Sleaze-free Real Estate Investing

Many investors scoff at the idea of seller financing, saying, “Nah, I can get better terms from a bank.” But is that true? In this episode, Jeff dissects this question, and compares the terms of bank loans to the terms of seller financing loans, to get to the truth. In one scenario, the applicant borrower has no say over the loan terms, and in the other scenario, the borrower has say over every element of the terms.

In real estate investing, the more you understand about different deal structures, the more you can accomplish. In this episode, Jeff interviews Chris Prefontaine of Smart Real Estate Coach. Chris is one expert on buy and selling on terms, and is the author of multiple books, and a podcaster. In the conversation, Jeff and Chris discuss what it means to buy and sell on terms, what it means to be a transaction engineer, how you get paid three times with terms deals, and so much more. Grab a pen and paper and settle in for an interesting and informative conversation!

While most of the real estate investment world is out there inefficiently thrashing around trying to make as many offers as possible, or make as many offers as possible, we Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs embody a different philosophy: “Slow is Smooth, and Smooth is Fast.” In this episode, Jeff explains why TREEs go more slowly—both in each individual seller conversation, and in our businesses as a whole—in order to be more smooth…and how being more smooth ultimately helps us grow our portfolios much faster.

Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned real estate entrepreneur, there’s a disease—a particular condition—you are susceptible to: Deal-itis. Deal-itis occurs when you want to do deals so badly that you make compromised decisions…and the long-term effects can be extremely hazardous to your portfolio health. In this episode, Jeff explains how to diagnose Deal-itis, and the three prescriptions for how to treat this dangerous condition.

There’s an old saying in the sales world, that Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs need to remember: “people don’t buy when they understand you, they buy when they feel understood.” In today’s episode, Jeff explains why the same applies to working with Sellers—Sellers say yes only when they feel understood. Listen in and learn how to make Sellers feel understood.

While the mainstream real estate investors out there are making as many offers as possible, as fast as possible, we Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs do something very different: we focus on the Seller, and developing a relationship with them first. In this episode, Jeff explains a simple but incredibly powerful rule of thumb: TREEs know they must always put the relationship in contract before they can put the property in contract.

In this episode, Jeff shares the second and final part of a two-part series outlining a case study on exactly how he and his wife used the Y.E.S.S.E.S. Framework to buy their own primary residence using a variety of creative deal structuring tools and seller financing.

Using the Thoughtful approach to buying properties off-market and negotiating seller financing isn’t just for rental properties—it can be applied to buying your own primary residence as well! In this episode, Jeff shares the first part of a two-part series outlining a case study on exactly how he and his wife used the Y.E.S.S.E.S. Framework to buy their own primary residence using a variety of creative deal structuring tools and seller financing.

When you’re a real estate entrepreneur, you can achieve some pretty great successes and accomplishments. But the real reward is the person you become along the way. In this episode, Jeff interviews Kari Lyke—a real estate investor, mentor and host of the Investor Warrior podcast. In the interview, Jeff and Kari discuss a wide variety of topics about the entrepreneurial experience, and real estate investing specifically—from mindset to understanding your ‘why,’ to deal structuring and much more.

When you begin to focus on “racking up rentals,” another need emerges very quickly: the need for a sound property management plan. In this episode, Jeff interviews Laurence Jankelow, co-founder of Avail, a web-based property management software platform for self-managing landlords. In this interview, Jeff and Laurence discuss how to know if and when you should manage your own rental properties, how think through your property management needs during the acquisition process, common landlord mistakes and so much more.

Investors often say, “the deals are out there, you just have to go find them!” But is this really true? No, it’s not. In this episode, Jeff explains why entrepreneurs don’t FIND deals, they CREATE deals. This distinction is incredibly important, because it shifts your mentality and either sets you up for failure and excuses, or it empowers you and sets you on a course of developing your skills and talents.

When you’re building a real estate investing business, it can be easy to accidentally lose sight of your vision, and just grow for growth’s sake. But it’s far better if you maintain a strong sense of intentionality—in both life and business. In this episode, Jeff interviews Alex Pardo, an experienced real estate investor and host of the Flip Empire podcast. Jeff and Alex discuss a wide range of topics, from the importance of consistency, to intentionality, to the debate about whether single family or multi-family investing is better. Tune in and learn from Alex Pardo’s wealth of information.

If you want to buy off-market properties the easy way, the solution is to buy properties from wholesalers, right? WRONG. It may be the easy way, but it’s not the best way—not even close. In fact, host and Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneur founder Jeff never buys properties from wholesalers…and never will. In this episode, you’ll learn how buying properties through wholesalers shortchanges your investments and leaves massive value on the table, and doesn’t serve the Seller nearly as well.

Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs don’t just take the conventional path--from investing strategies to financial tools and beyond, we think for ourselves and use creative solutions. In this episode, Jeff interviews two guys who embody and epitomize this spirit: Joey Mure and Russ Morgan, the founders of Wealth Without Wall Street. With their podcast, online community and educational programs, Wealth Without Wall Street provides financial insight and tools to break free of the mindset and bondage of Wall Street. Listen in to learn what it means to “be your own banker,” find out about Infinite Banking and how you can use it in real estate investing, and get a fresh perspective on reaching your financial goals without conventional Wall Street thinking.

Many beginning investors are intrigued by the idea of sourcing off-market deals directly from Sellers, but they ask: “isn’t it a lot more work to go out and find—and then negotiate—all your own deals? Isn’t it easier just to work with a Realtor and have them do all the work?” It’s a valid question, and deserves a thoughtful answer. In this episode, Jeff discusses the differences finding properties the traditional way through the MLS, and marketing for your own leads off-market. Ultimately, you’ll see that sourcing your own off-market leads is not more work; in fact, it’s less work overall and results in much better deals.

While some people feel like traditional investments and real estate are like oil and water, others believe both can play an important and complementary role in financial planning and retirement. In this episode, Jeff interviews wealth management expert, author and podcaster David Rosell. David shares a wide range of insights and stories about the 8 major risks people face in retirement, different ways to overcome them, how retirement is like climbing a mountain, and much more. David Rosell’s inspiration and zest for life have been shaped by a lifetime of international travel with a current tally of more than 70 countries on 6 continents. He’s the author of 2 informative and FUN books- Failure Is Not an Option-Creating Certainty in the Uncertainty of Retirement and Keep Climbing- A Millennial’s Guide to Financial Planning. He’s the host of a popular podcast- Recession Proof Your Retirement and he excels at making complicated financial planning topics easy to understand. Learn more at www.davidrosell.com

The holidays are here! Time to kick back and relax for a while…right?! Not so fast—Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs use this time of year not only to enjoy family and relaxation, but also to keep our real estate endeavors moving forward at full speed. In this episode, Jeff outlines and discusses the three important things that you should be doing during the holiday season: Reflecting, Connecting and Marketing. Plus, Jeff provides a bonus fourth focus for your consideration—a competitive advantage you may have during the holidays. Tune in and learn!

Most real estate investors who do off-market marketing ask the question, “what type of marketing will generate the most leads at the lowest cost?” Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs, on the other hand, ask a different and better question: “which form of marketing is most authentic to me, and fits the types of buying situations I want to have?” In this episode, Jeff explains the process of “finding your voice” as a real estate entrepreneur, and importance of having a marketing strategy that is authentically aligned with who you truly are as a person and investor.

For many real estate investors, one of their primary sources of property leads is “Driving for Dollars”—driving around town, looking for properties showing signs of distress or abandonment. And while Driving for Dollars is great, Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs know there is a similar—but far more valuable—activity: Street Time. In this episode, Jeff explains what Street Time is, how and why it creates more and better opportunities than just Driving for Dollars, and describes how to do it.

In this episode, Jeff interviews Moneeka Sawyer, the blissful millionaire. Moneeka reached her financial freedom by turning $10,000 to over $5,000,000 working only 5-10 hours per MONTH with very little stress. She is now on a mission to help as many other women as she can to do the same. Moneeka hosts the top rated podcast and radio show Real Estate Investing for Women and has interviewed prestigious guests such as Leeza Gibbons, Dr. Joe Vitale, and Hal Elrod. Moneeka has also been featured on stages with Suzanne Sommers, Martha Stewart, and Ice T & Coco at places like the Nasdaq Marketplace, Harvard, and Carnegie Hall, and on TV on NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox reaching over 150 million people. In this episode, she and Jeff discuss what it means to be blissful, how to be more blissful in life and business, and how real estate investing is a people business…not a numbers business. Listen in and enjoy this wide-ranging conversation about life, business and real estate investing! Connect with Moneeka at Blissfulin