The Real Estate Espresso Podcast

On today’s show I want to share some guidance that I gave you on the podcast only a few days ago. I’m not here to trumpet anything or take a victory lap or anything like that. I’ve experienced a phenomenon whereby I will make a prediction or an observation on the podcast, and then behold a few days or a few weeks later, we’re reading about it in the Wall Street Journal.  The purpose is to help you...

Seth Ferguson is based in Toronto where he is the founder and promoter of the PowerHouse Conference. This conference started out as the Multi-Family Conference with a focus on apartment investing. This year, the focus has been broadened to include a wider set of entrepreneurial activities and investments. The conference this year includes Kevin O'Leary, Alex Rodruguez, Michelle Romanow, Michae...

Dana Samuelson is the owner of American Gold Exchange, based in Austin Texas. They are dealers of physical gold across the US. On today's show we are talking about the various forces that are pushing debt yields, dumping stocks, dumping bonds, and dumping dollars. One of the main beneficiaries is gold. To connect with Dana and to learn more, visit amergold.com , email them directly at info@ame...

On today’s show we are looking at recent history. We know that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.  We are going to look and see what we can learn from recent protectionist sentiments that were supposed to help. The trade war of the 1930’s resulted in a 60% reduction in global trade. The impact was much more confined because international trade made up a small percentage of each co...

Today’s question comes from Michael who writes: Long term listener of the podcast. It is great! With geothermal being so efficient, why is it rarely used on new single  families or retrofitted with existing homes? Thx ———————- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:**  Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast]( https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1 )    iTunes: [The Re...

Toby Lutke is the CEO of Shopify. Shopify is the world leader in creating platforms and tools for e-commerce merchants. In the last few days, Toby sent a memo to the organization. This memo has been reported on widely in the mainstream media. When Toby realized that the memo had been leaked, he posted it in it entirety on his twitter feed. When news reporters report on a story, they’re adding thei...

People are used to walking on firm ground. If you have ever experienced an earthquake, it’s an unsettling feeling. Most people don’t know what to do. You will often see people running in all directions. Some of them are taking action which will improve their own personal safety, and others are actually running into harms way. Global financial and stock markets are experiencing an earthquake of sor...

Today's question comes from Juanita.  I follow your podcast and am a US Citizen. During the volatility being caused by tariffs, I am examining ways reduce my consumer exposure to trade war. I am think of buying into a farming co-op. I am feeling the global prices rise in my grocery bill and trying to find creative ways to get out. 1) Do you think farming co-op is a good temporary shield to cur...

Stephen Salvigsen is based in Northern New Jersey where he specializes in medical retail and retail strip centers. On today's show we are talking about market selection and tenant selection in growth markets. To connect with Stephen, you can find him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephensalvigsen/ or at his company https://sagesquarecapital.com/ ---------------- **Real Estate Espr...

Jennifer Brener Seay is an art consultant based in Austin Texas. She works with developers nation wide in curating and selecting art for their development projects. On today's show we are talking about the role of art in designing your real estate projects. To connect with Jennifer, visit artplusartisans.com or connect with her on LinkedIn. -------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:**  Spo...

Back in the 1970’s there was a very popular graphic of a Lincoln US one cent coin. The original coin on the back has the words engraved “In God we Trust”. The coin had been altered to say, in Oil we trust.  At the time, that meme rang true as people were lining up at gas stations around the block and oil prices spiked.  The economic turmoil of those days was the result of the OPEC oil embargo. Glo...

If there is one thing that has dominated conversations over the past few weeks in the world of new construction and development, it has been the impact of tariffs and global trade on new construction projects.  Yesterday the President outlined his administration’s plan for tariffs by country, along with some special provisions for the automotive industry.  We also don’t know what the international...

On today’s show we are talking about a very real risk that is affecting real estate developers and property owners alike.  It’s always been a risk that a contractor might go out of business. Sometimes contractors allow themselves to get upside down financially. This can happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s the result of a client not paying them in a timely manner which causes a cash flo...

Our book this month is "The Great Game of Business," written by Jack Stack and Bo Burlingham. It presents a novel approach to business management centered on open-book management, employee empowerment, shared financial responsibility, and what I would describe as the gamification of business. It argues that by treating employees as partners and educating them about the company's fina...

On today's show we are in the middle of due diligence on a property that recently experienced a fire. Performing due diligence is more complex because there are more risks that are difficult to quantify. We have not made a decision on this particular property. But we are sharing the thought process that is present during this phase of project. ------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:**  S...

Today's show is a recording from a talk I gave earlier this year in New York City. In this talk I am making the assertion that all real estate is the result of designing a product with a specific customer in mind. It's viewing the finished property through the lens of product design with a specific customer in mind. -------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:**  Spotify: [The Real Estat...

Jason Hartman is well known as a speaker and podcast host in the world of real estate investing. On today's show Jason and I are speaking about market selection and asset price inflation as a hedge against devaluation of the currency. To connect with Jason, visit jasonhartman.com or find him by name on most social media platforms. -------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:**  Spotify: [The...

On today’s show we are talking about some of the innovations in tenant screening that hold the promise of saving time and increasing the quality of tenant screening.  The processes are evolving driven by advancements in technology, changing legal landscapes, and growing market demands. Whether you’re a landlord, property manager, or a tenant screening service provider, staying ahead of these trend...

I often get questions from investors about how and when to form a family office. This is particularly urgent when there is a generational cascade of wealth from parents to kids, and eventually grandchildren. In fact the most frequent question I get is how much net worth is required to form a family office. When I think about this, the size of the assets determines the scope of solution. But the pr...

Today is another AMA episode (Ask Me Anything). Today's question comes from Emanuel who asks: "Are short-term rentals still a profitable niche, or should investors pivot to long-term leases given regulatory changes?" ---------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:**  Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast]( https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1...

The predictions about the current initiatives from the White House range wildly from a Ronald Reagan type outcome where the short term disruption results in a leaner more efficient government with better fiscal balance and a period of renewed economic prosperity. The other predictions point to a Jimmy Carter style disruption that results in stagflation. The arguments for each can be convincing. On...

On today’s show we are looking at some simple AI automations that can save you time and increase the quality of your systems within your business. Specifically, the AI based note-takers can allows you to gain a whole lot of insight in your meetings. You can also link your meeting notes with your customer relationship manager software to automate the notes from your conversations with customers. Fi...

Stephen Petasky is based in San Diego where he runs Luxus Vacation Properties. His company is delivering Four Seasons Residences properties across multiple markets in the US and internationally. On today's show we are talking about the various business models for luxury vacation properties and the merits of one versus the other. To connect with Stephen, visit: luxusvp.com or connect with him o...

On today's show George and I are discussing the very public negotiations that are happening surrounding tariffs, defence spending, among many others. George taught negotiation at the law school at NYU for over 20 years. He was also Executive Vice President in the Trump Organization. I think you will find his insights helpful in understanding what we are observing in the news headlines. -------...

We are going to start a new feature on the podcast called Vic’s Picks. Vic’s Picks are predictions that I will be making quarterly. There will be a few predictions coming over the next couple of weeks for the second quarter.  On today’s show we are talking about the implications of the  25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, and I'm making a prediction that these tariffs will be short lived...