There are two ways to grow a rental portfolio: occasionally, or continuously. As Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs, we want to grow our rental portfolios on a continuous basis—not in sporadic fits and starts. But the mainstream “powers that be” have designed the system to prevent you from this continuous growth; to force you into moderate growth by their standards of what is safe and acceptable. So if you want to grow your rental portfolio continuously, you have to have three key things in pl...
May 03, 2021•25 min
One of the most valuable skills you can develop is “coachability.” What is coachability? It’s the ability to be open-minded, to take constructive feedback well, and to be willing to try new things when suggested by those with more experience. Great real estate investors are coachable…but the truth is, most people aren’t. In this episode, Jeff discusses what it means to be coachable, how to recognize if you’re inadvertently NOT being coachable, and how to make sure you distinguish between being c...
Apr 26, 2021•18 min
If there’s one thing we’re usually keenly aware of, it’s what we’re lacking—the missing puzzle pieces keeping us from doing the deals we want to do. But instead of focusing on what we are missing, what if we focused instead on what we HAVE (or will have), and then asking ourselves the question: “How can I convert what I DO HAVE into what I WANT? In this episode, Jeff breaks down the many ways we can convert what we already have into what we want, so that we keep moving forward toward our goals.
Apr 22, 2021•13 min
“Imposter Syndrome”—that feeling that we do not have the credentials to be doing what we’re doing—is something many of us face…especially when negotiating directly with Sellers. Imposter Syndrome and the self-doubt it brings can discourage or even prevent us from having the Seller conversations we need to have to grow our portfolios and reach our financial goals. In this episode, Jeff explains how to handle Imposter Syndrome, embrace it and not let it slow us down. Http://Www.thoughtfulRE.com/e8...
Apr 19, 2021•15 min
We know we want to generate off-market leads, so that we can negotiate directly with the Seller. This leads most investors to ask the question, “what’s the most effective way to generate those off-market leads?” This is, however, the wrong question. A better question is, “what type of Negotiation Dynamic do you want to create with your lead generation?” In this episode, Jeff explains the important concept of Negotiation Dynamic, and the importance of focusing your marketing strategy around gener...
Apr 15, 2021•17 min
How do we make money in real estate investing? Simply put, we seek to find “a Delta”—the difference between what we see in a property, and what the Seller sees. Entrepreneurs don’t see what is there, they see what COULD be there. There are many different “Deltas” we can find and profit from, and in this episode Jeff walks through eight examples of common “Deltas” we can look for and often find!
Apr 12, 2021•25 min
When you first get started marketing directly to Sellers, it can seem a little scary to field those Seller phone calls and respond to their comments and questions. There’s a direct correlation between your confidence in responding to their questions, and the progress you can make in your off-market acquisition efforts. In this episode, Jeff shares three of the most common challenging Seller questions and objections, and provides simple examples of how to respond to them smoothly and simply.
Apr 08, 2021•16 min
“I don’t have enough money; if only I had more money, I’d be making more progress.” This is a common sentiment among many real estate investors—that lack of access to money is what’s holding them back. But is that really true? In this episode, Jeff explains that lack of access to money is NOT what is holding most real estate investors back. Instead, it’s lack of a clear vision, plan and preparation for what they will do with money when it shows up. Money is just an ingredient in a recipe for doi...
Apr 05, 2021•14 min
It’s exciting when you find a Seller who is open to doing Seller Financing with you! But there’s a huge and important difference between a Seller who *WANTS* to do Seller Financing, and one who is just *WILLING* to do it. The power dynamic and negotiation context is very different with each of them. In this episode, Jeff describes the difference between these two types of Sellers, and how to approach each of them so that you can negotiate the best possible Seller Financing terms in your deal.
Mar 29, 2021•15 min
What happens when you get a new Seller lead, and the Seller says “no” to Seller Financing early in the conversation? Is the lead a dead end? Is there a way to revive the Seller Financing possibilities? In this episode, Jeff explains why you should never be hearing “no” from a Seller at the beginning. He also explains that if you do somehow find yourself in that situation, there’s a four-step process for bringing Seller Financing back into the conversation and negotiation in a thoughtful and resp...
Mar 25, 2021•18 min
Many people who get involved in real estate investing have a dream: to someday go full-time as a real estate entrepreneur. To many, achieving full-time status may seem difficult or daunting—but it doesn’t have to be! In this episode, Jeff goes over the five things that you must do in order to build a full-time business as a real estate entrepreneur: 1) Always be marketing 2) Always be following up 3) Use the Triple-Threat Acquisition Strategy 4) Always be cultivating private money and other sour...
Mar 22, 2021•23 min
The term “creative financing” has become an increasingly common word in the language of real estate investors. But is “creative financing” really that creative…is it just creative in comparison to “normal financing” from banks? And is “creative financing” something to be proud of, or is something to be embarrassed about, that you have to “fall back on” because you don’t qualify for regular financing? In this episode, Jeff dives deep into what “creative financing” means, and explains why creative...
Mar 19, 2021•15 min
Many investors are building a plan for someday retiring from their day jobs and entering the world of real estate entrepreneurship full-time. That’s even true for professional athletes, like this episode’s guest, Nat Borchers. Nat is retired professional soccer player, who while building a respected career on the field and winning two MLS Cups, also built a real estate investing business that he could transition to full-time when he retired. In this episode, Jeff and Nat discuss a wide variety o...
Mar 15, 20210
When you’re working hard to build a relationship with your Seller—which is exactly what we do as Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs, there’s one very important thing you need to identify and understand about your Seller: what is their “currency”? A Seller’s currency is what they value the most, and what they need to be “paid in” if you want to succeed in building a relationship with them. In this episode, Jeff explains the concept of the Seller’s currency, gives examples of different types of ...
Mar 11, 2021•21 min
Most investors jump on the phone with a new Seller lead and start asking questions that they need the answers to. Makes sense, right? But Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs don’t just ask questions they need the answers to, they also ask questions they ALREADY know the answers to! Why? Find out in this episode, where Jeff explains the two major reasons why it’s so incredibly valuable to ask the Seller questions you already know the answer to.
Mar 04, 2021•14 min
There are so many different ways we can potentially communicate with our Sellers. From text to email to phone to in-person meetings, there are many options. So which ones do we choose? The easiest and most convenient channels? The one the Seller initiates with? No—we choose the BEST one that will best aid in our negotiation. In this episode, Jeff describes the difference between gathering “information” verses gathering “insights,” and five-level hierarchy of Seller communication channels, in ord...
Mar 01, 2021•17 min
Many real estate investors are very focused on managing their “DTI”: Debt-to-Income ratio. Why? Because they think it’s the key to qualifying for the loans they need. But being so focused on DTI is a choice, not a requirement. In this episode, Jeff explains how designing your financial life around DTI is like letting the tail wag the dog—it’s focusing on the wrong thing. Instead, Jeff explains how to stay focused on the most important things: the game of wealth-building, not the game of loan qua...
Feb 25, 2021•9 min
We spend a lot of our energy, as real estate entrepreneurs, generating off-market leads. But many of those leads will require long-term follow-up before they turn into deals. So how do you properly nurture those relationships over time, so that when the Seller is ready, you're their first call? In this episode, Jeff interviews Robert Syfert of www.realestateinvestor.com, who shares experience and expert insights on following up with valuable Seller leads. Robert Syfert is the founder of Investor...
Feb 22, 2021•41 min
Do you ever feel stuck at a certain level of success in your life? Like you’re destined for this level of success…but not more? That’s because you’ve set your “life thermostat” at the current level, and it won’t let you get too hot or too cold. In this episode, Jeff shares the metaphor of the “thermostat of your life,” an idea from podcast host and businessman Ed Mylett. Jeff shares how this affects real estate entrepreneurs, and most importantly, how we can “turn up” the thermostat permanently ...
Feb 18, 2021•16 min
When buying investment properties, it’s very common to encounter Sellers who are going to do a 1031 Exchange when they sell. But did you know that there are two very different categories of 1031 Exchange Sellers…each of which having very different motivations? As Thoughtful Real Estate Entrepreneurs, we always Solve the Person, so it’s extremely important we understand which of the two categories our Sellers fall into. In this episode, Jeff describes the two types, and explains the unique opport...
Feb 08, 2021•17 min
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.
Feb 04, 2021•21 min
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 an...
Feb 01, 2021•38 min
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 portf...
Jan 28, 2021•16 min
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.
Jan 21, 2021•17 min
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.
Jan 18, 2021•14 min
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.
Jan 14, 2021•7 min
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.
Jan 11, 2021•24 min
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.
Jan 07, 2021•24 min
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.
Jan 04, 2021•1 hr 1 min
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 mista...
Dec 23, 2020•43 min
