The Think Realty Podcast

Real Estate Hardware & Software, with Sean Miller

Sean Miller with Point Central is on air to educate and inform you on why home automation can be the best tool for you! He and Abhi discuss how you can use it differently for multi family residences and single family homes. Time really is money. Learn all about the hardware that is necessary, the cost and most importantly, the ROI for you as an investor. Learn more about Sean Miller and his business and visit PointCentral.com. The Power Play: Greg and Abhi are back to talk about government intervention in the housing market. Greg draws your attention to three important things when you purchase real estate in the US and how the government’s involvement is important.    

Tracking the Trends, with Kevin Ortner

Kevin takes this episode to discuss macroeconomic trends that, when paid attention to, can provide valuable insight in the market. Macroeconomic issues covered include statistics such as the unemployment rate, types of jobs available, and data on population growth and shrinkage. Abhi and Kevin then discuss which tools a real estate investor can use to track these trends. One of these tools is the Case-Shiller Index, or as Kevin refers to it, “The Gold Standard.” Stay up to date on all the latest news and trends at ThinkRealty.com. Then scroll down to the bottom of the page to sign up for the weekly newsletter—it’s free! The Power Play: Greg and Abhi get into the topic of affordability in today’s market. Greg rails against the idea that loan standards should be lowered to allow people to buy homes with “fake buying power.” Instead, he believes the housing market will correct itself on its own when no one buys the overpriced homes, forcing sellers to lower the price. According to Greg, if loan standards were to be lowered again, it would be a “Groundhog Day of stupidity.”

Affordable Housing for Veterans, with Ken Lacy

Ken Lacy, Veterans Path Up, is on the show to discuss his work with United States veterans and affordable housing. Ken is a Navy Veteran himself and talks about how he got his start with helping veterans and all his company does to help veterans. Ken and Abhi have a good conversation about donating a home for affordable housing and it can be used as a tax write-off. With rising property taxes and fixed income, it can be difficult for veterans to afford housing and this is why Veterans Path Up has been so beneficial. While this is a problem for individuals across the board, both veterans and non-veterans, Ken believes the key for long-term success and maintaining a standard of living all comes down to financial literacy. Be sure to tune in and hear all about Ken and the amazing things he has accomplished, as well as a favorite success story. To learn more about Veterans Path Up, email Ken at Ken@VeteransPathUp.org.

Success in the Real Estate Market, with Robert Mulcahy

Robert Mulcahy, SVP of Angel Oak Prime Bridge, joins the show and has a lot of information to share with listeners. He starts off the show with explaining why all investors should be realistic with the money they have in reserves. Robert understands how to evaluate borrowers but he also understands how to understand the market. They get into the economic factors and how they are impacting the market so that you don’t take a financial loss in the long-run. Find the right individuals to surround yourself with so that during your first real estate deals you are setting yourself up for success. Learn more about how Angel Oak Prime Bridge and all they are doing to put the needs of each individual above all else. If you want to know what lenders are looking for in investors, be sure to tune in now! Learn more about Angel Oak Prime Bridge and how you can get started working with their experts today at AOPBCONNECT.COM.

The Power Play, with Greg Rand

Greg Rand, CEO of Own America, joins the show for another edition of the Power Play. He gets into hot topics like opportunity zones and how you can use capital gains and put it into these “opportunity zones” to defer the capital gain tax. These zones are still undetermined, but Greg has a lot of realistic advice and insight for how you can benefit from it. Abhi and Greg answer listeners questions, including a question one listener has on the struggles of finding the “deals.” They both focus on the “where” to buy instead of the “what” the property has (i.e. one bedroom vs. two bedroom). Another listener wants to know about partnering on a deal for funding purposes. Greg has great advice on approaching this opportunity and how to split the costs and go about it the right way.

Leveraging your Real Estate Investment, with Marc Cunningham

Marc Cunningham, with Grace Property Management, joins Abhi and he brings a wealth of knowledge to the table about long-term investing and how we should be looking at our investment as “centuries long.” Abhi wants to know about being “over-leveraged” and how it can have a negative impact on your investments. Marc gives his personal philosophy on borrowing and how he handles paying off his investment properties and what he has learned over the years. If you have been thinking about hiring a property management company, Marc has the ins and outs for you. It might not be for everyone but he wants to break down the costs and explains the benefits of hiring one. He gives important advice for those interested in hiring a property management company and you don’t want to miss what he has to say! To learn more about Marc and Grace Property Management visit RentGrace.com.  

Beyond the Headlines, Kevin Ortner

Renters Warehouse’s Kevin Ortner is on the air with Abhi for their weekly Friday conversation, and Kevin gives some much-needed insight and translation of what news outlets are showing regarding the housing market. Appreciation is slowing, but Kevin argues it’s actually a good thing for the long-term. You can’t sustain double-digit housing price appreciation year-over-year without creating a problem in the end. Out of control growth in anything is bad, but slow, steady growth is sustainable. Kevin believes what’s happening is a simple market correction. Kevin and Abhi agree that a key to successful investing is to be educated. That way, investors see and understand the data provided within articles—not just the headlines, which oftentimes can be sensational and misleading. To learn more about Kevin Ortner and Renters Warehouse, visit RentersWarehouse.com.

Real Estate Notes, with Bill Mencarow

Bill Mencarow started investing in real estate notes in the early 1980s. Notes are perfect for people who don’t want to deal with tenants and/or the act of landlording, but still seek the passive income real estate has to offer. Real estate notes, as Bill puts it, are a way of acquiring cash flow without having to deal with tenants. Note investing goes back thousands of years. In our present context, Bill is referring to privately-held real estate notes—not bank-owned notes. In its most basic sense, if you own a note, you become that bank. Rather than the buyer paying a monthly mortgage to the bank, they pay you—the note-holder. And, like a bank, you get an interest rate on top. Bill and Abhi also discuss the thought process behind investing in notes, how many notes exist today, and where to buy/sell them. Contact Bill using the Contact Us form at PaperSourceOnline.com, or meet at one of their events!

Real Estate Investing: The Basics, with Cathy Crowe

Founder of the AllStarHomeGroup.com and InvestorDeals.com, Cathy Crowe has spent nearly four decades playing a role in real estate deals. She’s well-known as an investor, speaker, and mentor in both in Dallas, Texas and nationwide. While she used to be a realtor, Cathy now deals exclusively with investors. Cathy stresses the importance of effective communication amongst investors who don’t really know what they want. This is why she created FindMeAHouseDeal.com—a website Cathy made for real estate investors to ask questions and get quick answers. Essentially Cathy nails home the point that education is key. If you don’t know what you want as an investor (such as the types of property you’re attracted to), or how to do each step of the investment process, it’s imperative that you seek and follow through with REI training. Abhi and Cathy also talk about the current state of the Lone Star State’s market, and what it holds for the future. Visit any of the above-mentioned websites to learn more or to get in touch with Cathy!  

The Power Play, with Greg Rand

Owner and CEO of OwnAmerica Greg Rand is back for this week’s edition of the Power Play. Greg pays close attention to trends and statistics, and in doing so, is able to turn his analyzations into lucrative and successful real estate investments. Greg and Abhi get into what will happen in the market in the next year, the next ten years, and “how the pros do it”—aka responsible rent collection and management. They focus on Atlanta in particular, a place quickly becoming known amongst investors as the Mega Market. Is it overheated? Is it too late to invest there? Greg and Abhi answer these questions, then take questions from listeners regarding rising mortgage rates, strategy, and the best steps for beginners. Hear more from Greg at OwnAmerica.com.