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. Join the Best Ever Community The Best Ever Community is live and growing - and we want serious commercial real estate investors like you inside. It’s free to join, but you must apply and meet the criteria. Connect with top operators, LPs, GPs, and more, get real insights, and be part of a curated network built to help you grow. Apply now at www.bestevercommunity.com
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Episodes

JF 4035: Rate Cuts, Retail Resilience and Recession-Ready Markets with John Chang

On this week’s episode of Horizon Podcast, John Chang breaks down the Fed’s latest rate cut, why he thinks it’s driven more by confidence and political pressure than liquidity, and what the dot plot implies for the next few years. He explains how lower rates could briefly unjam CRE deal flow, then pivots to retail where inflation-adjusted sales are still rising and household leverage looks manageable relative to income. John also maps out how a mild, tariff- and labor-constraint-driven slowdown ...

Sep 21, 202540 minSeason 1Ep. 4035

JF 4034: From Student Housing to Build-to-Rent, Partnerships and Community Impact ft. Jeff Niemeier

On this week’s episode of Multifamily Mastery, John Casmon interviews Jeff Niemeier. Jeff explains how his journey began in student housing, scaled into workforce rentals, and ultimately led him to focus on build-to-rent townhomes in Iowa. He shares how leveraging his unfair advantage of deep local knowledge and strong partnerships—has given him control over projects and higher margins than traditional multifamily. Jeff also details his entrepreneurial background in internet and cable services, ...

Sep 20, 202551 minSeason 1Ep. 4034

JF 4033: From Turnkeys to Billions, GP Breakups and Tax Surprises ft. Lane Kawaoka

On this week’s episode of The Best Ever CRE Show, Matt Faircloth interviews Lane Kawaoka. Lane shares how he scaled from house hacking and turnkeys to mid-sized multifamily, then to more than a billion in acquisitions, and why smaller C-class assets can be the hardest to operate. He opens up about a tough partnership that required removing a GP, the critical role of bank draw paperwork and airtight operating agreements, and how tax status changes can swing valuations by seven figures. Lane also ...

Sep 19, 202549 minSeason 1Ep. 4033

JF 4032: Silver Tsunami, Smart Leverage and Recession-Resistant Cash Flow ft. Sean Smith

On this week’s episode of Passive Income Playbook, Pascal Wagner interviews Sean Smith. They dig into the search fund landscape from traditional and self-funded models to independent sponsors, why the silver tsunami and SBA financing make now a compelling moment, and Sean’s thesis of backing essential businesses serving attractive end markets. Sean also walks through his four-part diligence system and a 200+ point checklist, how he evaluates terms so LPs are actually protected, and what realisti...

Sep 18, 202558 minSeason 1Ep. 4032

JF 4031: Using Podcasts to Build Trust and Raise More Capital ft. Spencer Carpenter

On this week’s episode of Beyond Multifamily, Ash Patel interviews Spencer Carpenter, Best Ever CRE's Guest Booker. They explore how commercial real estate investors can use podcast guest appearances to expand their reach, build credibility, and attract capital. Spencer shares why preparation matters, the common mistakes that hold guests back, and the small details that can make a big impact on how you’re perceived. Spencer Carpenter Current role: Founder, Outlier Audio Based in: Oxford, PA Say ...

Sep 17, 202555 minSeason 1Ep. 4031

JF 4030: Fireside Chat - Broker Blind Spots, Split-And-Sell Wins and Faster Cash Flow with Ash Patel and John Casmon

On this week’s episode of Best Ever CRE Show, John Casmon interviews fellow Best Ever host, Ash Patel. Ash breaks down why he shifted from multifamily to non-residential CRE, citing shrinking returns, intense competition and far greater room for creativity in retail, office, industrial and mixed-use. He shares case studies including a Louisville office portfolio bought for pennies on the dollar with a split-and-sell strategy, and an 80,000-square-foot Canton office deal that breaks even with one...

Sep 16, 20251 hr 7 minSeason 1Ep. 4030

JF 4029: Build-to-Rent Momentum, Fund-of-Funds Partnerships and The Waco Playbook ft. Ryan Watts

On this week’s episode of Unlimited Capital, Richard McGirr interviews Ryan Watts. Ryan shares how he co-founded Red River Development and scaled a Build-to-Rent platform to 1,900 units and $600M AUM by leaning on RIAs, family offices, high net worth investors, and a robust fund-manager channel. He explains why they prioritize prerecorded webinars, turnkey deal rooms, and third-party experts to help fund managers raise faster with more credibility. Ryan also previews their 206-home Waco, Texas B...

Sep 15, 202537 minSeason 1Ep. 4029

JF 4028: Cap Rates Elevated, Construction Pullback and Positive Leverage Returns with John Chang

On this week’s episode of The Horizon, John discusses why inflation is rising in a slow “trickle,” with food prices leading the gains, and how this feeds into rising odds of Fed rate cuts and a ~4% 10-year treasury. He explains why today’s financing window—around 5% for agency multifamily—creates rare positive leverage and is already sparking activity. With construction starts falling and labor/material costs high, John outlines a favorable long-term setup: tighter future supply, elevated cap ra...

Sep 14, 202536 minSeason 1Ep. 4028

JF 4027: Direct To Seller Systems, Relationship Marketing and Scaling With LP Capital ft. Axel Ragnarsson

On this week’s episode of Multifamily Mastery, John Casmon interviews Axel Ragnarsson. Axel breaks down his direct to seller playbook for small to mid-size New England multifamily, from dream-list targeting to low-pressure, relationship-first outreach by phone, email, text, and mail to stay top of mind with unsophisticated owners. He shares how he overcame capital bottlenecks by building a marketing engine that attracts retail LPs via podcasts, LinkedIn, and a growing newsletter, plus the mindse...

Sep 13, 202557 minSeason 1Ep. 4027

JF 4026: CapEx Reserves, Delinquency Screens and Affordability Underwriting ft. Mike Roeder

On this week’s episode of Next Level CRE, Matt Faircloth interviews Mike Roeder. They dig into lessons from scaling Granite Towers Equity Group, including why words matter at the property level and how third-party teams should embody owner values. Mike breaks down risk controls like raising CapEx up front instead of out of cash flow, screening hard for delinquency and true affordability, and favoring 1980s–2000s assets with seven-year fixed-rate debt. He also shares hands-on asset management pla...

Sep 12, 20251 hr 7 minSeason 1Ep. 4026

JF 4025: 100% Bonus Depreciation, SALT Cap Relief and PTET Strategies ft. Amanda Han and Matt MacFarland

On this week’s episode of Passive Income Playbook, Pascal Wagner interviews Amanda Han and Matt MacFarland. They break down the One Big Beautiful Bill for real estate investors, from the return of 100% bonus depreciation and why placed-in-service timing matters to smart ways LPs can plan for depreciation recapture instead of fearing it. Amanda and Matt also hit SALT cap relief, pass-through entity tax elections that can turn state taxes into deductible business expenses, and a niche but powerful...

Sep 11, 202558 minSeason 1Ep. 4025

JF 4024: Unsexy Winners, Exit Multiples and When Franchising Beats Going Solo ft. Jon Ostenson

On this week’s episode of Best Ever CRE Show, Amanda Cruise interviews Jon Ostenson. They dig into the real playbook for non-food franchises, from what makes home and property services so profitable to when you’re just buying yourself a job versus building a manager-run business. Jon breaks down territory strategy, startup costs and funding options like SBA and ROBS, plus why national accounts, an aligned tech stack and franchisor support can 10x your speed to market compared with going solo. Th...

Sep 10, 202549 minSeason 1Ep. 4024

JF 4023: Fireside Chat - Rent Ceilings, Supply Shocks and Class Shifts with John Chang and Matt Faircloth

On this week’s episode of Best Ever CRE Show, Matt Faircloth and John Chang are bringing you another fireside chat. They go back and forth on multifamily’s next five years, debating rent ceilings versus demand tailwinds, class-by-class dynamics, and why construction tariffs and replacement costs could freeze new supply even as Gen Z household formation builds pressure. John explains how treasury issuance and the 10-year may keep long rates sticky, why office could be a dark-horse recovery play, ...

Sep 09, 202536 minSeason 1Ep. 4023

JF 4022: Four Pillars Of Capital Attraction, Avatar Alignment and Discovery Call Mastery ft. Lauren Brychell

On this week’s episode of Unlimited Capital, Richard McGirr interviews Lauren Brychell. They dig into her new 90-day playbook Beyond the Lead, outlining the four pillars of capital attraction and why most firms don’t need more leads, they need better conversion and nurture systems. Lauren and Richard get tactical on aligning marketing and sales into a single machine, building a lightweight tech stack with CRM, investor portal and segmented drips, and running discovery calls that keep your talk t...

Sep 08, 202556 minSeason 1Ep. 4022

JF 4021: Weak Jobs Data, Fed Cuts and A Rare Debt Window with John Chang

On this week’s episode of Horizon Podcast, John Chang breaks down the newest jobs report, why the Fed is poised to cut, and how a sub-4 percent 10-year Treasury creates a short window to lock attractive debt for acquisitions and refis. He explains why policy uncertainty and tariffs could stoke stagflation, then maps the likely impacts by asset class, from steady necessity retail and mixed industrial outlooks to a nascent office recovery fueled by rising return-to-office pressure. John also outli...

Sep 07, 202542 minSeason 1Ep. 4021

JF 4020: Commercial Real Estate Cycles, Medical Office Success and Multifamily Opportunities ft. Ben Reinberg

On this episode of Multifamily Mastery, John Casmon interviews Ben Reinberg. Ben shares his 32-year journey in commercial real estate, beginning with his first industrial syndication in his early 20s that launched him into office, industrial, and medical office leadership. He explains why Alliance CGC has now launched a multifamily division, pointing to trillions in debt coming due and the buying opportunities it presents. Ben emphasizes the importance of mindset, resilience, and personal develo...

Sep 06, 202546 minSeason 1Ep. 4020

JF 4019: Giving Your Way Out of Debt, Operator Red Flags and Building Resilient Wealth ft. Paul Moore

On this episode of Next Level CRE, Matt Faircloth interviews Paul Moore. Paul shares his remarkable journey from selling his first company and chasing “shiny objects” that left him $2.5M in debt, to giving his way out during the 2008 crash, and eventually pivoting into real estate. He explains why multifamily wasn’t the “perfect investment,” how Wellings Capital now focuses on fund-of-funds strategies using Pareto’s principle to back only top-tier operators, and why diversification across operat...

Sep 05, 20251 hrSeason 1Ep. 4019

JF 4018: Retainer-Based Advice, Alternative Allocations and Unfair Advantages ft. Fred Hubler

On this week’s episode of Passive Income Playbook, Pascal Wagner interviews Fred Hubler. Fred shares why he built a retainer-based advisory model that helps entrepreneurs and high-net-worth families allocate beyond stocks into private credit, real estate and other alternatives, and he explains his 50-10-20-20 portfolio framework for traditional assets, cash, alts and hard assets. He digs into his due-diligence rubric of legal, ethical and moral unfair advantages, plus concrete playbooks like fra...

Sep 04, 20251 hr 1 minSeason 1Ep. 4018

JF 4017: Land-Home Packages, County Zoning and Manufactured Housing Wins with Ash Patel and Amanda Cruise

On this week’s episode of Beyond Multifamily, Ash Patel and Amanda Cruise interview each other for a solo episode. Amanda breaks down her land-home playbook for manufactured housing near Raleigh, explaining why county zoning and well plus septic areas unlock buildable lots and how smart cost segregation can offset gains with highly depreciable mobile home park components. She and Ash compare notes on commercial operations, from insisting on true commercial property managers and hyperlocal leasin...

Sep 03, 202551 minSeason 1Ep. 4017

JF 4016: Fireside Chats - Cash Flow, Positive Leverage and Scalability with Matt Faircloth and John Chang

On this week’s episode of Best Ever CRE, John Chang and Matt Faircloth interview each other in a fireside chat style. They unpack the three market drivers John watches most — jobs, demographics and local supply — and why rates matter mainly when the deal hits underwriting rather than for predicting operating performance. Matt explains his pivot toward day-one cash flow, positive leverage and scalability while moving away from C class value add plays. They debate hospitality with Matt favoring fl...

Sep 02, 202536 minSeason 1Ep. 4016

JF 4015: Investor Comms, Liquidity Terms and Customizable Funds ft. Gene Trowbridge

On this week’s episode of Unlimited Capital, Richard McGirr interviews Gene Trowbridge. They unpack how fund-of-funds legally solve the age-old capital-raising problem while navigating broker-dealer rules, why co-GPs rarely fix compensation issues, and what sponsors should demand from FOF managers. Gene deciphers 506C vs 506B offerings, the importance of disclosure, side-letter transparency, and third-party accreditation. They also explore investor relations dynamics, skin-in-the-game structures...

Sep 01, 202547 minSeason 1Ep. 4015

JF 4014: Seniors Housing Shortage, Aging Boomers and Rising Rents with John Chang

On this episode of The Horizon, John discusses two big themes: a looming seniors housing supply gap and why multifamily still looks durable. He explains that the 80+ population is set to surge while construction lags far behind NIC MAP’s estimated needs, pushing occupancies up and rents higher—though labor shortages remain a risk. He then pivots to apartments, noting record absorption, a historically wide cost gap between owning and renting, and a steep drop in new starts—all of which should kee...

Aug 31, 202538 minSeason 1Ep. 4014

JF 4013: From Big Tech to CRE, Market Vetting and Conservative Debt ft. Georgy Marrero

On this episode of Multifamily Mastery, John Casmon interviews Georgy Marrero. Georgy shares his journey from coding prodigy to Big Tech (Amazon/Meta) and why he pivoted into real estate after early single-family flips led him toward multifamily, development, and industrial deals across the U.S. and Dominican Republic. He breaks down his operator-first framework (operator → market → asset), emphasizes downside protection through conservative debt and buying at a discount, and explains his AI-dri...

Aug 30, 202557 minSeason 1Ep. 4013

JF 4012: Houston Suburbs, Deposit Alternatives, In-House Ops ft. Robert Martinez

On this episode of Next Leve CRE, Matt Faircloth interviews Robert Martinez. Robert walks through building Rockstar Capital from post-recession Class B/C roots to a Houston-centric portfolio, why he now underwrites conservatively (e.g., ~65% LTV, stress-tested exits), and how inflation, insurance spikes, and rates forced operators to sharpen fundamentals. He shares his “make them stay” playbook—prioritizing AC/boilers and quality turns, adding Amazon-style lockers and in-unit laundry, converting...

Aug 29, 20251 hr 13 minSeason 1Ep. 4012

JF 4011: Cannabis Real Estate Debt, Evergreen REIT Structure and Risk-First Diligence ft. Chris Reece

On this episode of the Passive Income Playbook, Pascal Wagner interviews Chris Reece about lending against cannabis-licensed real estate and why he underwrites properties to an alternative (non-cannabis) use to de-risk senior mortgages on stabilized assets. They dig into MJ REIT’s evergreen, 506(c) structure—monthly subscriptions/redemptions, no lockup, a $25k minimum—and its goal of double-digit annualized distributions (11.27% net since inception) paid monthly. Chris contrasts construction len...

Aug 28, 202552 minSeason 1Ep. 4011

JF 4010: Office at a Discount, Small-Bay Industrial Momentum and Kansas City’s Quiet Boom ft. Logan Freeman

On this episode of Beyond Multifamily, Ash Patel interviews Logan Freeman (“Mr. Kansas City”), an investor–developer–broker who’s bullish on select office and small-bay industrial. He explains how Class B/C office can work today—smaller suites, 1–3 year leases, rigorous OPEX/insurance diligence, and lender-ready liquidity—while outlining why flex/industrial has real tailwinds. Logan breaks down Kansas City’s diversified growth story and how to win broker attention with a crisp buy box, fast feed...

Aug 27, 202550 minSeason 1Ep. 4010

JF 4009: Long-Distance Rentals, 2008 Lessons and Buyer’s Market Plays ft. Dani Beit-Or

On this episode of Best Ever CRE, Joe Cornwell interviews Dani Beit-Or about his “get-rich-slow” approach to long-distance rental investing and how he started with a sight-unseen Phoenix purchase in 2002 before moving to the U.S. in 2004. He shares cycle-tested lessons from the 2008 crash, why boring, bread-and-butter single-family and small multis still win, and how to pick metros using fundamentals (jobs, demographics, landlord-friendly laws) instead of herd advice. Dani explains current plays...

Aug 26, 202550 minSeason 1Ep. 4009

JF 4008: From Data To Deals, Funnel Design and Authenticity That Closes ft. Luis Green

On this episode of Unlimited Capital, Richard McGirr interviews Luis (Lou) Green about his path from a decade in e-commerce to partnering in Arbet Group and spinning up Arbet Capital Partners to lead the firm’s capital division. They dig into why a separate capital arm enables feeder funds/SPVs and broader allocation for LPs, supported by communities like Family Office Club. Luis shares specific, high-touch outbound tactics—PERE-sourced lists, trigger-based calls, and creative “guerrilla” touche...

Aug 25, 202554 minSeason 1Ep. 4008

JF 4007: Consumer Debt vs. Income, Savings Tailwinds and Q4 Retail Risk with John Chang

On this episode of The Horizon, John discusses the July retail sales print—strong nominally but essentially flat after inflation—and why consumer capacity to spend (healthier debt-to-income ratios and rising savings) is at odds with willingness to spend as sentiment softens. He explains how tariffs are likely to shift more costs from businesses to consumers in coming months, potentially weighing on Q4 sales and nudging inflation higher. Translating this to CRE, John expects more pressure on West...

Aug 24, 202538 minSeason 1Ep. 4007

JF 4006: Beating the Funding Crunch, Targeting Fresh LPs and Turning Interviews Into Investments ft. Dave Dubeau

On this episode of Multifamily Mastery, John Casmon interviews Dave Dubeau. Dave breaks down why “a great deal will make the money appear” is a myth, urging capital raisers to build relationships and line up soft commitments well before they need funds. He explains today’s tougher LP sentiment around multifamily and why targeting fresh, accredited investors can outperform chasing burned LPs. Dave also shares his podcast-led system for consistently booking investor meetings and converting value-f...

Aug 23, 202553 minSeason 1Ep. 4006
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