What happens when a 25-year software engineer discovers that illiquid real estate assets outperform the volatile stock market—and finds the next big opportunity in industrial flex space?
In this episode, Angel Williams sits down with Daniel Holmlund, founder of the Alternative Investing Club and Good Samaritan Capital, to explore why industrial flex space represents an untapped opportunity for real estate investors. Daniel explains how supply chain disruptions post-pandemic have created massive demand for last-mile storage and flexible industrial spaces. He shares his journey from converting 80% of his tech portfolio into real estate and reveals his "Five Pillars of Risk" framework for evaluating commercial deals. This conversation explores current market fundamentals, including $11 trillion in untapped home equity and why 25% of homeowners with sub-3% mortgages won't sell, creating continued real estate strength despite economic uncertainty.
[00:01 - 05:00] Why Illiquid Assets Beat Market Volatility
How Daniel converted 80% of his portfolio from stocks to real estate over 4-5 years
The philosophy of preferring predictable investments over great but volatile ones
Why contracts and time delays in real estate provide stability during market panic
[05:01 - 12:00] Real Estate Market Fundamentals That Prevent Crashes
$11 trillion in borrowable home equity across the US (more than half of GDP)
Why 43% average homeowner leverage and 40% free-and-clear homes create stability
How 25% of homeowners with sub-3% mortgages will never sell, limiting inventory
[12:01 - 17:30] The Five Pillars of Risk Framework
Why managers are the #1 risk factor in any commercial real estate deal
How to evaluate markets across 420+ different US real estate cycles
The importance of clear business plans and regulatory-friendly environments
[17:31 - 20:20] Industrial Flex Space: The Post-Pandemic Opportunity
How supply chain fragility created 420 million square feet of new industrial demand
Why businesses want last-mile storage instead of overseas dependency
The boom in near storage and flex storage since the pandemic began
Connect with Daniel:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-holmlund/
Key Quotes:
"I would rather have a good investment that is predictable than a great investment that could go up and down and it's hard to tell." - Daniel Holmlund
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