That’s right, a part time investor from Toronto investing in cash flowing, Hamilton real estate and improved his net worth by $600,000 in just six years. Gross rents of $8,000 per month and John’s personal efforts to generate those revenues is 30 minutes per week or 2 hours per month, therefore his hourly rate is $4,000/hour.

After over a decade of sitting on the sidelines and knowing real estate was an excellent asset class, John finally took the leap after meeting his real estate coach in Erwin Szeto (full disclosure, John is my client). John, son of Greek immigrants, being a rather smart guy who has his MBA and Chartered Professional Accountant designation, took the leap and purchased his first investment property, in April 2011, a single family, semi-detached for $240,000 which is now worth over $400,000 in today’s market.

John has a full time, management job in Toronto, recently married to lovely wife Freda, and they are expecting their first child. With busy life including teaching at Sheridan College, achieving a black belt in Karate, learning to play guitar and full-time career, John still managed to make investing in real estate a priority and invested in one additional property per year.

John is an avid stock investor within his RRSP account using his own and his company’s contributions and we had a great conversation around SELF DIRECTED, educated, conservative, stock investing as well.

Show notes:

• Monthly conservative stock advice: https://www.investmentreporter.com/
• Book recommendation: Real Estate Investing for Canadians: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B003C2SOTC/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
• ACRE: All weekend real estate training: http://www.reincanada.com/ > Events & Products > ACRE Live. I’ve been eight times and highly recommend every investor go at least once!!

Final thoughts, I couldn’t find my proper mic for in person interviews so please do turn up the volume as I sound quiet and I know for future episodes when I am serving/consuming wine, to remove the wine charms 😛

Podcast available here:

Google Play: http://goo.gl/CAM5Mn
On iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/truth-about-real-estate-investing…/id1100488294
On Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=87335&refid=stpr

Download as an MP3 by right clicking here and choosing “save as”

This episode is brought to you by Rock Star’s Real Estate’s Free Training Class: rockstarinnercircle.com/erwin.  As always, I only ever recommend services, investments that I would invest in myself and I have attended this training class at least twice, I’ve been a consumer of Rock Star’s newsletters, events, VIP events, etc. since 2010 and highly recommend them. Recently, I’ve been recommending the Free Training class even more often as I’m finding many novice investors, even the highly educated ones with post graduate degrees (including my brother, Tony, who has a higher IQ than me and my cousin Simon, a professional engineer, who have both recently registered) would benefit from fundamental, real estate training for beginners.

The class is 90 minutes, it will teach you about opportunities in Ontario’s golden horse shoe to invest in. There is no charge, no commitment, and I recommend every investor and entrepreneur to take this class at least once.

To register, the link is rockstarinnercircle.com/erwin

This week, we have a very special guest in Tom Karadza (https://twitter.com/tomkaradza), co-founder and co-owner on Rock Star Real Estate, a two time Profit 500 company, which makes Rock Star one of the 500 fastest growing companies in Canada. Rock Star manages a membership of over 800 investors called the Rock Star Inner Circle and you can learn more about it on their website www.rockstarinnercircle.com.

Even though Rock Star members invest in every real estate strategy imaginable, they are best known for rent-to-own, having members transacted on 1,800 – 2,000 rent-to-owns to date. If anyone out there has done more in Canada, kindly let me know because I don’t think any other group or company comes close.

During this interview we talk about the day Tom was yelled at in front of his co-workers for missing a sales target which was the catalyst for Tom to change paths and begin his and brother Nick’s journey to starting Rock Star Real Estate.

We talk about the investment of Tom’s money, time, but more importantly, the sacrifices of family time and health to take the business where it is and shares his lessons learned. We talk about rent to own as a strategy, how it works, which markets the strategy is best for, what makes certain investors successful or not so.

For fans of gold and silver, like myself, Tom gives his recommendations on why gold and how much we should own.

We could have gone on for hours, so if you listeners enjoy this episode please let me know! preferably leave a review on whichever platform you are using to listen e.g. on iTunes (I read it all) or simply email me. Anyways, without further ado, I present to you Tom Karadza

Podcast available here:

Google Play: http://goo.gl/CAM5Mn
On iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/truth-about-real-estate-investing…/id1100488294
On Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=87335&refid=stpr

Download as an MP3 by right clicking here and choosing “save as”

Thanks for listening! Till next time!

You can read Tahani’s bio here: http://www.tahani.ca/about.aspx

How I like to introduce Tahani, is that she is living large. A super successful real estate investor who started out buying new construction, has owned 39 properties, and now constructs her own properties – including a 48 town houses project. But she comes from the humblest beginnings having lived her early life in a Jordanian refugee camp. She married at the age of 15 to a stranger and immigrated to a country she’d never heard of where we speak a language she did not know. Tahani’s story of determination and entrepreneurial spirit inspires me. I knew I had to share it with all of you.

My apologies if I sound off and you can hear my coughing, as I’m getting over a cold, but I couldn’t delay this interview because Tahani is in serious demand as an international speaker, author, business owner, investor, mother, etc…

In this episode we discuss:

• What Tahani is all about
• The major life changing event of getting married… at the age of 15
• Getting started in real estate
• Focusing on real estate investments
• Starting a business at a young age
• How regular realtors and investors clash
• Financing land development with all CASH
• Contractor challenges
• Sourcing deals for land development and developing those key relationships
• The moment Tahani decided to learn everything there is about investing then to teach anyone who wanted to know. Her belief in abundance.
• Investor agent certification: http://www.savvyinvestoragent.com/
• What to look for and why hire an Investor Savvy Realtor
• Tahani’s book for beginner and intermediate investors: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B006ISI2OO/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
• Email info@tahani.ca to connect
• Tips for raising successful, empowered children

Podcast available here:

Google Play: http://goo.gl/CAM5Mn
On iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/truth-about-real-estate-investing…/id1100488294
On Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=87335&refid=stpr

Download as an MP3 by right clicking here and choosing “save as”

Evelyn began her real estate investing journey at age 26. She bought two rentals then bought a house for herself. She didn’t get to live there very long, because her neighbour, Mike, fell in love with the Girl Next Door and they were married in no time!  She made the big move next door and her house became another rental. Evelyn and Mike keep collecting homes and make time for cycling, canoeing and chilling in their boat. Evelyn is an Occupational Therapist and Mike’s Executive Assistant. Mike is an Auto Mechanic and Evelyn’s personal Mr. Fix-It. One day, Mike will own his dream sports car and he’s willing to share it 50/50… Evelyn will get the passenger seat!

Podcast available here:

Google Play: http://goo.gl/CAM5Mn
On itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/truth-about-real-estate-investing…/id1100488294
On Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=87335&refid=stpr

Or direct:

Download as an MP# by right clicking here and choosing “save as”

In this episode we discuss:

• How it all started
• Investing in an affordable area near a future Go Train station
• Why she invests
• The decision to invest in student rentals
• Her worst moments as an investor
• Marrying the perfect investment partner
• Turning cash flow into a boat
• Refinancing one house to buy another
• Evelyn’s favourite real estate authors and networking groups

When I first started planning to produce a podcast, I had targeted Pierre-Paul Turgeon because he is a tremendous educator and his experience and background is like no other apartment building investor that I know. I first saw Pierre speak at the real estate investment network many years ago while he still worked at CMHC, who insures mortgages on apartment buildings, and I am in awe of how he left his cushy government job and has grown his portfolio to 160 doors valued in excess of $22 million dollars. Pierre is a busy guy so we’re really lucky to have him on the show as he’s in the middle of acquiring more buildings thanks to the several millions of dollars of capital he has attracted.

Something of note since the interview – Pierre mentioned he has more than usual vacancies due to the down turn of oil prices and, since this interview, Fort McMurray has been decimated by forest fires. So, what does a super awesome guy like Pierre-Paul do?  He’s offering his apartments to displaced families for at least the next two months for FREE.  That’s worth thousands and thousands of dollars so next time you hear someone ragging on greedy landlords, remember there are great people out there like Pierre-Paul.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Pierre-Paul’s work experience at CMHC – Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation
• Alberta’s downtown and planning for down turns
• Being unhappy at work, planning to leave the J-O-B and transitioning into becoming a full time investor
• The plan to leave the J-O-B
• The various risks factors when investing: utilities, market, valuation, borrower, building risks
• Lessons for novices
• The importance of confidence
• Going above and beyond to ensure minimal vacancy
• Tips on how to source deals on apartment buildings
• When Pierre-Paul feels oil prices will go back up

Podcast available here, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode:

On itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/truth-about-real-estate-investing…/id1100488294
On Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=87335&refid=stpr

or Direct

Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as”

If you would like Pierre-Paul’s free ebook, head to his website: http://www.multifamilyblueprint.com/ and sign up!! For those who do sign up, you will also receive notification of when Pierre is offering his training course and if you are serious about being a professional on the level of Pierre, I recommend that you do.

His Email: info@multifamilyblueprint.com

Check out the success of our mutual friend Kevin Gatchalian, Hamilton investor and now Edmonton apartment building owner thanks to Pierre Paul’s help: http://blog.reincanada.com/2015-multi-family-investor-of-the-year