Collecting Keys - Real Estate Investing Podcast

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While everyone chases the next AI tool or crypto moonshot, Shane Schrader is quietly building wealth out of concrete boxes and plastic totes. In this episode, we break down the self-storage development most people said couldn't pencil, the $6-a-tote arbitrage hiding inside a single storage unit, and why preparation and relationships beat the marketing grind you've been told to run. Plus Dylan's re...

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Most of what sounds like a smart money move is either a scam or a bad bet. In this episode, Atlanta commercial broker Eric Rubin joins Mike, Dan, and Dylan to break down the lending fraud wave, the borrower they caught indicted the morning of the wire, why a winning trade doesn't mean you bet smart, and why your high-paying job beats the side hustle. Plus micro salons, grave plots, and the red fla...

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Kiavi just sold for $717 million, SpaceX is about to IPO at a $1.77 trillion valuation, and the through-line is the same: the people selling deals get paid whether you win or lose. In this episode, Mike, Dan, and Dylan break down why lenders are built to be flipped, why every standard metric on the SpaceX IPO makes zero sense, how AI data centers actually help your town, and why bigger funds quiet...

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Pace Morby blocked Aaron Bihl for explaining the Morby Method out loud. In this episode, Aaron fills in for Mike while he and Dan break down the contradictions piling up around creative finance's loudest salesman: personal guarantees that aren't real, the 50-year mortgage Pace now calls a deal he hates, and the sub-two horror stories that haunt wholesalers forever. Plus why the only thing that sur...

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Most people chase money for stuff they don't actually want. In this episode, Mike, Dan, and Dylan break down the lies about luxury, real estate, and the stock market that keep people stuck. Why your $1,000-a-night hotel doesn't make you happier. Why MDs keep buying Cincinnati 4-plexes at $600K. Why the S&P 500 is really the S&P 7 propped up by 401k passive bids. The guys close with some Ro...

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The appraisal is dying. Big lenders are building their own AI valuations, one broker rebuilt his entire MLS in a single weekend, and the people whose whole job was telling you what a house is worth are about to be gone. In this episode, we break down which real estate middlemen AI is about to wipe out, why Cincinnati could be the next market lenders blacklist, and why filing an insurance claim alm...

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A Hawaii broker tracked Mike down by email to warn him a Pace Morby sub-to deal had collapsed, the investors were headed for the SEC, and the people at the top had already paid themselves. In this episode, Mike and Dylan break down who actually profits when a deal goes wrong, from wholesalers who squeeze the seller after the inspection to syndication fees you pay whether the fund performs or not. ...

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Before you write a six-figure check into a syndication, listen to this episode. Brandon Turner's Class B investors just lost 100 percent of their money on a single Houston deal. We break down who you can actually trust with your money: the spokesperson-versus-operator filter, the cash floor that protects you, why oversharing tanks your loan, and what the Buffett yardstick at 230 percent is signali...

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If it doesn't have wheels, Aaron Bihl doesn't want it. After splitting with his Texas business partner and watching the San Antonio flip market grind to a halt, he moved to South Carolina and went all-in on new mobile homes on cheap lots. In this episode, we break down why FHA buyers love new manufactured homes, how Aaron sources lots for $10-15K, the trap of paying retail for land, and why hard m...

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Most fund operators get paid whether your money performs or not — acquisition fees, management fees, prefs that don't actually pay until years in. Drew Wiard built his fund the opposite way: zero fees, and he personally guarantees every loan, so he doesn't get paid until you do. In this episode, Drew is back for round four on why that skin-in-the-game structure is the alignment most operator...

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If you're spending your weekends building AI agents for your business, there's a good chance you've already fallen into the trap most entrepreneurs are walking right into.

In this episode, we break down how AI is hurting most entrepreneurs' businesses, the one case where Mike actually used AI the right way, and what the S&P 500 hitting all-time highs during a war really says about the economy.

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They told you to max out your retirement accounts. Mike is doing the opposite.

In this episode, we get into why traditional retirement accounts might be working against you, and where Mike is putting his money instead. We also break down the insider trading problem nobody wants to talk about — and whether the financial system behind your portfolio is as trustworthy as you’ve been led to...

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We sat in a room with some of the biggest lenders in the country last week. What we heard wasn't reassuring. From rising appraisal fraud to (not) shocking statements from a loan officer, this episode breaks down what's really happening inside the lending industry and how it could impact real estate investors.

Topics discussed:

Introduction (00:00)

Two concerning trends in the lending industry (01...

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Everyone's telling you AI is gonna change your business. They're right —  but it could actually be costing you deals.

In this episode, we break down why AI is being wildly oversold in real estate, how the focus on automations is costing you money, and the rate chaos hitting investors right now.

We also get into the macro stuff nobody wants to talk about: what a war with Iran is doing to t...

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Which real estate guru would survive a Hunger Games-style showdown? We built a March Madness bracket to find out. From Grant Cardone to Pace Morby, 16 of the biggest names in real estate will fight for the championship — and only one person will make it out alive.

Topics discussed:

Introduction (00:00)

The March Madness real estate bracket (01:23)

The players and the rules (05:55)

The matchup...

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Should you buy a house from an elderly seller in foreclosure who wants to rent it back indefinitely? In this episode, we break down the financials, the moral gray area, and smarter alternatives. Plus, find out what hard money lenders actually look at when you apply, how assignment fees can jeopardize your loan, and the red flags that get you denied immediately.

Topics discussed:

Introduction (00...

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Everyone tells you to diversify in your 20s and 30s... but what if that's the wrong move? In this episode, we break down why diversifying too early might be the exact thing keeping you from building real wealth — and when it actually starts to make sense. We also cover the two signs it's time to end a business, mistakes we see borrowers making every day, and why getting lucky in real estate ...

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Lower rates are supposed to unlock the market, so why does it feel harder than ever right now?

In this episode, we unpack why things can look better without actually getting cheaper, how pricing is influenced behind the scenes, and the recurring revenue obsession that’s turning everything into a subscription — from weight-loss meds to “free” HVAC inspections. Plus, h...

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Your portfolio might look strong on paper… until you try to use it.

This episode focuses on the uncomfortable gap between net worth and liquidity — and how getting that math wrong can quietly kill your options. We break down the cost of selling a rental right now, why desperation in a deal is the fastest way to destroy returns, and where AI realistically fits in real estate (an...