Real Estate Risk Report

The Journey to Private Real Estate Lending, with Peter Christiansen

Peter Christiansen of Builders Trust Capital joins lance to discuss his journey to private lending in real estate. As a 15-year veteran in the financial services industry, Peter has a deep understanding of investor and borrower needs that enables him to link sophisticated sources of capital with appropriate borrower and collateral profiles. Peter and Lance dive into the inherent risks that are present in private lending and what his firm does to mitigate those risks.

Assessing Risk with Kevin Kim, Esq

Kevin Kim of Geraci Law Firm joins Lance on the show to discuss how he got his start in the real estate industry. Kevin Kim leads Geraci LLP’s corporate & securities practice. His expertise lies in fund formation, private placements, and other securities offerings for private lenders, real estate developers and investors of all sizes. Kevin's passion lies in serving his clients as a pragmatic advisor, focusing on real world solutions, mitigating potential risk and elevating the investor expe...

The Importance of Partnering with World Class Operators, with Andy McMullen

Andy McMullen, Partner at Legacy Acquisitions, joins Lance on the show to discuss his journey to real estate investing. Legacy Acquisitions is focused on partnering with world class operators while delivering white glove service to its investors. Andy stresses the importance of building strong relationships and that setbacks can truly be a set up for success.

Creating Accessibility in Multifamily Real Estate Investing, with Matt Belcher

Matt Belcher, CEO and Co founder of CalTier Realty joins Lance to discuss his journey to multifamily investing. Matt is a seasoned executive, business developer and entrepreneur engaged in many aspects of real estate, technology, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), large-scale complex real estate transactions, and commerce both into and out of the US. Matt and his team focus on accessibility and having a broad range of offerings that are open to both accredited and non-accredited investors. Ma...

Building a unique Culture in Multifamily Real Estate, with JP Albano

JP Albano of SignificanLC joins Lance to discuss how he entered the real estate world. Starting with the multifamily strategy, JP found his stride and has continued to gain momentum throughout his journey. Everything changed when he met his now mentor Howard Primer, a multifamily veteran, who has ultimately helped his company establish a sense of belonging within their multifamily units without having the renter/tenant dynamic. Building communities where people feel seen, valued and heard h...

Introducing Ryan Parson of Sunlight Peaks, A Registered Investment Advising Firm

Ryan Parson of formally known "Mile Marker Club", joins Lance rebranded as "Sunlight Peaks", a registered investment advising firm. For Ryan and his team, investment advice is all about a comprehensive list of issues that impact all clients, such as charitable giving, estate planning, business succession planning, self directed IRA's and so many more financial situations that requires Ryans firm's expertise. A major component of wealth planning is having clear communication. Ryan and Lance d...

Invest or Borrow? Choosing your Investment Vehicle, with Chris Hanson

Chris Hanson of Hanson capital group joins Lance to discuss his journey in the real estate industry and the myriad of services that Hanson Capital Group offers. Hard money lending as well as value add real estate are just two of the services Chris' group offers their investors. His firm's goal is to have offerings that suit any investors' portfolio needs - ranging from low to high risk. Chris's philosophy is to focus on the risk rather than what can go right - this mindset has helped his fi...

Learning About Multifamily Ground Up Development, with Tim O' Brien

Tim O'Brien of Urban Asset Advisors, joins Lance to discuss multifamily and more specifically, ground up development. Tim is a visionary who is able to see the forest through the trees. If you spend any amount of time with Tim, you can tell that he is very passionate about ground up development and building a thriving community for tenants. Lance and Tim dive into what it takes to build a successful multifamily community - having the right people in place to execute the vision is paramount!

Investing in Manufactued Housing Communities, with Brett Bowman and Ryan Hill

Brett Bowman and Ryan Hill of Suncrest Capital join Lance to discuss the "darling" manufactured communities asset class. Ryan and Brett dive into how they source deal flow - with experience, sponsors have greater access to higher quality deals! The three discuss how weather in different areas can effect these communities, and what steps they are taking to mitigate the risks that are out of their control. Lance, Brett and Ryan discuss cost segregation and the exciting tax benefits of investi...

Passive Investing Requires Personal Goal Setting, with Ryan Parson

Ryan Parson of Mile Marker Club, joins Lance once again to discuss what "living your best financial life" looks like. With so many deal sponsors on the market offering a variety of investment opportunities, how does one decide what deal is right for them? Lance and Ryan dig into what needs to happen prior to making any investment and the importance of keeping an open mind about investing in a wide array of deals.

A Securities Lawyer's view on Risk

Alan Rosca, Securities lawyer at the Goldman Scarlato firm, joins Lance to talk about the important role he plays in risk mitigation. His main focus is on victims of ponzi schemes and investment fraud. Lance and Alan dive into the red flags of a ponzi scheme and what happens when an investment product goes wrong.

Understanding Private Lending, with John Mansour

Investing into a Fund, with Lisa Hylton

Lisa Hylton, host of the Level Up REI podcast, joins Lance to discuss her journey in real estate investing. Lisa discusses the importance of knowing a sponsor's track record before attempting to transact. Investors need to perform their own due dilligence to make sure the sponsor has sufficient experience in the particular asset class they are attempting to transact in. Lisa and Lance explore just how important it is to have the right team in place to execute a strategy successfully.

From Software Developer to Real Estate Private Lending, with Solomon Gorlick

Solomon Gorlick, President of Red Tower Capital, joins Lance to discuss his journey from software developer into private lending in real estate. Red Tower Capital is based out of San Fransisco and primarily focuses on residential and commercial property investment and rehabilitation. Solomon discusses how his firm has gotten into the cannabis industry and how this industry has been popular for his firm to lend in. With banking regulations within the cannabis industry, Solomon discusses how ...

Building Community in Mobile Home Parks, with Sam Hales

Sam Hales, CEO of Saratoga Group joins the show to discuss mobile home park investing. Mobile home parks are an interesting asset class that relies heavily on community to become a thriving place for all residents to call home. Growing up in a mobile home park himself, Lance knows just how important the community aspect is for residents. Sam and Lance dive into what Saratoga Group has done to revitalize these mobile homes and their "secret sauce" to keeping tenants happy.

Alternative Lending: A Tool for Passive Income

Mark Hanf, Founder and CEO of Pacific Private Money, joins Lance for the 100th episode of the Real Estate Risk Report! Mark Hanf has a total of 35 years of expertise in the real estate industry and continues to thrive in the private lending space. His company launched in 2008 and is now one of the fastest-growing companies in the private capital market space. Lance and Mark take a closer look at the private lending space, diving into the meaning of leverage and the implications it has for in...

Understanding your "Financial Picture", with Hillary Seiler

Hillary Seiler of Financial Footwork joins Lance to give listeners a few pointers on what it means to be "financially fit". In 2016, Hillary launched a new financial education program through her first company, Seiler FEC, for pro-athletes which is now in use by 7 NFL teams and hundreds of athletes across the US from all major sports. She emphasizes, "it's not how much money you have, it's how you manage the money you do have." Lance and Hillary discuss the importance of discipline as a mea...

The Importance of Diversification, with Jason Riley

Jason Riley of Fairway Asset Management, joins Lance to discuss the importance of diversification in alternative investing. Jason shares his evolution from a naval officer, his passion for economics and explains the benefits of alternative investing through real estate. Lance and Jason dive into the inherent risks involved in real estate investing and how one can mitigate risk by education and conducting proper due diligence.

Why Self Storage is a Booming Asset Class, with Jacob Vanderslice

Jacob Vanderslice of VanWest Partners joins Lance to discuss the booming self-storage asset class. VanWest Partners is a Denver-based real estate investment firm focusing on the acquisition and management of self-storage centers and other opportunistic real estate throughout the United States. Jacob and his team enjoy self storage because of its proven ability to withstand catastrophic economic events. Jacob and Lance dive into the intricacies of self storage and what it takes to be success...

Education is a Tool for Success, with Heather Dreves

Heather Dreves of Secured Investment Corp, joins Lance to discuss how she climbed the ranks in the RE industry. From Loan officer to director of funding and servicing, Heather has found her stride in educating others on just how rewarding real estate investing can be. Secured investment Corp specializes in residential fix and flip lending and have been able to gain momentum in their business during the pandemic. Heather and Lance dive into how their firm has remained relevant throughout unce...

Investing in the Midwest, With Kent Ritter

Kent Ritter of Hudson Investing joins Lance to discuss his criteria for alternative investing. His two main goals for investing passively are income and appreciation. The two dive into the importance of connection and mentorship as a stepping stone for success in the real estate industry. Kent explains why he is bullish on investing in the midwest and his strategies for tenant retention. 

Multifamily Investing is a Team Sport, with Josh Ferrari

Josh Ferrari of Greenlight Capital joins lance to discuss how he got his start in RE. His journey started 2 1/2 years ago when he bought his first multifamily property which was a fourplex. Josh shares his unique story about how he met his two business partners and emphasizes real estate investing as a team sport. Josh and his team enjoy operating in the value add space, because provides them with more control over the outcome. The three operate mainly in Alabama with the goal of acquiring 1...

Living your best life, with Ryan Parson

Ryan Parson of Mile Marker Club joins Lance once again to provide listeners with a holistic view of financial wellbeing. Some questions investors should consider: What are your values? What are your goals of investing? What's your overarching wealth strategy? What are some of the key critical relationships in your life? Ultimately, what does living your best life look like? Lance and Ryan dive into what it takes to be successful in making your best life a realty, the importance of transpare...

Understanding Rehab Lending, With Todd Pigott

Todd Pigott of ZINC Financial joins the show to discuss why he is so passionate about real estate investing, specifically real estate lending. ZINC considers themselves a private money lender and emphasizes the importance of selecting a high quality, sophisticated borrower that fits their specific criteria. Todd and Lance dive into how his firm consistently mitigates risk and how he's remained successful in his 20 years of real estate experience.

Creating Financial Independence and Time Freedom, with Whitney Elkins-Hutten

Whitney Elkins-Hutten of Goodegg Investments started her real estate journey to create time freedom and financial independence. She started her career in Epidemiology, but then realized real estate investing was the direction she wanted to go and hasn't looked back ever since! Lance and Whitney discuss the importance of education, saving money with a goal of investing passively and the proper steps to evaluate risk before transacting.

From IT Sales to Note Investing, with Shawn Muneio

Shawn Muneio of BeQuest Funds started his real estate journey while he was working a corporate career in IT Sales. After realizing he didn't see longevity in IT sales, he dug into the world of note investing. Reading a book about note investing sparked a fire inside of Shawn which prompted him to contact the author, who is now his business partner at the firm. BeQuest strongly believes in relationship building as a core value of their business.

Mitigating Risk in Hard Money Private Lending with Ruben Izgelov and Andrew Schnissel

Ruben Izgelov and Andrew Schnissel from We Lend join Lance to discuss their journey to private hard money lending. Ruben and Andrew attended law school together, which propelled them into their real estate partnership. We Lend operates nationwide and prides themselves on taking the appropriate precautions to mitigate risk. Their firm tends to look for seasoned sponsors; those who have a proven track record and those who haven't been involved in fraudulent activity. Andrew and Ruben dive into...

Bringing an Asset Back to the Glory Days, with David Berneman

David Berneman of Golden Bee Properties, joins Lance to discuss how he formed his firm and how at it's core, is a family business. Golden Bee operates in the mid-market, value-add space, doing renovations to improve apartment homes built in the 50's and 60's. They pride themselves on having a hands-on approach that helps their firm mitigate risk.

How to Become an Active Passive Investor, with Randy Langenderfer

Randy Langenderfer of InvestArk Properties joins Lance to discuss how he balances his W2 career, while investing passively in real estate. Randy has a passion for educating real estate investors on the risks that are inevitable, but can be mitigated with proper due diligence. He and Lance dive into the importance of asking the right questions before transacting and why knowing the team matters.

Rockstar Operators are the Key to Success, with Seth Teagle

Seth Teagle of The Stream Group and a Minot, North Dakota native, joins Lance to discuss the Ohio multifamily market. Seth is a full time fire fighter and a multifamily syndicator that has found his stride in balancing both occupations to build financial freedom through passive real estate investing. Lance and Seth discuss the importance of long term relationships and how doing business with operators who are thorough ultimately leads to a positive outcome!

Know the Market Before Transacting, with Stefan Tsvetov

Stefen Tsvetkov of Pepela Equity Partners is a financial engineer turned multifamily investor. He joins Lance to discuss why he made the switch to pursue real estate investing . Stefan unpacks why he is bullish on the Boise, Idaho market and how roughly 80% of multifamily operators operate in both Florida and Texas because their proven track record of withstanding challenging economic events. Stefan emphasizes the importance of knowing the historical track record of an area before attemptin...

Understanding Note Buying, with Martin Saenz

Martin Saenz from BeQuest Funds joins Lance to discuss how he ventured into the real estate space and how that eventually led to forming BeQuest Funds. After some soul searching, Martin explains how purpose and conviction play a massive role in the success of their business. Note buying is a unique asset class, and Martin seeks to educate passive investors on how this asset class can be a lucrative endeavor.

Developing the Multifamily Mindset, with Tyler Deveraux

Tyler Deveraux of MF Capital Partners joins Lance to discuss how his humble beginnings sparked his curiosity for passive RE investing. He explains how a single family property is a riskier investment and why he is a proponent of MF investing. Tyler's maxim is, "If you take care of tenants, the bottom line always benefits." He and Lance dive into the intricacies of operating in the multifamily asset class and the due diligence that passive investors should be conducting prior to making an inv...

Vacancy is the Silent Killer, with Aj Shepard and Chris Shepard

Brothers and business partners, Aj Shepard and Chris Shepard of Uptown Syndication join Lance to discuss the Portland multi-family market and why they are bullish on this particular market. Chris emphasizes one of their main strategies of mitigating risk is being selective in their buying process and their ability to do their own property management. They dive into how the create tenant retention and their ability to add value that ultimately keeps their properties operating at maximum occup...

Getting Control Over Your Financial Future, with Bob Fraser and James Maffuccio

Bob Fraser and James Maffuccio of Aspen Funds join Lance to discuss how they started Aspen in 2012. Aspen Funds combines Bob's 20-year experience in finance and Jim's 30-year real estate expertise to create a less-volatile investment opportunity for investors with their note buying strategy. They dive into embracing "seconds", how they perform due diligence, and how their due diligence process helps their firm mitigate risk.

Creating a Thriving Community, with Jennifer Searles

When 42 percent of Americans are not able to afford a $500 dollar emergency, that's where Veritas Impact Partners comes in. Jennifer Searles, CEO of Veritas, joins Lance to round up the mini series with Thrive FP. Veritas Impact Partners plays a crucial role in building a community that thrives and supports one another. Understanding that people face hard challenges, Veritas partners with workforce housing to provide free telehealth visits for residents, after school programming, rental ass...

Doing Good and Doing Well, with JP Newman

JP Newman joins Lance once again to dive into finding purpose in real estate investing. As JP fondly calls it, "doing good and doing well." Lance and JP discuss the importance of putting yourself in the residents' shoes and how it takes humanity to be successful in retaining long-term happy tenants. Ultimately, it's resident retention that creates higher returns for investors. What sets Thrive FP apart from others is their ability to listen to their tenants' needs and deliver on their promis...

Finding Purpose in Real Estate Investing, with JP Newman and Adrian Lufschanowski

Adrian Lufschanowski and JP Newman from Thrive FP join Lance to kick off a three part mini-series. Wondering what FP stands for? For Purpose, For Profit. JP and Adrian's mission of building community and changing lives through real estate investing is truly inspiring. They dive into how they retain their tenants, their motivation to help communities thrive and how this ultimately benefits their investors. This episode demonstrates the compassion and drive that they bring to Thrive FP daily a...

The Role Curiosity Plays in Mitigating risk, with Vince Caviglia

Vince Caviglia of San-Diego based Equity Group Investors explains his familial influence in his real estate journey and how one shouldn't be fearful of "thinking different." Vince explains how his own curiosity helps his firm mitigate risky situations, and helps build trust with his investors. Lance and Vince dive into the importance of being flexible in executing various real estate strategies, how Vince keeps up with industry changes and how he navigates the uncertainty of the ever-changin...

Investing North of the Border, with Jesse Fragale

Jesse Fragale approaches real estate from multiple angles. Based in Toronto, he started his investing career in student rental properties before transitioning into multi-family investments. His day job at Avison Young focuses on the brokerage side of commercial real estate. He and Lance break down the unique challenges of investing in Canada versus the U.S., including stricter rent controls, a more conservative financial environment, and lower transaction volume. Buy-and-hold is the chief st...

The Goal is to Make Money, but the Job is to Manage Risk, with Mike Coen

Mike Coen of Procida Funding manages Procida’s 100 Mile Fund, an open-ended private investment vehicle focused on deals within a 100 mile radius of New York City. As a highly data-driven team, Procida lets the numbers drive the nature of its portfolio—Lance and Mike talk about how this flexible approach helps mitigate risk. Mike preaches his team’s laser focus on local markets, and why after 40 years, this also allows Procida key advantages in mitigating risk. (The proof has come in the for...

Understanding “Micro-balance” Bridge Lending, with Chris Carsley and Brock Freeman

Most lenders do not consider commercial real estate bridge loans under $1M. That’s where Kirkland Capital Group enters the picture. They’ve leveraged this opportunity by building the Kirkland Income Fund, delivering a “micro-balance" commercial mortgage option. Chris Carsley and Brock Freeman of Kirkland join Lance to talk about the ins and outs: how the Fund offers investors lower risk and consistent annual fixed income returns, how they approach the underwriting process, commercial mortga...

The Keys to Transacting in Westside Los Angeles, with Larry Taylor

Larry Taylor believes the key to success and longevity in real estate is focusing on a defined geographical area. For his company, Christina, that area is the Westside region of Los Angeles. While others shy away from transacting here, Larry has been all-in for 40 years. Never-ending demand, limited supply, incredible climate, diverse industries—but not without its unique set of risks. He and Lance break it down, discussing why the value comes in owning—not necessarily selling—real estate. ...

Bringing a Hospitality Mindset to Multifamily, with Vadim Kleyner

Vadim Kleyner of Smartland started his career in IT and then put those skills to use in real estate. Starting the purchase of 100 off-market homes in 2008, Vadim and his team built a vertically-integrated multifamily investment company stretching from Ohio to Florida. He and Lance discuss Smartland’s laser focuses: property management and tenant happiness. If vacancy is the killer, then creating a culture tenants don’t want to leave is job one. Vadim shares his approach to providing “practi...

Developing a Holistic Mindset for Success, with Ketan Patel


Ketan Patel of Mukhi Capital immigrated to the U.S. at 19, learned English, and obtained a doctorate in Pharmacy. Hardly the typical origin story of a successful multi-family investor and syndicator. His unique POV has also led him into a building a coaching practice for fellow investment pros. He and Lance dig into how he helps operators develop their mindset, embrace the journey, and reach their full potential. They also discuss Ketan’s criteria for investing in a deal, his current focus o...

If You Can Transact, the Deals Will Find You, with David Hardcastle

David Hardcastle of Voyager Pacific Capital Network has been investing and developing real estate since in 1994 when he first rehabbed a bank REO. He and his team now manage more than 4,000 assets around the country. His key advice: Demonstrate the ability to close deals—backed by proper due diligence—and more deals will follow. Simple, but never easy. He and Lance break down the unique challenges, including staying on top of property taxes, local municipal laws, property management, why no...

Checking Expectations and Taking a Bigger Picture Approach, with Spencer Gray

Spencer Gray went from entrepreneur to co-sponsor / LP to President of Gray Capital, an investment firm focused on large multifamily assets. Located in Indianapolis, he looks to take advantage of the relative lack of institutional capital flowing into the Midwest. Spencer shares with Lance his approach to sourcing deals, and why he prefers to see the value in a mismanaged property versus a distressed asset. They discuss the current state of the market, the fickle nature of IRRs, the implica...

Social Impact Investing: Balancing Profit and Purpose, with Dr. Van Williams

Dr. Van Williams has a PhD in Psychology and more than 20 years of real estate investment and management experience. This gives him a unique POV as he transforms deteriorating properties into cash generating assets. He and Lance discuss his focus on social impact investing in underserved and working class areas, how he evaluates a property for ‘Impact Rate of Return,’ and the unique challenges of balancing profit with purpose.

Embracing the Social Impact of Infill Development, with Lacey Lewis

Lacey Lewis’ career has morphed from a loan officer, to general contractor, to his current role as President of Houston-based Lin Development Group. He’s found his purpose in infill/vacant lot development opportunities in urban environments around Houston. He and Lance discuss his passion around the social impact of this type of investment, in terms of community safety, beautification, and economic reinvigoration. They also dig into the details of design, construction, and exit strategy.

The Best Deal is Sometimes the One You Don’t Do, with Ken Gee

Ken Gee is a former Deloitte & Touche CPA turned real estate investor at Tampa-based KRI Properties. His background in accounting has instilled in him an analytical, principled approach to deals, and a high aversion to losing someone else’s money. He and Lance discuss underwriting from the ground up—not using a back-of-the-napkin approach. Ken talks about his 90-plan for taking over a property, occupancy as a key risk mitigation strategy, and never losing sight of the most important aspect ...