Multifamily Insights

Best Ever CRE Network
Best Ever CRE Network
  • 4.9 (281)
  • Investing
  • Updated Semiweekly

Each week, John Casmon speaks with real estate pros and marketing specialists to provide useful tips for multifamily investing. Listen and learn insights for market research, finding deals, attracting capital, and growing your portfolio.

  1. 1d ago

    How to Add Value Beyond Raising Rents with Andrew Cramer, Ep. 814

    Andrew Cramer is the founder of Bridgeview Asset Management, which invests in value-add manufactured housing communities across the greater Pacific Northwest. He has completed more than 40 manufactured housing community (MHC) transactions, and his team focuses on home technology, park development, and operations. Andrew entered manufactured housing in 2011 with no real estate background, buying his first mobile home park with a 12% loan from a family connection. Over roughly 15 years, he has also invested in apartments and single-family homes. Today, he pairs investment management with active advocacy for manufactured housing as an affordable housing solution. In this episode, Andrew Cramer explains why the stigma around manufactured housing comes from pre-1976 construction, and how the federal HUD code reshaped the product. He walks through Bridgeview's value-add playbook, from recovering lost density and submetering utilities to community improvements that qualify parks for agency financing. Andrew also shares why the order of operations decides whether residents work with you or against you, and where the recession-resistant reputation of manufactured housing holds up.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Invest in the community before raising rents Use recovered density to add lots without a full land use process Submeter utilities to cut expenses and give residents control Target agency financing to raise value without relying on rent growth Work with city officials, even when you are right     Topics The Stigma Around Manufactured Housing Most of the bias traces back to homes built before the 1976 HUD code Every manufactured home since then follows a single federal standard Factory building means controlled conditions and centralized inspection Manufactured Housing as a Wealth-Building Tool A two-bedroom manufactured home often costs the same or less per month than a two-bedroom apartment Andrew says that resident can accumulate about $55,000 over five years The stigma steers lower-income renters away from ownership Invest in the Community First Paved roads, playgrounds, and locking mailboxes rarely add rent directly Those improvements earn resident buy-in for future rent increases Raising rents on day one creates an immediate adversarial relationship Andrew finds illicit activity usually stems from mismanagement and fades once investment begins How Improvements Unlock Agency Financing Upgrades can push a park into Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac qualification Better rates and terms raise value even if rents do not move Agency-quality assets attract a larger pool of buyers What Modern Manufactured Homes Look Like Andrew dates the modern manufactured home to around 2005 Recent HUD revisions removed the chassis requirement and allow stacked two-story homes He says the functional difference between manufactured and modular homes is gone Local inspectors may push back, and cooperation works better than confrontation Bridgeview's Value-Add Playbook Recovered density: documenting historic spaces to add lots as an existing nonconforming use Expense reduction: submetering water, which typically cuts usage by 25% or more Community investment: improvements that support agency qualification Rehabbing vacant homes early to improve the community and prove market rent Converting renters into homeowners wherever possible Is Manufactured Housing Recession Resistant? Affordable housing captures people moving up and people moving down Homeowner-heavy communities see much lower turnover than apartments Lower turnover also slows rent growth in strong economies Residents can unify against an operator, so management quality matters     📢 Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.     Round of Insights   Failure that set Andrew up for success: Picking a fight with a city, even when he was right. He won in court and is still paying for it, because the city is not going anywhere. Digital or mobile resource: ChatGPT, used as an educational resource rather than a tool to do the work for you. Book recommendation: Good to Great by Jim Collins. Daily habit: Writing down ten things to accomplish the next day before going to bed. #1 insight for investing in manufactured homes: Get educated. Tour a manufactured home factory near you, and stay in a manufactured home through Airbnb. Favorite restaurant in the Portland, OR area: Sushi spots in Vancouver, WA.     Next Steps Learn more about Bridgeview Asset Management here: bridgeviewassetmanagement.com Follow Andrew on LinkedIn for his writing on manufactured housing Schedule a tour of a manufactured home factory near you Browse current models from manufacturers such as Cavco, Marlette, and Palm Harbor Identify community improvements that drive retention and financing upside Sequence improvements before rent increases       Thank you for joining us for another great episode! If you're enjoying the show, please LEAVE A RATING OR REVIEW, and be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an episode.

  2. Oct 13

    Your Multifamily Exit Starts on Day One with John Casmon, Ep. 813

    This week, learn how to set yourself up for a strong exit on a multifamily deal. John points out that investors spend plenty of time on underwriting, finding markets, and raising capital, but rarely talk about the disposition, even though much of a successful exit is decided by the assumptions made on day one. John walks through how to identify the ideal buyer for your asset, why he gets a broker opinion of value (BOV) on every property at least annually, how loan terms and interest rates shape what the next buyer can pay, when a refinance makes sense as an exit, and the fees and taxes many operators forget to underwrite. If you want to protect your returns at the finish line, this episode gives you a practical checklist for planning the exit before you close.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Plan your exit at acquisition, starting with your underwriting assumptions Identify your ideal buyer and position the property for what they need Leave room for the next buyer to create value Get a broker opinion of value at least annually on every asset Know your prepayment penalty and how today's rates affect the next buyer Budget for disposition fees, taxes, and late costs before you sell     Topics Why the Exit Gets Overlooked Most investing conversations focus on underwriting, markets, and capital raising A strong exit starts with the assumptions you make going into the deal Most operators underwrite a five-year hold Know Your Buyer Match your property class and business plan to the buyer most likely to pay top dollar Likely buyers include family offices, syndicators, mom-and-pop operators, and busy professionals Busy professionals often want stabilized, cash-flowing assets that are easy to operate Value-add buyers need upside left in the deal Buyers Are Sophisticated Doing the bare minimum for two or three years will not command a premium Expect buyers to dig deep into your numbers and operations Problem assets attract value buyers who will not pay top dollar Use a Broker Opinion of Value (BOV) John recommends a BOV on every property at least once a year BOVs are usually free, so only request them from brokers you would trust to sell the asset Brokers provide a valuation range plus feedback on rents, expenses, and likely buyers Use the BOV as a working plan to reach the top end of that range A 1031 exchange buyer is one example of a buyer who may pay a premium Loan Terms and the Cost of Capital Know your loan type and your prepayment penalty Penalties of 2% to 5% can cut a projected 20% IRR to 15% Determine whether a buyer can assume your loan or needs new financing Moving from 3% to 7% rates sends an extra 400 basis points to the lender If you would not buy your property at today's rates, do not expect someone else to Refinancing as an Exit A refinance can return capital, buy out partners, or fund reinvestment Choose a loan that allows refinancing without a heavy penalty Refinancing into higher rates raises payments and pressure on performance A bridge-to-perm structure builds the refinance into the plan from day one Fees, Taxes, and Late Costs Account for disposition fees, broker fees, and state and federal taxes Negotiate broker fees where possible Expect late invoices: John received a vendor bill 11 months after a sale Unbudgeted disposition costs can drastically shift final returns       📢 Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.     Next Steps Define your ideal exit buyer before you close Request annual BOVs from brokers who could sell the asset Review your prepayment penalty and whether your loan is assumable Stress-test your exit against current interest rates Budget for disposition fees, taxes, and late invoices in your pro forma     Thank you for joining us for another great episode! If you're enjoying the show, please LEAVE A RATING OR REVIEW, and be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an episode.

  3. Oct 6

    Do You Want a Real Estate Investment or a Real Estate Business, Ep. 812

    This week, learn how to decide whether you should be an active or a passive real estate investor. John explains that many investors learn about one or two strategies, pick one, and never check whether it matches their goals, financial situation, employment, and available time. John defines both roles, then walks through a framework built on your investing background, what you actually want, and whether you have the systems and team to operate a property. He also takes on the belief that hiring a property manager turns a rental into a passive investment, using the math on a $150 monthly management fee to show why owners still have to manage the manager. If you are weighing your next move, this episode comes down to one question: do you want to own a business or an investment?     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Match your strategy to your goals, finances, job situation, and available time Lean active if you have real estate experience and want control Lean passive if you want to learn first or avoid day-to-day issues Build systems, processes, and a vetted team before going active Treat an active investment as a business, even with a property manager in place As a passive investor, do the heavy vetting up front, then follow the updates     Topics Defining Active and Passive Investing Active investors make the decisions and own the outcome of the investment Examples: flipping, owning a rental, or being a general partner on an apartment syndication Passive investors put money in a deal while someone else makes the decisions Examples: being a limited partner or a private lender Start With Your Investing Background Experience with construction, rentals, or property management points toward being active Without that experience, John suggests leaning passive to learn before making the shift Decide What You Actually Want Having experience does not mean you want to keep doing the work Consider how you feel about weekend calls and late-night texts Hiring a third-party property manager still leaves the decisions with you Systems, Processes, and Team Active investors need processes for work orders, rent collection, late rent, and evictions Sourcing, vetting, and managing contractors and team members takes time If you are unwilling to invest that time, passive investing may serve you better Business or Investment? John calls this the biggest question in the active versus passive decision Being active means running a business with systems, processes, and vendors Being passive means evaluating an opportunity, investing your capital, and stepping back Why a Property Manager Does Not Make You Passive John calls the idea that hiring a property manager makes you a passive investor "BS" A manager charging 10% on $1,500 in rent collects $150 a month When you are one of 50 units, the manager handles issues only as they come up Owners should check in at least monthly and track occupancy and KPIs What Passive Investors Still Need to Do The heavy lifting is up front: vetting the people, the deals, and the strategy After investing, read the updates and follow occupancy and performance Someone else is responsible for fixing issues and making changes After the Deal Closes Every deal has unforeseen circumstances, such as a missed permit or a plumbing stack replacement Active investors have to manage those changes day to day       📢 Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.     Next Steps   Join the Investor Insights community on Facebook to connect with other investors Reach out to John's team to discuss passive investing opportunities Decide whether you want to run a business or own an investment Assess your experience and how much time you can commit If you go active, set up your processes and team, and find a mentor if you need one If you go passive, define the operators, deals, and strategies you will vet     Thank you for joining us for another great episode! If you're enjoying the show, please LEAVE A RATING OR REVIEW, and be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an episode.

  4. Sep 29

    The Upgrade That Boosts Rents Without Rehabbing Units with David Tashjian, Ep. 811

    David Tashjian is the Senior Vice President of Comcast's Xfinity Communities national business unit, where he leads strategy, transformation, and performance for one of the company's fastest-evolving growth segments. He has spent more than 20 years at Comcast and over three decades in telecommunications. David started his career in restaurants, bars, and retail management before moving into telecom in the mid-1990s. He took on his first leadership role at 19 and has worked with multifamily properties throughout his telecom career. In this episode, John sits down with David Tashjian of Comcast's Xfinity Communities to break down how apartment owners should approach connectivity and technology. David explains why deployment and service delivery decide the resident experience, how the Connected Building retrofit upgrades older properties using existing wiring, and how national owners are turning technology into higher rents and technology fees. He also shares where multifamily proptech is heading and why a fragmented market is ready for a single partner at scale.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Talk to every stakeholder, from owners to residents, before making technology decisions Use resident feedback and competitor comparisons to spot when an upgrade is due Consider retrofits that reuse existing wiring before committing to a full fiber rebuild Judge providers on deployment, service delivery, and long-term stability as well as price Tie technology upgrades to rent premiums or technology fees to capture a return Treat connectivity as the foundation for access control, cameras, and other proptech     Topics From Restaurants to Telecom David grew up around his father's restaurants and bars, then moved into retail management A blind ad in the mid-1990s led him to a satellite company and into telecom He is approaching 21 years at Comcast Serving Every Stakeholder David's customers include owners, developers, consultants, attorneys, property managers, maintenance teams, and residents A strong resident product fails without the right deployment strategy and on-site buy-in What Owners Want Today Ease of use and ease of deployment top the list Xfinity Communities is a new business unit with dedicated leadership over multifamily sales, deployment, and product development David sees the service experience as the main differentiator The 186 Steps Behind a Deployment A new-build managed Wi-Fi fiber deployment involves 186 steps across Comcast and the property Many connectivity complaints trace back to deployment or bandwidth issues Every property Comcast serves gets its own full engineering design Connected Building and Legacy Properties Connected Building is a post-build retrofit that uses most of a building's existing wiring David says it costs pennies on the dollar compared to a fiber retrofit, with no walls torn apart It includes proactive network monitoring, real-time data, and proactive fixes Property-wide Wi-Fi can also support smart devices, security, access control, and cameras Signs It Is Time to Upgrade Resident complaints, such as trouble working from home or dropped connections Occupancy that lags nearby properties Competing new builds charging more in rent or amenity fees The ROI of a Technology Upgrade Residents will pay for what they want, through higher rents or a technology fee Many national accounts are upgrading portfolio-wide, timed with contract renewals Some have built dedicated revenue-generating technology teams Proptech and the Future of Multifamily David describes multifamily proptech as fragmented, much like single-family home automation Xfinity Communities is running three to four beta deployments toward an integrated, white-label experience The team is evaluating acquisitions and partnerships with proptech companies Residents increasingly expect keyless entry, garage access, and entry cameras Scale lets one provider serve owners with properties spread across multiple states     📢 Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.     Round of Insights   Failure that set David up for success: Believing he had leadership figured out after early success. By his mid-30s he was not seeking enough help from others. Learning to slow down, accept feedback, and bring in diverse perspectives produced far better results. Digital or mobile resource: Manager Tools and Blinkist. Book recommendation: The Truth About Leadership by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, for its ten truths of leadership, including that leadership is an affair of the heart. Daily habit: Color-coding his calendar by his top priorities for the year, setting up each week in advance, and rebalancing when any color takes up too much or too little time. #1 insight for leveraging technology at your apartment community: Talk to your residents about what they need, then find a partner who can deliver it. Favorite restaurant in Philadelphia, PA: Vetri Cucina, plus Dalessandro's for a cheesesteak and John's Roast Pork for a roast pork sandwich.     Next Steps   Learn more about Xfinity Communities here: xfinitycommunities.com Connect with David on LinkedIn Ask your residents what they need from connectivity and technology Compare your rents, amenity fees, and technology offering with nearby competitors Evaluate retrofit options that reuse existing wiring Review whether an upgrade can support higher rents or a technology fee     Thank you for joining us for another great episode! If you're enjoying the show, please LEAVE A RATING OR REVIEW, and be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an episode.

  5. Sep 23

    When "Buy and Hold" Stops Making Sense, Ep. 810

    This week, learn how to decide whether to sell or hold a multifamily property you already own. John Casmon answers a question many investors are asking him, and explains why holding an asset indefinitely can cost you upside. The longer your equity stays locked in one deal, the higher the opportunity cost, and there is an ideal window to sell and maximize returns. John walks through the questions he asks before making the call: how the property is performing today, how the current market would receive it, what you plan to do next, how much upside remains, and what options your loan, your investors, and your reinvestment opportunities leave you. He also explains why current conditions are unfavorable for sellers and how cap rate expansion erased value for operators who successfully grew NOI. If you own an asset and are weighing an exit, this episode gives you a practical framework for timing that decision.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Account for the opportunity cost of equity locked in a deal Let current property performance guide the decision to sell or hold Fix operational issues yourself before passing them to a buyer Weigh remaining upside against the risk of cap rate expansion Review your loan term, investor needs, and reinvestment options before selling Stick to your business plan and avoid getting greedy     Topics   The Hidden Cost of Holding John believes investors should always be buying, with a clear business plan and debt strategy Holding a property too long gradually reduces your upside At some point, locked equity can create more value in another deal Start With Property Performance Strong current performance tends to signal strong future performance and supports holding A property that held up over the last 3 to 4 years has proven its resilience Persistent occupancy, collection, or expense problems strengthen the case to sell Fix Problems Before You Sell Buyers will either inherit your operational issues or need to address them upfront If you can solve those issues, John recommends doing it so the buyer starts with a clean slate Emotional fatigue from a difficult property is a valid factor in the decision Read the Market Conditions Assess whether a sale would achieve fair value or only attract discount buyers Identify whether weak demand stems from the market, location, asset class, or operations The less you can control, the stronger the case for exiting At the time of recording, conditions favor buyers and sellers are missing out on premium pricing Define What Comes Next John shares a coaching client weighing a refinance against a sale Long-term goals determine whether a sale should fund the next opportunity Without a next deal in mind, the decision rests on the current asset alone Measure the Remaining Upside A $3 million purchase now worth $5 million, with a path to $8 million, makes a strong case to hold A path from $5 million to $5.5 million may not offset the opportunity cost of reinvesting Many operators grew NOI and still lost value when cap rates expanded Know Your Options Review loan maturity, investor appetite, and reinvestment options such as a 1031 exchange Limited options favor holding and weathering the storm An expiring loan or investors who want out push the decision toward selling Years left on a fixed-term loan and satisfied investors remove the pressure to sell Revisit Your Business Plan Changing your planned hold period requires a compelling reason If you hit your numbers, avoid holding on to squeeze out extra profit If you are close, have protected downside, and see real upside, holding can make sense       📢 Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.     Next Steps   Explore the Apartment Investing Mastermind and request more details here. Join the free Investor Insights community on Facebook for discussions, live webinars, and expert guests Review the current performance of every asset you own Resolve operational issues before taking a property to market Compare the remaining upside on each deal against the opportunity cost of reinvesting Check loan maturity, investor expectations, and reinvestment options Measure your results against your original business plan     Thank you for joining us for another great episode! If you're enjoying the show, please LEAVE A RATING OR REVIEW, and be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an episode.

  6. Sep 15

    The Tax Mistake Quietly Costing Real Estate Owners Six Figures with Tom Brodie, Ep. 809

    Tom Brodie is a National Account Executive with CSSI, the nation's premier engineering-based consulting firm specializing in tax law surrounding commercial buildings. With over 23 years of experience and more than 65,000 studies completed, CSSI has a proven track record of delivering significant tax savings without triggering a single audit. Tom spent 27 years at Shell Oil before taking early retirement and moving into the scuba industry, where he worked for a Houston-area scuba retailer. Wanting work that was less dependent on discretionary spending in an oil-driven local economy, he found cost segregation and assumed every building owner already knew about it. Most did not. Today, based in Houston, Tom works with commercial and multifamily owners to reclassify building components into faster depreciation schedules and to correct costly errors buried in existing depreciation schedules. Most building owners have never run a cost segregation study, and many who have are still leaving money on the table. In this episode, Tom Brodie of CSSI walks John through what a study actually does, why a CPA cannot perform one, and the land valuation error he keeps finding on depreciation schedules that quietly costs owners six figures. Tom shares two real examples, explains how recapture and 1031 exchanges change the math, and clarifies when it is too late to act.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Break a building into 5, 7, and 15-year asset classes instead of one 27.5 or 39-year schedule Claim 100% bonus depreciation on anything a study identifies with a life under 20 years Audit your depreciation schedule for an inflated land value, because land can never be depreciated Hold at least 3 to 5 years after a study, or use a 1031 exchange, so recapture does not erase the benefit Use a change of accounting method to catch up missed depreciation without amending prior returns     Topics What Cost Segregation Actually Does A study divides a building into faster-depreciating asset groups instead of one straight-line schedule The structure stays at 27.5 years for residential or 39 for commercial; interiors and site work move to 5, 7, or 15 years Parking lots, irrigation, security systems, lighting, landscaping, and flagpoles all fall in the 15-year bucket Why the Strategy Stayed Obscure Cost segregation dates to the late 1990s but was originally priced for owners of skyscrapers CSSI brought the cost down far enough to study buildings valued from $200,000, excluding land Tom says most CPAs lack the time and resources to do it, and many never raise it with clients Why It Takes an Engineering Study Counting every window, door, appliance, and countertop across a portfolio is an engineering exercise CSSI delivers dollar totals by asset class for the CPA to plug into the depreciation schedule Tom notes CSSI does not prepare returns, so the handoff stays clean A Medical Office Building Example A 53,000 square foot medical office building completed in December 2023, valued at roughly $12.9 million Straight-line depreciation for that first month came to $13,790 The study identified about $1.1 million in tangible personal property and $3.1 million in land improvements At the 80% bonus rate then in effect, that produced roughly $3.4 million of first-year depreciation The Land Value Error Hiding in Depreciation Schedules A Colorado rental carried $500,000 in land value against a county assessment of $125,000 Reallocating the $375,000 overage lifted the building basis from $522,384 to roughly $897,000 The owner had held the property four years without knowing the error existed Tom recommends validating land value against county records, or a commercial realtor's opinion as of the purchase date Correcting Past Years Without Amending Returns A change of accounting method form allows a catch-up deduction in the current tax year The IRS treats the filing as an automatic acceptance, so prior returns stay untouched CSSI prepares the form as part of every study for the CPA to submit Recapture, Hold Periods, and the 1031 Exchange Selling soon after a study can let recapture consume the entire savings Tom recommends holding at least 3 to 5 years so reinvested savings outrun the recapture A 1031 exchange defers the gain entirely and is the cleanest way to avoid recapture What Qualifies and What Does Not Personal residences do not qualify; commercial and investment property does An owner-occupied duplex can be studied for the rental portion only A vacation rental is prorated based on the owner's personal use during the year Cost Segregation Inside a 1031 or a Syndication Tom recommends a study on both the relinquished and the replacement property Carryover basis reduces the new study's base, and the benefit still holds In syndications and JVs, depreciation flows by ownership percentage under the partnership agreement When It Is Too Late, and the Biggest Mistake Properties owned under ten years are worth evaluating; past twenty, there is usually little left to accelerate CSSI runs no-cost, no-obligation estimates before any commitment Tom says the biggest mistake is simply failing to pursue every tax benefit in the code He notes 100% bonus depreciation returned with no scheduled phase-out, unlike the version that stepped down after 2022     📢 Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.     Round of Insights Failure that set Tom up for success: On one of his first large projects he accepted the stated land value without questioning it. Looking back, he believes he could have saved the client more, and he now scrutinizes land allocation on every study. Digital or mobile resource: LandGlide, a mobile app that pulls public ownership records for a parcel while you are standing on the property. Book recommendation: Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller. Daily habit: Working from a CRM pipeline that shows every project's stage visually, so the day's priorities and next actions are clear at a glance. #1 insight for using a cost segregation analysis: Have one done. Request a no-cost, no-obligation estimate and let the numbers decide. Favorite restaurant in Houston, TX: Gringo's Mexican Kitchen.     Next Steps   Reach out to Tom Brodie directly at tom.brodie@cssiservices.com Learn more about CSSI here. Pull your depreciation schedule and check the land-to-building allocation against county records Request a no-cost estimate before committing to a study Confirm your hold plan, since selling within a year or two can erase the benefit Ask whether a change of accounting method applies to properties you already own     Thank you for joining us for another great episode! If you're enjoying the show, please LEAVE A RATING OR REVIEW, and be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an episode.

  7. Sep 8

    Why Success Starts With Who You Become With Jonathan Berryhill, Ep. 808

    Jonathan Berryhill is a former US Army infantry sergeant and law enforcement officer turned real estate entrepreneur, broker, and multifamily investor. He has built multiple seven and eight figure businesses, three real estate brokerages, and a team of over 50 agents. Today he specializes in multifamily investing, real estate growth, leadership, wealth building, discipline, and entrepreneurship. Jonathan grew up dirt poor in a broken home, served in the Army, worked narcotics in law enforcement, and walked on to play linebacker at the University of North Alabama at 25. He moved into medical sales, became a chief operations officer, then launched and sold his own medical device company. He and his wife now live on their farm in North Alabama with six children and four grandsons, and he leads America's Outdoor Realty and Elite Properties of the South across Alabama and Tennessee. His first book, Warrior to Wealth, is releasing this fall. In this episode, Jonathan Berryhill breaks down how he rebuilt his marriage, his identity, and his finances after filing for divorce at 25 with no money and no plan. He explains why alignment at home comes before growth in business, how he wrote down the man he wanted to become and started acting like him, and what separates people who commit from people who try. Jonathan also shares the failure that redirected his real estate career and previews his upcoming book, Warrior to Wealth.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Define your why clearly enough that it survives setbacks Fix your home life before trying to scale a business Act like the person you want to become, starting now Pay for mentorship through books, podcasts, and lunches Surround yourself with people operating a level above you Know what you are bad at and move toward what you do well     Topics From a Mobile Home Floor to a Vision Jonathan grew up dirt poor with plywood covering holes in the floor of his father's mobile home He could visualize a businessman version of himself and refused to repeat what he grew up in The Turning Point at 25 His marriage was in shambles and he and his wife had filed for divorce He called her in Hawaii and promised a life she could only dream of, with no idea how He left law enforcement and walked on to play linebacker at the University of North Alabama Building the Entrepreneurial Track Record Jonathan moved into medical sales and became a chief operations officer He launched his own medical device company and sold it a few years later He and his wife started buying land 14 years ago, which led him into land sales Pick Your Hard Fear of returning to poverty drove him for the first decade of his career He let it go after realizing that being poor is hard and building wealth is hard, so you choose which Alignment Comes First Jonathan frames every area of life as either in line or out of line, starting with home His wife has been his biggest supporter since they reconciled Comfort kills progress in relationships, business, and fitness Motivation vs. Discipline He runs a self-audit: do my daily actions match the goal I say I want Discipline means doing the work on the days you do not feel like it Mentorship and Finding Your Tribe Most people will not spend on a book, a podcast, or a lunch that could change their trajectory Jonathan still seeks mentors at 49 and joins a weekly entrepreneur networking call Weak relationship building is what stalls most people at the next level Forge the Identity, Then Do the Work He wrote down who he wanted to become and started doing what that man would do His advice to an aspiring CEO: study who that CEO knows and what he does daily, then copy it You become the athlete before the recruitment, not after Warrior to Wealth The book is built on three statements: find your mission, forge your identity, build your legacy Jonathan writes openly about his biggest failure, being unfaithful in his marriage He aims to give readers belief that his path is repeatable It Happens Because of You Trying something for 30 to 90 days is not a commitment Jonathan rejects "I have done all I could do" as an escape route Success, a strong marriage, and results all happen because of you Serving Veterans on the Farm Jonathan hosts fishing, hunting, and rodeo events for veterans on his family farm Ruck and Rawhide, supported by the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, raises awareness for veteran suicide       📢 Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.     Round of Insights   Failure that set Jonathan up for success: House flipping. His last flip ate his lunch, which pushed him into flipping land instead. He became a land broker and was named broker of the year out of more than 140 offices in his first year. Digital or mobile resource: Podcasts. Download a podcast app and fill your drive time and work hours with positive, influential voices. Book recommendation: Atomic Habits by James Clear, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Daily habit: Speaking gratitude out loud before getting out of bed, naming at least a dozen things he is thankful for. #1 insight for maintaining a positive mentality: Start with gratitude, then guard what you feed your eyes, ears, and mouth, because that input shapes your mind and your thinking. Favorite restaurant in North Alabama: Cotton Row in Huntsville for family dinners, and Catfish Cabin in Athens for a quick bite.     Next Steps   Preorder Warrior to Wealth and learn more about Jonathan here: jonberryhill.com Write down the identity you want to build, then list what that person does daily Audit whether your current actions actually match the goal you claim to want Find one person ahead of you in your industry and buy them lunch Join or build a group of entrepreneurs operating a level above you Get your home life and foundation aligned before scaling anything else     Thank you for joining us for another great episode! If you're enjoying the show, please LEAVE A RATING OR REVIEW, and be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an episode.

  8. Sep 1

    Buy, Sell, or Hold? How I'm Navigating Multifamily Right Now, Ep. 807

    This week, learn how John evaluates the current multifamily market and decides whether to buy, sell, or hold. John opens with the question he hears most often from investors in the current portfolio: what is the outlook, and where does the firm stand as a buyer or a seller today? John explains what has changed. Higher interest rates raised the cost of capital and made it harder to find deals that pencil, while higher savings rates gave investors a low risk alternative that did not exist a few years ago. He walks through the framework he uses in response: separate what you cannot control from what you can, start with operations and the value add upside still available, then weigh that against the runway left on the loan. He also makes the case for thinking like a trader of assets, explains why leverage determines who wins a trade, and shares why he believes multifamily fundamentals remain healthy despite the short term pressure in the market.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Stop spending energy on variables you cannot control Evaluate every deal individually before making portfolio decisions Weigh the value add upside still available against the time left on the loan Never put yourself in a position where you are forced to sell Treat assets as trades and know where your leverage sits Expect forced sellers over the next 12 to 18 months to create buying opportunities     Topics What Investors Are Asking Right Now Investors want to know the outlook and whether the firm is buying or selling Most deals in the portfolio are cash flowing, though not at past distribution levels Why the Market Has Changed Higher interest rates raised the cost of capital and thinned the pool of deals that pencil High yield savings accounts now pay a decent return for far less risk Investors are more cautious after deals that did not perform as projected Focus on What You Can Control John tracks the economy, the Treasury, and the value of the dollar without fixating on them Interest rates in 2027 and election driven policy changes sit outside any operator's control Awareness informs the projection; energy goes toward internal execution Operations Come First Every deal gets reviewed individually for performance, cash flow, and remaining upside If rents can still be pushed and demand is strong, keep executing the business plan Once the value add is captured, the deal moves into a second phase Loan Term Drives the Exit Decision A short runway with the value already captured points toward selling sooner A longer runway with upside remaining supports holding the asset Most deals fall between those two cases and require weighing both factors Selling on Your Terms John is a seller at the right price but wants to stay in control of the timing He expects some operators to be forced to sell over the next 12 to 18 months Groups already exiting at a loss will create opportunities for prepared buyers Why Multifamily Fundamentals Remain Healthy Population growth and the housing shortage have not gone away New construction starts have tapered off after several heavy supply years Midwest markets such as Cincinnati saw smaller swings in both directions The Trade Mindset Brokers talk about assets trading, and John applies the same framing as an investor The mindset centers on a clear business plan and a defined exit instead of an indefinite hold John compares the approach to running a sports team as a general manager Leverage Wins Trades Owning an asset other buyers want is what creates leverage Anyone forced to offload a deal rarely gets the number they wanted Positioning for competition, demand, and a strong story protects value at exit Reading Market Sentiment What buyers are willing to pay matters more than John's own view of value The firm buys when the business plan works and the price makes sense Evaluation is continuous, not a position set in stone       📢 Announcement: Learn about our Apartment Investing Mastermind here.     Next Steps   Explore the Apartment Investing Mastermind and request more details here. Join the free Investor Insights community on Facebook to continue the conversation Review each deal in your portfolio for the value add upside that is still available Map the time left on every loan against the value you have already captured Identify where you hold leverage and where you could be forced to sell Track what buyers in your market are willing to pay, not only your own valuation     Thank you for joining us for another great episode! If you're enjoying the show, please LEAVE A RATING OR REVIEW, and be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an episode.

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Each week, John Casmon speaks with real estate pros and marketing specialists to provide useful tips for multifamily investing. Listen and learn insights for market research, finding deals, attracting capital, and growing your portfolio.

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