Our guest this week is Michal Liviatan of Lendai.us, a real estate lending platform. In this interview, she discusses the importance of customer service and how the market has changed before and after COVID-19. She also mentions which markets are the most popular among Canadian investors and where she personally goes for resources.
Michal Liviatan is the head of the Canadian arm of Lendai, a US-based private lender that focuses on financing foreigners investing in US real estate. Michal has a background in the food and beverage industry. In her role as partner and customer success manager, she works with other professionals, realtors, and brokers to help foreign investors finance their US real estate purchases.
She describes how her experience in the food industry has helped her excel in her current role in the financial sector. She highlights the importance of excellent customer service and of being able to translate between Canadian and US investment markets. The Lendai team helps Canadians secure financing for their investments in the US. They offer due diligence, documentation, and turnarounds for their clients. The company was started in early 2019 by four foreigners to the US.
Michal discusses where Canadians have been investing in real estate in the US over the past few years. She notes that popular areas have been those that are within driving distance from Canada, such as Michigan, as well as California, New York, and Hawaii. He also notes that Arizona and Florida have been popular choices for Canadians looking to invest in real estate.
She notes that the market has changed due to the pandemic and that investors are now looking for shorter-term investments that will provide a higher return on investment. Lendai is currently exploring options for new products that will be available in the market.
The best advice Michal Liviatan has ever received from another investor is to always be aware of the exchange rate when dealing with foreign currencies. This will help minimize exposure to exchange rate fluctuations.
Alisha Fuss and Patrick Bobczynski have been investing in real estate for a little over a year and a half, and they’re currently focusing on properties in the Calgary area. Living through renovations can be tough, but they’ve managed to stay together and have some fun along the way. The couple offers some great advice for other investors, including tips on how to avoid getting overwhelmed by all the information out there.
Alisha and Patrick discuss their strategy for investing in properties with illegal basement suites. They explained that it is easier to legalize an existing suite than to add one from scratch. They also discussed the requirements for adding a basement suite from scratch, which includes two furnaces, insulation, and drywall.
Both are real estate agents who specialize in finding and updating illegal basement suites. They say that it is relatively easy to update an illegal suite into a legal one and that doing so can save the owner a lot of money. They advise people interested in this type of investment to just dive in and not get overwhelmed by the information out there.
They discuss the importance of taking action and not over-analyzing when it comes to real estate investing. They mention that interest rates have been low for years and are now starting to rise again, which can be a good time to buy for investors. They also talk about a renovation project they are currently working on that is fairly extensive.
It is possible to save money by doing some of the work on a property oneself, and that YouTube can be a helpful resource for learning how to do this. They also say that finding good contractors is the most important thing.
The episode also covers how to save money on home renovation costs by doing some tasks yourself, such as painting and flooring. It also mentions that demolition can be tricky if you don’t know how the finished product will look, so it’s important to be thoughtful about what you’re taking out. The couple advises that if you are considering doing your own demolition for your home renovation project, it is smart to get someone else’s opinion who has done it before or is a contractor. They also say that it is important to have somebody to ask tough questions to when you are unsure what to do during the renovation process.
The best advice that Alisha and Patrick have received is to focus on one strategy and to get really good at it. This way, they can avoid getting distracted and can make the most of their time and resources. They also talk about the importance of surrounding yourself with people who are doing what you want to be doing, in order to change your life.
In this podcast episode, Brian Hogben from Mission 35 Mortgages discusses the current state of the real estate market and some things that potential investors should keep in mind. He stresses the importance of understanding the supply conversation and notes that there is currently a shortage of supply. He also encourages people to take action and build their power teams in order to invest in real estate.
Brian Hogben is the founder of Mission 35 Mortgages, a company dedicated to helping people pay off their homes in less time than the traditional Freedom 55 plan. He shares his story of becoming a mortgage broker and how his company has helped so many people in their communities.
In the interview, Brian Hogben talks about his experience as a real estate investor and how it has informed his work at Mission 35 Mortgages. He also discusses his personal portfolio, which includes a variety of properties across Southern Ontario.
He discusses his passion for vacation rental properties. He explains that he enjoys the short-term nature of the investment and the opportunity to learn about new markets.
The mortgage process in Florida is different than in Canada, and Royal Bank is now requiring a tax identification number in order to file an income tax return in the state.
The landlord-tenant board in Florida is different than in Canada, and it is possible to raise the rent by a significant amount with only 60 days’ notice.
Brian discusses opportunities for investment in the US, specifically mentioning the potential for increased taxes and down payments for small landlords in Canada. They also talk about the current market conditions and the types of deals that are coming through their brokerage, noting that more investors are interested in flips and buy-to-rent properties.
In the current market, mortgage rates are still reasonable, and there is still an opportunity to cash flow. However, many people are waiting to see what happens with interest rates, which are expected to rise in the next few months.
There is a big opportunity right now for investors to sell non-performing properties and move the capital into vacant or transition rental properties. This is a good time to buy because rents are climbing quickly and mortgage rates are reasonable.
The average person with a $500,000 mortgage has seen their payments increase by $2,600 since interest rates went up in March. This is not a large amount, but it could cause some hardship for people who are already struggling. Salemi is hopeful that rates will eventually come down again, but it is unlikely to happen in the next year.
Investors are often advised to buy when there is little interest in the market, as this is when prices are low. However, this logic does not always apply in today’s market, where high-interest rates and high debts are present. Brian Hogben suggests that instead of waiting for a crash, investors should buy now while prices are still low.
1. Social media is playing a big role in the real estate market now.
2. There is a shortage of supply now, due to the global pandemic.
3. Record numbers of immigration are expected in the next 12 months.
There is a risk right now, but if you’re buying and holding for the long term, you can’t go wrong. If you wait to try to hit the bottom, you might miss out on a good opportunity. Taking out equity from your house to buy an investment property is a good idea in this market.
Brian is saying that it is important for mortgage agents to help their clients budget properly because payments are going to go up for some people and they need to be prepared. They also say that it is important to start the conversation with payment, not with rate, in order to avoid payment shock.
He discusses the importance of budgeting and financial planning, especially in light of recent economic concerns. They emphasize that most people are actually doing okay, but that a lot of fear and anxiety could be alleviated if we just had a better sense of our finances. They encourage people to write things down and budget carefully in order to weather any potential storms.
The best advice Brian Hogben has ever received from another investor is to just do it now. He also believes that taking immediate action is key to success in real estate investing. His favorite real estate investing resource is the REITE Club.
Our podcast guest this week, Natasha Phipps, Realtor and Real Estate Investor, is sharing the solution.
In this episode, you will learn:
1. How COVID has changed people’s perspectives on where they want to live, and the potential for moving to a more affordable location 2. The real estate market in Calgary, and how it is different from other markets in Canada 3. The opportunities for investors in multifamily properties in Calgary
“COVID taught, I think, us a lot of different things. And people are, well, first of all, realizing they can potentially work fromanywhere. So that immediately gets people’s kind of like thoughts going, right?
Natasha Phipps is a realtor and investor based in Calgary, Alberta. She has over 10 years of experience in the real estate industry and specializes in helping investors find turnkey properties that offer a good return on investment.
The REITE Club podcast – for sponsor slots contact Katherine at grow@thereiteclub.com
Chapter Summaries: [00:00:00] – This week’s, host shares some tips on how to customize your life for Calgary. People tend to be looking mostly for buy and hold opportunities. Many of the investors they work with are not here locally.
[00:02:54] – Natasha is back on the show. Last time Natasha was on, it was around a year ago. Natasha has been attending live conferences. In Calgary, where there’s a lot of newcomers and new industry and businesses popping up here. Natasha talks to people from Ontario almost every day.
[00:04:28] – In the last year. A lot of people were interested in moving. People are seeking affordability and a different lifestyle. In Calgary, the benchmark price had only come down a few thousand dollars. The number of sales is down over last year. But the prices are holding steady. By Christmas, the market will be more balanced.
[00:07:58] – In Calgary, investors are looking for buy-and-hold opportunities. The downtown and inner city sector is starting to recover. The city is pushing for more density in suburban markets. In the last year, the downtown condominium market has started to appreciate. In Calgary, preconstruction condos are not recommended.
[00:12:58] – Natasha bought a 21-unit apartment building in Mission, a trendy, vibrant, inner city community. She also bought a two-year-old two-story multifamily building in Talgreen that was under foreclosure this spring.
[00:14:41] – In Alberta, landlords can raise their rents once per year as much as the market will bear. In Ontario they need to give 90 days notice of rental increase. Unless you’re rent controlled, anything after November 15, 2018 is not subject to control. Alberta is more landlord friendly.
[00:18:11] – In multifamily and commercial, your property valuation is based off of how the business performs in a residential home. When you go to refinance or get an appraisal done, they’re just going to look at the comps in the area. In multifamily, you have the ability to change or even your loan to value.
[00:21:53] – There are a lot of costs and fees associated with investing in multifamily in Alberta and in Calgary. Investors should be aware of all the fees and be ready to go kind of upfront in terms of Calgary, in particular in the multi-family space and what you need to watch out for in terms of location. I dive into the community’s demographics and the ratio between homeowners and tenants. I want to stand out.
[00:23:26] – There is a lot of interest in short-term rental properties like Airbnb. Calgary does not have any legislation on Airbnb, so investors are pivoting to that right now. The main thing is to be careful with the buildings. There are probably only half a dozen condo buildings in downtown Calgary that are friendly with Airbnb.
[00:25:12] – Canmore is a good market for kids, but it’s expensive. BMB invested in a couple of purpose-built short-term rentals in Canmore this year. It’s important to work with someone like BMB that is local and understands the local market.
[00:28:43] – In and around Calgary. We have erdrey Cochrane. Okatokes. High river within 30 to 40 minutes of Calgary. I have a referral partner for Canmore, someone in our brokerage who lives in Canmore and is an investor himself. Edmonton is several hours away from Calgary, and I’m not an expert there.
[00:29:51] – As interest rates go up, buyers are going to have to look for more affordable options. Long-term buy and hold, short-term rentals, condos and townhouses are all going to fare well in the long-term. The appreciation recovery in the detached market is going to trickle down to higher density property types.
[00:32:19] – Calgary Legalized Secondary suites in March 2018. The deadline for cleaning up basement suites is ending in December 2023. Carriage houses fall into the same category as secondary suites. A builder is building a couple of these from scratch in Calgary. Now, garden suites and carriage houses are going to be the next thing investors are looking to do in Calgary.
[00:35:12] – The best advice from another investor is to only work with people that you genuinely like. Calgary economic development website is her most used resource for Calgary particular staff. she likes the data and the numbers, and she uses it most for Calgary real estate investing.
In this episode, you will learn the importance of:
1. Not skipping steps when getting into real estate investing, in order to avoid dangerous mistakes. 2. Continuing to educate oneself in real estate investing, in order to stay ahead of the game. 3. Knowing how to exit an investment property, in order to maximize one’s return.
“The best investment you can make is the investment in yourself.”
Dylan Suitor is a Realtor, real estate investor, entrepreneur, and coach. He is the founder of Elevation Realty and Suitor Enterprises and is passionate about helping others achieve their real estate investing goals.
This is Dylan Suitor’s story…
When I was 18, I bought my first investment property – a student rental near the University of Waterloo. I had no idea what I was doing, but my mom thought it would be a good way to teach me responsibility. I went on to buy a few more properties, including a condo and a house that I flipped. In 2017, I missed the market peak by a month or two and ended up renting the house out on Airbnb instead. I started educating myself on real estate investing and quickly realized that the best investment is in yourself. I joined forces with my business partner, Robbie Clark, and we started buying properties, renovating them, and flipping them for a profit. We’ve now built a portfolio of over 1000 units, including our largest apartment building of 88 units.
Chapter Summaries: [00:03:58] – Dylan Suitor has been investing in real estate since 2000. He bought his first investment property when he was 18. He closed his first property in the corporation with his business partner Robbie Clark four years ago on, October 3 and they have added 1000 units to the portfolio in the last four years. His largest apartment building is 88 units.
[00:09:36] – When he first started investing in apartment buildings, he couldn’t use 100% financing. Now he has a team of professionals working in real estate, property management, construction and asset management. He has launched three new businesses to go along with the real estate acquisition side.
[00:15:54] – Dylan Suitor gives advice to someone new to real estate investing and someone who wants to get into it full-time. He’s always goes deep on figuring out the strategy, getting all the details and understanding it inside and out.
[00:17:14] – If someone has a lot of time and money, he advises them to focus on education, mentoring, and building a strong team. If they don’t have the time, he suggests working as a joint venture partner or working with asset management.
[00:20:40] – Dylan Suitor made some mistakes in his real estate business. A 32-unit purchase he didn’t go through the proper due diligence. He didn’t have an environmental. He did not talk about capex Improvements, the roof, the main stack, the HVAC, the plumbing and the electrical updates. Dylan Suitor’s team of seven full-time agents is in the office every morning at 8:45, they have a meeting at 9:15. They do a half an hour of what are their clients looking for? They try to pair them up and then they regroup four to 430 with a third party coach.
[00:25:58] – Nomad Capitalist is a book that talks about freedom, lifestyle and finances. It’s important to have multiple locations in the world and to have somewhere safe to go. The Fourth Turning talks about the 20 year cycles of the economy. And it’s 80 years total, but it’s 20 years seasons.
[00:32:27] – Half of the basement of his new house is dedicated to board games. Strategy is a big part of his game strategy. If he promises something to someone, he’s going to follow through on it. 90% of people in his organization don’t follow through with promises.
[00:34:19] – On Sunday, Dylan Suitor is usually in a bar watching football. Dylan Suitor works 80-100 hours a week.
[00:35:54] – Real estate investing is rewarding, but dangerous if you skip steps. Find the right people in your ecosystem and connect yourself with the right power team and the world is your oyster.
Start your real estate investing journey with house hacking.
“Go for the ugliest home. And you do those improvements and go for the cheapest possible price so that you can put less money of yours into the deal.”
Our podcast guest this week, Aditya Soma, is a real estate investor and entrepreneur based in Canada. He started his real estate journey in 2016 and has since built a portfolio of 47 rental units. He is also the owner and operator of a successful real estate sales business.
He came from a lower-middle-class family in India, his Father had to borrow money from friends and relatives to enable Aditya to come to Canada for his education. He worked various odd jobs to make ends meet and eventually found his way into the real estate industry. He now owns 47 units and has quit his software job to focus on his real estate business full-time.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
How Aditya Soma went from being a poor student with debt to becoming a successful real estate investor with 47 rental units
The importance of building credit and having a good credit score
How house hacking can be a great starting point for new real estate investors
Other episodes you’ll enjoy:
Reflections on Last 2 Years and Where Are We Heading (Ep. 200)
From being an immigrant with over $100K in debt to becoming financially independent at 30,
Aditya Soma is a software engineer turned real estate agent in Canada making over a million dollars in commissions. He has not just built a dream life for his family but is also helping people create FREEDOM. It all started with one YouTube video; today he has 20,000+ Subscribers, with over 1 million views, and in 2021 he and his company (WincityReal Estate Team) sold $75million of real estate.
Aditya comes from a humble background in India and has had a tough childhood. He has seen his father hustle into odd jobs to get the food on the table. And now, finally, he helped retired his father, paid away all his debt, and is living the Canadian dream with his family.
Aditya has been rated as #1 real estate agent in Windsor, ON, and is among the top 40 Real Estate Agents in Canada. In his personal portfolio, he has accumulated 47 doors and counting
The last two years have seen a continued decline in the functional running of the Landlord Tenant Board and landlords and real estate investors are having to be much more accurate in the application process and creative in their approaches to tenant issues.
This is increasingly requiring the need to have an experienced legal representative on your case, otherwise, you run the risk of waiting 8-12 months for a hearing, failing, and having to start all over again.
One such expert is Andrew Choubeta, a paralegal and fellow real estate investor. Andrew can often be found sharing almost unbelievable stories about his work in this area. However, in today’s episode, he delves deeply into the various processes to be aware of right now, proposed future changes, and potential rent freezes and bylaw updates.
This is a must-listen episode for any real estate investor because it’s not a case of if you face a tenant issue but when.
In this episode you will learn about:
Changes to the interpretations of N13’s and the impact on landlords
How the Ontario rental landscape might change
Using Advanced Resolution Requests to speed things up
The rental market freeze – if and when it might happen
Short-term rental bylaws and changes
How landlords can protect their investments and portfolios
When a post-Nov 2018 rental increase may not apply.
Trying to find the mystery prosecutor
The express lane for N7’s
Is there a solution to LTB dysfunction?
Andrew Choubeta is a paralegal that cares about landlords and their investments. Servicing all of Ontario, Andrew and his colleagues at Caveat LLP have a combined decade of experience dealing with investor-focused Landlord and Tenant issues. As an investor himself, Andrew has a results-driven approach to legal practice.
People get involved in real estate and real estate for a variety of reasons. One of the most popular is to step away from the 9-5 and have it fund an enjoyable lifestyle.
Our podcast guest this week, Michael Dominguez, started investing when he and his wife were both working well-paid corporate jobs. But as he became more involved Michael decided to go into real estate full time, the choice he had to make was either as a realtor or a real estate investor because he found he couldn’t focus on both and have as much success.
In this episode, Michael shares what direction he took, how that has helped him build his portfolio, and now how he is helping others achieve similar results through his book. He also outlines a defining moment more recently when 3 clients passed away and how that pushed him to design the best life he is now leading and where that takes him.
In this episode you will learn about:
Following the buy a property a year strategy
Choosing between becoming a realtor or a real estate investor full time
Structuring joint venture deals
Identifying quality properties in quality neighborhoods
Finding ideal tenants who will leave in 2-5 years
Planning and preparing for market turmoil
Living the best life after having three clients pass away
Offering tenants the option to move out
Not being focused on building net worth
Get in touch with Michael Dominguez: Website: www.armchairrealestatemillionaire.com
Michael Dominguez is an award-winning sales representative, a member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame, and the founder of Doors to Wealth Real Estate Group, a team of realtors focused on educating and assisting people in residential real estate.
After becoming a realtor in 2008, Michael realized the opportunities in real estate investing and bought his first investment property, proceeding to add to his portfolio for 10 consecutive years. Throughout his realtor career, he has completed over 300 investment property transactions.
When he entered real estate in 2008, Michael was drawn to people who saw real estate ownership as a vehicle for building wealth and reaching their goals. Many of his current and former clients were able to quit their full-time job, do more of what they wanted to do, and seek their passions. As an investor realtor, Michael discovered a real passion for helping others build their wealth so they can experience the choices and financial freedom they desire.
Michael has been named Investor Realtor of the Year by the Real Estate Investment Network (REIN) twice, as well as Canadian Real Estate Magazine Investor Realtor of the Year. He was also awarded a RE/MAX Jazz Mentorship Award.
In his downtime, Michael is a die-hard Los Angeles Dodgers fan and an avid traveler who desires to have as many once-in-a-lifetime experiences as possible in his life. Currently, he and his wife own 11 two-unit dwellings in Ontario, Canada.
When The REITE Club podcast reached 100 episodes who could have predicted what was going to happen to real estate and the world in general during the next 100?
But here we are, 2 years later, celebrating 200 episodes of the podcast.
Join The REITE Club Co-Founders, Laurel Simons, Daniel St. Jean, Sarah Larbi, and Alfonso Salemi as they share what they have been up to over the last two years, where they think things are heading for real estate in the short term and what you need to be doing to prepare for that.
They also share what their plans are for the next two years and where they hope to be by the time episode 300 rolls around as they Customize Their Lives.
In this episode you will hear about:
Customizing your life through real estate
Laurel’s adventures in wine and travel
Daniel’s pivot to out-of-country investing
Sarah’s development projects and strategy shift
Alfonso’s team expansion personally and professionally
Co-founder’s thoughts on the immediate future of real estate
Their future plans during the next 100 episodes
We’re Sarah Larbi, Alfonso Salemi, Laurel Simmons, and Daniel St-Jean. We’ve all been real estate investors for many years now, and we all have different experiences and specialties, especially when it comes to real estate investing! We look forward to connecting with you as our REITE Club community grows.
Being a Mindful Landlord and Investing in Montreal
After being dropped into property management while at University as a student house manager, Terrie Schauer took a harder look at the industry and a wider consideration of real estate investing as a career and business.
After first being a full-time Property Manager for a company in France she now manages a growing portfolio for herself and still manages properties for a number of select clients in Quebec.
Her Ph.D. and Masters have given her a passion for research and she spends time understanding the background of hot topics like affordable housing and rent control and then takes mindful decisions around her real estate investing direction and strategies.
In this wide-ranging discussion, Terrie shares her thoughts on the Montreal market, property management, discipline and preparation from being a word champion in Jiu Jitsu and her passion for applying mindfulness principles to Real Estate investing having written the #1 bestselling book on the topic, The Mindful Landlord.
In this episode you will learn about:
Mindfulness and real estate investing
Property management lessons early in life
How property management can be a gateway to other REI business
Montreal market rentals and challenges
How to successfully hire a good property manager
CMHC and affordable housing
Researching rent control and does it make sense
Get in touch with Terrie Schauer: Website: https://terrieschauer.com/ Mindful Landlord book – https://terrieschauer.com/order-mindful-landlord-book/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terrieschauer/ With 20+ years of experience as a Real Estate investor and property manager, Terrie is CEO & founder of MyRoom Gestion, a property management and Real Estate consulting group based in Montreal, Canada. She is the leading authority on applying mindfulness principles to Real Estate investing and has written the #1 bestselling book on the topic, Mindful Landlord.
Co-host of two wealth and real estate podcasts (The Mindful Wealth Podcast & The Real Estate Investor’s Club Podcast), her clients include business owners, executives and professionals who want to hedge the rat race and gain financial freedom through Real Estate. Her passion is to help fellow investors act for both profit and peace of mind.
Her key areas of expertise are Real Estate with a focus on holistic wealth, financial freedom, and female excellence in investing and beyond. She has given keynote addresses at Canadian Real Estate conferences on these topics.
Terrie holds a Ph.D. (SFU) and Masters degree from Oxford University. She is a two-time world champion in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Her best-selling book, Mindful Landlord, is currently available on Amazon.
