In Episode 20 of The Stephen Lee-Thomas Show, we dive deep into creative real estate investing with Chris Prefontaine, founder of Smart Real Estate Coach, 4-time best-selling author, and Forbes Business Council member. With over 33 years of experience, Chris has weathered multiple market cycles and built a thriving real estate business without relying on banks or personal loans.
Chris shares how he transitioned from traditional financing to creative financing strategies, helping investors structure deals with no banks, no credit, and little to no money down. He also breaks down his "Three Paydays" system, a unique approach that generates upfront cash, monthly cash flow, and long-term wealth.
If you're looking to escape the 9-to-5, scale your portfolio, or learn how to buy real estate on your own terms, this episode is packed with actionable insights.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ Why market cycles don’t matter when you use creative financing
✅ How to buy real estate without using banks or personal credit
✅ The “Three Paydays” system that generates long-term wealth
Episode Highlights:
[00:00:00] – Welcome & Chris’s journey into real estate
[00:05:12] – Surviving the 2008 crash & rewriting the rules of investing
[00:12:45] – The power of creative financing: subject-to, seller financing & lease purchases
[00:18:30] – The Three Paydays: How to generate multiple streams of income per deal
[00:23:10] – Mindset shifts for escaping the W-2 & achieving financial freedom
Ways to Connect with Chris Prefontaine:
- 📚 Free Book: https://wickedsmartbooks.com/
- 🌐 Website: https://smartrealestatecoach.com/
- 🎙️ Podcast: Smart Real Estate Coach Podcast
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisprefontaine_/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisprefontaine/
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Connect with Us:
- Skool Community: https://www.skool.com/multifamilymasteryhub/about
- Website: https://www.stephenleethomas.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StephenLeeThomasCapital/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenleethomas/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenleethomas/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StephenLee-ThomasCapital
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