The Best Ever CRE Show - podcast cover

The Best Ever CRE Show

Joe Fairlesswww.bestevercre.com
Welcome to the Best Ever CRE Show, the world’s longest-running daily COMMERCIAL real estate podcast. Founded by Joe Fairless, a co-founder of Ashcroft Capital who went from buying $35,000 homes to controlling more than $2.7 billion in real estate assets, the Best Ever CRE Show provides commercial real estate expert insights, education, and timely information to our community of active and passive investors who want to build wealth, build a legacy, and do more good in the world. So if you want the real stories behind the good, the bad, and the worst ever deals — plus, insights into what really goes on in commercial real estate investing — you’re in the right place. Our hosts interview commercial real estate experts every day to uncover secrets and strategies YOU can use to become a better, more informed investor. This is the Best Ever CRE show.
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Episodes

JF 4083: Multifamily Deals, Oil And Gas Cash Flow and Debt Fund Opportunities ft. Bronson Hill

John Casmon interviews Bronson Hill. Bronson shares how he walked away from a high-paying medical sales career to pursue time freedom, eventually raising over $50 million for multifamily, oil and gas, debt funds, and development deals. He and John dig into the core reasons investors should define their goals around cash flow, capital preservation, and tax benefits instead of blindly chasing returns, and how to properly vet operators and opportunities across different asset classes. Bronson also ...

Nov 08, 202548 minSeason 1Ep. 4083

JF 4082: Syndication Struggles, Partnership Breakdowns and the Road to Recovery ft. Mark Kenney

Matt Faircloth interviews Mark Kenney. Mark opens up about Think Multifamily’s rapid growth, the lending and partnership challenges that led to major losses, and the hard-won lessons that came out of it. He explains how rising interest rates, canceled tax programs, and lender aggressiveness created a perfect storm for multifamily operators, and why ignoring those red flags proved costly. Mark also discusses his personal low points, the importance of transparent communication with investors, and ...

Nov 07, 20251 hr 16 minSeason 1Ep. 4082

JF 4081: Micro Private Equity, Mobile Home Parks and Multifamily Cash Flow ft. Michael Alberse

Pascal Wagner interviews Michael Alberse. Michael walks through his journey from earning $161 a month in high-yield savings interest to building over $6,000 a month in passive income through a “Frankenstein” mix of cold storage, micro private equity, small business loans, covered-call ETFs, mobile home parks, multifamily, and private money lending. He shares both the 9x home-run exit from a cold storage deal and painful lessons from chasing yield in risky rideshare and cupcake business loans, hi...

Nov 06, 202538 minSeason 1Ep. 4081

JF 4080: Feasibility Studies, Niche Innovation and Recession-Resilient Storage ft. Charlie Kao

Amanda and Ash interview Charlie Kao. Charlie shares how growing up as “free labor” on his dad’s properties eventually led him back into commercial real estate, where he’s now best known for self-storage. He explains why he’s cautious on self-storage at a national level, how overbuilding and new alternatives are changing demand, and why he’s leaning into highly localized markets where he has an unfair advantage. Charlie also walks through innovative ways he’s turning basic storage into a true se...

Nov 05, 202547 minSeason 1Ep. 4080

JF 4079: Proof Stacking, Trust Building and Passive Income Frameworks ft. Richard McGirr

Richard McGirr kicks off a Capital Classroom solo session by translating big-name marketing frameworks from Russell Brunson and Alex Hormozi into practical strategies for capital raisers. He explains why LPs aren’t really buying deals, but certainty of outcomes, and how stacking proof can 2–3x your conversions by de-risking the downside and building what he calls a “trust bank account.” Richard breaks down Hormozi’s value equation and shows how debt funds, clear track records, and transparent re...

Nov 04, 202549 minSeason 1Ep. 4079

JF 4078: White-Glove Investor Care, Lead Magnets and Paid Ads ft. Julia Anderson

Richard McGirr interviews Julia Anderson. Julia shares her journey from running restaurant operations to launching Capital Catalyst, a fractional CMO firm helping real estate operators scale their marketing systems. She explains how effective CRM design, investor journey mapping, and consistent communication create trust that converts cold leads into long-term investors. Julia and Richard dive into practical strategies for marrying sales and marketing, building a white-glove investor experience,...

Nov 03, 202550 minSeason 1Ep. 4078

JF 4077: Rent Growth, Reality Checks and Regional Myths

John Chang analyzes how perception and data often diverge in real estate investing. Drawing from fresh insights after speaking with investors in Dallas, he contrasts Texas Sunbelt markets with the Upper Midwest to reveal surprising five-year trends in rent growth, vacancies, and pricing. John breaks down why overdevelopment has dampened returns in high-growth metros like Austin and Dallas, while steady markets like Chicago and Cincinnati quietly outperformed. He closes by encouraging investors t...

Nov 02, 202534 minSeason 1Ep. 4077

JF 4076: JF 4076: Five Years To Freedom, Partner Leverage and Faster Turns ft. Pete Schnepp

John Casmon interviews Pete Schnepp. Pete shares how he went from running a contracting company to building a 150-door portfolio, including his “five years to freedom” cash-flow goal and the mindset shift from “keep it small, keep it all” to partnering through JVs. He explains why many high-net-worth partners prefer voting rights and alignment over passive LP checks, and how he supplements third-party management to beat market occupancy. You’ll hear practical tactics like speeding up turns, leve...

Nov 01, 202555 minSeason 1Ep. 4076

JF 4075: Silver Tsunami, Multifamily Shifts and Hotel Profits ft. Vinney Chopra

Matt Faircloth interviews Vinney Chopra. Together they explore how Vinney transitioned from multifamily investing into senior housing and hospitality, detailing his use of diversified funds through the Avestor platform and his ability to pivot before the market peak. Vinney explains the “silver tsunami” driving massive demand for assisted living and memory care, the dual benefit of owning both the real estate and the operations, and why hotels are “apartments on steroids.” The conversation wraps...

Oct 31, 20251 hr 17 minSeason 1Ep. 4075

JF 4074: Private Credit Confidence, Checklist Investing and Real Fund Analysis with Pascal Wagner

Pascal Wagner reveals his full due diligence process for evaluating private debt and credit funds. Drawing on his experience managing over $150 million as a venture capitalist and investing $3.3 million of his own capital across 23 private deals, Pascal shares the real questions professional investors ask before wiring money. He explains how to identify red flags in fund structures, analyze leverage and default rates, and evaluate manager credibility through a systematic, repeatable vetting proc...

Oct 30, 202546 minSeason 1Ep. 4074

JF 4073: Off-Market Finds, Quick Turns and Investor-First Waterfalls with Amanda and Ash

On this week’s episode of Beyond Multifamily, Amanda Cruise and Ash Patel dive into real numbers from recent deals and the systems that keep their operation moving even while traveling. Amanda breaks down a South Carolina mobile home park bought for 190k and sold for 735k, netting a little over 420k after paying back private lenders, plus a quick-turn plan on a rough 15-lot park and several land-home plays where undervalued existing homes create hidden upside. They unpack speed-to-close, encroac...

Oct 29, 202557 minSeason 1Ep. 4073

JF 4072: Authentic Branding, Investor Outreach and Growth Plans ft. Eric Burns

On this week’s episode of Capital Clinic, Richard McGirr interviews Eric Burns. Eric shares his journey from firefighter to capital raiser, explaining how his hands-on experience as a landlord led him to transition into passive investing and ultimately focus on fund-to-funds syndication. He and Richard discuss how personal storytelling can build trust in capital raising, how to identify ideal investor avatars, and why fund-to-funds offer both flexibility and compliance benefits. Eric also receiv...

Oct 28, 202540 minSeason 1Ep. 4072

JF 4071: LP Relationships, Fund Frameworks and Raising Smarter ft. Brittany Barchalk

On this week’s episode of Unlimited Capital, Richard McGirr interviews Brittany Barchalk. They present the findings from a joint research project exploring how lead sponsors can turn their existing LPs into fund-of-funds managers to scale capital raises more effectively. Brittany, Head of Marketing and a founding team member at Tribevest, explains how the company’s platform simplifies fund formation, entity setup, and back-office operations—making it easier for aspiring managers to launch and ma...

Oct 27, 202555 minSeason 1Ep. 4071

JF 4070: Recession Risks, Market Signals and CRE Outlook with John Chang

On this week’s episode of The Horizon Podcast, John Chang explores whether the U.S. economy is heading toward a mild recession, a period of slow growth, or a stronger-than-expected expansion in 2026. Drawing on conversations with top investors, economists, and market data, John weighs the indicators pointing both ways—such as unemployment, inflation, consumer sentiment, and the yield curve—and examines how the stock market’s performance has been propping up overall growth. He also breaks down ke...

Oct 26, 202536 minSeason 1Ep. 4070

JF 4069: Land Constraints, Municipal Buy-In and Smarter Parking ft. Christopher Tiessen

On this week’s episode of Multifamily Mastery, John Casmon interviews Christopher Tiessen. They dig into how mechanical “puzzle parking” multiplies stall counts on tight sites, helping developers hit parking ratios, reclaim rentable square footage, and preserve project feasibility. Chris explains safety redundancies, EV-charging integrations, and where these systems pencil best—from New Jersey and California to student housing in Columbus and land-locked mountain markets. He also shares real-wor...

Oct 25, 202539 minSeason 1Ep. 4069

JF 4068: Ground Leases, Capital Access and CRE’s Next Evolution ft. Danielle Ash

On this week’s episode of Next Level CRE, Matt Faircloth interviews Danielle Ash. Danielle, a partner at Adler & Stachenfeld LLP’s Real Estate Group, breaks down the fascinating world of ground leases—how they separate land ownership from building ownership, the financial advantages for both parties, and how modern structures avoid the pitfalls of older leases. She and Matt discuss how developers can use ground leases to unlock capital, manage risk, and even access new financing channels wit...

Oct 24, 202557 minSeason 1Ep. 4068

JF 4067: Deal Flow, Filtering Criteria and Real Investor Confidence ft. Pascal Wagne

On this week’s episode of Passive Income Playbook, Pascal Wagner breaks down why hesitation to wire money often comes from a lack of deal flow and how to fix it with a professional-grade sourcing system. He shares lessons from deploying $150 million at Techstars, building a 94-unit co-living portfolio, and creating an 800+ opportunity deal database. Pascal explains how to craft a clear thesis, set filtering criteria, and use forums, platforms, and even social ads to fill your pipeline so your co...

Oct 23, 202542 minSeason 1Ep. 4067

JF 4066: Creative Conversions, Private Money and Profitable Systems ft. Adam Craig

On this week’s episode of Beyond Multifamily, Ash Patel and Amanda Cruise interview Adam Craig. Adam shares how he transitioned from single-family investing into commercial real estate, specializing in heavy lift office and mixed-use projects across the Cleveland market. He walks through the lessons learned from a 30,000-square-foot rehab that tested his patience and capital, then contrasts it with a more recent success—transforming a vacant dentist office into profitable salon suites. Adam also...

Oct 22, 202546 minSeason 1Ep. 4066

JF 4065: Systems, Tools and the Future of Fund Management ft. Richard McGirr

On this week’s episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Richard McGirr goes solo to pull back the curtain on the powerful tech stack that drives his capital-raising firm. Drawing on his background in digital transformation for Fortune 100 companies, Richard breaks down how his team uses Salesforce as the operating system of their business, ActiveCampaign for marketing automation, and Zapier to tie it all together. He shares how dashboards, automations, and AI tools like Claude streamline everything fr...

Oct 21, 202551 minSeason 1Ep. 4065

JF 4064: Confidence, Capital Raising and Cross-Border Investing ft. Zorya Belanger

On this week’s episode of Unlimited Capital, Richard McGirr interviews Zorya Belanger. Zorya shares her evolution from a shy engineer to a confident speaker, mentor, and multifamily investor raising capital across borders. She explains how Toastmasters helped her develop communication skills that later became essential in syndication and asset management, and how she built systems to attract investors through consistent newsletters and relationship-building. The conversation also dives into the ...

Oct 20, 202533 minSeason 1Ep. 4064

JF 4063: Market Stability, Investor Sentiment and Growth Ahead ft. John Chang

On this week’s episode of The Horizon, John Chang shares insights from his recent presentations and meetings with top investors across the country. He covers economic trends, inflation expectations, and the outlook for interest rates, noting general optimism and stability ahead. John dives into the state of key commercial real estate sectors—including industrial, office, multifamily, retail, and self-storage—highlighting where investors are seeing opportunity and where caution is warranted. He c...

Oct 19, 202535 minSeason 1Ep. 4063

JF 4062: Syndications, Secondaries and SpaceX-Level Opportunities ft. Christine Healey

On this week’s episode of Multifamily Mastery, John Casmon interviews Christine Healey. Christine explains how accredited investors can access late-stage private tech companies like SpaceX, Stripe, and OpenAI, drawing parallels to real estate syndication while outlining critical differences around illiquidity, pricing, and structures. She shares how a licensed pre-IPO broker sources sellers, compares offer structures, and protects buyers from red flags in a fragmented market. The conversation al...

Oct 18, 202554 minSeason 1Ep. 4062

JF 4061: D-Class Lessons, Lender Workouts and Multifamily Wholesaling ft. Garrett Lynch

On this week’s episode of Next Level CRE, Matt Faircloth interviews Garrett Lynch. They dig into Garrett’s early years wholesaling and operating D-class assets, the painful lessons that came with scattered markets and self-management, and how those insights shaped his later success scaling with Nighthawk. Garrett unpacks the COVID boom, the bridge-loan era, and the squeeze from rate hikes, caps, insurance and payroll, then shares pragmatic lender-workout tactics like hard-pay soft-pay structures...

Oct 17, 20251 hr 2 minSeason 1Ep. 4061

JF 4060: Debt Funds, Diversification and Predictable Cash Flow ft. Pascal Wagner

On this week’s episode of Passive Income Playbook, Pascal Wagner explores the world of private real estate debt funds and what truly defines a “safe” 10% yield. After personally interviewing over 75 fund operators and analyzing 111 offerings, Pascal reveals key differences in structure, leverage, and transparency that separate high-quality funds from risky ones. He explains how fund size, collateral type, and audited financials impact risk, and why stability often matters more than chasing high ...

Oct 16, 202540 minSeason 1Ep. 4060

JF 4059: Raising $3 Million, Building Trust and Scaling Capital ft. Ash Patel

On this week’s episode of Beyond Multifamily, Ash Patel dives into real-world capital raising strategies that investors can apply today. He shares lessons from his own experience raising $3 million in just 20 days, including why it’s too late to raise money after finding a deal, how to use newsletters to build trust, and the importance of consistent thought leadership on social media and podcasts. Ash also breaks down key legal frameworks like 506(b) vs 506(c), structuring syndications and funds...

Oct 15, 202535 minSeason 1Ep. 4057

JF 4058: Overcoming Setbacks, Asking For Help and Staying The Course ft. John Casmon

On this week’s episode of Best Ever CRE, John Casmon delivers a solo deep dive on the mindset and coaching that keep multifamily investors moving forward when deals get tough. He shares a client story about choosing sanity over maximal profit, the importance of asking for help, and why accountability beats ego. John also breaks down lessons from a challenging 81-unit in Florence, Kentucky, including rate caps, refis, and management pivots that ultimately set the asset up for better performance. ...

Oct 14, 202520 minSeason 1Ep. 4058

JF 4057: Repeatable Systems, Referrals and Raising Capital ft. Gannon Coffman

On this week’s episode of Unlimited Capital, Richard McGirr interviews Gannon Coffman. Gannon shares his path from brokerage and retail development to raising capital for syndications and leading investor relations at Streamline, emphasizing how systemized processes and consistent communication create long-term investor trust. He and Richard dive into the evolution from 506B to 506C offerings, referral strategies, and creative in-person networking tactics—from investor dinners to NFL Players Ass...

Oct 13, 202544 minSeason 1Ep. 4057

JF 4056: AI Integration, Data Quality and Smarter Investing with John Chang

On this week’s episode of The Horizon Podcast, John Chang explores how artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape commercial real estate investing. After meeting with top institutional investors, John dives into how firms are using AI to identify high-performing trade areas, prune underperforming assets, and accelerate decision-making. He examines the strengths and pitfalls of data quality, from census and CoStar metrics to migration tracking through Placer AI, and discusses how automation ...

Oct 12, 202531 minSeason 1Ep. 4056

JF 4055: Buy Box Discipline, Dallas Suburbs and Senior Living ft. Victor Collazo

On this week’s episode of Multifamily Mastery, John Casmon interviews Victor Collazo. Victor breaks down his 50–100 unit, Class B buy box in the Dallas suburbs and why he prefers “boring and stable” markets over pricier, concession-heavy Florida metros. He explains how taxes, insurance, and new-build amenities compress value-add spreads in West Palm Beach, why his team is expanding into senior living, and how a pull-based, education-first approach helped him go from raising zero to consistently ...

Oct 11, 202553 minSeason 1Ep. 4055

JF 4054: Comfort Zones, Capital Raising and Building a Business ft. Michael Blank

On this week’s episode of Next Level CRE, Matt Faircloth interviews Michael Blank. Michael shares his journey from leaving a lucrative software career and experimenting with pizza franchises and house flipping to finding lasting wealth through multifamily investing. He and Matt dive deep into the “scaling mindset,” highlighting the traps of single-family rentals, the need to adopt a who-not-how approach, and the difference between building a business versus staying a solopreneur. Michael also we...

Oct 10, 202557 minSeason 1Ep. 4054
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