Today I am interviewing Leon Buie, a seasoned real estate investor with twenty-one plus years of experience in the game. Leon started his career as an entrepreneur and owned and operated several businesses before investing in a real estate opportunity in 2000. It wasn’t long before he was managing 23 properties, single family and multifamily, and had flipped 50 plus properties. After the market crash in 2008, Leon pivoted to focus on multifamily investments and began hosting short term rentals through Airbnb in Philadelphia and Delaware. Tune in as we talk about the ins and outs of rental property management and Leon offers up invaluable information about getting started as an Airbnb Host. In This Episode: [04:30] Leon shares how he got started into retail investment and development [14:20] Managing other business while growing his retail development [20:30] Learning which type of properties are best to invest in and manage [2:10] Setting up one of his properties as an Airbnb [41:58] Pros and cons of becoming an Airbnb host [1:01:00] Best way to calendar block your Airbnb property to maximize profit [1:06:40] Getting started with Airbnb hosting: how to list your property [1:10:07] The pros of having a doorbell camera/security outside of your unit [1:12:53] What is Leon’s Pet Policy? [1:13:46] Setting up an Insurance Policy or being reimbursed by Airbnb [1:16:12] Is renter’s insurance needed for guests who stay longer than 3 weeks? [1:16:58] Discounts for stocking your Airbnb with linens, furniture or other supplies [1:20:42] If you have to choose: long-term rentals vs Airbnb short-term rentals [1:25:53] How to connect with Leon online Takeaways: The hardest part about real estate is the contractor personality management. When you have a multi-family unity, like duplex or triplex, then you're never dependent on that one person to pay. For anybody in the real estate game, you don't ever want to pay your mortgage out of your own pocket. If you have a property and you know what it's worth, don't let anybody talk you out of it or try to get you to sell when you know you shouldn’t. The pros of Airbnb hosting is that you have the opportunity to make more money, repairs and maintenance are easier to manage, and you have a place to stay for free when you’re traveling in that particular area. One of the cons of Airbnb hosting is having to be available at odd hours when a guest is having trouble getting in the unit or problems with the house itself. Leon’s biggest tip for Airbnb hosting: Use white linens so you can always bleach them. If you’re going to allow longer-term stays, set a cut off or limit for renting so you can clean the unit regularly, get paid, and check the property as opposed to renting for more than 3 weeks. Links: Leon’s Business Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heavenlypropertiesnyc/?hl=en Leon’s Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elthenumerouno/?hl=en Guest Bio: Leon Buie III is a seasoned real estate investor with twenty-one plus years of experience in the game. He grew up in the Germantown section of Philadelphia attending Central and MLK High School. After high school he took the entrepreneurial route and owned and operated several businesses including, a car lot, hair salon, candy store and a car wash , which led him to a real estate investment opportunity in the year 2000, at the age of 30. The deal was such a success Leon doubled down and went all in. He became a regular at the sheriff sale auction, and before you know it was land lording twenty 23 properties (single family and multifamily) with 50 plus flips under his belt. After surviving the market crash in 2008, Leon pivoted his focus primarily on multifamily investments which allowed him to scale and convert several of these units into short term rentals in Philadelphia and Delaware. Leon looks forward to semi-retirement and venturi...
We are back to bring you a highly sought after interview and some powerful Q and A’s. Today we are interviewing Levar Clark, a self taught real estate entrepreneur from Philadelphia. Levar has been in the business since 2003 and today he is sharing how he got his start as a real estate entrepreneur and what he’s learned along the way. In an ever changing industry, Levar’s insight into his community and the market has helped him build a successful career and six figure net worth. Tune in today as we talk about land banking, zoning, and community support and lay it all out on the table. In This Episode: [02:42] Insight into how Levar got his start in the real estate world. [03:40] Success in the real estate business is not determined by the number of units you own, and here’s why. [08:19] Levar shares some advice for new investors based on his experience. [09:43] How Levar turned $41,000 into $40-50 million under management. [13:00] Levar uses the “homeowner’s aspect” and market fluctuations to choose which neighborhood to purchase properties in. [15:07] When should you buy or build condos? When should you not? [16:22] The pros and cons of selling a developed property or renting out a developed property. [21:12] The only thing you can really control in the real estate business. [22:41] How Levar approaches investing in commercial spaces. [27:55] Levar’s biggest project that he’s developed to date. [29:06] How Levar plans and prepares for zoning. [37:32] Why it’s important to seek a community’s support for your projects. [47:09] Levar breaks down how to determine the number of units you can get on a parcel. [57:49] Stop using social media to compare your projects with your competition. Takeaways: Investors need to understand what their end goal is before they can understand what they’re going to do when they first start. If you plan to be a larger developer, you have to be active in the community and develop relationships with your local political leaders and policy makers. Land banking, purchasing multiple lots a few years before development begins, helped Levar get ahead of his competitors, especially in today’s high market. When you are ready to invest, make sure to stick to your buying criterias instead of making your decisions based on the status of the market. Links: Levar’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bearrei_/ Nicole’s Freebie - www.therealestatejawn.com Guest Bio: Levar Clark is a self taught real estate agent that has built his net worth from $41,000 to one million dollars using market fluctuations, his intuition, and seeking his community’s needs. Over the last 12 years, Levar has gone from buying and developing single units from sheriff sales, to multi-unit properties. Today he is opening up and sharing his knowledge and advice for new investors. Tune into today’s episode for his insider knowledge! Connect with Better Than Success Freebie! Step-by-step instructions on how to invest in real estate in any city. Download it here: www.therealestatejawn.com Learn more about Better Than Success Real Estate League at Betterthansuccess.com/btsrel Sign up to attend our Real Estate Q&A live at betterthansuccess.com/events Get Access to our FREE Real Estate Beginners Class at betterthansuccess.com/freecourse www.betterthansuccess.com/realestatejournal - Need help better understanding your real estate area? Download my FREE Real Estate Journal
In this super entertaining episode, I’m bringing you another great conversation from our live Q&A sessions. I sat down with a friend of the show, Asia Denson, to chat about the investment risk and opportunity within the Detroit market. Asia is an investor and GC based out of Detroit and is dropping knowledge from over ten years in the industry to attempt to demystify the Detroit market while also giving you some great tips around investing no matter where you are. From government contracts and land bank properties to gentrification and hard money loans, I really want you to listen to this fantastic conversation even if you’re not in Detroit. It’s always a good time talking with Asia, and I can’t wait for you to hear this valuable chat. In This Episode: [04:00] Introducing Asia, what she’s up to now, and getting government contracts [11:23] The pros and cons of buying land bank properties in Detroit [19:52] Getting hard money loans in Detroit [26:25] Strategy for someone looking...
In this week’s game-changing episode, I sit down for a Q&A with Ugo Opara. Ugo is a Philly-based real estate agent who uses an exciting strategy to help first-time homeowners increase their purchasing power with low interest and zero down payment mortgages. He has learned a lot through his experiences and investment failures and now uses his expertise to walk homebuyers through the character-based lending program NACA. We talk all about Ugo’s slow start with investment properties, what he’s learned along the way, and the ins and outs of the NACA program. Tune in to this truly entertaining Q&A with Ugo! In This Episode: [3:10] How Ugo got started with investment properties [6:34] The worst project Ugo has ever had and the realization of the power of contracts [11:49] Using education, networking, and a mental shift to turn things around slowly [13:50] How Ugo was turned away from single-family projects and what he started doing instead [19:55] Ugo’s tricks and tips to finding misl...
In this week’s episode, join us for a Q&A with Jamisa McIvor. Jamisa is a CEO at Rosebud's Investments LLC. She has become one of the most powerful self-starting female millennial entrepreneurs that have taken the real estate industry by storm. Jamisa has created a welfare-to-work program under her company's umbrella that serves both single and married mothers by providing them with the tools and resources to understand that there is another way to provide for families and relieve them of their dependency on the system. We talk about her experience and investment strategies while answering your most pressing questions on how to scale your own property investments. Sit back, relax, and listen here for this informative Q&A with Jamisa! In This Episode: [ 04:41 ] Introduction to Jamisa McIvor. [ 09:59 ] The strategy Jamise behind taking a property and not having a mortgage. [ 13:21 ] How Jamisa started with infinite banking. [ 19:02 ] How to use whole life dividend paying policies to ...
In this week’s episode, we are joined by Dr. Chloe Carmichael. Chloe Carmichael Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and author of Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety. Today she is going to share with us four out of the nine anxiety tools she detailed in her new book to help successful people harness nervous energy. This Includes creating mental shortlists, emotion-based to-do lists, scripting anchoring statements, and scheduling worry time. Even before the pandemic started, many real estate agents were struggling with major stress. Thinking about a property they’ve had their eyes on, being in the process of a property rehab, and taking care of their family all at the same time! Dr. Chloe will show us simple ways to adjust and thrive through inevitable life changes, especially during these uncertain times and answer your questions to help you cope with stress or anxiety. So sit back, relax, and listen here for this mini therapy-session-like Q&A with Dr. Chloe! I...
In this episode, join us as I sit down with Real Estate Investor Maurice Demosthene for a Q&A to answer your most pressing questions on how to start investing in real estate and how to develop bank relationships to fund your real estate rehab and acquisition. Maurice is a Haitian immigrant who quit his job and pursued real estate investing after proposing to his now-wife. He has been in the industry for 16 years now with a 30 unit portfolio in Southwest Philly and has come to a point where they can buy property whenever they want. We talk about different strategies to start investing in real estate, how he flips properties, ways to look for deals, and how to manage your own team. We also talk about the key things of success while answering your questions. Sit back, relax, and listen here for this informative Q&A with Maurice! In This Episode: [06:13] Our guest, Maurice Demosthene’s introduction. [09:44] A wedding doesn’t have to be lavish. You can use some of the money from it to ...
In this week’s episode, join host Nicole Purvy for a Q&A with Malik Carter. Malik Carter is a realtor and real estate investor who has been involved in the real estate industry since 2007. He’s here today to answer your burning questions about real estate in Philadelphia. We delve into why now is the right time to be investing in real estate and the issues surrounding why Black people aren’t investing in their own communities in Philadelphia. Finally, Malik stresses the importance of always taking the time to invest in yourself and your business. You don’t want to miss the valuable information Malik is sharing with us today! In This Episode: [ 14:23 ] Are real estate agents becoming a dying industry? [ 24:05 ] The differences between Malik and Nicole’s opinions of why they think Black people aren’t investing and buying homes in their own neighborhoods in Philadelphia. [ 45:16] The attitude Nicole believes you should implement to show up confidently in business. [ 52:49 ] What ...
In episode 150 of the Better Than Success podcast, host Nicole Purvy moderates a Real Estate Q&A session with Cory Mundt and Margaret DePippo of Cash Now Philly. The couple has a built a large wholesaling operation that involves a large team and complex systems. Within a few short years they are bringing in over a million in annual revenue through wholesale fees. Learn the tricks to their business and success in this episode. Download the show notes at betterthansucces.com/150 Join our week real estate Q&A sessions at betterthansuccess.com/events
In episode 149 of the BetterThan Success Podcast Host Nicole Purvy sits down with Real estate Investor Lorenzo Jackson during one of BTS' Weekly Real Estate Q&A Sessions. Join us live every Thursday at 7pm for our live virtual real estate Q&A event. Get access at betterthansuccess.com/events. Sign up for our free Beginners Real Estate Course at betterthansuccess.com/freecourse Lorenzo’s real estate career started in 2008 when he received his Real Estate Sales License. Lorenzo quickly found his niche in property management, he smoothly worked his way up the corporate ladder holding positions as a leasing consultant, assistant property manager, and property manager. While working full time in his corporate positions he built a multi-million dollar real estate portfolio and decided to run his property management (Jackson Rental Homes) and construction (Jackson Home Remodeling) company full time. He is currently growing his property management Mr. Jackson has received awards as the top...