Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan sits down with Luis Belmonte, a lifelong real estate investor, to explore the lessons he's learned over decades of investing in multifamily, industrial, and commercial real estate across the U.S. and internationally. Luis shares his early experiences, including navigating the complexities of San Francisco's real estate market in...

On today's Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Neil Henderson, investor relations specialist and general partner at Nomad Capital, joins Jonathan to share how he transitioned from Airbnb host to self-storage syndicator. His story begins with a guesthouse, an article from his mother about a new company called Airbnb, and a growing curiosity that led him down the BiggerPockets rabbit hole. Ove...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes back John Bianchi, founder of STR Search and widely known as "The Airbnb Data Guy." John specializes in data-driven short-term rental analysis, helping investors identify profitable properties that align with their personal and financial goals. Returning for his second appearance on the podcast, John and Jonathan dive i...

In today's episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Mike Zlotnik, a real estate fund manager and the CEO of TF Management Group, who is widely known in the real estate investing community as "Big Mike." With over two decades of experience in finance, technology, and real estate, Mike offers a clear and structured approach to helping investors understand how to diversi...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Axel Ragnarsson, Founder and Managing Partner of Aligned Real Estate Partners. Axel began his entrepreneurial journey by flipping cars in college, which eventually led him to real estate. Over the years, he built a personal portfolio of multifamily properties before expanding into syndication and capital raising. His fo...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan Greene speaks with John Azar of Peak 15 Capital about the power of strategic partnerships in commercial real estate. John shares his experience in structuring co-GP deals, managing multifamily funds, and creating opportunities that enable investors to scale their portfolios while minimizing operational involvement. He emphasizes...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Mikkel Thorup, founder and CEO of Expat Money, a consultancy helping clients navigate second residencies, international investments, and asset diversification. Known as one of the world's most sought-after expat consultants, Mikkel has lived in nine countries over 25 years and built a portfolio of properties across ten...

Real estate isn't just about properties and profits. It's also about the communities shaped by every investment. In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes seasoned investor, broker, and entrepreneur Joe Killinger. With more than 30 years of experience spanning auctions, multifamily, single-tenant net leases, and commercial brokerage, Joe shares how his career p...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Blake Rodgers, co-founder and principal at Steel Peak. Blake specializes in industrial outdoor storage (IOS). This niche asset class includes contractor yards, equipment rental facilities, and bulk material sites across the Western U.S. He shares how his early experiences in real estate shaped his career, why IOS presen...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Bree Hartman, a former gym owner turned commercial real estate investor and the founder of Self Storage School. Bree shares how she shifted from running gyms to building a portfolio of self-storage facilities, and how this asset class can create time freedom, financial independence, and long-term cash flow. She explains...

Multifamily real estate has long been one of the most powerful vehicles for creating generational wealth and consistent cash flow. In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Rod Khleif, entrepreneur, real estate investor, author, philanthropist, and host of the Lifetime Cash Flow Through Real Estate Investing podcast. Rod has owned thousands of multifamily units...

In today's episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Emanuel Stafilidis, founder and chief investment strategist at Capable Capital. Emanuel introduces listeners to the PASS system, which stands for Passive Affordable Seller-Financing System. With over 30 years of real estate experience, he has built a strategy around acquiring moderately priced homes, structuring sell...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Kent Ritter, CEO and founder of Hudson Investing. Kent's path into real estate began after selling his healthcare consulting business, which left him looking for ways to diversify his capital. Starting as a passive investor in multifamily syndications, he eventually transitioned into active investing, experimenting with...

Shopping centers may not dominate headlines like multifamily or industrial, but they remain one of the most overlooked opportunities in commercial real estate. In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan sits down with Andy Weiner, founder and president of RockStep Capital, to discuss how shopping centers, especially in hometown markets, continue to thrive. Andy shares hi...

What happens when a SportsCenter anchor trades in highlight reels for house hacking? In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes ESPN's Gary Striewski to share his story of becoming a DIY real estate investor while holding down a demanding broadcasting career. Gary takes listeners inside his approach to building wealth, one property at a time, without falling int...

In today's episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan sits down with Lindsay Davis, CEO of Spartan Invest, to explore the world of turn-key real estate. Lindsay shares her journey from college landlord to building one of the leading turn-key investment companies in the Southeast. Their discussion covers the advantages of passive investing, the realities of property management, a...

Property management may not be flashy, but it's essential to successful real estate investing. In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Derek Morton, founder and owner-broker of Netgain Property Management in Utah. Since 2016, Derek has built his company around balancing landlords' expectations with tenants' needs. With over 14 years of real estate experience,...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Mike Zane, a real estate fund administrator at Lexcraft Advisors who specializes in supporting fund managers through the complexities of launching, managing, and scaling investment funds. With a background in accounting and years of experience working inside and alongside real estate funds, Mike offers a clear look at h...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Kirby Atwell, an Army veteran, real estate investor, and host of the Living Off Rentals podcast. Kirby's journey from military service to financial freedom offers a practical roadmap for investors seeking a sustainable, high-cash-flow strategy. Kirby's interest in real estate began in 2006 while stationed in El Paso, Te...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan sits down with Diana Ossa and Josh Dobken to discuss the creation of their boutique wellness resort in Palm Springs. As a couple with a shared vision for conscious living, they transformed their dream into a real estate venture focused on wellness, sustainability, and community. Diana and Josh walk through the real estate challe...

In this episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Scott Trench, former CEO of BiggerPockets, co-host of the BiggerPockets Money podcast, and author of "Set for Life." Their conversation dives into how Scott achieved financial independence through real estate and frugality, and how new investors can build the confidence and skills to invest from a position of strength....

In today's episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Daniel Angel-Mejia, managing partner at Apex Investments, for a conversation about sustainable real estate growth, building solid operations, and finding your way into development the smart way. Daniel brings international experience and a background in finance to his work in residential real estate, combining strate...

In today's episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan welcomes Gian Pazzia, chairman and chief strategy officer of KBKG and a pioneer in the cost segregation field. With more than 25 years of experience, Gian has worked on everything from casinos to single-family rentals. He breaks down how real estate investors can legally and strategically use tax incentives, especially cost s...

In today's episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan sits down with experienced investor and author Joel Miller, who has spent nearly five decades building wealth through rental properties. Joel walks through his early days as a mobile DJ, his accidental path into real estate, and how he grew a portfolio of rentals, flipped over 100 houses, and became a trusted hard money lende...

In today's episode of Zen and the Art of Real Estate Investing, Jonathan speaks with Nick Disney, founder of Sell My San Antonio House. Nick built a thriving home-buying business by focusing on what matters most—helping sellers solve real problems, not just pitching offers. He guides listeners through the transformation from a small-scale side hustler to one of the most trusted local investors in...