Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing
The Financial Freedom with Real Estate Investing podcast is about helping you achieve financial independence and control your time through apartment building investing. Michael Blank interviews experts in real estate, business, and investing. From learning how to invest in multifamily real estate to navigating entrepreneurship, you will learn the keys to success in your journey towards financial freedom. Previous guests include Grant Cardone, Robert Kiyosaki, Ken McElroy, Robert Helms, Brandon Turner, and Hal Elrod. Whether you're new to real estate investing or a seasoned investor, you'll enjoy stories from our expert guests as well as hear from people who quit...
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MB509: Market Outlook - Investing in 2024-25 vs. 2026 (Different Risk Profile) - With Michael Blank
<p>In this solo episode, Michael Blank breaks down what really happened in multifamily during 2025 and what investors should expect in 2026. He unpacks supply and demand trends, rent growth, interest rate expectations, and the affordability crisis shaping renter behavior. While the last few years have been challenging, Michael explains why 2026 is likely a year of stability that sets the stage for long-term growth—and why today’s risk-adjusted returns may be better than they’ve been in years.</p><h2>Key Takeaways</h2>2025 was a year of absorption, not growth — record demand was offset by an unprecedented wave of new supply...
MB508: How High-Achievers Sabotage Great Deals (And How to Stop) — With Derrick Lind
<p>In this episode, Michael sits down with Derrick Lind, a structural engineer with 25 years of experience who transitioned from single-family rentals into multifamily syndication. Derrick shares how his analytical mindset both helped—and initially held him back—as he navigated analysis paralysis, conservative underwriting, and fear of taking action. He also discusses how mentorship, networking, and ultimately writing a book (Real Estate Investing for Engineers) helped him break through and close larger deals with confidence.</p><h2>Key Takeaways </h2>Analytical strengths can become liabilities — engineers and professionals excel at analysis but often struggle to take action without perfect inform...
MB507: What Millionaires Do Before 8AM (That You Probably Don’t) - With Hal Elrod
<p>In this episode, Michael Blank sits down with Hal Elrod, bestselling author of The Miracle Morning, to talk about habits, mindset, and resilience. Hal shares how a near-fatal car accident, cancer, and financial collapse reshaped his philosophy on success—and why personal development is the foundation of financial freedom. This conversation explores how investors can use intentional daily routines to build clarity, discipline, and long-term fulfillment both in business and in life.</p><h2>Key Takeaways </h2>Morning routines shape long-term success — how you start the day determines focus, energy, and results.Adversity is neutral — meaning comes from the perspe...
MB506: Why I’m Reallocating Capital Away From Apartments — With Michael Blank
<p>In this solo episode, Michael Blank pulls back the curtain on why he’s expanding beyond multifamily real estate into business acquisitions and private equity. He breaks down how buying operating businesses can complement real estate investing, diversify investor portfolios, and create strong cash flow without day-to-day operations. Michael shares the exact framework, buy box, and risk-mitigation strategy he’s using as Nighthawk Equity cautiously enters this space—and why this move is about long-term stability, not abandoning multifamily.</p><h2>Key Takeaways</h2>Business acquisitions can provide strong cash flow and diversification alongside real estate investments.Michael evaluates busine...
MB505: The Relationship Habits That Shaped Our Success — With Michael & Vivian Blank
<p>In this special and deeply personal episode, Michael sits down with his wife, Vivian Blank, to talk about life beyond real estate. From spending off-season time at Hilton Head to navigating marriage, goal-setting, communication, and long-term partnership, this conversation explores what it really takes to build a meaningful life together while pursuing ambitious goals. Whether you’re married, building a business, or thinking about long-term alignment with your partner, this episode offers honest insights and practical wisdom.</p><h2>Key Takeaways</h2>Shared goal-setting strengthens relationships — regularly discussing goals creates accountability, clarity, and deeper connection.You don’t need to wor...
MB504: How ChatGPT Gets Real Estate WRONG (and What Actually Works for 6-Figure Investors) - With Michael Blank
<p>Have you ever asked ChatGPT how to make $10K per month in real estate? I did—and the advice it gave me is the same advice most new investors follow. Buy a few rentals, flip some houses, maybe try BRRRR or short-term rentals. The problem? That advice doesn’t actually work for busy six-figure earners who want financial freedom without adding another full-time job.</p><p>In this episode, I break down why AI’s generic advice can actually hold you back, and why most single-family strategies will leave you stuck in the rat race far longer than you expect...
MB503: Why We’re Buying Businesses Now (And You Should Consider It Too) — With Jay Bourgana
<p>In this episode, Michael sits down with Jay Bourgana, a turnaround expert and business builder who went from immigrant roots to overseeing $350M in real estate sales—and now focuses on acquiring and scaling profitable private businesses. Jay breaks down how buying established companies can accelerate wealth creation, how to structure acquisitions without becoming the day-to-day CEO, and why this strategy pairs naturally with syndication and real estate investing. If you’re curious about business acquisitions as a scalable, high-cash-flow complement to multifamily, this episode is for you.</p><h2> Key Takeaways</h2>Buying established businesses can outperform real esta...
MB502: The $3B Investor Who Walked Away… and Ended Up Richer Than Ever - with Brad Johnson
<p>In this episode, Michael Blank sits down with Brad Johnson, a 20-year real estate investor who has managed over $3B in assets and successfully transitioned from mobile home park operator to full-time asset allocator. Brad shares how he built his career one deal at a time, the moment he walked away from investment banking, and how he engineered a lifestyle that aligns with his values. This episode is packed with practical wisdom on career transitions, downside-risk investing, and creating long-term financial freedom.</p><h2>Key Takeaways</h2>The power of compounding — Brad’s investing mindset started early, recognizing the valu...
MB501: Interest Rates Down. Deals Up. Here’s What You MUST Know - With Brad Tacia and Jonathan Nichols
<p>In this special mentor roundtable, Michael is joined by long-time advisors Brad Tacia and Jonathan Nichols to break down what’s happening in multifamily right now. They share the latest trends in deal flow, investor sentiment, capital raising, and student success—plus the strategies that are working best in today’s market. If you want a clear picture of the current landscape and how new investors are getting deals done, this episode is for you.</p><h2>Key Takeaways</h2>Deal flow is improving as interest rates stabilize and lenders stop granting extensions, pushing more assets to market. Investor sentim...
MB500: 500th Episode Special — My Honest Answers to Your Biggest Questions
<p>To celebrate 500 episodes of the Financial Freedom with Real Estate Podcast, Michael flips the script and answers your biggest questions. Listeners submitted their favorite episodes plus their most burning questions about scaling, quitting a W-2, raising capital, working with brokers, avoiding bad deals, parenting, mindset, and even… Michael’s net worth. This special episode is packed with hard-earned wisdom from a decade of podcasting and real-world investing experience.</p><p>Key Takeaways: </p>Time is not the real barrier — priority is. With 5 focused hours a week, you can build a multimillion-dollar real estate business on the side. When to quit y...
