What is the best way to determine whether you should be a Buy & Hold investor or a Fix & Flipper?  Why not be both? Robyn Thompson is known as the 'Queen of Rehab'.  She is the nation's leading expert in buying, renovating and selling single and multifamily homes for huge profits.  Robyn has renovated and sold well over 300 homes. Robyn has also taught thousands of students how to achieve Financial Independence by investing in distressed properties, and will be sharing her secrets and strategies at Michigan's Largest FREE Real Estate Investor & Landlord Conference & Expo which is happening February 23-25, 2017 at the DeVos Place in Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Robyn will be speaking at both the morning and afternoon sessions on Thursday, February 23rd and will be bringing along her valuable BONUS materials to hand out to everyone who registers in advance. For more information & your free registration go to: https://rpoaonline.org/

A lot of listeners have asked me to share more about my investing strategies and experiences in Multifamily and Apartment Syndication.  The best way to accomplish this is to bring in my business partner, Marty Green, to discuss three of the deals we've done together. Marty Green is the owner of Green Property Management here in the West Michigan area.  Marty & I have partnered on three separate apartment investments, and we will discuss the many aspects of those deals during our conversation today. Both of us believe strongly in strategically partnering with the right people to get past plateaus, overcome challenges, and achieve exponential growth in real estate investing. Marty also explains why your expenses should go up, and your income should go down when you first acquire a turnaround investment property.  We discuss what to do when you've inherited bad tenants, alternatives to capital calls, lowering expenses to increase your Net Operating Income, and the number one thing we do at all of our communities to prevent tenant problems and attract the best residents. I also share how we syndicated these investments: the SEC rules we followed, the types of investors we worked with, the money we raised, and our communications with our current investors. I know you'll enjoy today's show.  Please take a moment to give us a rating and review on itunes. If you'd like to learn more about Marty Green, you can reach him through his website: http://www.greenpropertymgt.com/ To learn more about Hamrick Investment Group: http://www.higinvestor.com/

Listeners to this show know that I'm a big fan of house hacking as a great way to get into real estate investing.  Many of our guests have begun their investment career by purchasing a multifamily property and living in one of the units while letting the rent income from the other unit(s) pay for their mortgage and expenses.  In fact, I believe house hacking is one of the most sensible and lucrative ways to build a real estate portfolio, and have spoken with many guests who have proven this to be so. Apparently, Financial Advice Guru Dave Ramsey does not agree. In a recent advice column, Dave seems to advise one of his readers against purchasing a three unit and living in one side, while letting the income from the other two units pay for his mortgage and expenses. http://www.daveramsey.com/davesays/column/column/dave_Says_2016-11-07 Dave goes on to suggest the reader would be better off purchasing a nice, single-family home instead. Does Dave's advice really make sense?  In order to answer this question, I've invited several of my past guests into the studio to debate the pro's & con's of his answer. Justin Workman (Episode 3) and Rob Minch (Episode 9) help me get to the bottom of Dave Ramsey's House Hacking advice, and the result is not what you would expect.

In today's tight and competitive Real Estate Market how do you find those hidden gems, and can you still profit from foreclosures? Tony Youngs will address those questions and more.  During our conversation today, Tony shares his 30 years of experience, systems, and strategies in acquiring foreclosures and hidden market properties. Tony also discusses wholesaling, rehabbing, and the mistakes he's made along the way. I know you'll enjoy listening to Tony's techniques, and I also encourage you to come hear Tony speak live at Michigan's Largest FREE Real Estate Investor & Landlord Conference & Expo which is happening February 23-25, 2017 at the DeVos Place in Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. If you plan on getting serious about real estate investing and rental property ownership in 2017, this is the 'can't miss' event of the year. For more information & your free registration go to: https://rpoaonline.org/

Two-Thirds of the way through my conversation today, Nick Watkins drops a huge bombshell: He's managed to generate as much money in rental profits as he makes in his full-time job - and he's done it with only two duplexes and three single-family properties! Nick takes me step-by-step through his process, how his desire to help others solve their problems led him to purchase rental property, how he's used creative financing to help him achieve 'infinite returns', and how he's learned to manage his properties and his tenants. Nick also shares stories about the tenant who threatened him and his family, the subsequent eviction, and the consequences of not doing thorough background checks and tenant screening. Nick & I also discuss the pro's & con's of hiring a professional third party management company, and whether or not the additional expenses are justified. Nick shares a lot of great information, stories and tips.  You can contact him through email at [email protected] I know you'll enjoy today's conversation.  Please take a moment to subscribe, rate & review on itunes.

John Potter has built an investment career on buying, rehabbing and leasing historic homes in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Sometimes while working on these homes he's discovered treasures left behind by the former occupants.  John has also discovered something surprising and unexpected about his childhood home that helps explain why he's so passionate about these historic homes. John & I discuss his passion for homes that are more than 100 years old, what makes them better than the homes built today, and John's strategies to keep them filled with the best tenants. John is also the owner of Tanglewood Properties and a realtor with Pro Real Estate Services.  You can contact John through his website: http://www.tanglewoodproperties.com/mission/ I know you'll enjoy today's conversation.  Please take a moment to go to itunes to subscribe, rate & review!

Seven years ago Justin Herrema was in a bad snowmobiling accident that made him question everything about his real estate investing business model.  This questioning led him to become the founder & CEO of Land Contract Realty and Land Contract Notes. Today Justin shares his over 10 years of Real Estate Investing experience with us, and how he acquires a property, rehabs it, and then sells it on land contract to buyers who aren't able to acquire traditional bank financing.  Justin then takes it a step further by selling the note to a private investor or hedge fund. There's a lot of great information packed into this conversation.  Justin talks about buying from banks & auctions, renovating, flipping, acquiring lines of credit, working with private investors and getting private money, as well as buying foreclosures from motivated sellers. You can contact Justin through his websites: http://landcontractrealty.com/ http://landcontractnotes.com/ I'd also encourage you to subscribe, rate & review this podcast on itunes.    

What is it about Real Estate Investing that would cause a successful business owner in a completely different field to buy three 8-Units and a duplex and start his own Management Company? Today we'll find out during my conversation with Matt Martyn, the Co-Owner & Co-Founder of Cobertyn Group and Ahptic Film & Digital. Matt shares how he and his business partners acquired a duplex eight years ago and the difficulties they encountered in managing it while running a successful film production business.  Then Matt talks about their latest acquisitions, three 8-Units in the Lansing, Michigan area that they're currently rehabbing.  Matt and his partners have formed a new management company and we'll be discussing the start-up challenges they've encountered so far.  Matt & I also talk numbers and how they were able to acquire bank financing and negotiate their acquisition. You can find out more about Matt & his company by visiting http://www.cobertyn.com/ I'm sure you'll enjoy today's episode.  If you enjoy listening to this show, please do me a favor and go to itunes to SUBSCRIBE, RATE & REVIEW!

Fifteen Years ago Tom Zeeb was broke and looking for a way to raise money quickly. Today he's going to share his Rapid Cash Generation system that allowed him to leave his job and pursue Real Estate full-time through Wholesaling, Flipping and Buy & Hold investing.  Tom is going to tell us how he Finds the Deal, Makes the Deal, & Gets Paid. Tom Zeeb is an active investor, President of Traction Real Estate Investors Association and Founder of Traction Real Estate Mentors, where he's helped hundreds of average people replace their income, quit their jobs, and turn full-time to real estate investing. I know you'll enjoy listening to Tom's techniques, and I also encourage you to come hear Tom speak live at Michigan's Largest FREE Real Estate Investor & Landlord Conference & Expo which is happening February 23-25, 2017 at the DeVos Place in Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information & your free registration go to: https://rpoaonline.org/    

Sometimes a simple conversation can create big changes.  Andy Wierda, my guest today, had that experience when he stopped to buy a beer at a convenience store.  What the woman behind the counter said to him has made a huge difference in his real estate investing career ever since. Andy is a local investor in Grand Rapids, Michigan and in our conversation today he shares many fun stories about owning and managing single family rentals, buying & flipping foreclosures, problematic tenants, evictions, and the hits & misses along the way. Andy's also talks about being a hard money lender, how to prevent tenants from ruining your credit, single family rental inspections, affordable housing, and dealing with insurance companies when tragedy strikes. I know you're going to enjoy today's conversation.  Be sure to go to itunes to subscribe, rate & review!

Technology and the Internet have created many new ways for real estate investors to increase their income.  Some savvy owners are foregoing tenants all together and turning their rental properties into Vacation Rentals that allow them to double or triple their profits. Sue Hoyuela is a nationally recognized expert on vacation rentals and will be sharing her secrets to doubling your rental income without tenants by converting your rentals into Airbnb cashcows. I know you'll enjoy listening to Sue's techniques, and I also encourage you to come hear Sue speak live at Michigan's Largest FREE Real Estate Investor & Landlord Conference & Expo which is happening February 23-25, 2017 at the DeVos Place in Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Sue is also the author of "How To make Quick Cash From Your Couch: Insider Secrets From A Six-Figure Airbnb Host" which can be purchased on amazon.com.

What is the Perfect Investment?  My guest today, Paul Moore has his view on that question, and he feels so strongly about it that he wrote a book called "The Perfect Investment - Create Enduring Wealth from the Historic Shift to Multifamily Housing". Join Paul and me as we talk about Multifamily and Apartment Investing; the compelling demographics and trends, market selection, the barriers to entry, and the tax benefits that can create enduring wealth. Paul has a lot of great stories to share and his warning to always 'look for the flies in the deal' is invaluable.  I know you'll find a lot in this conversation that will help you become a more confident and successful real estate investor. I also highly recommend his new book "The Perfect Investment - Create Enduring Wealth from the Historic Shift to Multifamily Housing" which is available on amazon.com and his website: http://www.wellingscapital.com/ You can also contact Paul through email: [email protected]    

A lot of our listeners in Grand Rapids might know Bruce Vander Vennen as the President of Jack's Lawn Service and Snowplowing.  But what you may not know is that Bruce is also a successful rental property owner with 108 units in single-family, multi-family and condos in Kentwood, Grand Rapids, and Muskegon, Michigan. Today on our show, Bruce shares how he began his portfolio, the problems he faced along the way, and the new market he started investing in six months ago. Bruce also shares his story of a condo he picked up at tax auction that was not what he expected it to be, the Memorial Day Weekend he spent cleaning a sewage backup in the basement of one of his properties, and how that experience lead to his decision to hire professional 3rd party management. There's a lot of great content in today's conversation.  Please take a moment to go to itunes to 'subscribe, rate & review'! You can contact Bruce through his website.  If you're an RPOA member you can receive 20% off of your lawn care & snow plowing services. https://www.jackslawn.com/  

My guest today is Joe Pohlen, a successful investor and entrepreneur who started buying single family student rentals while he was still in college. Joe has grown his portfolio to include Multifamily and Apartments in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing and Battle Creek, Michigan, which he oversees through his management company; Ancora Management. Joe will also be discussing his recent acquisition of several independent and assisted living facilities, and the extensive turnaround and receivership experience he gained during the great recession. You'll also learn the steps Joe went through to turn around a distressed 52-unit apartment community in Lansing, how he raises money from investors, and his management philosophy which helps him find the best residents. There's a lot of great information in today's episode.  Please take the time to go to itunes to 'subscribe, rate & review'! You can contact Joe & find out more at: [email protected] http://ancoraproperties.com/ http://kalamazoo.apartments/    

You may have seen or heard my guest on CNN, CNBC, NPR, Fox News, CBS Marketwatch and the Wall Street Journal.  However, a 3 minute news blurb is not enough to learn all the knowledge and wisdom Kathy Fettke has to share.  That's why I know you're going to get a lot of value out of our podcast conversation today. Kathy Fettke is passionate about helping people create real wealth - which she defines as the freedom and money to live life on your own terms.  She's the CEO and founder of "Real Wealth Network", which is a California based real estate investment group with over 16,000 members. www.realwealthnetwork.com Kathy also hosts two extremely popular podcasts - "The Real Wealth Show", and "Real Estate News for Investors with Kathy Fettke".  She's also the author of the popular book "Retire Rich with Rentals" which is available on amazon.com. During our conversation, Kathy and I discuss areas of opportunity around the country, as well as 'bubble areas' that Kathy is helping her investors move their money out of.  Kathy shares how she and her husband overcame a major life obstacle to begin investing in real estate, and whether or not the market is heading for another downturn. There's a lot of great information packed into the episode that will make you look at real estate investing in a new light.  Enjoy!  

Today I sit down to talk with the Top-Selling Multi-Family Broker in the Greater Grand Rapids area. Allison Koetsier is an Associate Broker with Compass Realty Services.  She's also a successful investor in Single-Family and Multi-Family Rental Properties. Allison shares her stories about her first investment in a four-unit rental property, the challenges she faced in learning how to manage her growing portfolio, and the reasons why she became a broker. Allison and I also discuss the advice she offers new clients who are starting or building their investment portfolio, the mistakes she's made along the way, and a recent investment she made using a 1031 Exchange. I'm excited to share this conversation with you.  If you like what you hear, please be sure to go to itunes and subscribe, rate & review! You can find out more about Allison online at: http://compass101.com/realtyservices/allison-koetsier/  

Whether you're a Buy & Hold Investor, Wholesaler, Landlord, Property Manager or you do Fix & Flips, you most likely have some form of real estate business.  Whether you realize it or not, your business has a credit footprint that can be used to your advantage, especially when it comes to obtaining alternate financing. In today's conversation with Ty Crandall, we discuss Business Credit:  What it is, how to build it, and what it mean to you specifically as a rental property owner & real estate investor.  If you build your business credit the right way, you can access funds without using your personal information and social security number. Ty Crandall is a leading expert on building business credit and is the CEO of Credit Suite, one of the biggest and most credible business coaching operations in the United States.  He's also the author of two popular books: "Perfect Credit" and "Business Credit Decoded".  Ty also hosts an excellent podcast called "The Business Credit and Finance Show". You can contact Ty through his website: creditsuite.com And download a free report on "How to build credit for your EIN that is not linked to your SSN" creditsuite.com/ein  

Mark Troy is the owner and founder of Compass Property Services, a full-service property management company that also does remodeling and helps investors and home owners buy and sell properties. Today we sit down to talk about Mark's early career as an investor and landlord, and the decisions that led him to start his own management company.  Mark shares his tips on leasing, evictions, and managing your property, and discusses the mistakes that he's seen many landlords make. We also talk about Mark's bigger goal to build massive wealth in order to give it away to important causes that he believes in. Mark is also the President of the Rental Property Owner's Association, and we discuss the importance of the RPOA in protecting the rights of investors and landlords at the city, state and federal levels. I know you're going to get a lot of great information from this interview.  Enjoy! You can contact Mark and Compass Property Services through their website: http://compass101.com/  

If you're an active investor in commercial multi-family and apartments, or you're interested in getting into this space, I know you're going to get a lot out of today's conversation. I'm excited to sit down with Craig Black and Scott Nurski, who are both Multi-Family Investment Advisors with NAI Wisinski of West Michigan. We have definitely packed a lot of great information into today's conversation:  What you need to do to get brokers to take you seriously, the economy of scale with Multi-Family and Apartments compared to Single Family Investing, and factors & expenses to consider when you begin investing in larger units. Craig and Scott also go into detail on the Michigan and West Michigan market, including where you might still be able to find deals. You can also check out Scott Nurski's NAIWWM Mid-Year West Michigan Multifamily Market Forecast: http://www.naiwwm.com/services/multi-family/blog Craig and Scott are also quoted in the following Grand Rapids Business Journal Article: http://www.grbj.com/articles/86069-apartment-construction-expands-in-downtown-gr  

Last week I spoke with Josh Sterling about his Single Family Rental Investments and the plateaus he's overcome while building his portfolio from 1 to 160 units. This week, in part two of our conversation, Josh and I discuss the 24 Unit Apartment Community he purchased on Land Contract that had a 42% occupancy rate and how he managed to turn that around.  Josh shares how he improved the occupancy to near 100%, and cash-out refinanced all of the money he originally invested.  We discuss the "Infinite Return" he's created by no longer having any of his own money in the investment, while still cash-flowing $5,400 a month.  This is the Holy Grail of real estate investing, and Josh is going to tell us how he did it. We'll also talk about the 53-unit Josh purchased next, how he built his team at Epic Property Management, the systems and property management software he put in place to help build his portfolio, as well as new construction projects he's undertaken recently. This episode is bursting with great information for novice & seasoned investors.  Be ready to take lots of notes! http://epicpropertymanagement.com/  

Josh Sterling is a Buy & Hold Real Estate Investor from South-East Michigan.  He began buying Single Families in 2009, and since then has grown his SFH, Multi-Family and Apartment portfolio from 1 to 160 units. Today, in Part 1 of my interview with Josh, we discuss his trajectory from a novice investor and landlord making a lot of mistakes, to a seasoned professional who owns 160 units as well as his own management company called Epic Property Management. http://epicpropertymanagement.com/ Josh is happy to share his experiences and stories about learning how to evict tenants, rehabbing properties, raising investor money and overcoming the plateaus on his path from 1 to 160 units.  No matter what level of investor you are, you'll definitely find a lot of great wisdom in my conversation with Josh.

One of the tools that I use as an investor in multi-family and commercial apartment real estate is my subscription to CoStar.  This is an online tool that allows me access to information about properties I would have a difficult time finding elsewhere.  When it comes to researching off-market opportunities, CoStar gives me an edge that has been very helpful over the past five years. Today I talk with Grant Webster, the client relationship manager for CoStar Group in the West Michigan region.  CoStar Group also owns LoopNet and Apartments.com, and I've subscribed to those services as well.  Grant and I discuss how these subscription services can help investors research investment properties, gather information that's not readily available, and market their existing units to a targeted market. If you've ever thought about subscribing to these services, or wondered what benefits they might have for you as an investor, then this episode is one you'll want to hear.

I firmly believe that one of the best ways to get into real estate investing in order to create your own financial freedom is to purchase a multi-family property and live in one of the units.  This is called House Hacking, and its a fantastic way to build wealth while reducing your expenses by having your tenants pay your mortgage. Today I'm excited to take this concept to the next level with Kevin Murphy, who just completed his first House Hack.  The exciting part is that he discovered a little known way to finance the purchase and rehab costs using a HUD 203K loan in which he put down less than $4,000 for the purchase and rehab. Now Kevin's tenants are paying his mortgage and utility costs, he is living 'rent free', and pocketing several hundred dollars a month!  Not bad for a recent college grad! Today, Kevin walks us through the entire process:  His search for the right property, how he learned about this loan, and the challenges he faced making it come together. If you'd like to learn more about Kevin and his business, you can visit his website at: www.KCorey.com  

Whether you're just beginning your Real Estate Investing Career, or you've been doing it for a while, I know you'll enjoy my interview today with Courtney Sorrell.  Courtney and her husband became Reluctant Landlords when they had to leave their new house in Portland, Oregon and move across the country to find jobs during the Great Recession.  We'll discuss the lessons she learned during this period and how Courtney is investing in Real Estate to provide for her retirement. Courtney & her husband are "House Hacking" their way to financial freedom, and we'll talk about their search for Multi-Family property, and how a duplex she recently purchased didn't turn out quite the way she planned. Courtney also talks about the 'Millennial' generation and her outlook on retirement, investing and self-sufficiency.  

Today's episode is going to expand your financial IQ in ways that will help you make more money from your real estate investing. Many of us get so caught up in finding, buying and managing our properties, that we don't pay enough consideration to what happens next.  Every investor needs to have their exit strategy in mind in order to maximize the money we get to keep when we sell. Today's guest is Mark Andresky, and he is a Certified Exit Planner and Certified Business Intermediary with Performance Business Advisors, LLC.  Mark also teaches the "Exit Strategies" course for the RPOA. During our conversation Mark discusses how exit planning can work to avoid surprises when you sell, specifically when it comes to taxes on your profit.  Mark & I also discuss depreciation recapture, which is something you definitely want to be prepared for when you sell.  Other topics of discussion include leverage & risk, entity selection, tax-deferred savings plans, estate planning & leaving a legacy. Enjoy & Learn!

Today I talk with Kim Post from Post & Associates Appraisals and Next Door Properties, LLC.  Kim shares stories from her 30 + years of investing in rental property. We talk about her transition from being a full-time teacher to following her passion for construction, real estate & rental property.  Kim prefers to buy her investment property using Land Contracts &/or Seller Financing, and explains how she's able to make that work. We also discuss her recent Off-Market acquisition of 29 multi-units and the challenges she's faced in Rehabbing, Improving, and Managing a property with residents who would never have passed her screening criteria, including some with criminal backgrounds. Enjoy & Learn!

I know you're going to enjoy my interview today with David Kirchgessner.  Dave is a successful investor and realtor, who also happens to be the lead singer of the popular ska punk band Mustard Plug.  It's Mustard Plug's song "Mr. Smiley" that you hear at the beginning & end of every podcast episode. Dave shares with us how he's been able to create and support his lifestyle through real estate investing, which he realized in his early 20's was the only way he'd be able to support himself while he pursued his music career. Dave also talks about the investments in Single Family and Two Family homes he's made and shares details on purchasing, rehabbing and managing them.  We also discuss a building development that Dave bought with some friends that didn't go as planned, and a new investment in Northern Michigan that he almost bought sight unseen. Dave is also a realtor with Greenridge Realty, and will give us his perspective on the current market and the trends he's seeing as a real estate 'insider'. You can contact Dave through his email at: [email protected]

Two episodes ago Brandon Krieg from Honeybee Homes shared his tips and techniques on Wholesaling for huge profits.  If you haven't heard that episode yet, I highly recommend you give it a listen. This week Brandon has returned to discuss his Fix & Flip secrets to success.  He'll talk about what type of property he looks for, how he runs his numbers, and share stories of deals that were highly profitable and a few that weren't. We also talk about Brandon's involvement with the West Michigan REI, as well as the Rental Property Owner's Association. You can contact Brandon through his website at: http://thehoneybeehomes.com/    

Instead of posting an interview on this Holiday Monday, I thought I'd take this opportunity to talk about a key financial ratio that you'll hear a lot from brokers and investors, but may not completely understand.  I'm referring to the Capitalization Rate, or Cap Rate as its commonly called. This won't be a technical discussion that will make your eyes glaze over.  Instead I'll share with you my simple explanation that I teach in my advanced financial analysis course through the RPOA. Happy 4th of July!      

Today I'm excited to sit down and talk with Brandon Krieg, an experienced wholesaler who also does fix & flips.  Brandon is the owner of Honeybee Homes, and has a lot of great knowledge and experience to share with our audience. If you've ever considered wholesaling as an investment strategy, or are looking for better techniques to ensure your success, then you won't want to miss Part One of this interview! Many of our listeners will recognize Brandon as the co-founder of the West Michigan REI Club.  You may have also listened to one of his interviews on other podcasts, including Bigger Pockets. You can contact Brandon through his website at: http://thehoneybeehomes.com/  

Today I'm thrilled to be talking with Rod Khleif, the host of the "Lifetime Cash Flow through Real Estate" Podcast. As one of America's top real estate professionals, Rod has personally owned more than 2,000 single family homes and multiple apartment communities. Rod shares his rags-to-riches-to-rags-to-riches story, from his humble beginnings as a young, impoverished Dutch immigrant to incredible success.  Rod also discusses his remarkable triumphs, and spectacular failures, which he affectionately calls 'seminars'. We'll talk about the 800 Single Family Home Portfolio he lost in 2008, and how he's now rebuilding his fortunes through multi-family investing.  Rod also tells us why he prefers multi-family to single-family and how multi-family can help protect you during the next economic downturn. As a bonus, you can listen to this week's episode of Rod's podcast "Lifetime Cash Flow through Real Estate" to hear Rod interview me, Brian Hamrick, about my career in Real Estate Investing.  Be sure to check out both podcast episodes - they're required listening to podcast fans & real estate investors! And find out more about Rod Khleif at his website:  http://lifetimecashflowpodcast.com/      

If you are a new investor who is looking to buy rental property, or you're a current owner looking for ways to improve your methods, I believe you'll get a lot out of my conversation today with Tina & Wes Emert from City Wide Real Estate Services. Tina & Wes offer services ranging from Real Estate Brokerage, Rehabbing, Property Management and Asset Management.  They take a 'Success-Based' Approach rather than a 'Property-Based' approach, and we'll discuss exactly what that means during our wide-ranging discussion that contains a lot of valuable tips for every level of Rental Property Owner & Real Estate Investor. Find out more: https://citywide.managebuilding.com/Resident/public/custom/22  

If you've ever wondered about investing in Self Storage Facilities, then this is an episode you don't want to miss.  Michael Laragy built a rental property portfolio over 30 years, and then decided to sell it off in order to invest in Self Storage.  Today Michael will walk us through his journey: why he decided self storage was the way to go, how he found his facility, and what he's done to make it successful. We'll also talk about the rental properties he used to own, and how he was able to purchase many of them for 'Nothing Down', using techniques he learned from Real Estate Guru Robert Allen. No matter what type of real estate investing you're interested in, our conversation contains decades of wisdom and experience from someone who's managed to invest successfully, transition from a full-time job to full-time investor/business owner, and has a ton of knowledge to share.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly:  Last week successful investor Steve Whitteberry shared his stories of 'The Bad & The Ugly' with us.  Today we get to discuss 'The Good'. Steve will discuss his use of Self Directed IRA's and how they're helping him prepare for retirement.  We'll also discuss 'Alligators' and how they can eat up all your Cash Flow. And we'll also compare our experiences purchasing two separate 4-units, both of which were bought for a great price at the bottom of the market, but had two very different outcomes for each of us.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly:  Sometimes we come across deals that are too good to be true but we suspend our better judgement because the person selling those deals is so persuasive and says all the right things. Steve Whitteberry is our guest today.  Steve is a successful real estate investor who will share his stories of making investments and working with certain investors that he later came to regret.  Steve will share the valuable lessons he learned from these experiences that will hopefully prevent you from making the same mistakes. In part one of our interview we will also discuss Robert Allen's 'No Money Down', the value of land, and helping people who are going through the foreclosure process.

Many experienced investors can share this story: the one about the deal they chased for months or years, spent countless hours and phone calls and emails and money on, invested all their energy and emotion into, and no matter how hard they tried, it just wouldn't close, it couldn't close, and eventually they had to admit defeat and walk away. Dealing with these types of setbacks can be devastating.  But learning to overcome them can be life changing. Today we discuss what happens when 'failure is not an option' turns into 'failure is inevitable' with Keith Littlepage, a successful investor and business owner who is brave enough to share his story of the Florida land deal that almost broke him and the aftermath that no one could have expected. Keith will also discuss his use of private money, and an unlikely funding source he's discovered that has been a 'game changer' for him. To Contact Keith go to blueskiesfunding.com  

Last week Ken Jenkins shared with us how he used direct marketing to find, negotiate and purchase an 8-unit multi-family and duplex in Plymouth, Michigan. Today Ken & I discuss the 20-unit multi-family he was able to acquire in Belleville, Michigan when he discovered it through a Craigslist add. Ken will take us through his negotiations with the seller who insisted on an all-cash purchase, and what happened when he was faced with multiple vacancies and had to fire his management company. Once again Ken takes the time to share his methods, numbers, and every gritty detail - including stories of death, drugs and doing whatever it takes to be successful!  

Discovering Off-Market Real Estate opportunities that cash flow and offer great upside potential is like finding the Holy Grail for Real Estate Investors.  Today I talk with someone who's managed to do this twice since he began three years ago. Ken Jenkins is an investor from the Plymouth/Canton area just outside of Detroit, Michigan, and he has had great success in finding multi-unit properties through direct marketing, negotiating for the best deal possible, and creating value by improving the property and raising rents. We will discuss how he began as an investor, then he will take us step-by-step through his process of finding, negotiating and asset managing an 8-unit and duplex in Plymouth, Michigan.  Be ready to take notes, because Ken will be delivering you a master class in Real Estate Investing!

Interview with Harvey Hansen from Indoor Climate Solutions.   Every residential rental property has a system for keeping your residents warm in the colder months, and if they're lucky, cold in the warmer months. Depending on the age and condition of these systems, you or your resident could be spending a lot more on utilities than is necessary. In order to save and make more money, its important to understand how these systems work and how they can be more efficient.   Today we talk about the different types of equipment that are used to heat and cool your property with Harvey Hansen from Indoor Climate Solutions, a Grand Rapids based company since 2006. We'll be discussing forced-air systems, hot water heat and air conditioning choices as well as energy saving tips and techniques that will save you money and help you avoid possible disaster.

Interview with Angela Hovermale from Banner Drywall To be successful as a real estate investor it helps to know and understand your 'why'. Why be an investor in the first place?  Is it just to make money, or is there a deeper reason? Today I sit down to talk with local investor and business owner Angela Hovermale about her 'why's', and how they've led her and her husband to invest in her own backyard and improve the neighborhood and community they live and invest in.

Patrick Spitzley Interview: We've all seen those shows on HGTV where investors buy a house out of foreclosure or auction, fix it up, flip it, and make a killing.  It all looks so sexy glamorous and fun.  But is it really like that in real life? Today I talk with someone who does rehabs & flips for real.  Patrick Spitzley is the owner of the Spitzley group.  He buys the worst of the worst and goes in with his crew to 'bulletproof' the home by completely rehabbing it top to bottom.  We're going to talk about his philosophy on flipping, rehabbing, building spec homes, private money, and his recent trip to Nigeria and what he learned there that will help him in his investing going forward.

EP012 with David Hill, Attorney at Kreis Enderle:   For every rental property owner and investor there comes a time when expert legal advice is necessary. Whether you're putting together a contract or purchase agreement, forming an LLC, or dealing with a slip and fall at one of your rentals, having an attorney on your team is essential to protecting your interests and investments. Today I sit down to talk with David Hill, one of the RPOA's team members and real estate attorney for Kreis Enderle in Grand Rapids, MI. We'll discuss a wide range of topics, such as strategies and pitfalls of buying foreclosure properties, evicting your tenants legally, making sure your lease agreement is airtight, setting up a proper legal entity to hold your investment property, asset protection and estate planning.   Everyone's situation is different, so the opinions you hear in this podcast may, or may not apply to you.  In this conversation David will share enough general information so that you can have a much more informed conversation with your attorney on your team.

If you own, or are about to invest in rental property, then you need to have a good insurance agent on your team.  Today I sit down to talk with Mike Murphy from J.B. Harrison Insurance Agency (http://www.jbhins.com/) During our conversation we talk about the different types of insurance and coverage, what investors need to consider for their insurance policies, common mistakes investors make in choosing insurance, and how to find the best agent for your team. No two insurance policies are the same, and this episode will help you make sure you have the right coverage at the best price.

James Loftus is a buy & hold investor who has been around long enough to have experienced the ups and downs of real estate investing.  he not only weathered the great recession, he came out stronger and wiser because of it. Today we sit down to talk about James' investing and property management techniques, his recent decision to switch some of his properties over to a professional management company, and the course he teaches for the RPOA on housing codes, rental inspections and property maintenance.

Whether you're a new investor who is wondering how to start your buy and hold portfolio, or a seasoned pro looking for tips on how to manage your property and get higher rents, you're going to enjoy my interview with Rob Minch. Today Rob will share his journey with us from owning his own mortgage company to becoming a full-time buy & hold rental property owner.  Rob will tell us how he built his portfolio, share his story about the flip that went wrong, and disclose techniques he uses to find the best tenants and get the highest rents possible. (tags: Buy and Hold, Flipping, Rehabbing, Property Management, Getting high rents)

Historic Districts seem to be a hot button issue lately across the country.  There are several states where legislation is being proposed that would effectively weaken or eliminate historic districts.  Michigan is one of those states.  Investors will often find that owning rental property in a historic district can be a more expensive proposition, and getting approval for changes to the exterior of their property can be a time-consuming process as well. But do the benefits outweigh the costs of owning property in a a historic district? Today I talk with Suzanne Schulz, the Planning Director for the city of Grand Rapids, to discuss this question.  We'll also learn more about historic districts, their purpose, and the proposed legislation in Michigan that could end them all together. (tags: Historic District Modernization Act, Michigan, Property Rights, Rental Property)

Kathy Dennison Adrianse Interview:  Kathy is the owner & broker of Lighthouse Property Management, a West Michigan startup company that has been in business for thirteen years.  Kathy has a passion for buying and selling real estate, and lately that passion has led her to a new market in West Michigan. Today we will reveal that market and discuss the types of rental properties Kathy owns, her use of private money, and her philosophy on finding and maintaining success in real estate investing. (tags: Apartment Investing, Commercial Office, Multi Family, Buy & Hold, Grand Rapids, Muskegan, Lansing, Michigan)

Clay Powell Interview:  If you've been listening to this podcast then you know that there is a lot of experience and expertise in the RPOA community.  What you may not know though, is what the RPOA is all about and how it can benefit you. The Rental Property Owners Association does provide education, networking, tools, services and a great value for rental property owners and real estate investors.  Today I sit down with Clay Powell to discuss how the RPOA can help you become a more confident and successful owner and investor.