The Real Estate Espresso Podcast

Victor Menasce
  • 4.9 (133)
  • Investing
  • Updated Daily

Welcome to The Real Estate Espresso Podcast, your morning shot of what's new in the world of real estate investing. Join investor, syndicator, developer, and author Victor J. Menasce as he shares his daily real estate investment outlook. Our weekday episodes deliver 5 minutes of high-energy, high-impact content to fuel your success. Plus, don't miss our weekend editions featuring exclusive interviews with renowned guests such as Robert Kiyosaki, Robert Helms, Peter Schiff, and more.

  1. 9h ago

    AI In Construction

    Later this week we're hosting a deep dive webinar on AI In Construction. To register, click HERE . Since the beginning, construction drawings have been one of the hardest documents for artificial intelligence to understand. That makes sense when you think about it. A construction drawing is not simply a page of text. It contains symbols, dimensions, schedules, notes, details and references to information that might appear twenty pages later. A symbol on the floor plan may tell you almost nothing until you find the corresponding detail or section. But something has changed dramatically over the past couple of months. The newest generation of reasoning models has become substantially better at reading and cross-referencing construction drawings. Testing across structural, civil, mechanical and electrical drawings is now showing surprisingly strong performance, particularly when the task involves extracting information from schedules, identifying specific elements and following references between sheets. That matters even if you're not a contractor. Suppose you're renovating an apartment building, replacing a roof, building out an office or doing a major addition to your house. The contractor hands you an estimate or a quote. Is it a fair price? How do you know? This is where AI is becoming genuinely useful. Register for the webinar. We have nothing to sell, just sharing how we are using AI in estimating. --------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

  2. 1d ago

    Remote Management with Christina Kovacs

    Christina Kovacs is based in Fort Lauderdale, but she invests primarily in Missouri. On today's show we are talking about the pitfalls of remote management and how to set things up for success. To connect with Christina, visit https://www.christinakovacs.com/ ------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

  3. 2d ago

    Apartment Portfolios with Andrew Cushman

    Andrew Cushman is based in Southern California, but invests mostly in the South Eastern states. On today's show we are talking about the distress in the market and what is driving the distress. Portfolios in secondary markets in states like Georgia and the Carolinas are seeing high occupancy and rent growth. To connect with Andrew visit https://www.vpacq.com/ -------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

  4. 3d ago

    Lessons From WeWork

    On today’s show we’re talking about Adam Neumann, the founder of WeWork. There are probably few entrepreneurs in recent memory whose rise and fall has been documented as extensively as Adam Neumann. WeWork went from being one of the most celebrated private companies in the world, valued at roughly $47 billion at its peak, to one of the most spectacular failed IPOs in recent history. The company ultimately filed for bankruptcy years later. But perhaps the more interesting story for investors isn’t the collapse of WeWork. It’s what happened to Adam Neumann afterward. Because somehow, after becoming the public face of one of the largest venture-capital failures of the past decade, Neumann managed to convince sophisticated investors to give him hundreds of millions of dollars to build another real estate company. There is a lesson in that. And it starts with understanding what actually went wrong at WeWork. ------------ **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

  5. 4d ago

    Japan's Intervention Failed

    On today’s show we’re going to connect three things that might seem completely unrelated: the Japanese yen, United States Treasury bonds, and the interest rate on your next real estate loan. They are more closely connected than you might think. So why should a real estate investor in Dallas, Atlanta, or Phoenix care what happens to the Japanese yen? Because Japan is the largest foreign holder of United States Treasury securities. The latest Treasury data puts Japanese holdings at roughly 1.2 trillion dollars. When Japan wants to defend the yen, it needs to buy yen and sell foreign currency assets. Those reserves include an enormous portfolio of United States government securities. Now, Japan does not necessarily have to dump Treasuries into the open market. In fact, the Federal Reserve has a facility specifically designed to prevent that from happening. It’s called the FIMA Repo Facility. It allows foreign monetary authorities to temporarily exchange Treasury securities for dollars rather than selling those securities outright into the market. The Federal Reserve explicitly says one purpose of the facility is to support the smooth functioning of the Treasury market by providing an alternative source of dollars.  The Japanese yen has been under extraordinary pressure. It recently traded near 164 yen to the dollar, a level not seen in roughly four decades. Japan and the United States responded with a rare coordinated intervention designed to strengthen the yen. For a few days it worked. The yen strengthened to around 155. But here we are less than two weeks later, and the yen is back near 159. These interventions are not working. If the yen stabilizes, much of this concern disappears. If it doesn’t, the choices become progressively more uncomfortable. Japan can intervene again. It can raise domestic interest rates more aggressively. It can access dollar liquidity against its Treasury portfolio. Or ultimately, it can sell some foreign assets. Every choice has consequences. We could see bond yields rise just because Japan can't tolerate buying oil in US dollars at 165 Yen to the dollar. ------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

  6. 5d ago

    City Hall Is a Partner In Your Project

    The question is whether you want to partner with the city or not. The city can add value (or erode it) without being formally at the partnership table. How many people underwrite the city as part of their due diligence? ------------------ **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

  7. 6d ago

    This Land Is Worthless

    Today's show is sponsored by The Cost Segregation Guys. If you own investment real estate and are not taking advantage of accelerated depreciation, you're probably leaving money on the table. Check out the Cost Segregation Guys using the link and you will qualify for a discount on their services. --------------- Today's show is a case study of a property that is about to go to tax sale. That not the interesting part. The real question is "Why would anyone own it?" and "Who would ever buy it?" --------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

  8. Aug 11

    When Your Condo Doesn't Qualify

    Today we’re talking about a change in the condominium market that has received surprisingly little attention. The question is not whether your condo is worth $300,000 or $500,000. The question is whether a buyer can get a mortgage on it. We saw this problem extensively in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. There were condominium projects all over the country where individual owners stopped paying their mortgages. Many also stopped paying their condominium fees. As delinquencies increased, the financially healthy owners had to carry more of the burden. Fannie Mae still has rules addressing precisely this issue. Under its Full Review process, no more than 15 percent of the units can be 60 days or more delinquent on regular HOA assessments. The same 15 percent test applies to delinquency on special assessments.  Fannie Mae announced in March that it is increasing the minimum replacement-reserve allocation under its Full Review process from 10 percent to 15 percent of annual budgeted assessment income. That new 15 percent standard becomes mandatory for loan applications dated January 4, 2027 or later. Fannie has also tightened the rules governing reserve studies. If an association is relying on a reserve study rather than the standard budget percentage, the lender must use the highest recommended reserve allocation in that study. The old baseline funding approach, where the reserve balance could essentially approach zero without going negative, can no longer be used to justify the exception. Those reserve-study changes became mandatory for applications dated August 3, 2026 or later. Freddie Mac has moved in the same general direction, although its current numerical budget requirement remains 10 percent rather than Fannie’s announced 15 percent. Freddie has likewise eliminated use of the baseline funding methodology when a reserve study is being used as an exception. It also requires lenders to use the highest funding recommendation contained in the reserve study. Your condominium is no longer being underwritten merely as an individual piece of real estate. The lender is effectively underwriting your condominium association. -------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)

See All (2K)

4.9
out of 5
133 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Real Estate Espresso Podcast, your morning shot of what's new in the world of real estate investing. Join investor, syndicator, developer, and author Victor J. Menasce as he shares his daily real estate investment outlook. Our weekday episodes deliver 5 minutes of high-energy, high-impact content to fuel your success. Plus, don't miss our weekend editions featuring exclusive interviews with renowned guests such as Robert Kiyosaki, Robert Helms, Peter Schiff, and more.

Information

You Might Also Like