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Showing episodes and shows of
Victor Menasce
Shows
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AI Tools for Real Estate
We are doing a mini-series on AI tools in real estate. Some of these tools are the same ones we use in our development company Y. Street Capital. We use these tools in-house and on projects belonging to our consulting clients. If you want to learn more about how our consulting division could help you with your projects, send an email to victor@victorjm.com.-----------------On yesterday’s show we spoke about land.id. This is a tool that has a ton of capability for evaluating land. On today’s show we’re going to sta...
2025-06-14
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AMA - Streamlining The Approval Process
Today's question comes from Matthew in upstate NY who writes: Hi Victor, I own a commercial construction firm and the City and Town of Canandaigua , NY. Officials have asked me, a residential contractor and developer to come speak on current struggles developers and contractors are seeing in this market. I feel like a broken record. I listen to you all the time with regards to codes, zoning, utility, and building permit process, all of these come at a cost of TIME and Money. I feel most boards don’t have any construction or business education and decide to...
2024-06-26
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Livestream - Predictions and Ask Victor Anything
Today's show is an extract of yesterday's livestream where I'm making some predictions for the upcoming period and answering listener questions live. -------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2024-05-04
31 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Decoding Employment Trends: Unveiling the Real Story Behind the Numbers
Join us on the Real Estate Espresso Podcast as we dive deep into the latest employment statistics, unraveling the complexities and revealing the true narrative behind the numbers. Host Victor Minasce scrutinizes the unemployment rate, shedding light on how government definitions and economic shifts shape our understanding of workforce dynamics. From the gig economy to high-paying tech jobs, explore the factors influencing employment trends and gain invaluable insights into the evolving job market landscape. Tune in for a comprehensive analysis that challenges conventional wisdom and illuminates the reality of today's employment landscape. ------------- Host: Victor Menasce
2024-04-24
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Shopping The World For Value
As you know, I’ve been in Turkey for the past week at their national Builder Expo in Istanbul. On today’s show we are going deep on three aspects of interior finishes where we stand to save money in construction without experiencing a loss of quality. In fact, I would argue that in some cases, we are going to see an uptick in quality. It’s no secret that construction projects are facing pretty steep headwinds these days. There is price volatility in materials, in labor, and of course in capital costs at a time when some markets are ex...
2024-04-22
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Can Investor Visas Be A Good Source Of Capital
On today’s show we are talking about the EB5 Investor Visa and whether these sources of investment funds have the potential for being useful for real estate projects. The goal of the EB-5 program is to enable immigrants to get an accelerated permanent residency permit through an investment in a qualified EB5 investment. ----------- Host: Victor Menasce email: Victor@victorjm.com
2024-04-10
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Victor Menasce
On today's show we are looking at what investors are predicting for the coming year. Data from Colliers and CBRE form the basis of today's show. The CBRE investor sentiment survey indicates what investors think will happen this coming year. ------------ Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2024-03-19
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AMA - How To Choose Book Of The Month
Allan Asks: Hi Victor, Thank you again for your excellent content and insight. There is so much of a “punch” packed into a small amount just like an espresso. Hopefully this isn’t an obvious question and worth your time to answer but how do you stay up to date finding books that will be Books of the month? Is there any particular strategy to staying in tune with new material and content to internalize and make a part of you. Thanks again for all you do! ------------------ Host...
2023-08-16
04 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AMA - What Does The Crash Look Like?
Today's question comes from Adam who writes: Hello Victor, Thank you for the wonderful podcast. I am a daily listener and I regularly recommend the Real Espresso Podcast to others. Today you ended your podcast (S6 E166 Cand the Banks Survive Another Rate Increase?) with words "before it all comes crashing down". I know many are like me wondering what this crash will look like in our own sectors of real estate, but I also know you are not big on making predictions. That being said, when you say "before it all...
2023-06-15
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Could We Experience Deflation?
On today show, we are looking again at the macro environment. So much of what is happening in the world of real estate is being dominated by the macro environment, which is why we keep coming back that. It’s specifically on today show we are looking at a definition for inflation, in order to understand deflation. There is a case to be made for deflation. Today’s show is the first of a two part series on deflation. Now I know what you’re thinking. How can we be experiencing deflation when all of the statistics are poi...
2023-04-26
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AMA - Is This What You Were Seeing In October?
Today’s email comes from Adam in Riverside, Ca. Victor! Your podcasts are the best! I continue to be a proud, loyal listener. Thank you for continuing to deliver fresh and relevant content. Back in October, several of your podcasts foreshadowed concerning activity you noticed in the global credit markets/ banking system. With the recent bank failures I can’t help but wonder if they are somehow related to what you were noticing several months ago. --------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2023-03-17
07 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
An Economic Revelation
Today I had a realization. Amidst all of the confusion, all of a sudden the economic picture came clear. I was driving in the car this morning and a certain calm came over me. I’ve been wondering for weeks why there is conflicting economic data and I was unable to make sense out of it. I know what you’re thinking, Victor you need to get a life. When a moment of clarity about the economy is exciting to you , you need therapy. So without any apologies, I can hardly contain my exci...
2023-03-10
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
2022 - The Year In Review
This year was a year of managing the unexpected. Jan 1, 2022 was a day of optimism and a fresh start in a new year. The world was on its umpteenth wave of Covid. 0micron was the new word added to the vocabulary. The word endemic was being used and many countries around the world were loosening travel restrictions. I personally have not fully returned to the pre-pandemic average of traveling twice a month. But I did travel 10 times this year. It was well below my average. But it’s starting to feel more normal again. The travel industry struggled to co...
2022-12-31
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Lessons From Southwest Airlines
The problems at Southwest Airlines demonstrate what can happen when your systems break down. All businesses, including real estate investment business have systems. These systems are designed to have limits. When you go outside those limits, you can’t expect those systems to keep working. For example, our investment management software is currently handling hundreds to low thousands of investors. We have no idea what would happen if the system was faced with millions of investors. I can’t tell you for sure, but I’m pretty certain our system would break down. ------------ Host...
2022-12-30
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Energy Renaissance?
On today’s show we are talking about what is coming in the world of energy. So why am I telling you this? This is, after all a real estate show. Well, wherever there is low cost energy, there is economic growth. Wherever there is economic growth, there will be population migration. All of this affects real estate. It’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better. But the good news is that it will get better. We have a global energy shortage. We think that energy is expensive at $1.50 per litre in C...
2022-12-29
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Adverse Selection
On today’s show we are talking about one of the unwritten rules that influences the success of medical facilities. In an ideal world, patients should be free to seek the medical care that is best suited to their condition. If they have insurance coverage, the insurer would pay the bill up to the limits of the insurance plan, and patients would get the best care possible. On today’s show I’m going to introduce you to a term you might not have heard before. The term is adverse selection. ------------ Host...
2022-12-28
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Setting Powerful Goals
On today’s show we are talking about how to set goals for the coming year. There are two types of goals that you can set. The first are attainment goals. These are the goals that have a specific outcome. It could be something like “Buy a new house for my growing family by December of 2023” Or perhaps “Increase my income to $20,000 a month by the end of the year.” Those are attainment goals. Attainment goals, if well articulated can be powerful guideposts in helping you determine the thousands of day to...
2022-12-27
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Repeat of the 1920's?
In the 1920’s stock market mania was in full bloom. The stock market was so hot that companies were issuing public share offerings at an unprecedented rate. In fact you didn’t even need an operating business to issue a public share offering in those days. The share offerings would sell out regardless making instant millionaires out of the company founders. Here are a few quotes from those days. "We will not have any more crashes in our time." This was said by John Maynard Keynes in 1927, two years befo...
2022-12-26
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Dr. Tom Burns
Dr. Tom Burns is based in Austin Texas as one of the principals of Presario Ventures a private equity firm that specializes in construction of new apartments. On today's show we are talking about the current macro economic environment and how it's affecting new development projects. To connect with Tom, visit Rich.Life or email him directly at tom@richdoctor.com. For those in the medical profession get a copy of his book "Why Doctors Don't Get Rich". ----------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-25
14 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
A Goal Without A Plan Is A Hope
Today's show is an excerpt from the 2023 annual goal setting workshop. In this segment, we're talking about how to transition a goal into something tangible by putting a concrete plan behind it. Planning can be a daunting process. But it doesn't have to be. If you follow a few simple steps to avoid the largest planning mistakes, you can create the core a solid plan that you can execute. --------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-24
12 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Short Term Rental Bust
On today’s show we are taking a deeper look at what is happening in the world of short term rentals. This industry has become so developed that there are specialists in virtually every aspect of short term rentals. There are products designed to automate so many aspects of owning and managing a short tern rental. There are tools to manage help you integrate the calendars and portals associated with multiple booking systems, whether it’s AirBnB, VRBO, Booking.com, Home away or Expedia. These systems don’t talk to each other. So if a client...
2022-12-23
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Why Would Investors Accept Low Returns?
As real estate investors we are often conditioned to focus on rates of return as the primary criteria for investment. The past year has clearly adjusted investor expectations across the board. So far the stock market is down 25% this year. The bond market has been a traditional safe haven. There is no safety to be found in the bond market either. Our own criteria for investing has been steady for much of the past decade. Our aim has always been to create enough value that we can design an interim exit upon completion...
2022-12-22
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
How Many Loan Exits Are There?
On today’s show we are talking about global debt and the multiple exit strategies from that debt. Every stream of cash flow must have an exit strategy. When you go to the grocery store and put your groceries on your credit card, the institution who issued the card is lending you money. By the way, I don’t recommend you do this. The path to repaying that loan for most people is their employment income. If you’re being responsible with managing your debt, and have planned it out carefully, then you have a viable exit path o...
2022-12-21
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Environmental Regulations Gone Wild
On today’s show we are talking about one of the latest proposals to come from the securities and exchange commission. The proposed new rules which are outlined in a 490 page document that was circulating for comment since last year. Somehow in the middle of the pandemic capturing headlines, this story seemed to fly below the radar. Under the new rules, registered companies, that is, public companies would be required to make climate risk disclosures as part of the regular reporting to investors. Let’s be clear. This proposal is one of the wors...
2022-12-20
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Aging Services Crisis
On today’s show we are talking about changes in Aging Services. The senior housing category is one of the hottest areas of real estate investing. Unlike regular housing that is just bricks and mortar, senior housing is a service offering built on a real estate platform. A recent workshop hosted by Health Dimensions identified 9 areas for aging services evolution in the upcoming year. On today’s show we’re going to look at a handful of these areas. Later in the week, we will be looking at additional areas. --------------- Host: Victor Menasc...
2022-12-19
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Tom Staub
Tom Staub is based in Austin Texas where he is involved in large scale land development in outskirts of the city. These master planned communities offer features that are not found very often in typical suburban neighborhoods. To learn more, visit redoakvc.com. -------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-18
16 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Kevin May
Kevin May is the founder and CEO of Land Hub (www.landhub.com). His company specializes in land and only land. On today's show we are talking about how marketing land is different from other asset classes. ---------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-17
11 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Taking Advantage of Inversions
On today’s show we are talking about inversions of all kinds. We have an interest rate inversion. That’s when short term rates are higher than long term rates. That’s the market signalling that they believe an economic slowdown is upon us and that central bankers will have little choice but to lower rates when the realization of economic contraction becomes apparent. Higher interest rates have impacted returns in the stock market. They have caused prices to fall in the bond market which has devalued virtually all of the debt that has been issued in the pa...
2022-12-16
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Cleanup In Aisle 4 Please
Today’s show is probably going to go down in history as one of the most important shows ever published on this podcast. That sounds like a bold statement. But the more I look at our global financial system, and out global monetary system, I’m increasingly convinced that there are so many time bombs out there, another financial crisis is inevitable. The only thing I can’t tell you is which pin will actually pop the balloon. On today’s show we are talking about how the Fed, the all powerful Fed, is actually a minor player i...
2022-12-14
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Introduction to Goal Setting 2023
On today's show we're coming to you live from the 2023 annual goal setting workshop. These few minutes extracted from 2.5 days will give you a sense for the factors that enable effective goal setting. ------------------------ Host: Victor Menasce email: Podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-13
09 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Short Sales Are Back
On today’s show we are repeating words that have not been heard for nearly a decade. In the wake of the GFC, short sales, underwater mortgages were pervasive in some markets and made up a significant percentage of market activity. Well according to a recent report from Black Knight, About 270,000 homebuyers who bought during the red-hot housing market this year already owe more than their house is worth. These market conditions are being compared with 2008 very regularly. It’s been nearly a decade since we heard the phrase short sale. It’s been nearly a decade since...
2022-12-13
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Special Guest, Josh McCallen
Today's episode was recorded on-location at the Renault Winery in southern New Jersey. Josh and his wife Melanie rescued this storied property out of bankruptcy four years ago with a tentative mission of extracting value from a distressed asset. Fast forward four years, a pandemic, and an economic cycle and this property has been transformed into a legacy project befitting its 150 year history. On today's show we're talking about the journey that Josh has taken the organization, and the property to deliver an experience that is extraordinary. To connect with Josh visit renaultwinery.com or the investment a...
2022-12-11
16 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Eric Weiss
Eric Weiss is a world renowned executive chef and sommelier. He has served as food and wine consultant to the white house for 15 years, trained the staff at major properties all over the world. To connect with Eric, visit servicearts-inc.com ------------- Host: Victor Menasce' email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-10
14 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
More Labor Market Turmoil
On today’s show we are talking about what impacting labor markets and how that can affect real estate. In the food and beverage industry we’re seeing a massive shortage of workers. The question is, where did they all go? We saw in the most recent statistics for the past month a trend that has been underway for much of the past six months. In November, the US enterprise employment report shows that 263,000 new jobs were created and that unemployment remains at a low 3.7%. A large percentage of jobs hired were in the travel, leisure and hosp...
2022-12-09
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Off Balance Sheet Financing
On today’s show we are talking about off-balance sheet financing. Increasingly, borrowers are seeking ways to hide their liabilities so as to appear financially stronger than they are in reality. This represents a growing risk to the economy and financial as our debt laden world sinks deeper into the abyss of rising interest rates. Let’s start with whether a liability needs to be disclosed on the balance sheet in the company financials or not. If not, why not? ------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-08
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Is a REIT The Same As Holding Real Estate?
On today’s show we are asking the question as to whether investing in a REIT is the same as investing in real estate? In order to answer that question we first need to unpack and define what a reit is . A real estate investment trust is a publicly traded fund that is generally registered to be traded on a public exchange like the nyse or the Toronto stock exchange, and subject to a number of regulatory limits. ---------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-06
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Elastic Money Supply
On today’s show we are talking about the money supply and whether we would be better off with a fixed money supply such as when the dollar was on the gold standard. In a fixed money supply the economy cannot grow. In fact it is possible for commerce to be inhibited by a lack of money in the system. Back in the 1970’s the Italian Lira was dropping in value. That meant that the coins in circulation were worth more than the face value of the coins. You could melt down the coins and sell...
2022-12-05
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Live From Norris Ranch
On today's show, I'm coming to you live on location at the Norris Ranch on the outskirts of Colorado Springs. This is an extraordinary property that formed part of a much larger cattle ranch, originally close to 20,000 acres. --------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-04
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Joel Friendland
On today's show we are speaking with Joel Freidland. Joel is based in Chicago where he specializes in industrial space in the Chicago. Today's show is packed with statistics on the market and how to helps if you have multiple sources for capital. You can connect with Joel at britproperties.com. -------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-03
15 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AMA - Accepting a Lower Rate of Return
Today is another AMA episode. Tony asks “I love your show and I wake up to your voice every morning. So much quality in a few minutes. My question is, given the changing market conditions, have you had to change your investment criteria? If so, how have you changed them? Are you willing to accept a lower rate of return?” ---------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-12-02
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
BOM - Iceland's Secret by Jared Bibler
Our book this month is called “Iceland’s Secret “ by Jared Bibler. Jared is an American who worked on Wall Street as an analyst and trader. In 2004 after several trips to Iceland, he fell in love with the country and eventually sought employment in finance. His first role in Iceland was developing software that was used for asset management. He was finding the software development role to be a back room effort with little human interaction. After this, Jared took a role at one of the three large banks in Iceland on their trading desk. It was...
2022-12-01
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Interest Rate Yield Curve Inversion
On today’s show we are talking about what an inverted yield curve means for real estate investors. The yield curve is making headlines. The Wall Street Journal reports that the yield curve has not been this inverted since 1981 and 1981’s recession pushed unemployment rates even higher than the 2008 financial crisis. A yield curve inversion happens when short term rates are higher than long term rates. This is a bit like an atmospheric inversion. In an atmospheric inversion, the temperature at the ground is lower than the temperature up in the clouds. It can happen, just...
2022-11-30
04 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
How Close Is The US to The End Game?
How close is the US to a debt trap? We are all accustomed to thinking in linear terms. But exponential growth is all around us. Exponential systems grow without bound until they collapse. What is an exponential? It’s anything with compound growth. The only way for the collapse to be averted is for inflation to devalue the debt faster than the interest can accumulate. That makes it possible to issue more debt as a solution to lack of funds to service the debt. On yesterday’s show we talked about the prototype of the US v...
2022-11-29
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
The Digital Dollar Is Here
On today’s show we are talking about central bank digital currency. This is the so-called digital dollar. Crypto currency started as a way to get transaction costs down to zero to enable micro-transactions online without the clearing costs of a Visa or Mastercard transaction. Now governments want to get into the game. There is a lot of opposition to digital currency from a privacy standpoint and rightly so. On today’s show we are going to examine some of the issues with programmable currency. There is no question that governments have to respond to cryp...
2022-11-28
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Keith Weinhold
Keith is a repeat guest on the show. He hails all the way from Anchorage Alaska where he invests, and he is also the host of the Get Rich Education Podcast. He has several resources to share with you at getricheducationpodcast.com/course. --------------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-11-27
14 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Derek Dombeck
Derek Dombeck is based in Wisconsin where he is the principal at a private lender specializing in residential investment and small multi-family properties. His foray into lending was an accidental path that resulted from the financial crisis that started in 2007. Derek also has two books he'd like to share with you. To connect with him and to get a copy of his books, send an email to derek@bestreifunding.com ----------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-11-26
15 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Another Tiny Home Startup
On today’s show we’re talking about affordable housing initiatives. It’s no secret that housing in many major cities like Toronto, San Francisco, Vancouver, Los Angeles is increasingly difficult to find, and highly unaffordable. In a free market, this is a function of supply and demand. Many of these cities have struggled with allowing new supply as a result of bureaucratic gridlock. Some homeowners have added supply to the market by adding secondary suites, or accessory dwelling units. These are often a basement apartment in climates where homes have basements. Sometimes, it’s an attic...
2022-11-25
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
How To Hire A Property Manager
On today’s show we are talking about how to choose a property management company. Property managers come in all shapes and sizes. There are those who have strong corporate systems and processes and are excellent at managing hundreds of units on a single property. Then there are those who specialize in managing third party properties but do not dedicate staff to a single property. A single property manager might have a dozen or more clients. There are those property managers who aim to maximize their income on the back of the property ow...
2022-11-24
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Compared To What?
Can the silent tax solve our national debt problem? What is this silent tax I’m referring to? It’s inflation of course. The debasement of the currency has been used for centuries as a way of creating budgetary flexibility when governments have political desires that exceed the piggy bank. The ability to tax the population is limited by the tolerance of the population. Tax too little and you have ineffective government and anarchy. Tax too much and you have social unrest, and eventually violent revolution. Let’s imagine for a moment that the government collec...
2022-11-23
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Electric Shock
A lot has been said in very general terms about the looming energy crisis in Europe. Those of us who live in North America whether it’s the US or Canada simply have a hard time comprehending the scope of what is happening in Europe. I have family who live in Europe and on today’s show I’m going to put a personal connection to an energy bill. Most large apartment buildings in Italy have centralized heating that turns on at the end of November for the season. The fuel for heating is usually natura...
2022-11-22
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
George Ross
George Ross is a repeat guest on the show. On today's show George is offering his perspective on Donald's bid for President. He knows the man perhaps as well as anyone having worked with him for over 47 years. ------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-11-20
14 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Steve Rozenberg
Steve Rozenberg is based in Houston Texas where he flies 777 for a major airline, and he also invests in real estate. We discussed the mindset of a pilot and how it makes him a better real estate investor. You can learn more or connect with Steve at SteveRozernberg.com. ----------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-11-19
14 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Things Are Different Now, or Are They?
Folks there are about six weeks remaining in 2022. I believe goal setting is a critical component of success. If you have not started planning for next year, you are probably going to start the year without a solid plan. If you’re planning in January, then you missed the starting gun. Every year, our team takes three days to plan the upcoming year. This year, we will be doing that work from December 9-11. It will be a face to face session held over those three days in Ottawa Canada. We have only a few number seats available for th...
2022-11-18
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Reversion To The Mean Is A Myth
On today’s show we are asking the question “Are we in an orderly market?” Market volatility can be a function of exaggerated trading activity. In extreme cases, it can be the result of market manipulation. In the world of real estate, there are those market experts who are saying that we need to look at the long term averages. If you look far enough back you can construct a rolling average. This thinking says that over the long term, home prices cannot exceed an average price to income ratio. Things will return to normal. ...
2022-11-15
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Hiring A Good Engineer
On today’s show we are talking about the importance of hiring the best engineers for your real estate development projects. Engineering is not just about technical knowhow. Engineering designs are multi-dimensional. When you fix one variable, you can often break another. When problems arise in engineering it’s almost always a result of an incorrect scope, or an incorrect assumption or understanding of the design requirements. When we hire engineers, the results are often mixed. There have been some painful lessons along the way. In all cases, we hired competent engineers. They understood the spec...
2022-11-14
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Leslie Anne Morris
All the way from Nashville, Tennessee, Leslie Anne Morris specializes in short term rentals in the Smokey Mountains. Today's show is a deeper examination of the laws of supply and demand and how choosing the best location is vitally important when it comes to short term rentals. Her website is JoshsCabins.com or InvestInthesmokeymountains.com where you can book a short term rental or learn more about investing in the area. ---------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-11-13
14 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Matt Picheny
Matt Picheny is based in NYC where he started his career as a starving actor in live theatre. His journey into real estate investing is unique and inspiring. You can learn more and connect with Matt at picheny.com. Matt is also the author of the newly released book "Backstage Guide to Real Estate Investing". ------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-11-12
12 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AMA - Ground Lease
Today is another AMA episode (Ask Me Anything). Today's question comes from Collins I’m the owner of a nice property on one of the main highways in an area of south Alabama that has sustained steady growth over the last 30 years. In fact, the city recently placed a year long moratorium on development. I saw this time as an opportunity to achieve favorable zoning and have my land packaged for any would be purchasers or developers. I am a “land dealer” in the IRS’s eyes so I’m taxed at ordinary business i...
2022-11-11
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Construction Supply Chain Update
On today’s show we are talking about what’s happening in the world of construction. The supply chain shortages of the pandemic are continuing as China pursues it’s zero Covid policy. New lockdowns have been ordered in Guangzhou, one of China’s largest manufacturing hubs. So much of what we buy is sourced from manufacturing in China. Shortages are not only about materials. It’s also about labor. There is no doubt that some trades people are busy with a backlog that stretches 18 months or more. These projects were committed in 2020. But increa...
2022-11-10
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Development Incentives
On today’s show we are talking about the impact of construction cost saving on rental affordability. The narrative among tenant’s rights groups is that landlords are out there just getting rich and exploiting tenants. Developers need to be building more affordable housing. In Canada, the government in the province of Ontario has finally been recognizing that the cost of housing is linked to a few inexorable facts. The cost of rental housing is partly a function of supply and demand. If there are too many impediments to increasing supply, then the price of r...
2022-11-09
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Condo Assignments
On today’s show we are talking about a shadow market that appears in the grey zone of the real estate market. When a condo developer launches a new building, you often get speculators who make purchase commitments on newly released units. They believe these first units released into the market are the lowest price point and that all future sales for those units will be at higher prices. It is true, that many condo developers do indeed have a price escalation built into their pricing model. Buying at the very start of a project on the fi...
2022-11-08
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Where Will The Job Losses Come From?
We are reading the headlines about layoffs that have started across corporate America. Twitter made headlines this week. But then anything involving Elon is making headlines these days. Even Facebook parent Meta is expected to lay off thousands after hiring nearly 42,000 employees since the start of the pandemic. Free cash flow at the company has fallen 98% in recent months. This is not limited to the US of course. It’s happening globally. If the economy is so strong as we are being led to believe, then why are these layoffs happening? Is it going to get worse? If...
2022-11-07
07 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Mike Ayala
Mike Ayala now calls Austin Texas home. He and his partner Andrew Lanoie own, manage and operate a sizeable portfolio of mobile home parks. To learn more and to connect with Mike, check out the Investing for Freedom podcast. ----------------- Host: Victor Menasce podcast@victorjm.com
2022-11-05
13 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AMA - Development Criteria
Today is another AMA episode (Ask Me Anything). William from Northern California asks, I find myself coming across more development opportunities and I'm needing some better "back of the envelope" criteria to help separate the wheat from the chaff. Almost every deal requires spending some amount of pre-development money to bring the project into better focus. However, at some point you should be able to come to a go/no-go decision based on the numbers, after which you would kick the deal or renegotiate the price. hat does your "back of the envelope" criteria look like in ord...
2022-11-04
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Leading Economic Indicators
On today’s show we are taking a look at some leading economic indicators that may give us some clues as to what is happening in our economy, ahead of the Federal Reserve’s meeting this week. I’m a huge believer in the law of supply and demand. In a world of short term business visibility, just in time manufacturing, it’s difficult to see supply gluts form until they’re upon you. Supply gluts can happen quickly, and before you know it, you have an excess of inventory. The opposite can happen too. We saw sho...
2022-11-02
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Book Of The Month - Skin In The Game by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Our book this month comes from Nassim Nicholas Taleb. He’s famous for his book “The Black Swan”. This book reshaped our culture’s thinking around rare but completely predictable events. His book, moved an entire generation of business leaders, and the title of his book The Black Swan has become part of the business vernacular. In fact, I would venture to say that most people who use the phrase Black Swan don’t really know what it means. So when Nicholas Taleb wrote another book, I knew it would be well researched and well written. The phra...
2022-11-01
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AMA - Building Product Information
Today is another AMA episode (Ask Me Anything). Paul from Northern Florida asks. I would like to first thank you for your work on your show. Your broad range of subjects and guest has made this a daily must listen to program for me. So thank you again. I would like to ask your thoughts on product research for new residential construction projects. While I am not a developer nor do I want to become one I am in the process of selling my business and I want to do a couple of projects. I...
2022-10-31
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
George Ross
On today's show George and I are discussing maintaining flexibility in negotiation. At the end, George offers some advice on how to negotiate with politicians. We are so blessed to have George's advice. At 94 years of age, one of the wisest men I know. ----------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-30
12 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Michael Coffee
Michael Coffee is with Stacksource.com, a fintech company that provides an automated and streamlined borrowing process for commercial real estate projects. The service matches the borrower with the lender that offers the best terms to the borrower's needs. You can find Michael on LinkedIn, or connect with him directly at michael.coffee@stacksource.com ------------ Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-29
15 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
So Much Confusing Information
Our world is very confusing at the moment. Whatever thesis you create, you can find the evidence to support your point of view. Even a review of the headlines in the Wall Street Journal on a single day can be contradictory. Apple reports record revenue. Amazon forecasts falling sales and the shares dropped 12% in after hours trading US Gross Domestic product up 2.6% in the third quarter. Boeing reports a loss. Google reports falling advertising revenue. Facebook reports falling advertising revenue, Fedex reports falling revenue and suspends guidance. -------------------- Host...
2022-10-28
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AMA - Minimizing Environmental Impact
Today is another AMA episode (Ask Me Anything). Mike asks, Hi Victor, I listen to your great podcast a lot and I notice that you and your company do a lot of development, which obviously effects and impacts the worlds environment that we all share. You seem like a very practical and good person, so I’m wondering what do you and your company do to make sure that your projects are sustainable and are not just hurting the environment? --------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-27
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
What is SOFR and Why Do I Care?
As real estate investors we are very sensitive to interest rates. Rates for permanent loans are indexed to the yield on the 10 year treasury and in some cases on the yield for the 30 year treasury. But for short term financing like bridge financing or construction loans, these loans are indexed historically to LIBOR. It’s common to see a construction loan with a rate of LIBOR + 5.75% with a floor of, say, 8.5%. So what is this thing called LIBOR and why is it used to set rates for commercial bridge loans? For more than 40 ye...
2022-10-26
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Announcing The Norris Ranch
On today’s show we’re talking about a major development project that we have underway. We closed yesterday on a parcel of land consisting of 1783 acres on the edge of Colorado Springs. This property was part of a much larger property called the Norris Ranch that originally was close to 20,000 acres. There is a story behind Mr. Norris and the Norris Ranch. We purchased the property from Mr. Steve Norris, son of Bob Norris who died in 2019 at the age of 90. Bob Norris was a cattle rancher. Through an unlikely turn of events, Mr. Norris had an elephant on h...
2022-10-25
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
AMA - How Are Bond Yields Calculated?
Today is another AMA episode (Ask Me Anything). Davindra asks I am a long time listener of your RE espresso podcast and have thoroughly enjoyed your well thought out and efficiently delivered content. Time permitting, I had a question on the most recent podcast about potential scenarios for the economy. In the second scenario, you said, bonds would have a significant "run up" as interest rates stabilize. Can you explain what this means? I've been trying to wrap my head around the bond market but there are so many moving parts that affect it, and affect different matu...
2022-10-24
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Allison Williams
Allison Williams is a lender with walkerdunlop.com. On today's show we are talking about financing for multi-family apartment assets. Today's points are timely and top of mind for many investors. --------------- host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-23
13 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Mikkel Thorup
Mikkel Thorup is based in Panama City, Panama where he helps people find a plan B residency in favorable locations. Many countries have programs that enable accelerated residency with investment in the country. You can learn more and connect with Mikkel at expatmoney.com. He is going to be hosting a five day conference in early November which you can attend for free. To learn more about the summit, visit expatmoneysummit.com -------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-22
13 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
More Signs of Banking Contagion
For the past several weeks we have been focusing on macro economic conditions. It seems that all markets, the stock market, the bond market, and real estate are being dominated by the macro environment. Traditionally, we think of real estate as hyper local, and it is. A piece of waterfront property is going to be valued differently than the same acreage two blocks inland. But still the macro environment is dominating. There are facilities available for banks that are in trouble to ask the Federal Reserve for help. These short term facilities are accessed through...
2022-10-21
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Where To Invest?
On today’s show we are talking about three different scenarios of central bank monetary policy and how that could impact the world of stocks, bonds, and real estate. I believe it’s important for investors to be able to have intelligent conversations with each other. We are all investors. I know very few investors that invest exclusively in a single asset class. The question then becomes what is the most attractive investment to make in the coming market conditions. Everyone is in search of safety in an environment where there is seemingly no safety to b...
2022-10-20
07 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Why Is The Euro Falling?
On today’s show we are taking a look at the the impact of the falling Euro on US real estate. A recent report by brokerage house Marcus and Millichap looks specifically at this question. The Euro has fallen by more than 15% this year reaching a more than 20 year low in September. Governments make decisions to be stimulative to the economy, or constrictive. In the US, the Federal Reserve is supposed to operate independently from the elected government and its mandate is to bring maximum employment to the nation and to maintain price stability. Since th...
2022-10-19
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Why Are Gasoline Prices Higher At The Pump?
On today’s show we are taking another look energy markets and how energy costs affect the price of virtually everything. I’m completely in favour of the idea of transitioning from burning oil, gas, biomass and coal to cleaner forms of energy. In the US there are still over 1,000 active coal mines. This is approximately half of the number of coal mines that were in operation in the year 2000. If you go back 15 years, western Europe produced more natural gas on the continent than was imported from Russia in 2021. They outlawed fracking, in order to h...
2022-10-18
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
The CHIPs Act and Real Estate
Real Estate values are often driven by influx of job and influx of population. On today’s show we’re talking about the semiconductor industry and the $52B injection of funds that are wrapped up in the CHIPS act. This 1054 page document is filled with goodies for the tech industry. The recent export ban on advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment and technology is aimed at slowing China’s ascent as a global technology player. The geopolitical instability and growing confrontation with China leaves the US vulnerable. The CHIPS act has triggered several new announcements including facilities to be built...
2022-10-17
07 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson is a partner with Y Street Capital and is based in Salt Lake City, Utah where she specializes in development in multiple cities across the US. On today's show we are talking about the relationship between the developer and city officials and how the reality differs from the utopian view of simply following the planning and zoning rules. --------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-16
13 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Live From OREIO
Today's show is a live talk given earlier this week at the Ottawa Real Estate Investors Organization. We are talking about what you need to do as an investor to prepare for what's coming. -------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-15
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Signs of Global Instability
On today’s show we are talking about the market for sovereign debt and what it means for investors. We have a severe interest rate inversion where short term interest rates are higher than long term rates. The obvious question is “Why is that a problem?” If you think about what a market interest rate says to investors, it communicates a perception of risk. In a natural environment it stands to reason that you could predict the next three months or the next year with greater certainty than you could predict the next 10 years...
2022-10-13
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Office Market Meltdown
On today's show we are looking at what is happening in the office market in San Francisco as a proxy for what might be happening elsewhere in the asset class. Spoiler alert: It's not pretty. ---------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-12
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Trading in Burnt Toast
The velocity of money tends to decline in highly indebted economies. The UK is currently one of those places that tried to use debt financing to restimulate economic growth. Instead, all they got was burnt toast, and you can’t unburn toast once it’s burnt. Let’s step through a chronology of what has happened in the past two weeks in the UK and break down why this could have a cascade effect into global financial markets. The UK has suffered a number of significant economic shocks. It started with Brexit and the fl...
2022-10-11
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Fall Prevention
When you design a building, the goal is often to ensure you are meeting the building code. After all, the building code was developed with health and safety has primary goals. In the world of senior housing, the building code is not nearly enough. On today’s show we’re talking about how each second of every day in the United States, an older adult has a fall. So, for each step we take, someone aged 65 or older is falling. Currently, falls cost our health system $50 billion a year. ---------------- Host: Vict...
2022-10-10
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Patrick Soukup
Patrick Soukup is an investor based in Fort Collins Colorado where he has a brokerage, a property management practice and a portfolio of single family and 1-4 unit rentals. Today's conversation is a refreshing take on how to generate cash flow using dollar cost averaging and conservative underwriting. To connect with Patrick you can find him on Instagram using his name. ---------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-09
13 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Billy Keels
Billy Keels is based in Barcelona, Spain where he lives with his family. Originally from the US, he continues to invest in the US. Billy is the host of the Going Long podcast. You can connect with Billy and learn more at firstgencp.com --------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-08
18 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Another Fudge in the CPI Metric
The inflation metric is dominating today’s central bank policy which in turn is dominating the cost of capital as interest rates increase. The Federal Reserve is committed to raising interest rates until they suppress demand enough to see core CPI metrics average 2%, their stated target. On yesterday’s show we discussed how the health care component of the CPI metric is calculated. On today’s show we are talking about another fudge in the calculation of CPI. It partially answers the question of how Paul Volcker managed to tame inflation in the early 1980’s by pushi...
2022-10-07
06 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
CPI Funny Business
On today’s show we are taking a look at the inflation index that is being used to determine interest rate policy. We live in a strange time right now where the Fed considers economic growth to be against their objective of taming inflation. What’s normally good is bad, and what is bad is good. The largest component of the Core CPI metric that the Federal Reserve uses to measure inflation is housing. It accounts for 40% of the Core CPI metric. On tomorrow’s show we are going to look deeper into the housing compon...
2022-10-06
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Hurricane Aftermath
On today’s show we’re taking a look at the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, a week after the event cut a path of destruction across the middle of Florida. I have spoken with several people I know in Florida who own property there and have recounted their experience in that harrowing day. Beyond the immediate aftermath of the storm, and helping those who have lost their homes, the biggest question is on the future of the market post hurricane. Florida is no stranger to hurricanes. There was Hurricane Andrew in 1992 which caused major damage and...
2022-10-05
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Senior Housing Employee Survey
On today’s show we’re talking about staff retention and how to address the staffing shortage that is plaguing many industries. Nowhere is worker burnout being felt more acutely than in the healthcare arena. Whether we are talking about acute care that you would see in a hospital setting, or more chronic care like you would see in assisted living skilled nursing, worker burnout is a major issue. Many of you know that I’m a part owner in a senior living and memory care development. Senior care is a service business, that happens to be...
2022-10-04
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Fish Is Not Free
The Grand Banks is a continental shelf off the coast of Newfoundland that has centuries of abundant fishing in its history. The cold Labrador current mixes with the warm water of the Gulf Stream. The water depth varies between 50 feet and 300 feet, very shallow considering the distance from shore. The mixing of these two ocean currents and the shape of the bottom lifts nutrients to the surface. The result was one of the most fertile fish habitats in the world. There was cod, swordfish, haddock, lobster, I grew up on the east coast of Canada and while...
2022-10-03
05 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
Kathy Fettke
Kathy Fettke hosts the Real Wealth Show and Real Estate News and a new show on Bigger Pockets called "On the Market". She is co-owner of the Real Wealth Network and has been investing in portfolios of homes for more than 20 years. To connect with Kathy, visit realwealth.com. ------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-02
22 min
The Real Estate Espresso Podcast
BOM - Zero to One by Peter Thiel
Our book this month is by Peter Thiel, founder of Paypal, Silicon Valley entrepreneur and venture capitalist. For a business leader to have success in one company is rare, but multiple home runs is truly rarified air. So I had to read his book and learn from him. --------------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com
2022-10-01
07 min
Real Estate Espresso
Book of the Month - "Made To Stick"
On today show we are featuring the book of the month. In order to be considered for book of the month, a book has to meet a very simple criteria. Work must be impactful enough to change your life or your perspective on the world. Whether it does or not of course is up to you. You might consume the content, remark on how good it is, and continue your life as before. But if you do you’re missing the point.Our book this month is by two brothers who are both university professors on...
2019-07-01
05 min
Real Estate Espresso
You're in Luck! Changes to the Zoning Code.
You can get in touch with the host Victor Menasce at victorjm.com. In today's episode we're talking about changes to the zoning code and what can happen even if that change looks really promising.
2018-02-25
04 min