Apartment Investor's Club Podcast Jonathan Twombly

In this episode of the Apartment Investors Podcast, host Jonathan Twombley interviews Jilliene Helman, the CEO and founder of Realty Mogul, a pioneering online platform for real estate investing.

The conversation covers the origins and evolution of Realty Mogul as one of the first equity crowdfunding platforms in real estate, fueled by the 2012 JOBS Act which revolutionized online investing.

Helman discusses the challenges and strategies of starting and scaling the platform, the impacts of COVID-19 on real estate investment trends, and the future of investing in a dynamically changing market. With insights into different investment approaches, including fixed vs. floating rate debt, and the importance of a long-term, sustainable business model, this episode offers valuable lessons for both seasoned and aspiring investors.

🖋️ Some key points:
(00:30) Introducing Jilliene Helman : The Mind Behind Realty Mogul
(01:04) The Genesis of Realty Mogul and Crowdfunding in Real Estate
(05:03) Navigating the Cold Start Problem and Growing the Platform
(07:26) The Evolution of Realty Mogul and Its Impact on Real Estate Investing
(20:50) The Future of Real Estate Investing and Realty Mogul's Role
(33:29) Reflections and Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

📑More about Jilliene Helman 

Jilliene Helman is the Founder and CEO of RealtyMogul, a leading online platform for real estate investing with over 280,000 members. Through the platform, individual investors have collectively invested over $1.1 billion of capital into over $7 billion of real estate assets (as of 1/31/2024).
Jilliene holds Series 7, 24 and 63 investment licenses and is a Certified Wealth Strategist. She’s been featured as an expert on startups and real estate investing on Bloomberg, CNBC, The New York Times, Yahoo! Finance and Entrepreneur.     


🌎Reach out to 
LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillienehelman
Twitter https://twitter.com/jillienehelman?lang=en
Realty Mogul https://www.realtymogul.com/jilliane-hellman

🌎Reach out to Jonathan Twombly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandtwombly

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

🔅 Previous Episodes on Apartment Investor’s Club

Going From Working In Hospitality To Multifamily Investing & Hotel Conversions With Charlie Rushton

Hotel Conversions To Multi Family Housing With David Peters

🎤 Podcast post-production by EZPZ Podcasting

📌 Check out Aleksey’s Substack HERE
In this episode of the Apartment Investors Podcast, host Jonathan Twombley interviews Aleksey, an advisor dedicated to assisting Limited Partners (LPs) in the real estate investment realm. Aleksey shares insights on the importance of due diligence for LPs before entering deals, highlighting the significance of understanding execution capabilities, alignment of interests, and the specifics of the property being invested in. He introduces a 'three pillar framework' for evaluating investments and discusses common pitfalls and misunderstandings LPs might have about the investment process.

The conversation also touches on the ethical considerations and transparency required from General Partners (GPs) in presenting their deals to potential investors. Furthermore, Alexi gives advice on how GPs can effectively communicate and present their deals, underscoring the importance of honesty and clear depiction of past deal performances. This episode aims to bridge the gap in understanding between LPs and GPs, providing valuable advice for making informed investment decisions in the multifamily real estate market.

🖋️ Some key points: 
(00:28) A Different Perspective: Advising LPs in Real Estate
(00:54) Unpacking Deals: The Role of an Advisor
(03:04) The Three Pillar Framework for Evaluating Investments
(04:50) The Importance of Trust and Transparency in Investments
(06:40) Communicating Challenges: A Guide for GPs
(13:05) The Power of Honesty in Fundraising
(18:15) Who Seeks Investment Advice? Understanding the Clientele
(21:25) Navigating Capital Calls: Insights and Strategies
(22:55) Market Distress and Real Estate Trends
(24:46) The Genesis of a Unique LPA Advisory Service
(27:13) Rapid Growth and the Power of Social Media
(30:17) The Art of LP Investing: Lessons and Mistakes
(33:27) Advising GPs and Maintaining Independence
(39:25) Final Thoughts and Advice for LPs

📑More about Aleksey Chernobelskiy

Aleksey Chernobelskiy advises limited partners (“LPs”) on existing and future investments. He writes weekly to 3,000 investors at LPlessons.substack.com to explain how to properly vet and think about LP investments in the grand scheme of their portfolios. Aleksey also helps General Partners on matters relating to LPs, such as capital calls or feedback on investment decks.
Prior to advising LPs, Aleksey ran STORE Capital’s $10 billion commercial real estate portfolio and oversaw the firm’s underwriting team. Aleksey graduated from University of Arizona with a quadruple major – Finance, Mathematics, Economics, and Accounting.
Recommended articles:
Top 15 syndication mistakes - https://lplessons.substack.com/p/top-15-syndication-mistakes
26 questions to ask your GP -  https://lplessons.substack.com/p/26-questions-to-ask-your-gp
Do sunk costs matter in capital calls? - https://lplessons.substack.com/p/do-sunk-costs-matter-in-capital-calls


🌎Reach out to Aleksey Chernobelskiy
LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/chernobelskiy
Twitter

🌎Reach out to Jonathan Twombly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandtwombly

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

🔅 Previous Episodes on Apartment Investor’s Club

Going From Working In Hospitality To Multifamily Investing & Hotel Conversions With Charlie Rushton

Hotel Conversions To Multi Family Housing With David Peters

🎤 Podcast post-production by EZPZ Podcasting

📌This week’s podcast episode features Anthony Walker, co-owner and Chief Investment Officer of Cornerstone. Initially selling popcorn door-to-door as a kid, Anthony evolved into a successful multifamily investor overseeing a portfolio worth approximately $170 million.

He shares his journey and valuable insights into investing in multifamily properties. He highlights the importance of person-to-person interactions, the power of branding, and the idols who influenced his business philosophy.

Anthony goes on to discuss how they utilise social media and email marketing to reach interested investors, as well as how Cornerstone prioritises building a sense of pride in the workplace and within the communities they manage.

The episode concludes with Anthony’s advice to those smaller-scale real estate and start-up entrepreneurs to avoid over-planning and take action, learning through activities and expansion of operations, which according to him, is the most effective form of learning.

🖋️ Some key points:

(01:01) Understanding Cornerstone: Anthony's Multifamily Private Equity Firm
(02:30) The Importance of Business Partnerships in Real Estate
(03:28) Anthony's Role and Responsibilities in Cornerstone
(03:54) The Art of Raising Capital: Anthony's Approach
(05:49) Building Trust and Relationships with Investors
(06:23) The Power of Personal Connections in Attracting Investors
(12:46) The Importance of Follow-ups and Keeping Relationships Warm
(15:47) Investing in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho: A Unique Market
(16:46) Investing in Emerging Markets: The Strategy
(17:38) Why Invest in High-Growth, High-Quality Life Markets
(19:08) Scaling Business in Limited Market Opportunities
(19:46) Addressing Labor Challenges in Small Communities
(23:06) Making Communities Attractive for Residents
(24:45) The Journey from Popcorn Salesman to Multifamily Investor
(32:15) The Power of Focusing on One Thing: Advice for Beginners
(33:35) Connecting with Anthony: The Next Steps

📑More about Anthony
Anthony’s expertise lies in the multifamily property management, acquisition, and financing domains, and he is responsible for the successful implementation of Cornerstone’s investment strategy in this market sector. He has extensive experience in financial analysis, asset management, underwriting, and transactional risk management. In addition to his client-facing investment responsibilities, Anthony also oversees the firm’s brand management, continuously pushing the company to be an industry leader. 
Anthony graduated in the  top of his class from the University of Idaho’s J.A. Albertson School of Business where he earned degrees in Marketing and Finance. Before becoming CIO at Cornerstone, Anthony had a successful career as a Top Producing sales broker at Coldwell Banker Schneidmiller Realty, consistently ranking in the top 3% of agents worldwide. 
Outside of work, Anthony’s passions include serving God, traveling, wake surfing, skiing, CrossFit, education, long walks, spending time with friends.


🌎Reach out to Anthony Walker
LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-walker1
Cornerstone Commercial Investments https://cornerstonecommercialinvestments.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/anthonywalker18/

🌎Reach out to Jonathan Twombly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandtwombly

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

🔅 Previous Episodes on Apartment Investor’s Club

Going From Working In Hospitality To Multifamily Investing & Hotel Conversions With Charlie Rushton

Hotel Conversions To Multi Family Housing With David Peters

🎤 Podcast post-production by EZPZ Podcasting.
 

📌In this episode of the Apartment Investors Podcast, host Jonathan Twombley speaks with Levi Allen, a former potato farmer who transitioned into managing a real estate portfolio worth over a hundred million dollars in assets under management (AUM).

Levi shares his journey from investing in smaller deals on his own to syndicating larger multi-million dollar deals. He discusses the importance of developing relationships with brokers, underwriting prudently, and having confidence in your abilities. Levi also emphasises that beginning investors should start investing in properties with their own money or with close family and friends before seeking to raise capital from other investors.

The podcast underscores that there are many paths to success in real estate investing and provides valuable insights into Levi Allen's unique journey and strategies.

🖋️ Some key points: 
(00:27) Guest Introduction: Levi Allen's Journey from Potato Farming to Real Estate
(00:43) Levi's Current Real Estate Portfolio
(02:02) Why Invest in Utah? Understanding the Market
(03:00) Levi's Investment Strategy and Property Types
(04:40) The Appeal of Newer Properties and Risk Assessment
(07:43) Sourcing Deals and Building Broker Relationships
(09:02) Raising Capital: From Family and Friends to a Wider Network
(13:03) Levi's First Steps into Real Estate and Syndication
(21:07) Breaking into the Utah Market and Raising Capital
(24:30) Property Management and Building Trust with Stakeholders
(25:46) Advice for New Investors and Reflections on Levi's Journey
(28:55) Contact Information and Closing Remarks

📑More about levi Allen

LEVI ALLEN is the Principal of Wealth Creation Asset Management, a real estate investment company that acquires residential multi-family properties. Levi studied Business at BYU- Idaho in 2012-2013 and 2015-2017 after returning home from a 2-year Church mission in Peru.
He acquired his first property in 2012 and immediately developed a passion for the real estate industry.
Levi has focused full-time on rental housing. He takes pride in his ability to identify opportunities, execute on his vision for the property, maximizing profitability and ultimately, delivering above average returns for his investors.
As a principal, Levi has owned, and asset managed over 700 units worth over $100 million. He has disposed of three assets in the past 24 months and refinanced three assets.
In addition to multi-family acquisitions and development, Levi’s family, the Allen Family own over 10,000 acres of farm and ranchland in eastern Oregon.
🌎Reach out to Levi Allen

LinkedIN
Wealth Creation Asset Management
levi@wealthcreationmgt.com
Instagram

🌎Reach out to Jonathan Twombly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandtwombly

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

🔅 Previous Episodes on Apartment Investor’s Club

Going From Working In Hospitality To Multifamily Investing & Hotel Conversions With Charlie Rushton

Hotel Conversions To Multi Family Housing With David Peters

🎤 Podcast post-production by EZPZ Podcasting.

📌Check out “Thesis Driven” via Substack In this episode of the Apartment Investors Podcast, Brad Hargraves shares his insights into the ever-evolving landscape of real estate investing. Brad, a successful serial entrepreneur, is the founder of General Assembly, Common, and the online real estate magazine, Thesis Driven. He shares about the importance of walkability in modern real estate trends, the potential and challenges of office to residential conversions, and the fascinating concept of new cities. Brad also addresses innovations within real estate and how to understand and capitalise on emerging trends.

🖋️ Some key points: 
(00:28) Guest Introduction: Brad Hargraves
(00:59) Understanding 'Thesis Driven'
(06:22) The Impact of 'Thesis Driven'
(08:32) Exploring Unique Real Estate Opportunities
(12:07) The Power of Broad Knowledge in Real Estate
(15:39) Office to Residential Conversions: An In-depth Analysis
(22:10) The Benefits of Regulatory Changes in Housing
(22:51) Challenges of Converting Offices to Residential Spaces
(23:40) The Future of Suburban Offices
(24:41) The Fate of High Rises in Less Expensive Cities
(26:07) The Impact of Office Vacancies in Rust Belt Cities
(28:57) The Potential of Small Towns for Remote Workers
(30:15) The Role of Zoning Reform in City Revitalization
(35:15) The Emergence of New Cities and Urbanist Movements
(40:20) The Future of New Cities and Car Usage
(42:18) Closing Remarks and Future Discussions

📑More about Brad Hargreaves

Brad is the founder and CEO of Common. Common is dedicated to making housing better by providing flexible, community-minded shared homes. Previously, he co-founded General Assembly, a global education institution with campuses in more than 15 cities worldwide. As part of the General Assembly founding team, Brad led the growth of the company's education business from its launch in 2011 into a global institution with over a dozen campuses. Most recently, he was a Venture Partner at Maveron, General Assembly's lead investor. Brad has been named to Vanity Fair’s “The Next Establishment”, Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30”, and Business Insider’s “Silicon Alley 100”.
🌎Reach out to Brad Hargreaves

LinkedIN
Personal website https://www.bhargreaves.com/
Twitter/X


🌎Reach out to Jonathan Twombly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandtwombly

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

🔅 Previous Episodes on Apartment Investor’s Club

Going From Working In Hospitality To Multifamily Investing & Hotel Conversions With Charlie Rushton

Hotel Conversions To Multi Family Housing With David Peters

🎤 Podcast post-production by EZPZ Podcasting.

📌Check out the ultimate passive income guide In this episode of the Apartment Investors Podcast, guest Dr. Jeff Anzalone shares his journey from being shackled with student loan debt just out of residency, to becoming ardent about investment in real estate and eventually becoming a successful deal sponsor.

He tells of the transformative effect of books such as Robert Kiyosaki's 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' had on his mindset, leading him to focus on creating multiple income streams. Dr. Anzalone also discusses the organic growth of his digital platform, Debt-Free Doctor and its instrumental role in scaling his apartment building investments, and subsequent transition into RV parks and mobile home parks investments.

On looking forward, Dr. Anzalone hopes to fully transition out of dentistry and focus on expanding his real estate footprint, especially through his syndication partnership. He concludes by offering practical advice for anyone aiming to build their investor base and encourages audience members to visit his website to connect with him or suggest topics for future discussions.

🖋️ Some key points: 
(00:43) Dr. Jeff's Journey: From Periodontist to Real Estate Investor
(01:30) Overcoming Financial Challenges and Building Wealth
(04:50) The Wake-Up Call: The Importance of Multiple Income Streams
(09:23) The Power of Networking and Building an Investor List
(10:48) The Journey of Raising Capital for Real Estate Investments
(13:43) The Importance of Building Trust and Fairness in Business
(22:45) The Future: Scaling Up and Transitioning to Full-Time Real Estate
(30:37) Final Thoughts and Contact Information

📑More about Jeff Anzalone

Dr. Jeff Anzalone is the founder of DebtFreeDr.com
Like most people, Dr. Jeff dealt with many failures and setbacks along his path to success. Only two weeks before completing his surgical, and dental residency, his plans fell through to join a group practice that he was relying on to teach him how to run a business.
This left him with no job, an interest-only mortgage, a two-month-old, and nearly $300,000 in student loan debt.
After becoming debt-free, he shifted his focus to acquiring passive income streams using real estate as he realized that his practice income was their only income.
He now uses his blog, DebtFreeDr.com, to educate doctors and other high-income professionals on how to invest passively in real estate so that they can stop trading their time for money.
🌎Reach out to Jeff Anzalone

Debt Free Dr
LinkedIn
Instagram

🌎Reach out to Jonathan Twombly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathandtwombly

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating on Apple podcasts by clicking here.

🔅 Previous Episodes on Apartment Investor’s Club

Going From Working In Hospitality To Multifamily Investing & Hotel Conversions With Charlie Rushton

Hotel Conversions To Multi Family Housing With David Peters

🎤 Podcast post-production by EZPZ Podcasting.