Rental Property Owner & Real Estate Investor Podcast
Welcome to the Rental Property Owner and Real Estate Investor Podcast, Brought to you by the Rental Property Owner Association - providing benefits and services to real estate investors and rental property owners for over 45 years. Hosted by Brian Hamrick from Hamrick Investment Group. Every Monday Brian and his special guest will discuss topics, tips, and techniques Designed to make you a more confident and successful Rental Property Owner and Real Estate Investor
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The Hidden Financial Tool Every Real Estate Investor Should Know: Surety Bonds with Gary Eastman
<p >Most real estate investors have never heard of surety bonds, yet these little-known financial tools can determine whether a project finishes on time—or falls apart.</p> <p >In this episode, Brian Hamrick talks with Gary Eastman, attorney turned entrepreneur and founder of Axcess Surety and Swiftbonds, two of the nation's leading surety bond brokerages. After 17 years as General Counsel for Fortune 500 companies, Gary discovered how surety bonds quietly drive the $22 billion construction and development industry.</p> <p >Gary explains why every developer, investor, and property owner should understand how surety bonds protect capital, guarantee performance, and keep projects mo...
Why Distressed Office and Retail Could Be the Smartest Real Estate Play of 2026, with Scott Sherman
<p >Billions of dollars in office and retail buildings are trading at deep discounts right now. While most investors see risk, Scott Sherman, Founder and Principal of Torose Equities, sees opportunity.</p> <p >Scott has built a $700M+ portfolio by buying, repositioning, and re-tenanting distressed commercial assets — from South Beach retail to Florida office towers. In this episode, he joins Brian Hamrick to break down:</p> <p >Why the best deals are hidden inside distressed office and retail</p> <p >How to spot management problems and operational inefficiencies that destroy value</p> <p >The strategy behind buying retail condos and mi...
New 1031 Exchange & Bonus Depreciation Updates for 2026: Tax-Smart Real-Estate Strategies with Dave Foster
<p >It's tax season — and the rules have changed again.<br /> With new updates to the 1031 exchange and bonus depreciation, real-estate investors have more ways than ever to defer taxes and build wealth in 2025.</p> <p >In this episode, Brian Hamrick welcomes Dave Foster, one of the nation's top Qualified Intermediaries and founder of The 1031 Investor. Dave breaks down what the new "Big Beautiful Bill" means for real-estate owners, and how to use the latest tax provisions to maximize returns and preserve legacy wealth.</p> <p >You'll learn:</p> <p >What's new (and now permanent) in the 1031 exchange rules</p> <p...
Building Affordable Homes in Hawaii's Lava Zones: Fuzzy Jardine on Respecting the Land and Creating Generational Wealth
<p >Kolaiah "Fuzzy" Jardine, co-founder of HUI Mastermind, joins Brian Hamrick to share how he overcame adversity and built a multimillion-dollar real estate portfolio across Hawaii—developing over 100 affordable homes for local families.</p> <p >From growing up in a multi-generational household on leased agricultural land and serving time in federal prison to becoming a real estate developer and mentor, Fuzzy's story is one of redemption, resilience, and purpose. In this episode, he reveals how he builds homes in Hawaii's lava zones, why he focuses on affordable housing, and how his "Pono Way" approach honors both the people and the lan...
Conference Announcement: Midwest Real Estate Investor Conference April 27–28, 2026
<p>The Midwest Real Estate Investor Conference (MREIC) is back April 27–28, 2026 at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and this year's theme is Thrive.</p> <p>This quick special announcement features Erika Farley, Executive Director of the Rental Property Owners Association of Michigan (RPOAM), breaking down what's new, who it's for, and why you should lock in your ticket now. (Midwest Real Estate Investor Conference)</p> <p>You'll hear how the 2026 agenda is built around systems, real-world strategy, and operating resilience, including major focus on AI integration and a grounded economic outlook for 2026 that investors can actually use. (Midwest Real Es...
The Truth About Subject-To, Seller Finance, and the Risks Most Investors Miss with Caleb Christopher
<p >Creative financing opens amazing doors for real estate investors—but it can also destroy deals when done wrong.</p> <p >In this episode, Caleb Christopher, founder of Creative TC, breaks down how to use Subject-To and Seller-Financing strategies safely, legally, and ethically. Caleb shares real-world stories from the trenches—like taking over a mortgage where the sellers actually paid him—and explains what to watch out for when banks threaten the due-on-sale clause.</p> <p >You'll learn:</p> <p >What creative financing really means (and when you should—or shouldn't—use it)</p> <p >How to protect sellers, buyers, and your re...
How Real Estate Investors Can Use AI Right Now: Chatbots, Automation & Smarter Decisions with Clay Lehman
<p >Artificial intelligence is transforming every corner of real estate—from how we analyze deals to how we manage tenants, leads, and operations. But most investors still don't know where to start.</p> <p >In this episode, Brian Hamrick talks with Clay Lehman, a longtime investor, property-management expert, and AI educator who helps entrepreneurs and agents use today's tools to save time, make better decisions, and grow their business.</p> <p >You'll learn:</p> <p >The fundamentals vs. hype of AI in real estate investing</p> <p >How to use Google Gemini, Notebook LM, and Claude for research, analysis, and au...
What Every New Developer Needs to Know Before the First Shovel Hits the Ground with Steve Achram and Peter Skornia
<p >Every successful real estate development starts long before the first shovel hits the ground. From concept and capital stack to design, construction, and operations—understanding the process is key to building with purpose.</p> <p >In this episode, Steve Achram and Peter Skornia of Cella Building Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan, share a step-by-step guide to sustainable development and walk us through their Wealthy & Sheldon project—an example of how thoughtful design, solid financial modeling, and community collaboration can turn a vision into a high-performing building.</p> <p >We cover:</p> <p >What goes into a bulletproof proforma and capi...
Property Management Secrets: Reducing Delinquencies, Tenant Psychology & Turning Around Underperforming Properties with Craig Marquardo
<p >Underperforming properties are where the biggest money is made—if you know how to fix them. That's where expert property management comes in.</p> <p >In this episode, Brian speaks with Craig Marquardo, VP of Multifamily at VCS Property Management, who has over 20 years of experience cleaning up operations, boosting tenant retention, and maximizing NOI. Craig pulls back the curtain on how property managers really operate and what every owner needs to know to protect their investment.</p> <p >You'll learn:</p> <p >Tenant Psychology: How residents think about rent increases and what keeps them paying on time.</p> <p...
Creative Foreclosure Investing: How to Profit from Overages and Distressed Deals with Bob Diamond
<p >Negotiation, deal structure, and legal traps—these can make or break a real estate investor. Few people understand this better than Bob Diamond, a seasoned real estate attorney, investor, and developer featured on Fox, NBC, NPR, and TLC's Flip That House.</p> <p >With 30 years of legal and investing experience, Bob has personally negotiated more than $100 million in real estate transactions and authored three books on real estate investing. In this episode, he shares powerful strategies investors can use today to thrive in a shifting market, including:</p> <p >Overages 101: How to claim surplus funds left over after foreclosure au...
