

For the last 14 years, Simplified Real Estate Investments Founder and CEO Joe Danza has focused on cash flow. After getting his start as a buy-and-hold investor, he and his team are continuing to see returns from those investments, allowing them to branch out into different asset classes while Joe also works two W-2 jobs. In this episode, Joe discusses getting into real estate in the midst of a market crash and how trust is the key factor when it comes to vetting operators and establishing self-management in a market at a distance.

Joseph Danza | Real Estate Background

  • Founder and CEO of Simplified Real Estate Investments LLC, which invests in multiple real estate asset classes including residential, vacation rentals, and multifamily investment properties.
  • Portfolio:
    • LP of:
      • 168 units in Joplin, MO
      • 113 units in Columbia, SC
  • Based in: Northern Virginia/Washington, D.C.
  • Say hi to him at:

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Direct download: JF_2792_Joseph_Danza_.mp3
Category:Goals/Success Habits -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Self-storage is a family business for John C. Lindsey. His father got started in the business in 1969, and in 2012, John and his brother started Lindsey Self Storage Group. They have participated in virtually every aspect of the business: brokerage, owning a portfolio of stores, owning a management company, and building sites. Today, he says their focus is on self-storage brokerage. In this episode, John talks about being a second-generation self-storage investor, some of the high-level tactics of how to be successful, and shares advice for multifamily operators and investors interested in transitioning to self-storage.

John C. Lindsey | Real Estate Background

  • Co-founder and President of Lindsey Self Storage Group, which focuses on self-storage brokerage, development, and management.
  • Portfolio: Recently exited a 400k NLSF self-storage portfolio.
  • Based in: Durham, NC
  • Say hi to him at:
  • Best Ever Book:

Greatest lesson: Don't step over dollars to chase pennies.

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Direct download: JF_2791_John_C._Lindsey_.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

Self-described “reformed attorney” Ashley Tison is passionate about helping business owners mitigate taxes through programs like Opportunity Zones. That’s why he co-founded OZPros.com — to democratize entrepreneurs’ ability to utilize Opportunity Zones to save on their taxes. In this episode, Ashley breaks down how Opportunity Zone funds work and how OZPros.com serves as both an educational tool and an investment opportunity.

Ashley Tison | Real Estate Background

  • Co-founder of OZPros.com. He’s an attorney and entrepreneur focused on helping real estate investors reduce their tax liability.
  • Based in: Charlotte, NC
  • Say hi to him at:

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Direct download: JF_2790_Ashley_Tison_.mp3
Category:Financing -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

Bob Voelker has taken on several different titles throughout his career. He started out as a CPA, then attended law school and became the first attorney in Texas to focus on low-income tax credit projects as a practice area. He then became a real estate developer focused on urban complex, mixed-use, and high-rise residential projects. Now retired, he recently authored his own book, Managing the Complexities of Real Estate Development. In this episode, Bob explains how he got into development, the lessons he’s learned, and how his tax credit knowledge has helped him along the way.

Bob Voelker | Real Estate Background

  • Retired after 38 years as a real estate attorney and developer focused on urban complex, mixed-use, and high-rise residential projects.
  • Joint ventures with other developers and real estate syndications.
  • Author of Managing the Complexities of Real Estate Development, a training manual for young developers, attorneys, and debt and equity associates.
  • Based in: Athens, GA
  • Say hi to him at:

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Direct download: JF_2789_Bob_Voelker_.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

In this episode, Travis highlights three common industry practices for how general partners often predict future sale prices.

Want more? We think you’ll like this episode: JF2571: How Does the Single-Family Housing Market Impact Multifamily Apartments? | Actively Passive Investing Show 59

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Direct download: JF_2788_Actively_Passive_Investing_Show_90.mp3
Category:Passive Investing -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

In 2014, Harvard University graduate Ryan Williams chose to step away from his promising career with Blackstone to pursue his passion for leveling the playing field when it comes to real estate investing. He began to build what he calls the next-generation leading real estate investment platform focused on enabling individuals and larger institutions to directly invest in yield-oriented commercial real estate. In this episode, Ryan breaks down the plan he has for Cadre and how the platform will soon allow anyone with $100 to spare to invest in real estate.

Ryan Williams | Real Estate Background

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Direct download: JF_2787_Ryan_Williams.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Scott Haskin accidentally became a commercial real estate investor, landlord, and property manager after purchasing a set of old cannery buildings. It was a heavy lift project from a value-add perspective, and Scott handled much of the work himself. In 2011, he 1031-ed the property into an office building in the central business district of Lincoln, NE. In this episode, Scott and Ash discuss what actions can be taken to increase the office building’s occupancy after a recent decline

Scott Haskin | Real Estate Background

Greatest Lesson: Taking the time to properly screen and select tenants.

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Direct download: JF_2786_Scott_Haskin.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Former wildlife management conservation biologist Mason Moreland grew up thinking he’d be the next Steve Irwin. As soon as he graduated college, however, he caught the real estate bug and started investing in single-family homes with his father and brother. Today, Mason is able to combine both his passions as GP of $15.75M n vineyards held by Texas Vine Country, where he is a managing partner. In this episode, Mason explains the ins and outs of Texas vineyard development, operation, and investment.

Mason Moreland | Real Estate Background

  • Managing partner at Texas Vine Country (TVC), which raises capital for, develops from the ground up, and operates large mechanized wine-grape vineyards in Texas.
  • Portfolio: GP of $15.75M in vineyards held by TVC solely (~350 acres)
  • $13.5M of additional syndicated vineyard in development currently
  • Based in: Midland, TX
  • Say hi to him at:

Best Ever Book: How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie

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Direct download: JF_2785_Mason_Moreland_.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Adam Benton owns Stellar Senior Living, a family business in which he has partnered with his father and brother-in-law for the last 10 years. Today, Adam is GP of 4,000 units including independent, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing. In this episode, he laid out the five most important concepts investors need to understand before adding this alternative investment class to their portfolios.

Adam Benton | Real Estate Background

  • Owner of Stellar Senior Living, which develops, acquires, and operates senior housing properties in nine states.
  • Portfolio:
    • GP of 4,000 units including independent, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing
    • LP of hotels and apartments
  • Based in: Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Say hi to him at:

Greatest lesson: During due diligence, sometimes the smallest question highlights the biggest issues.

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Direct download: JF_2784_Adam_Benton.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Jeff Dulmage has been a passionate investor for most of his life. He’s been in the game since before online resources were a thing, conducting his research the old-fashioned way — by reading lots of books. Today, he is a full-time commercial broker at Hartsock Realty based in Lima, OH. In this episode, Jeff shares how he balances being both a broker and investor, the numbers on his recent 26-unit apartment deal, and why it’s a great time to be an investor in Lima.

Jeff Dulmage | Real Estate Background

  • Full-time commercial agent/broker/team leader at Hartsock Realty, which helps investors find, evaluate, purchase, and manage their properties. He’s also a syndicator and focuses on small to mid-size multifamily (150 units), along with single-family.
  • Portfolio:
    • GP of 26 units
    • LP of 69+ units
  • Based in: Lima, OH
  • Say hi to him at:
  • Best Ever Book: *The Great Reset* by Glenn Beck

Greatest lesson: The importance of growing a successful team and having a strong culture in your organization.

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Direct download: JF_2783_Jeff_Dulmage.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

After excelling in direct sales for 12 years, Eric Chadderdon recently made the shift to multifamily real estate. One year into the business, Eric is co-founder and managing partner of Gibby’s Capital Investments with 368 doors. He says he’s learned many things in his first 14 months and has made many mistakes, but what he’s learned has helped propel him to where he is now.

Eric Chadderdon | Real Estate Background

  • Co-founder and managing partner of Gibby’s Capital Investments, a multifamily investment firm that focuses on large-scale value-add properties (100–350 units).
  • Portfolio: GP of 368 units
  • He went from 0 to 368 doors as GP within his first year.
  • Based in: Houston, TX
  • Say hi to him at:

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Direct download: JF_2782_Eric_Chadderdon.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

In this episode, Travis Watts explains one fundamental key point about multifamily investing that is often overlooked. Like a business, multifamily apartments are primarily valued at the net operating income (NOI) that they produce. The metrics used to determine the value of a multifamily property are its income generation and what kind of multiple a buyer is willing to pay if they want to purchase that income stream.

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Direct download: JF_2781_Actively_Passive_Investing_Show_89.mp3
Category:Passive Investing -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Multifamily syndicator Liz Faircloth began her real estate journey when she and her (now) husband, Matt Faircloth, purchased their first duplex 16 years ago. Since launching the DeRosa Group together in 2005, they now have $130M under control and management. Throughout this process, Liz met her partner, Andresa. As they did deals together, they realized they had a shared passion and need to bring women together in the real estate space — so together, they created the InvestHER community.

Liz Faircloth | Real Estate Background

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Direct download: JF_2780_Liz_Faircloth.mp3
Category:Networking -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Industrial real estate broker and investor Chad Griffiths stumbled onto the asset class he now knows and loves by complete accident. When he joined a company as a broker in 2005, his mentors were heavily involved in industrial real estate, so he naturally ended up learning all about it. Today, he is a partner at NAI Commercial Real Estate and invests in properties as well. In this episode, Chad discusses the state of the industrial space across various markets and explains why now is the ideal time to get in on it.

Chad Griffiths | Real Estate Background

  • Partner at NAI Commercial Real Estate. He’s an industrial real estate broker and investor, focusing on cash flowing industrial properties with the goal of incrementally raising rents and values by extension.
  • Portfolio:
    • GP of five industrial properties ranging from $400,000 to $4,500,000
    • Owns several industrial REITs in the U.S.
    • LP of one multi-tenant office/retail property
  • Based in: Edmonton, Alberta, CA
  • Say hi to him at:

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Direct download: JF_2779_Chad_Griffiths_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

Sam Wilson has always been an entrepreneur. After selling the flooring business he owned, he wasn’t sure where to focus his energy next. That’s when he discovered real estate. Today he’s focused on commercial real estate projects — mainly RV parks and boat/RV storage. He’s an enthusiastic investor with a never-ending stream of creative ideas about how to make the RV park and storage space better for himself, his investors, and his tenants.

Sam Wilson | Real Estate Background

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Direct download: JF_2778_Sam_Wilson__1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

Before he became a multifamily syndicator, Brendan Chisholm worked for multiple Fortune 500 companies. His previous roles in program management, lender management, operations, and contract negotiation all helped him cultivate the skills needed to excel in asset management. In this episode, Brendan discusses his firm’s latest value-add deals, what the asset management process has been like, and his advice for syndicators who struggle with organization.

Brendan Chisholm | Real Estate Background

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Direct download: JF_2777_Brendan_Chisholm_.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

L.A.-based musical composer Bryan Miller knew he needed a retirement plan, so naturally, he started buying and investing in real estate as both a GP and LP. He was so successful that he now co-owns Capital Stack Investments while still working as a composer for TV and film. After sharing how he got into development and how he develops build-to-rent deals in LA, Bryan took some time to explain in detail what he looks for in potential GPs.

Bryan Miller | Real Estate Background

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Direct download: JF_2776_Bryan_Miller.mp3
Category:Fully Active/Syndicators -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

Young and hungry, Jeremiah Boucher got his start in commercial real estate by sourcing mobile home park deals during the Great Recession. Since then, he’s created his own management company and branched out into the self-storage space. In this episode, Jeremiah tells us how he found his edge as a young investor, what drew him to self-storage, and what advice he has for investors in both asset classes today.

Jeremiah Boucher | Real Estate Background

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Direct download: JF_2775_Jeremiah_Boucher_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

In this week’s episode of the Actively Passive Investing Show, Travis Watts highlights the major challenges multifamily investors are currently dealing with and shares his insights on how to successfully tackle each of them.

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Direct download: JF_2774_Actively_Passive_Investing_Show_88.mp3
Category:Passive Investing -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

Full-time registered nurse Cody Laughlin serves as managing partner and director of acquisitions for his Houston-based multifamily firm, Blue Oak Capital. Since joining forces with his two partners in 2019, Cody has learned a thing or two about navigating the hyper-competitive multifamily market. In this episode, he explains what actions have helped his team to acquire 750+ units across four properties.

Cody Laughlin | Real Estate Background

  • Managing partner at Blue Oak Capital, a multifamily acquisition firm focused on existing Core/Core+ multifamily assets across Central Texas.
  • Portfolio: GP of $105M across 787 units
  • Works full-time as a registered nurse.
  • Based in: Houston, TX
  • Say hi to him at:

Click here to know more about our sponsors: Cornell Capital Holdings | PassiveInvesting.com | FollowUp Boss

Direct download: JF_2773_Cody_Laughlin.mp3
Category:Goals/Success Habits -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Marine Corps Veteran Robert Preston began wholesaling and flipping while still on active duty in order to make extra money. He then moved on to value-add Class C apartment buildings, but as cash flow and cap rates have compressed, he decided it was time to find a new niche. Robert began investing in mobile home parks next, and his current focus is on RV parks. In this episode, he shares why he is so passionate about this particular asset class.

Robert Preston | Real Estate Background

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Direct download: JF_2772_Robert_Preston__1.mp3
Category:Deal/Property Analysis -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

After purchasing his first property in 1998 based on little more than a gut feeling, Todd Nepola has come a long way as a commercial real estate investor. The Current Capital Real Estate Group founder shares his Best Ever advice for anyone who might be considering breaking into the industrial or retail spaces.

Todd Nepola | Real Estate Background

  • Founder of Current Capital Real Estate Group, a full-service management and leasing company that specializes in commercial retail and industrial spaces.
  • Portfolio: GP of 25 buildings consisting of retail and industrial.
  • Based in: Hollywood, FL
  • Say hi to him at:

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Direct download: JF_2771_Todd_Nepola_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Jeffrey Holst doesn’t have bad days. His commercial real estate journey has been an unconventional one, but today he’s focusing on living his best life, which includes pursuing his passion for value-add multifamily deals — and scuba diving!

Jeffrey Holst | Real Estate Background

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Direct download: JF_2770_Jeffrey_Holst_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Cherry Street Investments founder Kavitha Baratakke was forced to start over with virtually nothing after a divorce in 2007 followed almost immediately by the stock market crash in 2008. Since then, she transitioned from working full-time in the tech industry to passively investing in multifamily, then crossed over to the GP side where she discovered her passion for talking with and educating other investors. Kavitha Baratakke | Real Estate Background
  • Founder of Cherry Street Investments, an investment firm focused on creating multiple passive sources of income through investments in various assets such as apartment complexes, mobile home parks, senior assisted living facilities, self-storage, and more.
  • Portfolio:
    • GP of:
      • 2,200 units across Texas
      • 179 beds of senior living new construction in Florida
      • 1 townhome new construction in Austin MSA
      • 2 land development deals in Austin MSA
    • LP of senior living, land development, energy, and ATM investments; also 200+ doors of new multifamily construction
  • Based in: Austin, TX
  • Say hi to her at:
  • Best Ever Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

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Direct download: JF_2769_Kavitha_Baratakke.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

Marine Corps veteran Wesley Yates didn’t even learn about syndication until he attended his first commercial real estate event in 2019. He started his group, VFR Capital Investments, that same year.

Wesley Yates | Real Estate Background

  • Co-founder and CEO of VFR Capital Investments, a real estate investment and acquisitions company that is owned and operated by veterans and first responders.
  • Portfolio: GP of 1,510 units for $150M in AUM
  • Based in: Fort Worth, TX
  • Say hi to him at:
  • Best Ever Book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
  • Greatest Lesson: Take your time picking your team.

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Direct download: JF_2768_Wesley_Yates_.mp3
Category:Scaling -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

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