The REtipster Podcast | Land Investing & Real Estate Strategies

253: I sat down with Drew Haney, founder of Rooster Capital, to get an inside look at what it’s really like to be a land funder. Drew has funded over 700 land deals, and in this episode, he shares his entire process, from vetting operators, managing money partners, structuring JV agreements, to protecting against losses. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/253) Drew also opens up about the emotional toll t...

252: In this episode, I sat down with Brandon Parker, founder of Land AI , to talk about how AI is revolutionizing the land investing world. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/252) Brandon’s company has made over 10 million cold calls and helped clients close more than $20 million in land acquisitions this year alone. His AI voice assistant (Maya) can now handle full seller conversations, qualify leads, a...

251: In this episode, I talk with Rod Khleif, an immigrant-turned-multifamily mogul who built a $50M net worth, lost it all, and came back stronger. We dive into the mindset behind success, the pitfalls of fast growth, the current real estate market, senior housing, and much more. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/251) Rod’s story is filled with raw honesty, powerful life lessons, and specific advice on...

250: For the 250th episode of the REtipster Podcast, I invited five top land investors back to the show for a roundtable discussion on where the land market is right now. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/250) We talked about what's working, what's not, how the game has changed, and what they're doing differently to stay profitable in 2025. You’ll hear from: - Dave Denniston (Land UnConfer...

249: In this episode, I’m talking with intuitive money coach Danielle McKinley about money stories, contentment, and the infinite banking concept (IBC), a strategy I’ve personally used for the past five years. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/249) We dig into why her nine-figure software exit felt strangely empty, how childhood money trauma shaped her drive for safety, and how she created a “contentment...

248: In this episode, I’m talking again with civil engineer and land investor Mitch Klein about a major issue land investors often overlook: water access. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/248) We cover everything from private wells, rural water districts, and municipal systems to the shocking realities of contamination, costs, and whether your property can even get drinking water. Whether you're su...

247: In this episode, I sat down with Brent Bowers to talk about how he evolved from land flipping into building mobile home and land packages that yield massive returns. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/247) We discuss mobile home dealer licenses, setup nightmares, how to secure better pricing, what kinds of vacant lots do (and don't) make sense for land/home packages, and why mobile homes may be...

246: Septic and sewer systems are one of the most overlooked aspects of land investing. In this episode, I talk with civil engineer (and fellow land investor) Mitch Klein. We dive deep into everything you need to know about perc tests, soil types, engineered septic systems, sewer access, and all the hidden pitfalls that could destroy your deal. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/246) If you’ve ever asked,...

245: In this episode, Neil Clements and I dive into what’s really happening in the land investing market right now. We’re seeing big shifts, land investors are quitting, wholesalers are down 90%, and many are asking, "Is this business still worth it?" (Show Notes: REtipster.com/245) We talk through: What’s changed in the last few months Why land deals are harder to come by How elite inve...

244: In this episode, I sat down in person with Alex Reese from Acrewell, a rising star in the land investing world and an absolute YouTube powerhouse. We talk through his journey from eating peanuts in a CVS to flipping hundreds of land deals, building a media brand, and creating a deep educational product for land buyers. ( Show Notes: REtipster.com/244) Alex shares the highs, the lows, and the...

243: In this episode, I sat down with Quynh and Tri Vu, a married couple who walked away from their six-figure careers, an IT engineer and a pharmacist, to go all-in on land investing. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/243) Their story is packed with insight. We cover how land deals paid more than Quinn's doctorate, how they left behind high-stress jobs for more time freedom, and how they quietly ra...

242: In this episode, I reconnected with Luis Melo, a high-volume land investor who blew my mind with what he's done since our last conversation in 2021. He's flipped land using double closings, assignments, and seller financing, without risking much of his own money. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/242) What's even more impressive is how he turned an 800-acre deal into 471 subdivided lo...

241: In this episode, we're talking with Brian and Katie Desmarais, a husband-and-wife land investing team who left the corporate world to build a thriving real estate business in under two years. (Show Notes: REtipster.com) Katie was able to leave her W-2 job just nine months into the business. Now they’re flipping land from South America while raising their kids and coaching other investors...

240: In this episode, I'm sitting down with Ron Apke, one-half of the Apke Brothers and co-founder of Land Portal . (Show Notes: REtipster.com/240) These guys are changing the game in land investing software. We dig into what it’s really like building a company with your brother, the biggest land investing mistakes, and how Land Portal is solving massive problems in the real estate data world...

239: In this episode, I talk with Mason McDonald , a land investor, licensed realtor, and adventurer in the wild world of mining claims . ( Show Notes: REtipster.com/239 ) Mason shares how becoming a realtor totally changed his land investing game, giving him the edge to make massive commissions, close unusual deals, and tap into a totally new stream of revenue that most land flippers overlook. We...

238: In this episode, I caught up with my friend and REtipster Certified Coach Travis King to talk about the major changes we’ve seen in the land investing market in 2025. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/238) We dove deep into why most land investors are quitting, why the old playbooks don’t work anymore, and how the top 20% are adjusting their strategies to win in this tougher market. Travis also shar...

237: In this episode, I’m talking with Brandon Cobb, CEO of HBG Capital. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/237) Brandon’s journey from medical device sales to managing $22M+ per year in land development is packed with lessons, wins, and million-dollar mistakes. We break down his exact process for finding development sites, getting properties entitled, raising capital, and selling to national home builder...

236: In this episode, we sat down with Callan Faulkner to talk about how she transitioned from land investor to AI architect—building a $4M business in under 18 months. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/236) Callan walks us through real examples of how land investors can use AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Zapier, and even AI agents to streamline SOPs, write legal docs, score sales calls, and...

235: In this episode of the REtipster Podcast, I sat down with Steve Hokanson, land investor, founder of Thacksland Books, and one of the few people who’s seen the actual numbers behind dozens of land investing businesses. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/235 ) Steve provides fractional CFO and bookkeeping services to land flippers, which gives him a front-row seat to the real profit margins, biggest mi...

234: In this episode of the REtipster Podcast, I sit down with Hamza Ali, a FlexSpace developer who has built a $370M+ portfolio in one of the most underrated corners of commercial real estate. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/234) Originally from Dubai, Hamza moved to the U.S. less than a decade ago and carved out a niche in Flex industrial real estate, an asset class that most investors don’t yet unde...

233: In this episode of the REtipster Podcast, Ajay Sharma joins me to unpack one of the biggest problems land investors are facing in 2025: fewer deals and more seller resistance. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/233 ) We dive deep into the real bottlenecks holding investors back on the acquisition side, including whether your issue is a leads problem or a conversion problem. Ajay breaks down the 4 mos...

232: In this episode, I talk with Imee, the 24-year-old executive assistant who’s become the backbone of a land investing empire. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/232 ) Imee isn’t your average VA. She’s running operations across multiple businesses, hiring and managing global teams, building systems, protecting the CEO’s time, and even closing deals. We cover exactly how she earned that trust, what she...

231: I never thought someone 5,000 miles away could out-compete local land investors, but Ciaran Sheil does it 40-50 times a year, all without setting foot in the U.S. 🇮🇪➡️🇺🇸 (Show Notes: REtipster.com/231 ) In this episode, I talk with Ciaran about: - The data-driven process that picked his winning markets. - Replacing blind offers with conversion-focused mail. - Building a lead-manager team that...

230: In this solo episode, I'll share my personal journey of building a land investing business while working a full-time job—and eventually quitting that job after finding financial freedom. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/230 ) If you're wondering whether it's still possible to start land investing part-time in 2025, or if you're feeling overwhelmed by the changing landscape of th...

229: In this episode, I sat down with land investor and educator Femi Ajose, someone who has flipped land in 48 states and built a powerhouse business from the ground up. (Show Notes: REtipster.com/229 ) Femi started as a track star, aiming for the Olympics until COVID hit and forced him to pivot. What followed was an obsessive dive into wholesaling and, eventually, land investing. We talk about:...