Best Real Estate Investing Advice Ever with Joe Fa

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Pascal Wagner interviews Russell Gray, the long-time co-host of the Real Estate Guys Radio Show and a seasoned LP investor. Russell dives deep into the critical role macroeconomics plays in investment success, sharing his personal crash-and-burn story from the 2008 mortgage crisis and the economic warning signs he missed. He breaks down the shift from Wall Street to Main Street capitalism, the flaws of financialized markets, and the need to value investments based on real income. He also outlines practical strategies LPs can use to evaluate deals through macro, demographic, and geographic lenses, and advocates for a return to real asset investing and productive capitalism. Russell Gray Founder and Host Based in: Phoenix, Arizona Say hi to them at www.RussellGray.com www.linkedin.com/in/russellwgray/ x.com/RussWGray vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Amanda Cruise and Ash Patel interview Tom Rauen, the self-branded "Fast Food Landlord" and owner of Rauen Capital. Tom shares his strategy behind acquiring Triple Net lease assets—primarily dollar stores and fast food locations—in underserved Iowa markets. He dives into the nuances of lease structures, investor returns, and risk mitigation, emphasizing why lease review and local knowledge are key. Tom also discusses the pitfalls of trendy business acquisitions, warning real estate investors about the operational complexity behind buying small businesses. Tom Rauen Owner Based in: Dubuque, Iowa Say hi to them at www.rauencapital.com www.linkedin.com/in/tomrauen/ vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Best Ever CRE, Joe Cornwell interviews Jesse Sells, co-founder and COO of Impact Growth Capital. Jesse shares how he transitioned from the Air Force into real estate by diving headfirst into mobile home park syndications, using his background in flipping and rentals to raise capital from personal connections. He discusses the challenges of managing mid-sized multifamily properties and how that experience led his team to shift toward larger deals and capital partnerships. Jesse also outlines their latest venture: a $300M public-private development project to redevelop public housing into 600 new units, backed by government incentives. Jesse Sells Co-Founder Based in: Texas Say hi to them at www.linkedin.com/in/jesse-sells/ www.instagram.com/thejessesells/ vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Joe Fairless interviews John Casmon of Casmon Capital and Kent Ritter of Hudson Investing to explore the current state of multifamily investing and development. John shares insights on exiting value-add multifamily assets in the Midwest, strategic refinancing, and how he doubled NOI on a key property by identifying hidden upside. Kent dives into public-private partnerships as the secret to making development deals pencil in today’s environment and highlights a mixed-use project in Westfield, Indiana, backed by city support and creative financing. They also discuss investor sentiment, capital raising challenges, and how to identify stalled listings that can be repositioned into winning deals. John Casmon Managing Partner Based in: Cincinnati, Ohio Say hi to them at https://www.linkedin.com/in/multifamily-apartments-john-casmon/ Kent Ritter CEO Based in: Carmel, Indiana Say hi to them at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kentritter/ vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Horizon, John Chang interviews Gregg Katz to unpack the ripple effects of tariffs, the paralysis caused by economic uncertainty, and shifts in consumer behavior. The two dive into how fluctuating tariffs on Chinese goods are impacting retailers differently—especially discount chains like Five Below and Dollar General—and explore how supply chain volatility is reshaping strategic decisions in real estate and retail. They also discuss the experiential shift in retail environments, highlighted by a tour of One Wall Street and its luxury French department store, and forecast a potential "back to basics" retail resurgence driven by Gen Z’s unexpected preference for in-person shopping. Ultimately, both agree that despite short-term turbulence, retail real estate remains resilient and ripe with long-term opportunity. Greg Katz Director, Business Industry Solutions Based in: Atlanta, Georgia Say hi to them at https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregg-katz/ vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Best Ever CRE, Slocomb Reed interviews Josh Goodwin, co-founder of SimCap Holdings, a Cincinnati-based multifamily syndication firm with 212 units across nine properties. Josh shares how SimCap transitioned from third-party management to full vertical integration, detailing the impact on investor returns, internal operations, and cash flow. He also discusses their strategic expansion into the Columbus market, emphasizing how they plan to replicate their operational model with in-house property management and local contractor networks. Additionally, Josh explains how SimCap is leveraging technology, including large language models, for predictive maintenance and improved asset management. Josh Goodwin Principal/General Partner Based in: Cincinnati, Ohio Say hi to them at www.linkedin.com/in/josh-goodwin-b973b949/ www.simcapholdings.com vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Next Level CRE, Matt Faircloth interviews Ryan Pineda, a former pro baseball player turned powerhouse real estate entrepreneur. Ryan shares how he scaled from flipping couches to flipping houses, eventually launching multiple seven-figure businesses. He emphasizes the importance of mastering one thing at a time, reflects on past wins and failures—and breaks down how he’s pivoting toward building sellable businesses in today’s uncertain market. Ryan also highlights how his “business-in-a-box” model is reshaping real estate education and supporting aspiring wholesalers nationwide. Ryan Pineda CEO Based in: Las Vegas, Nevada  Say hi to them at https://www.ryanpineda.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@RyanPineda vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Pascal Wagner interviews Mike Arndorfer, a full-time passive investor with decades of LP experience and over 19 deals under his belt. Mike shares his approach to investing in asset classes like mobile home parks (his “stay-rich” money), debt funds, and his curiosity about marinas. He emphasizes the importance of building long-term relationships with operators, attending conferences to meet other LPs and GPs, and constructing a diversified portfolio across cash flow, appreciation, and depreciation. Mike Arndorfer Founder Based in: Bellingham, WA  Say hi to them at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-arndorfer-915074117/ vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Amanda Cruise and Ash Patel interview Aaron Fragnito, co-founder of People’s Capital Group, about his multifamily and mixed-use investing strategy in New Jersey. Aaron shares how he's thriving in a competitive market through off-market deals, aggressive repositioning, and capitalizing on low cap rates. He discusses his move into Class A assets, insights on managing older mixed-use properties, and his pivot from house flipping to scaling syndications with institutional capital. Aaron also reveals the structure of his capital-raising team and the operational challenges behind the scenes. Aaron Fragnito Co-founder Based in: Somerville, NJ Say hi to them at www.peoplescapitalgroup.com www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-fragnito-620b93173/ www.youtube.com/channel/UCCeJh5UgrdBDOabr2YLbAHg vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Best Ever CRE, Joe Cornwell interviews Mustafa Ladha, Senior VP of Investor Relations at Veloce Capital. Mustafa shares how he transitioned from the pharmaceutical industry to real estate by leveraging WhatsApp to raise over $40 million through authentic, education-based investor relationships. He discusses the firm’s strategic focus on ground-up development in suburban New Jersey, including their use of tax abatements, opportunity zones, and a Reg A Tier 2 fund to make institutional-quality investments accessible to retail investors. The conversation also dives into aligning with the right investor personalities, long-term value creation, and avoiding transactional mindsets in capital raising. Mustafa Ladha Senior Vice President of Investor Relations Based in: Hackensack, NJ Say hi to them at www.linkedin.com/in/mustafa-ladha/ vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Joe Fairless interviews Joe Root, co-founder of East Superior Real Estate Partners. Joe shares insights into how his family’s 40-year legacy in Chicago real estate evolved into a vertically integrated firm managing and owning hundreds of multifamily units. He dives into the strategic advantage of analyzing receivership reports to uncover distressed property opportunities and recounts lessons learned from a 2006 acquisition that nearly collapsed during the financial crisis. Joe also discusses the firm’s pivot to lighter value-add deals, assumptions of favorable debt, and plans to scale into other Midwest markets by leveraging internal culture and KPIs through regional asset managers. Joseph Root Co-founder Based in: Chicago, IL Say hi to them at www.linkedin.com/in/rootjoseph/ www.esrepartners.com/ vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Horizon, John discusses the volatile intersection of trade policy, economic sentiment, and commercial real estate performance. He unpacks the steep drop in consumer sentiment, largely driven by aggressive tariff measures and global trade uncertainty—highlighting their ripple effects on tech, construction, and imports. John explores the implications for apartment absorption, commercial real estate sectors, and broader economic indicators like GDP composition and inflation risks. Despite the turbulence, he argues that commercial real estate may offer a relatively safer investment alternative compared to increasingly erratic stock and bond markets. Capital Gains Tax Solutions vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Best Ever CRE, Slocomb Reed interviews Nhan Nguyen Le, CEO of Valiant Capital. Nhan shares his journey from growing up in federally assisted housing to leading a $300M student housing portfolio focused exclusively on UC Berkeley. He explains why his firm targets high-demand, location-driven assets and executes a vertically integrated, value-add strategy that includes both renovations and ground-up developments. Nhan also addresses potential risks like university housing policies and political shifts, arguing that UC Berkeley's global brand and housing constraints create long-term demand resilience. Nhan Nguyen Le CEO Based in: Berkley, CA Say hi to them at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nhannguyenle Capital Gains Tax Solutions vikingcapllc.com 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Next Level CRE, Matt Faircloth interviews Chris Lopez, a real estate entrepreneur who transitioned from a tech-savvy internet marketer to a successful real estate broker and investor. Chris shares how he built a modern real estate brokerage by leveraging digital marketing and BiggerPockets forums to attract clients in Denver. He discusses his evolution from active investing into passive syndication opportunities, including educating clients on return on equity and “lazy 1031” strategies. Chris emphasizes the importance of agents becoming real estate wealth consultants, helping clients optimize and redeploy their capital into higher-yield opportunities. Chris Lopez Chief Marketing officer Based in: Colorado Say hi to them at propertyllama.com/ vikingcapllc.com Capital Gains Tax Solutions 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Pascal Wagner interviews The Real Estate God, a private equity investor with $30–40 million in assets under management. Known for his sharp insights and anonymous presence online, Michael shares how LPs can think like GPs by breaking down deal evaluation, spotting hidden risks, and understanding the importance of stabilized yield versus market cap rates. He dives deep into evaluating market rents, verifying assumptions, and managing debt risk—especially the dangers of bridge loans. Michael also emphasizes how understanding GP incentives and being diligent about due diligence are critical for LPs to reduce risk and maximize returns. The Real Estate God Real Estate Private Equity Firm Founder Based in: South Carolina Say hi to them at calendly.com/realestategod/introcall youtube.com/@therealestategod vikingcapllc.com Capital Gains Tax Solutions 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Amanda Cruise and Ash Patel interview Victor Menasce, senior partner at Y Street Capital. Victor shares his transition from electrical engineering to full-time real estate development, focusing on why he pivoted from value-add deals to ground-up development across multifamily, industrial, and land projects. He dives into challenges with rising construction costs due to tariffs, converting historic buildings, and the complexities of repurposing office space into residential units. Victor also discusses the long-term strategy of build-and-hold investing, small-bay flex industrial demand, and insights on markets like Salt Lake City and New York. Victor Menasce Senior Partner Based in: Ottawa, Canada Say hi to them at ystreetcapital.com vikingcapllc.com Capital Gains Tax Solutions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Best Ever CRE, Joe Cornwell interviews Ben Simon, CEO of Archer Acquisitions. Ben shares his unique path from wholesaling in Boston to scaling a 500+ unit multifamily and 12 RV park portfolio. He breaks down his transition from small deals to $20M+ projects, the strategic value of partnerships, and how RV parks became a major focus after accidentally discovering the asset class. Ben also unpacks one of his toughest deals and a massive win from a 200-unit portfolio refinance, highlighting the importance of being well-capitalized and the power of creative financing. Ben Simon CEO Based in: Boston, MA Say hi to them at archeracq.com/ www.linkedin.com/in/benjsimon/ ben@archeracq.com vikingcapllc.com Capital Gains Tax Solutions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Joe Fairless interviews Judd Standage, founder of Aztex Management Group, who shares his journey from an IT career to owning and managing a 1,000-door multifamily portfolio. Judd discusses lessons from his first heavy value-add deal, why he shifted toward stabilized Class A and B+ properties in tertiary markets, and how his partnership with a longtime friend allows them to efficiently manage their entire operation. He also shares creative strategies to boost NOI, such as fenced yard upgrades and joint ventures on renters insurance. Judd opens up about current capital-raising challenges and how their team is navigating a more cautious investor landscape. Judd Standage Founder Based in: Austin, Texas Say hi to them at www.aztexmgmt.com Capital Gains Tax Solutions vikingcapllc.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Horizon, John discusses the sweeping impact of the new U.S. tariff hikes—dubbed "Liberation Day"—and their cascading effects on inflation, unemployment, and commercial real estate. He breaks down the economic fallout from increased tariffs on China, Vietnam, and other major trade partners, highlighting the resulting stock market plunge, potential recession, and shifts in investor sentiment. John explores how real estate might weather the turbulence better than equities, offering insights into asset classes like apartments, retail, office, and industrial properties. vikingcapllc.com Capital Gains Tax Solutions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of the Best Ever CRE Show, Joe Fairless flies solo and dives into the latest Best Ever newsletter with updates and insights on the commercial real estate market. Joe breaks down the impact of new tariffs, treasury rate movements, and the state of multifamily trends across markets like DFW, Florida, and the Sunbelt. He highlights affordable housing challenges, national vacancy trends, and a standout case study of a 2X value-add deal in South Carolina generating 110% annual cash-on-cash returns. Joe also touches on where renters are currently searching most and encourages community engagement through the Best Ever CRE app. Capital Gains Tax Solutions vikingcapllc.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices