Welcome to the Truth About Real Estate Investing Show for Canadians since 2016 where we have special guests on this show to extract from them their stories of both success AND loss so we may learn lessons, tricks and tips four our own investor tool boxes.

My name is Erwin Szeto, landlord to 40 something properties since 2005, fed up Ontario landlord who’s since pivoted to landlord friendly USA and currently looking for his 2nd income property in Texas.

I just returned from a three week trip to Hong Kong and China to visit family and friends, did the touristy thing in both hyper modern cities: Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Beijing all tier 1 cities to the tier four city Qingyuan, small by China’s standards at 1.7 million population going through economic hardship.  Cherry has family there. We visited her grandparents house and rice farm they own and Cherry’s aunts and uncles used to work on the farm.

Real estate prices are down around 24% on average from 2019 as the economy there isn’t strong nor diverse enough per chatgpt and I’m always looking for growing, diverse economies for choosing where to invest like Texas and other business friendly states in America.  

For the first time I witnessed brand new empty, high rise residential and commercial condo buildings in China as I’d read about and only seen on Youtube.  Sadly that’s what happens to speculative investments resulting in developers going bankrupt and investors losing their investments/down payments of 30-50% and worse, tons of vacancy.  I think I read there is a year or two of supply to be absorbed… Just another reminder to invest for cash flow and economic fundamentals, don’t speculate. Speculation is what cost so many new construction investors their shirts.  These are the same lessons I teach my kids about investing.

Learning investing isn’t the easiest thing to do.  There’s a reason so many 2nd generation real estate investors are more successful than first generation investors: a lot of early, hands on experience, coaching and mentorship. So if you’re a first generation investor like me and feeling lost, it’s OK and not your fault.

We have many educational events coming up.

Saturday, January 18th we’re hosting a virtual tour of investment properties my clients and I own in landlord friendly USA.  We’ll share real numbers, video walkthroughs, before and after pictures as we do a lot off market, buying for under market value, BRRRRs. Sign up here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/3917361727786/WN_7CazOjFRQaKKfbuA0VWMuA

Saturday, January 25th we’re hosting a both in person and Zoom webinar of How to Maximize the Sale Price of Your Investment Property, even if it’s tenanted.  This is a specialty of ours being that we are veteran Ontario landlords.  My colleague who will be presenting along with me has a property management company too along with being an investor focussed Realtor since 2010 like me so we’re going to be sharing our secrets, our best practices on how to sell investment properties for top dollar.  Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/how-to-maximize-the-sale-price-of-your-investment-property-tickets-1137848799389?aff=mail

With interest rates falling, the market improving, the time couldn’t be better to rebalance one’s real estate portfolio, especially with all the challenges at the Landlord Tenant Board.

These events are complimentary as in no charge.  It is my belief that education should be quality, affordable and attainable hence it’s free and available both in person and via Zoom webinar.  

Cherry and I successfully sold four of our own income properties in 2024 for top dollar and we love to help our clients in all their real estate needs including selling.

Surviving & Thriving: Cory’s 20-Year Journey from Rock Bottom to Real Estate Success

On to this week’s show! Today’s guest is Cory Froc.

Cory is a 20 year investor who’s been through rough times back in the financial crisis, from Toronto he was investing on the wrong side of the tracks in London, Ontario, sleeping inside the renovation project as he didn’t have funds for trades and to cut down on his commute from Toronto.

Fast forward to today, Cory’s been a full time investor for 2.5 years specializing in BRRRR investments, suiting basements, garden suites and an office to residential conversion that’s gone anything but smoothly. Cory funds his projects with silent, passive joint venture partners, and when there’s no cash flow… I’ll let Cory explain what he does.

Cory’s story is quite a journey of survival in terrible and good and difficult times.  Anyone new or old to real estate investing will have lessons to learn.  If you’re one of the good guys in real estate, you’ll appreciate how a good guy like Cory can thrive in an industry swimming with Sharks.

Website: www.coryfroc.com

Instagram: @coryfrocinvestments and @coryfroc on Facebook

Please enjoy the show!

To Listen:

HELP US OUT!

BEFORE YOU GO…

Before you go, if you’re interested in what kind of properties I am looking at in the landlord friendly states of the USA please go to iwin.sharesfr.com for what I consider the best investment for most Canadians, most of the time.

I’ve been investing in Ontario since 2005 and while it’s been a great, great run. I started out buying properties in the 100,000s and now it’s $800,000 to $1,000,000.  How much higher can it go? I don’t know

To me, the remaining potential for appreciation does not match the risk hence I’m advising my clients to look to where one can find rental properties that are affordable range of $150,000 to $350,000 US$, with rents that range from $1,400 to 2,600/month plus utilities.   As many Canadians recognize, these numbers will be positive cash flow and are night and day compared to anything locally. Plus the landlord has all of the rights, no rent control, and income is US dollars which are better than Canadian dollars.

If you don’t believe me, US dollars are better than Canadian dollars, go ask 100 non-Canadians which currency they prefer to be paid in.

So to regain control of your retirement planning.  Go to iwin.sharesfr.com and check out what great cash flow properties are available in the USA.  

The best part is, my US investments will be much more passive compared to by local investments as I’m hiring an asset manager called SHARE to hand hold me through the entire process.  As their client and shareholder, Share will source me quality income properties, help me with legal structure and taxes, they manage the property manager and insurance provider while passing down to me preferred rates so I save both time and money.  

Share will even tell me when to strategically refinance or sell.  SHARE can even support investors all over the country for proper diversification hence my plan is to own in Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas.  Share is like my joint venture partner but I only have to pay them fees while I keep 100% ownership and control.

If your goal in investing is to increase cash flow, I don’t know of a better strategy for most Canadians most of the time.  One last time that’s iwin.sharesfr.com to see what boring, cash flowing real estate investing can look like on your path towards financial peace.

This is how I’m going to make real estate investing great again for my family and hope you choose the same.  Till next time!

Sponsored by:

This episode is brought to you by me! We don’t have sponsors for this show. I only share with you services owned by my wife Cherry and me.  Real estate investing is a staple in my life and allowed me to build wealth and, more importantly, achieve financial peace about the future, knowing our retirement is taken care of and my kids will be able to afford a home when they grow up.  If you, too, are interested in my systematic strategy to implement the #1 investment strategy, the same one pretty much all my guests are doing themselves, then go visit www.infinitywealth.ca/events and register for our next event.

Till next time, just do it because I believe in you.

Erwin

W: erwinszeto.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/erwin.szeto
IG: https://www.instagram.com/erwinszeto/

Disclaimer:

As a committed advocate for transparent and responsible real estate investment, I want to openly share my involvement with SHARE SFR (Single Family Rental) as an Advisor. I hold an equity position in this company and receive a referral commission for clients I introduce to their services. My endorsement of their business model – focusing on direct ownership of positive cash flow income properties – is consistent with my own personal investing since 2005, is based not only on a professional assessment but also on my personal experience and belief in their approach. Please note that while I stand behind my recommendations, it is crucial for each individual to conduct their own due diligence and consider their unique circumstances before making any investment decisions. As always, my priority is to provide you with honest, insightful, and practical real estate investment education.