Welcome to another episode of The AZREIA Show! In this episode, Michael Del Prete, Executive Director of the Arizona Real Estate Investors Association, sits down with Cynthia Trammell, known as "the mother of multifamily," to explore why small multifamily can be a natural next step for investors ready to grow beyond single-family properties. Cynthia shares her inspiring journey from working as a church music director and raising triplets as a single mom to building a small multifamily portfolio valued at more than $32 million through partnerships, creative strategies, and other people's money. She explains how a 16-unit property became her breakthrough deal and why taking calculated leaps, finding mentors, and surrounding yourself with the right people can dramatically change your investing trajectory. The conversation dives into the advantages of small multifamily investing, including consolidating multiple tenants under one roof, targeting secondary and tertiary markets where properties can still cash flow, and exploring landlord-friendly states and local markets. Cynthia also explains how to build a strong multifamily team, work effectively with property managers, find deals through brokers, Crexi, and property management relationships, and analyze opportunities beyond the broker's pro forma. With today's market giving buyers more negotiating leverage, she shares how investors can approach offers, work with lenders, and identify opportunities created by distress, foreclosures, and bank-owned properties. Whether you're currently investing in single-family homes, considering your first multifamily acquisition, or looking to scale an existing portfolio, this episode delivers practical strategies and real-world lessons for making the transition. Cynthia also shares insights on investing across state lines, building relationships through REIA networks, and upcoming AZREIA events in Scottsdale, Tucson, and the September Phoenix workshop. 01:34 – Cynthia's Origin Story 03:30 – First Deal & Breakthrough 06:16 – Mindset & Taking Leaps 08:14 – Why Small Multifamily Wins 09:22 – Mentorship & Accountability 11:52 – Small-Town Deal Examples 14:20 – Secondary & Tertiary Markets 17:28 – Creative Financing & Local Plays 19:02 – Investing Across State Lines 19:21 – Landlord-Friendly Markets 20:12 – REIA Relationship Network 21:17 – Building Your Multifamily Team 22:23 – Virtual Property Oversight 24:06 – Finding Deals & Working With Brokers 26:17 – Underwriting Like an Owner 28:35 – Offers, Pro Formas & Lenders 32:41 – Distress, Foreclosures & Banks 34:26 – Upcoming AZREIA Events & Workshop -- Contact Alden of Silver Crest Opportunity Fund at http://silvercrestopportunityfund.com "AZREIA does not endorse specific investments. Please do your own due diligence." Want to grow your real estate business? 💼 Subscribe, like, and tap the bell so you never miss an episode of The AZREIA Show! 🔑 Ready to take the next step? 👉 Ready to become a member of Arizona's largest and most trusted real estate investing network? Join AZREIA now - https://azreia.org/join 🤔 Not sure if real estate is right for you yet? Start with our free email series: Get the 12 Essential Steps to Becoming a Real Estate Investor -https://azreia.org/12-essential-steps-to-becoming-a-real-estate-investor ✨ Either way: take action, keep moving forward, and never stop working toward the life you want. AZREIA has helped thousands of investors since 2002 find their strategy, stay accountable, and build the life of their dreams. 💭 Will you be our next success story? It all starts with one step — and we'll walk it with you. Michael Del Prete Phoenix City Council Candidate District 6 #MultifamilyInvesting #SmallMultifamily #RealEstateInvesting #MultifamilyRealEstate #ArizonaRealEstate #AZREIA #AZREIAShow #PassiveIncome #CashFlow #RealEstateEducation #WealthBuilding #ApartmentInvesting
